It’s not the usual weekly show format this week, as instead, it’s time for our annual tech awards. Don’t worry, this isn’t just us praising new products, in fact, there’s hardly any of that.

These are awards you won’t likely see promoted by the respective brand, as afterall, a poo emoji isn’t likely to help sell product. It’s not all negative though as the full cast of geeks discuss the biggest new tech trends, a few most desired products, and the most anticipated new products for 2025.

With absolutely no sensical order to anything, let’s dive into the Geek Warning tech awards of 2024! Thanks for a great year, and you’ll hear from us again when 2025 arrives.

Warning, spoilers (aka time stamps) below:

1:00: Biggest tech trends of 2024 - All-road bikes, wider gravel tyres, converging categories, and shorter cranks
13:00: The unexpected gimmick we don’t hate - Head units with integrated bicycle bells
15:40: Silliest new product of 2024 - RAF’s aero backpack
18:40: Thought-invoking/Most nuanced/potentially bad award - Zipp XPLR 303 gravel wheels, Highbar helmet system, Visma’s TT Giro Aerohead II helmet
29:00: Most desired small product that doesn’t yet exist - A “long press” SRAM Blip shifter and a self-dropping dropper post
34:00: Best new aero thing - Time-trial saddles for road bikes
37:00: Best new maintenance tool thing - A different way to check chain wear from Abbey Bike Tools and disc brake piston presses
41:30: Great new product most likely to bankrupt us - Scott Addict RC, RockShox Flight Attendant suspension, Body Rocket Aero Sensor (guess who picked what?)
47:00: Glasshouse of the year - GCN’s Show #359
48:30: Worst trend of 2024 - Half-baked products being released for sale (looking at Wahoo and Coros as examples) and product leaks
59:00: It’s about time they fixed it (aka most improved) - Pinarello Dogma F, SRAM Red AXS shifters, and SRAM brakes in general
1:08:30: The more of this please bike industry award - Genuinely serviceable and repairable components, better representation in the industry, and less waste in general.
1:14:00: Most anticipated new product for 2025 (which hopefully happens) - Shimano GRX Di2 1x, Shimano XTR Di2, SRAM mechanical T-Type shifting, Specialized reVenge, Fox’s answer to Flight Attendant suspension
1:21:00: Looking to 2025 and some changes to the Geek Warning team

Just when we started to think the bike industry was moving toward do-it-all road race bikes, we then get word that it’s all about to change once again. Dedicated aero bikes never entirely left, but as you’ll hear from the geeks, they’re very much coming back.

This week, Ronan Mc Laughlin, Suvi Loponen, Brad Copeland, and Dave Rome are all on the pod to discuss the latest new bikes and what is driving these trends. You’ll learn about the biggest dos-and-don’ts in using a torque wrench, plus the geeks answer a few “Ask a Wrench” questions from Escape members.

Enjoy!

Time stamps:

1:30 - Spotting bikes in the wild is getting easier
5:00 - Colnago’s big investment in the new Y-Series is unapologetically for the pros
14:20 - On our minds: Dedicated aero bikes are coming back in a big way and sharing our preferences
25:00 - PSA: Proper usage of torque wrenches
41:30 - Schwalbe’s new gravel range of tyres
44:00 - Trek launches a tyre recycling program in the USA
46:15 - Ask a Wrench: Removing stubborn tyres on the road
53:00 - Ask a Wrench: Wear on metal steerer tubes
59:00 - Ask a Wrench: Tyre inserts for XC racing
1:06:00 - Geek Warning awards next week

In this bonus episode of Geek Warning, Ronan McLaughlin sits down with the Colnago design team to dissect the design and development of their latest aero road bike, the Y1-RS.

They explore how recent changes to UCI regulations opened up new possibilities in frame design, the challenges of balancing aerodynamics, stiffness, and rider comfort, and why the bike looks the way it does.

The discussion covers everything from improving CFD modelling to a Colnago's stiffness tests, and the whys of that off set seat post design and Y shaped handlebar. Long story short… In the absence of being able to ride the bike, we set about finding out if this decisive bike is all go or all show.