This week on the GCN Show, we’re coming to you from beautiful Western Australia to dive into the world of “bunch” riding and debate whether solo training or group rides are better for your fitness. We bring you the latest updates from the Giro d’Italia and the intense 7 Gravel race in Nanup, where the team faced some unexpected challenges. Plus, we explore new tech from Tailfin and Enve, share a science-backed tip for boosting stem cells, and check out your latest submissions for Hack or Bodge!
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Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 – Intro & Whale Watching in Australia
00:52 – Group Riding vs Solo: Which Is Better?
10:57 – Cycling Shorts: Giro d’Italia News
12:41 – 7 Gravel Race Highlights & FKT Records
15:01 – Science News: Intervals & Stem Cells
15:33 – New Tech: Tailfin & Enve Wheels
16:39 – Cyclowax Giveaway
17:54 – Hack vs Bodge
25:28 – Caption Competition
26:57 – Your Comments of the Week
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Are you an early bird bunch rider or do you prefer the peace and quiet of a solo session? Let us know which one you think makes you a better cyclist in the comments below!
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47 Comments
Are you an early bird bunch rider or do you prefer the peace and quiet of a solo session? Let us know which one you think makes you a better cyclist in the comments below!
Win a Cyclowax Performance Wax Kit and Limited Edition GCN Race Wax!
👉 https://gcn.eu/GCNCyclowaxCompetition
@gcn do you know that there were two guys that did Fourteen a couple of years ago? They rode Seven one direction before the start and then turned around and did it in the other direction. One of the guys who did it also does his Festive 500 on Christmas Eve every year – he rides from Perth to Busselton and back again before Santa arrives. Sing out if you want any more details.
Dan picking up bottles off the side of the race reminds me of a news story I just read about Victor Campenarts apparently having a habit of peeing into bottles and discarding them… 😬😬
you say get it done before work …..the problem with that , not everybody sits next to a laptop with a cup of coffee for a job!!
i do 20k steps and higher ,while manually lifting excess of 5 ton in 5-20kg pieces
just like newsreaders think they do an ordinary job , you dont ( slightly angry at another naivety towards the real world)
That bike he was carrying was clearly stolen.
6:25 is that rain
Caption Competition: “Looks like the cracks are starting to show for Team Visma!”
the tough bit about organized group rides is finding one that feels right. I don't have a lot of patience for ultra serious group rides.. the ones that have a bunch of men kitted out in the latest and greatest (and most expensive), who take the velominati "rules" seriously. However, I still like to go fast, so low key "social" rides can be a bit stifling. The ideal situation is having friends to ride with.
I genuinely think its wrong to circulate photos of riders in a shameful state due to unfortunate circumstances and then ask people online to come up with a witty or rather funny caption that mocks their situation. Im sure the rider would not want several thousands of people to see them in that state.
Still here, one of the stalwarts watching to the end of each GCN Show! This episode was good! Loving the surprise whale sighting! Looked like a tail slap there.
Group riding in Australia is also safer as there are so many agro drivers. As they say “safety in numbers”
I felt that in my nuggets
I ride solo. Always. I don't like humans.
Caption competition : This year, the Giro was blessed with a full moon.
Are those “capacious” wheels Carboniferous as well? If so they are not going on any of my bikes!
I should have passed on the pre race beans
Caption competition. Wilco Kellerman is a crack rider
I think I can predict whar excerpt will make it in the Xmas blooper reel.
I think the carrier bags are the ultimate hack! It enables the rider to avoid driving to the shop even if they can’t afford panniers. Anything that enables more cycling is a win/hack in my book!
Re. early morning bunchies: When I first went to travelled from NZ to wrk in London (Advertising, West End so maybe different) I arrived in office at 8am ready to go and was amazed to find nobody there – people trickled in but mostly didn't turn up until 10am.
Caption Competition – I shouldn't have had the Vindaloo last night!
Caption competition:
1. Any more cheeky remarks Si?
2. I've finally found an efficient way of getting rid of those pesky wheelsuckers
Capton: No, no I said Mass is gas!
Great to see you guys in South west WA, one of the greatest places anywhere. I hope you didn’t swim at the beach pictured behind you, as it’s known for shark attacks 😮 love the show
Best nugget yet, thanks guys giggles all round.
Caption Competition : laid bare Keldrmen cracks on stage 2
Caption.
The pre race contract did state "tear along the dotted line"
Caption comp – Despite crashing he “cracked’ on regardless
Caption competition: Wilco Kelderman bumming a ride with the peloton.
I am so confused about the bottle drama. Why not stop and pick it up?
Since it has now become a prized geocache with only a vague location clue: 15km or so into 7 gravel 2026 course, it sounds like the physical integrity of the bottle wasn't compromised. I sometimes ride to work with my keys in my pocket for no good reason, they fall off, I notice, I stop, I turn back, and I picked them up with the obligatory choice of cursing words. I am clearly stupid, don't learn from my mistake, and proceed to do it again the following week.
Was Dan riding in a bunch and didn't notice the bottle fly out?
I find it hard to believe that the level of precision he applies to everything would end in littering some 15,000km from home, or with local wild roos testing positive to banned carbohydrates at their boxing matches.
You want a fast group ride? Come to Melbourne and try the Hell Ride
Caption: Mud, blood, gears, and rears!
I do 90% on my own, but best thing in my pov is to have a buddy in similar possibly a little better shape than you. I rode like 75% in my younger years with such friends. It is of course a matter of time and logistics which nowadays make that an extremely rare event. Normal bunchies do exist in my area usually late afternoon evening (southern Germany) and those are for me like what are races for younger guys, and I do them like a handful of times a year.
Caption: Visma Lease a Bike's new partnership with World Naked Bike Ride. Is the marketing team taking it too far?
6:27 love that your clip here involves the camera vehicle being flashed by the car behind for not getting out of the way 😂 dedication to the shot.
Caption competition: A new type of tail wind!
as an ex west australian can categorically say I think the early monring culture sucks – miss the best part of the day (the evening) and the second best time of day (sleeping in). It's partly because the state refuses to be practical and adopt Daylight savings unlike the rest of the country . the heat is good for training later in the day
Caption: Hurry up lads, we need to crack on!
I ride solo. I never have problems with drivers. I see bunches riding two and three abreast annoying everyone around them, either oblivious to the annoyance or totally arrogant believing they are entitled to impede everyone around them. The other sweeping generalisation I’ll make is that bunches are not very fast, when I come across them I can easily pass and when I have ridden in bunches I’ve been told off for riding too fast. I’ve now come to the opinion that people who ride in bunches aren’t real cyclists, they are people who use cycling as an excuse for socialising and going to a cafe.
Caption: dont you like my outfit ? Kiss my ass.
Morning rides… when I lived in Perth, early starts were essential to avoid the heat. I can testify to the speed – I well remember sitting in the bunch at 30 kmh when someone at he front says.”go” and I’m spat straight out of the back. Now I live in Tasmania where weekend rides in have been known start as late as 9:30 in the winter. But the cafes still open at 7:30 so you can always get coffee before you start
On the DI2 bodge, Shimano 12S DA is NOT 100% waterproof. Destroyed the electronics in 2 levers in a torrential downpour. Not immediately, but slowly the following day first one shifter, then the other failed. Gives me anxiety riding in the rain now.
Dan: use a 3mm bunjee cord loop to keep water bottle in cage.
Caption competition: Wilco,you need to shave for the aero gains!
Caption: New UCI ruling- cheeky riders will be dropped.
Caption: Had a crackin’ good ole time on the ride today boys.
Cafes open at 8am?! That's insane. Our locals open 530am or max 6am