Ask Josh Anything #005

Q&A Episode 5 -

In this Q&A episode of the show that makes a big deal about the little things (and how those little things can be a big deal), we try to stump Josh with questions like: Do stiff shoes matter? What's the point of hookless rims? What benefits does steel have over carbon? What's the weight vs aero tipping point? Are 23mm tires dead? Is graphene tire content anything but marketing hand-waving? Do integrated visors have real benefits over sunglasses? And what's the right way to wear a cycling cap?

Got a question you’d like to ask Josh? Text or leave a voicemail at the Marginal Gains Hotline: +1-317-343-4506 or just leave a comment in this post!

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20 comments


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  • Mike Gettinby

    A quick ask josh anything question…for those of us who like to attach a mini pump to our frame (shock horror I know but sometimes it’s easier and comfier than in a bag or pocket) where’s best/least worst to attach the mount – on the bottle cage on the down tube or on the cage for the seat tube. If it helps to get my question chosen the pump in question is a silca tattico mini pump…


  • Sam Atkinson

    The force on the chain is bigger in the small cogs, but the freewheeling losses don’t change; no energy is lost in the chain because it isn’t moving. And the losses within the freehub are the same, it’s putting the same torque on an unmoving cassette regardless of where the chain is.

    Some bikes from the first half of the 20th century actually implemented chainrests on the dropout that you could shift the chain onto. This was primarily to facilitate easy wheel removal with chainstay-mounted derailleurs and split wheel axles, but it had the interesting effect that you could shift the chain off the freewheel on descents and coast in silence if you wanted to. This probably reduced frictional losses, although it also meant that the freewheel would spin while coasting, so who knows if it actually saved anything.


  • Brad Isenberg

    Great podcast. I always look forward to the next episode.

    Question: I currently have a wheel set that is 50mm deep and 27mm wide on a 2018 Specialized Venge. I am riding GP4000s on both front and back but am riding 25mm in the front and 28mm in the back. What, if any, difference in aerodynamic drag is the 28mm tire making due to the fact that the tire is slightly wider than the wheel? My thought was to optimize the front wheel for aerodynamics and the rear wheel for comfort.

    Thank you.


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