Marginal Gains Cycling Podcast, Presented by Silca
Episodes
Sea Otter Pt. 2 - Big Wheels Keep on Rollin'
30 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Our first episode that covered the topic of 32 inch wheels focused on the bigger wheels being used on mountain bikes. Daniel Yang of Neuhaus Metalwork...
Sea Otter Pt. 1 - Hooked on Road Wheels
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We're not afraid to share an opinion on this show. At no time was that more apparent then when Josh let his thoughts known about hookless road wheels....
From Bike Magazines to YouTube with Ben Delaney
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It feels like now more than ever it is important to find sources of information and reporting that are trustworthy. It used to be fairly easy: subscri...
Building Zipp with Andy Ording and Josh
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Josh has spoken on many occasions about his time with Zipp. The engineering. The R&D. The wins. The fails. Josh was part of a team that changed the sc...
AJA #49: Helping Fatty Everest (A Marginal Gains Intervention)
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Fatty drops a bombshell: he's turning 60 and attempting an Everesting challenge this June — and he needs Josh and Hottie to marginal-gain every aspe...
Rethinking Bidons with Bivo and Carina Hamel
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us hardly give those water bottles in our cages a second thought. It's plastic. It's there. It's got what we need. But in the late 20-teens, C...
AJA #48: Travel Kits, Drop Bar Drama, and Rants About Beeps and Boops
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Josh answers listener questions about essential race-day gear, from what to pack for Cape Epic to whether digital torque wrenches are worth the beepin...
Getting AiRO with Ingmar Jungnickel
21 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For most of us getting into a wind tunnel is but a dream. Tunnels are hard to find and harder to afford. As an alternative Josh has recommended the Ch...
AJA #47: Aluminum Velodromes, Forever Chemicals, Big-Wheel Aesthetics, and valve stem nerdery
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This Ask Josh Anything grab-bag starts with Tucson's new aluminum velodrome, evolves (devolves?) into altitude hacks for hour records, "no-rules" spee...
Melisa Rollins: From Hand-Me-Downs to Leadville Champ
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fatty sits down with 2024 Leadville champion (and his daughter) Melisa Rollins to discuss her meteoric rise from riding borrowed bikes to the professi...
AJA #46: Safety Pins, TPU Wins & Indoor Suffering
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Josh tackles why we're still pinning race numbers instead of printing them on jerseys, then dives into the tech story behind Silca's translucent TPU t...
32er Test Ride with Daniel Yang
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We rarely chase trends or product announcements on the Marginal Gains Podcast. The news of the day we mostly leave to other shows. So allow us while w...
AJA #45: Pump Accuracy & Cheap Carbon Parts
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hear why that "psst" when you pull the chuck is just hose air (not lost PSI), how to set smarter pressures for tandems and "big-butt" weight splits us...
Best Bike Split Founder Ryan Cooper
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marginal Gainers are familiar with Best Bike Split -- the website where using rider data you can forecast a finish time on a specific course. It has b...
AJA #44: Hookless Controversy, Tire Myths, and Aero Hacks
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Josh tackles the fallout from his viral "hookless is a scam" comment, clarifies the real risks and physics behind hookless rims, and dives deep into t...
Brendan Johnston: Racing, Resilience, and Results
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Australian cycling champ and Grand Prix contender Brendan Johnston shares the races that shaped him, the setbacks that tested him, and an upcoming pro...
3X Natl Champ Lauren Stephens
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Stephens has been easy to spot in both Road and Gravel events; just look for the stars and stripes. She has won three US titles: two gravel and...
AJA #43: CRR/CDA and Hookless plus The Magnus Effect
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We take a look at what has become a dilemma for some Marginal Gains seekers and that is optimizing aero, rolling resistance on a tubeless, hookless ri...
AJA #42: Pipe Cleaners and Crack Baggies
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We know, the title sounds like we're doing an episode about drug paraphernalia, but trust us, it's the (very good) answer to one of many great questio...
