Geek Warning
Geek Warning
Escape Collective
Making the test provide the desired result
1 hour 15 minutes Posted Jul 3, 2026 at 12:21 am.
Specialized’s new SL9 is a little too familiar
Kinky steerer tubes aren’t as naughty as they sound
Orbea’s new Orca Aero
How progressive is Ronan’s position?
An aero-optimised run at the Tour Divide
Giant’s new Revolt Advanced SL (and the Liv Devote Advanced SL)
Campagnolo and Zipp’s new price point wheel options
Chatting reduced frame size options with Eddy Merckx
Back to Ronan and Dave
Ask a Wrench (members only)
Bearing maintenance after a big event
Can an event like Unbound ruin a new chain?
MTB disc brake caliper alignment woes
A fix for leaky ProMax brakes
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Show notes
It’s the week of the Tour de France Grand Départ, and with it have come a few big bike launches. Escape’s senior tech editors, Dave Rome and Ronan Mc Laughlin, jump on to discuss whether Specialized’s new Tarmac hits the mark. 
There’s also a new bike from Orbea. Plus Dave asks Ronan to confirm just how progressive his fit is, and as it turns out, the answer is not very. Ronan then jumps on a call with Daan Teugels from Belgian Cycling Factory to discuss how Eddy Merckx’s reduced-frame-size options can still meet racers' needs. 
As always, members of Escape Collective don’t just support independent journalism; they get access to everything we have to offer. For Geek Warning, that means access to the weekly Ask a Wrench segment, where pro mechanics answer our member’s tech questions. 
And apologies for the audio this week, as Dave accidentally landed on his backup microphone. 
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