The Rapha Meltdown, Worlds Drama, and Selling $6,500 Wheels in 2026 | The Velo Podcast

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You requested road bike content, so this week you’ve got it. Last weekend was Worlds and the race for the rainbow stripes. Logan Jones-Wilkins was in attendance, and Mike Levy, Lisa Charlebois, and I handed him the mic for a breakdown of what he saw. We talk about Brandon McNulty and whether his World Championship win was out of left field or expected. We also discuss Kate Courtney and a ridiculous positional rule that could have completely upended the women’s race.

Before that, we start with some listener questions. We received lots of corrections on the Canyon mounting system, but I argue that the technicalities are irrelevant to the greater point. The Q&A gives me a chance to put on my family-man hat and share advice for riders trying to balance their mileage with time for their kids, while Logan answers for his Haro bike.

Later in the episode, we dive into a couple of topics close to my heart. We start by discussing why the Rapha financial meltdown is a textbook example of a marketing fail, while Logan presents a strong argument for why the recent CEO departure might have actually been a voluntary exit after all. From there, we pivot to high-dollar bling. The new titanium Firefly rim brake bike makes no logical sense in 2026 but still commands attention, while the $5,500 Partington wheels serve as a positive case study on how Western brands can maintain appeal against cheaper Eastern competition.

Timestamps

00:00:00 – Intro: Lisa’s Heat Training for the Desert
00:02:17 – Logan at the Montreal World Champs
00:06:21 – A Road-Only Episode Challenge
00:08:53 – Listener Q&A: Grail Mounts, Motivation, Water Bladders & the Old Haro
00:19:58 – Firefly Bicycles: Titanium Rim-Brake Art
00:30:23 – Fran Miller Steps Down & the Rapha Story
00:37:34 – Manufactured Scarcity & Cycling Fashion
00:43:25 – World Champs: The Men’s Race & McNulty’s Win
00:48:41 – Should Pogačar Be Unbeatable?
00:53:48 – The Women’s Race: Vollering vs Kopecky
00:56:35 – Demi’s UCI Fine & the Puppy-Paw Rule
00:59:33 – Kate Courtney & the Crash
01:01:56 – Trade Teams vs National Teams
01:05:42 – Tom Pidcock’s Partington Wheels
01:14:45 – Wrap-Up