The Marginal — and maximal — gains of a great bike fit
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Behind every great cyclist is a great bike fit, which means a great bike fitter. Honestly, we're not sure it's possible to overstate the gains — or ...
From Running to Riding to RED-S and Beyond with Cécile Lejeune
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cécile Lejeune is a rising star in women's pro cycling, but this Frenchwoman (and now Arizonian) is no stranger to speed. With roots in Tri and a num...
AJA #41: Hard water, hard jobs, and hard to get
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fatty is obsessed with mini compressors and so jumps the line in this episode of Ask Josh Anything with several questions he has about Silca's new Ele...
Sea Otter Special
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are on the ground at Sea Otter chasing Marginal Gains. A top theme at this year's show is something we have been discussing in our episodes: the wi...
Levi Leipheimer & Melisa Rollins: The Growler from Pro and RD perspectives
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've done plenty of interview episodes before, but this one's a little different. The twist here is we have pro cyclist Melisa Rollins joining as co-...
AJA 40: How will new tariffs affect Silca, bike retailers, and customers?
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We had a whole suite of super nerdy and fun questions ready to ask Josh...and we will still ask them, next time. But we also wanted to know Josh's tho...
The Meteoric Rise of 2024 Unbound Champ Rosa Klöser
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2024 Unbound Champion Rosa Klöser's trajectory to the top step started with a stolen townie, and has kept surprising —and impressing — ever since...
Ask Josh Anything: Josh's FAQs
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a little different from most Ask-Josh-Anything episodes. Here, we ask Josh to answer the questions he gets most often. What we got was an insi...
TrainerRoad's Jonathan Lee puts the "smart" in smart trainers
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Lee is Communications Director and one of the OG's at TrainerRoad, one of our favorite tools for marginal-gaining our bodies. TrainerRoad is ...
AJA #39: Short cranks, bar tape and tandems
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Short cranks are all the rage right now, and it just wouldn't be right to let this cycling trend go by without asking Josh to weigh in on its actual m...
Sofia Gomez Villafane: Making a Statement & Backing It Up
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We could have talked with Sofia Gomez Villafane for hours about nothing but her head-spinning palmares: Olympian, winner of Lifetime Grand Prix Series...
AJA #38: Waxing Long, Waxing Cold, and Avoiding Speed Wobbles, and Taping to be Aero
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Marginal Gains crew thought we'd throw a real curveball this episode and make every single question about cycling...and relevant, even. Wacky, huh...
Tinker & Test: Chase Wark Brings Innovation (and hugs and hotdish) to Pro Cycling
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chase Wark shares his unique journey in the cycling world, from his unconventional bike setups to his passion for community-building through cycling ...
AJA #37: Oval Chainrings, Squeaky Wheels, and Everesting Hypotheticals
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If the premise of these Q&A episodes is that you can Ask Josh Anything, and we continue asking questions forever, shouldn't we really change the name ...
Marginal Gains Scorecard with Dylan Johnson
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Johnson is back with a follow up to the testing he and Josh did in the spring. The race season started with the two of them in the wind tunnel l...
AJA #36: Pre-wax prep, traction problems, and aero for the flexibility-challenged
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is it a coincidence that Fatty picked all the questions for this episode, and that all the questions in this episode are topics Fatty finds either int...
Zwift & Marginal Gains, with Zwift Product VP Mark Cote
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Zwift VP of Product Mark Cote joins the Marginal Gains crew, picking up where we left off in our last conversation: the wind tunnel. This time, his ti...
Paralympic Track Racer Bryan Larsen: Excelling after Injury
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bryan Larsen tells us his only real talent is that he's too dumb to quit. We strongly disagree, but take his point: Bryan is no quitter. In this episo...
AJA 35: Hookless rims & PSI limits, tire pressure on worn tires, Ti quicklinks, CRR on wet roads
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're so excited to kick this 35th episode of our "Ask Josh Anything" series with a discussion of the announcement of Silca's partnership with Visma L...
Amy Charity and SBT GRVL
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gravel Racing is moving face and Amy Charity is one of the movers. Amy is the founder of SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The race started on ...
