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The Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race has long been grounds for equipment tinkering and experimentation with the hopes of shaving minutes .. even seconds off finish times. Drop bars on mountain bikes at Leadville may seem recent but actually it was first tried by a pro in 2009. Travis Brown showed us by putting road bars on his Trek Full Suspension 26 inch mountain bike that anything can and should be considered when setting up a Leadville race bike. 

Drop bars, aero bars, and bar ends mounted inboard are now banned. But the experimentation and tinkering continues. We went to ten-thousand feet to find out how some of the fastest riders were planning to cheat the wind and reduce rolling resistance over the 100 miles plus of Rocky Mountain pain and suffering. Due to a nearby wildfire, the course was changed. Less climbing and more road was on the plate.  Riders were making adjustments in both tactics and tech.

In this episode we take a look at the common threads as riders headed for the start line. Paige Onweller gives us an inside look at dialing a bike for this unique race. We also get some feedback on how 32 inch wheels perform when placings and prize money are at stake. Two pros – Zach Calton and Emma Langley – share their thoughts on riding big wheels on big climbs. And we get a full recap from the front of the men’s race from a guy who has been there a lot. John Gaston details the attacks and alliances that defined the 2026 Leadville 100. Plus we hear about the tech he used and rejected for this year’s edition of the LT100 MTB Race.

If Bike sales were purely based on a beauty contest, Baum Cycles would be at the top of the charts. Baums are stunning, Titanium machines. Most of them are custom built by an out-of-the-box thinker in Geelong, Victoria, Australia: Darren Baum. 

But what motivates us to choose one bike over another is more than just looks. A bicycle -- especially a performance bike -- has to deliver where and when it matters. Darren is dialed into that as well. 

Darren has obsessed over geometry, center of gravity, and chainstay lengths for more than two decades. His mission is to not only make bikes look good on paper and in photos, but to make them accelerate, turn and climb like no other. In this interview we get a refreshing look at what it takes to build a custom, performance bicycle. Some things are just a tweak but other approaches by Darren are revolutionary. 

While listening to Paige Onweller answer our questions, we found ourselves wishing we could be more like her. Wishing we her organizational skills, of her critical thinking, her ability to adapt quickly. Paige has the foundational pieces to be a Marginal Gainer that makes us think, "I wish I was more like Paige."

Paige's focus on details started well before she ever saw a Gravel Race start line. She was a collegiate runner and after that, had a career in medicine. But like we've heard from many runners, her sport led to injury which led her to the bike. At first, her riding was for fitness while she healed. But then she discovered how good she was, and so did others. Namely team Twenty-Twenty Four. They brought her on board to do Zwift racing and Time Trials. Before she knew it she was on a start line in Nebraska at Gravel Worlds. Then her career in medicine was put on hold as Paige took her detailed approach to the Life Time Grand Prix. 

Josh and Paige's partnership started this spring in the wind tunnel. The two of them got together for a focused approach on aerodynamics and women. They made some very interesting discoveries which we talk about in this show. Ever thought about waxing hair? You will after hearing them discuss Paige's aero bun. 

Josh sinks his teeth into questions on turning road spray on a frame into aerodynamic information, Argon gas in tires, and deep, carbon wheels for XC mountain bike racing. 

We also talk about Fatty’s successful Everest challenge – the Marginal Gains that worked and the ones that didn’t. And we get into some new happenings with SILCA. 

Alexey Vermeulen’s BWR California Recap: Lessons, Legs & Legacy

April was packed with travel, goals, and hard-fought efforts—but for Alexey Vermeulen, BWR California remained the centerpiece. After flying high at Levi’s Gran Fondo, the legs didn’t quite have the same fire in San Diego. Despite less-than-ideal prep and a solo chase for 3rd, Alexey found grit, rhythm, and perspective on the brutal out-and-back course.

“You HAVE to save something for the return trip.”

From tire choice to travel chaos, dive into Alexey’s full BWR CA report to see how he managed 3rd place on the ENVE FRAY and what makes this course so special to him—even when the win is out of reach.