Dropped Newsletter

Welcome to Dropped, a new weekly road and gravel cycling newsletter from Velo that brings you the latest ideas we're debating endlessly on group rides, and a look behind the scenes of our coverage. Sign up for Dropped

Latest Stories

Gravel Gear

How Gravel Tech Changed in 2026

How much has gravel changed in 2026? Here are the key things we noticed at the biggest races in the world.

Logan Jones-WilkinsOctober 31, 20261

Road Gear

Why Flying With a Bike is Always a Gamble (And How to Improve Your Odds)

There are no guarantees once your bike disappears on the luggage belt. But understanding TSA habits and airline loopholes gives your frame a fighting chance.

October 31, 20267

Road Gear

Why Anyone Would Pay $6,500 for Great Wheels When $1,399 Gets You Really Close

When Chinese brands like Elitewheels give you good performance for a fraction of the cost of the most expensive wheelsets, what exactly is a luxury brand actually selling you?

Josh RossOctober 14, 2026

Road Gear

The Real Reason Every Cycling Site Publishes Reviews at the Exact Same Time

It looks like a massive media conspiracy when a new bike drops. Here is what is actually happening behind the scenes on launch day.

Josh RossOctober 1, 2026

Gravel Gear

How I Helped the Gravel National Champ Make a Surprising Bike Choice

Cobe Freeburn’s winning setup for the US Gravel National Championship wasn't a top-down corporate directive. It all started months earlier with two guys messing around with an unreleased bike in a parking lot.

Logan Jones-WilkinsSeptember 24, 20261

Gravel Gear

Debating the Fundamental Truths of 32-Inch Wheels

On the Velo Podcast, we brought on two bike industry experts who have dramatically different opinions on 32-inch wheels. It was an important step, not just for the podcast, but for the industry’s understanding of what is fastest.

Logan Jones-WilkinsSeptember 16, 20263

Vuelta a España

I’ve Covered Cycling Since Payphones. Pogačar’s Vuelta Crash Showed How Much Has Changed.

From print deadlines to Instagram Reels, one dramatic afternoon at the Vuelta a España revealed how the age of instant news is changing the way we cover the peloton.

Andrew HoodSeptember 14, 20264

Road Gear

Why I Hate Photographing the Most Beautiful Bike Show of the Year

When every bike journalist is in the same dry dock shooting the exact same bikes, you have to zig when they zag. Here is how I captured rolling art amid the chaos.

Josh RossSeptember 3, 20261

Tour de France Femmes

What a 12-Hour Day at the Tour de France Femmes Actually Looks Like

From sprinting through mixed zones to surviving scorching press rooms on four hours of sleep, Velo's social media manager takes us on the ground for stage 1.

Julia DowdAugust 13, 2026

Tour de France Femmes

I Walked 190.7 Miles Covering the Tour de France | Dropped Newsletter

Hannah Gross shares the reality of running social for Velo at the Tour de France, from fighting for media access to surviving on five hours of sleep.

Hannah GrossAugust 4, 2026

Tour de France

Why the Tour de France Never Stops Feeling Magical | Dropped Newsletter

Andrew Hood has been attending the Tour for 30 years. The race never loses its magic, but its traditions are running headlong into the modern world.

Andrew HoodJuly 28, 2026

Road Gear

Wheel Brands Are Quietly Shrinking Their Rims for the Tour. That's Bad for Regular Cyclists. | Dropped Newsletter

A high-profile crash, a strict UCI rule, and Tour de France aero demands just killed the 25mm road rim. Here’s why that’s bad news for regular cyclists.

Josh RossAugust 12, 202612