Geek Warning
Geek Warning
Escape Collective
Going back to basics
1 hour 5 minutes Posted Jul 23, 2026 at 11:26 pm.
The biggest red flag for when something is wrong
Brakes usually shouldn’t squeak or squeal
Disc brake pad wear
Pad spacers and travel
Burning brakes is questionable at best
The importance of brake bed-in
Why brakes need scheduled bleeding
Shifting to chain lube basics
How a drivetrain wears
Tubeless is great, but not for everyone
Don’t ignore your front tyre wear
Ask a Wrench (members-only podcast feed)
Welcome back to Zach Edwards
Chasing a forward-offset seatpost
A weird sound in older AXS front shifting
Pedals with a top-out knock
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Show notes
We’re going back to basics in this week’s episode. While Geek Warning is usually for tech-obsessed cyclists, this edition covers the common conversations a bicycle mechanic would have with a client. It’s for everyone and anyone who does a little of their own bike maintenance. 
Many road cyclists are still relatively new to disc brakes, so Jack Duncan and Dave Rome start the episode with a deep dive into many facets of ownership. The basics of chain lube and drivetrain wear are covered later on, as are some thoughts about tyre wear and who tubeless may be right for. 
After all that, members of Escape Collective get the usual Ask a Wrench segment, this time with the return of a familiar voice. 
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