AJA 34: Wind tunnels, cargo bibs, ti printing, and axle handles
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
At this point we've lost track on how many episodes we've dedicated to wind tunnels, but this is at least partially one of them. We've also got great ...
Erwin Vervecken and the UCI Global Gravel Series
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gravel Racing has gone global, and governing bodies have gotten involved. The UCI is now in its third year of putting on its Gravel World Series. It h...
Time's Tony Karklins and Josh Talk Bike Shops and Carbon Manufacturing
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tony Karklins is the founder of Allied Cycle, is currently the founder of Time, and has deep knowledge of all aspects of the cycling industry, all the...
John Cobb-Wind Tunnel Pioneer
27 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
John Cobb may be best known for his bike saddles, but his experience and innovation go much deeper. John may be the first person to take a bike to the...
Kimo Seymour and the Life Time Grand Prix
13 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life Time puts on what is arguably the biggest and most important pro bike racing series in the US: The Life Time Grand Prix. And one man is in chage ...
AJA #33: Wind Tunnels and Wax
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our recent wind tunnel episodes have triggered a LOT of aero questions from our listeners, and Josh -- with hand hovering over the "It Depends" button...
Ask Josh Some More About Wind Tunnels (Wind Tunnels Series Part 3)
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josh answers more of Fatty & Hottie's pressing questions about the surprises people are in for when visiting a wind tunnel for the first time, what ha...
Marginal Gains And Windtunnels, Part 2: An Interview with Mark Cote
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An argument can be made that Mark Cote is the father of the Specialized Wind Tunnel. During his tenure at the Big S, he convinced the powers that be t...
Ask Josh Anything...About Wind Tunnels (Part 1)
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh's experiences in wind tunnels have come up in dozens of episodes of Marginal Gains, and we always find ourselves with more questions. In this epi...
Darren Murphy: Developing and tuning high-end suspension products
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to bikes, Josh is usually the smartest person in the room. But Josh will tell you, when the topic turns to mountain bikes and suspension...
Data and Downhill Racing with Nick Lester
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With World Cup races being decided by tenths or even hundredths of a second, many racers and teams are now using sensors and data acquisition to dial ...
AJA #32: Marginal Gains for Commuters, Big Riders, and Motorcycle Chains
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would your motorcycle chain benefit from an afternoon in the chain wax spa? If you use a gel packet as an improvised tire boot, how much will it affec...
Xavier Disley with Aerocoach
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Aerocoach's business is to help athletes improve their aerodynamic performance, through testing, coaching, and equipment. Josh and Xavier Disley get i...
Russ with Path Less Pedaled
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Russ Roca - founder and host of the YouTube Channel the Path Less Pedaled - is our guest. The Path Less Pedaled has become a place to learn about th...
Rob Britton does Badlands
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Britton is an accomplished pro road cyclist who has turned to the off-road scene in the second half of his career. He's been doing the Lifetim...
AJA 31: Chain Guards, Speed Wobble, and Why We Can't Have Nice Things
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh, Hottie, and Fatty take on your questions in this, our 101st episode of the Marginal Gains Podcast (we forgot to check that we hit 100 episodes -...
The Stromm Track Bike: It's All About the Marginal Gains
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Industry legends Dave Koesel and Stephen Doll join Josh for a discussion about the Stromm track bike, a frame and fork aiming to take advantage of rec...
Kristen & Nick Legan: Mud, Mayhem, & Marginal Gains
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you think the stories you've heard about the 2023 Unbound are crazy, wait 'til you hear Kristen Legan's story of her XL win. She focused on this ra...
AJA 30: Debunking the Valve Stem Location Myth
19 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We take our mission of making a big deal about the little things very seriously in this episode, where we talk about whether there's any actual basis ...
Travis Takes on Unbound
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For Silca's E-commerce manager, Travis Verhoff, the 2023 edition of Unbound has been a bit of an ongoing science project. In this episode of Margina...
Dan Empfield: Slowtwitch, Quintana Roo, Tri Hall of Fame...and Marginal Gains
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You've no doubt heard Josh mention Slowtwitch.com many times on this show. It's one of the key places he goes to share ideas and get feedback. But S...
AJA 29: Hot Wax on a Hot Day
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's an Ask Josh Anything episode! We talk about The Rule of 105, the extent to which "bigger is better" is true for fairings, whether tire inserts ne...
Making it Personal: Silca's Travis Verhoff Looks for Marginal Gains at Unbound
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Silca's own Travis Verhoff has an unusual work assignment: plan, train for, and execute the most Marginal Gain-y Unbound possible. If you've been foll...
The Fiercest Panda: A Conversation with Cyclist, Promoter & Advocate Amanda Nauman
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Nauman has one of the most disarming nicknames in all of cycling: she is affectionately known as Panda. But make no mistake: behind the woman n...
USAC CEO Brendan Quirk: The Past, Present, and Future of USA Cycling
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and USAC CEO Brendan Quirk share a love of the history of cycling, as well as a deepseated desire to move it forward. In this wide-ranging conver...
Alison Tetrick and the Who's Who in Women's Pro Cycling
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With three Gravel World's Championships, an Unbound victory, an induction into the Gravel Hall of Fame, a bronze medal in UCI Worlds Road Championship...
AJA 28: When are 2X drivetrains NOT worth aero, chainline and aero costs?
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a no-topics-barred Ask-Josh-Anything episode of Marginal Gains, and (as usual) Hottie and Fatty get their own burning questions to the front of t...
Olympic Gold Medalist Gwen Jorgensen: Training, Responsibilities, & Bold Decisions
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the early and mid 2010s, Gwen had a winning streak that astonished both the Tri world and the sports world at large. She won an unmatched 13 races ...
Alex Dowsett: Marginal Gains Jedi
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Alex Dowsett has been a Marginal Gainer since he started riding with his dad on the roads of his hometown in England. He quickly became a time trialis...
Selene Yeager: Athlete, Author, Podcaster & Advocate
15 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may know her by her nickname in Bicycling Magazine (The Fit Chick) or you may know her by others' names (she's ghost-written and co-written scores...
Michael Marckx & the Belgian Waffle Ride(s)
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Marckx — the head of the Belgian Waffle Ride series — has guided clothing brands, sunglass companies and magazines on his way to making hi...
Dylan Johnson: Offroad Endurance and Marginal Gains
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who's ever spent any time watching Dylan Johnson's popular Youtube channel could be forgiven for thinking it and the Marginal Gains show were s...
AJA 27: The Hour Record...On the Moon?
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's always fun to find out what questions are going to really catch Josh's attention. In this episode, we talk about tiny marginal gains, postulate w...
Alexey Vermeulen: Racing, BWR, Grand Prix Postmortem, & Mental Marginal Gains
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alexey Vermeulen is exhausted. He deserves to be, having just taken a hard-fought podium spot in the Life Time Grand Prix. And wins in multiple BWR ra...
AJA 26: Sunglasses, Nitrogen, Tire Temperature, and Cyclocross
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We rely on Marginal Gains listeners to provide intelligent and provocative questions, and as always, our listeners do not disappoint. In this Ask Josh...
Getting Marginal Gains on Dirt, with Jeremiah Bishop
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremiah Bishop proclaims he is a "nerd in recovery," but we know better. Bishop was a crucial member of 2015's Team Topeak-Ergon, which set a record ...
AJA 25: Leadville, New Hour Record, and the Gravelero
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a nice long summer break, we're back with more questions for Josh. Josh, Hottie and Fatty met IRL in Leadville last month, so we spend a good ch...
Phil Gaimon and the Best Worst Retirement Ever
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Gaimon takes on serious topics, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. He uses his social media to document is KOMs and occasional Everesting...
AJA 24: Making Hydration Aero, Carbon Wheel Failures, & Wireless Braking
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Josh answers a batch of listener questions, from the extremely practical to the fascinatingly hypothetical. Are pros flatting more than they used to? ...
Dan Bigham: Aerodynamics Guru
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Bigham's job title — Performance Engineer — for Team Ineos really undersells his value. Dan is a through-and-through marginal gainer, with a s...
Aerometers: CDA Testing for the Masses?
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What if CDA measuring were brought to the masses via some sort of attachable device? Michael Liberzon—an engineer and triathlete coach—has field t...
Cycling Icon Tom Ritchey
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Putting 50 years of Tom Ritchey's history and knowledge would be nearly impossible, so for this conversation, we focus on some of Tom's game-changing ...
Talking with 4Km Record-Holder Ashton Lambie
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hopefully you've seen Ashton's gutsy world record effort and his killer performance for the rainbow jersey. Now Josh gets the inside scoop on what it ...
Handmade in Namibia: An Interview with Dan Craven
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're looking for something to make you feel good about something happening in the world right now, you have found the right episode. Josh talks w...
AJA 23: Tubeless Sealant Deep-Dive
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Silca has a new tubeless tire sealant out, and Hottie and Fatty have some questions about it. A whole hour's-worth of questions, in fact. From the rec...
Andy Hampsten Part 2: Giro d' Italia, Eddy Merckx, and Bike Touring
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of our chat with Andy Hampsten picks up right where we left off in part 1: With Hampsten in the Maglia Rosa. Andy finishes this incredible stor...
Amity Rockwell and Marginal Gains
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amity Rockwell is not afraid to speak her mind, which makes for a fast, fun, and thoughtful conversation with this Unbound champ. We talk diversity, e...
Bike Club NFT
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Bike club has been operating under the same model for years -- decades. Bike Club NFT seeks to change that by turning memberships into digital ass...
Andy Hampsten and Marginal Gains
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Possibly the nicest living cycling legend, the one and only Andy Hampsten joins Josh to talk both about the early days of his career and to give an ac...
Canadian Road Champ Guillaume Boivin and Marginal Gains
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you saw Paris Roubaix this year, there's a good chance you saw our guest — Candadian Road Champ Guillaume Boivin — in action. And thanks to the...
Lennard Zinn and Marginal Gains
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you are a student of cycling — and the fact that you listen to this show means you are — you have no doubt read a fair amount of Lennard Zinn's...
AJA #22: Summer Vs Winter, Tubes Vs Tubeless, Track Vs Road
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A wheel builder wants Josh's thoughts on the difference between road and track rims. A soon-to-be-worldtour-racing pro wants to know whether the slu...
The Weight Weenie Episode
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time when weight was thought of as the most important — if not only — consideration for more speed. That's obviously no longer the cas...
AJA #21:Pressure, Lube, & Trips in Time Machines
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a rainy, muddy, sloppy, gritty day at the Paris-Roubaix, and you're a pro team's race director. What chain treatment do you go with? You have the...
Allen Lim: Sports Nutrition and Marginal Gains
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Allen Lim is best known for his Skratch drink mix. It has hydrated countless riders and been in the bottles of top cyclists around the world. But the ...
Marginal Gains and the New Dura-Ace R9200 / Ultegra R8100 Groups
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Shimano Road Brand Manager Nick Legan and Road and Gravel Product Manager Dave Lawrence join the Marginal Gains crew to dig into what the what the new...
The Summer Olympics & Marginal Gains
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The 2021 Olympics are behind us, and Marginal Gains thinking was evident in practically every sport. Josh, Hottie, and Fatty take a look at some of ...
AJA #20: The Pipeline Problem
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a strange time to be a cyclist, a bike shop, or in the bike industry. Pro teams are scrounging for components. New frames are difficult to come b...
3D Ti Printing & Marginal Gains
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If Josh is obsessed with something, well...you can bet that there's some "there" there. And Josh has been obsessed enough with Titanium printing for l...
Ask Josh Anything #19
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Drivetrains, aero tweaks, and wheels have emerged as the sweet spot for where listeners can achieve marginal gains on their current bike setups, and t...
Failure and Marginal Gains
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here at Marginal Gains, we are NOT big fans of the old saying, "Failure is not an option." As far as we're concerned, failure is not only an option, b...