Ed Philbrick and Kurt Stockton open Episode 16 with a season “form check” as racing ramps up—road, gravel, and cyclocross all colliding in January.

They break down Rattle Gravel and what it means to see Romain Bardet winning early (and already thinking about Unbound), including the underrated reality: WorldTour legs are rarely the limiter—setup and fueling are.

Then it’s back to the dirt with two ride reports:

• Gravel & Wine in Temecula (fast, swoopy graded sand roads; Ed’s Pathfinder 40 setup; January-perfect conditions)

• Low Gap Grasshopper out of Ukiah (a long opening climb, a power descent, and a legit sprint finish—plus Kurt’s predictable Maxxis Rambler 45 choice)

They close with Positive Pete: Grasshopper’s junior mentoring program and why getting young riders into events—and keeping them there—is one of the healthiest things happening in cycling.

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• (00:00:00) - Service Report: January Fever
• (00:02:47) - Velo Cosmos
• (00:08:02) - The Sagebrush Mountain Bike Race
• (00:10:05) - Gravel Bike or Mountain Bike?
• (00:13:24) - Riding my mountain bike again
• (00:19:19) - Local cyclists talk about the sport
• (00:23:53) - 2026 Hopper Series
• (00:28:34) - Sportful
• (00:30:21) - Gravel and Wine Race
• (00:32:35) - Time trial riders
• (00:38:05) - Tom Dumoulin's Tour de France burnout
• (00:44:05) - Tom Dumoulin on Burnout
• (00:46:00) - Philip Swami on Pivoting to Downhill Cycling
• (00:51:52) - Gravel Athletes: The Need to Pivot
• (00:57:22) - Tom Dumoulin on His Next Pivot
• (01:02:37) - No Drop Bars at Leadville

n this episode of the Service Course Report Podcast, hosts Ed Philbrick, Derin Stockton, and Kurt Stockton dive into the culture, craft, and evolution of cycling—drawing on decades of experience across motocross, mountain biking, gravel racing, athlete training, and product development.

The conversation moves from motocross training roots and early coaching philosophies to modern cycling realities, including tire testing, wearable technology, and the challenges of evaluating new equipment. Along the way, the hosts share personal stories—from formative amateur mistakes to unforgettable moments in music, travel, and food—that shaped how they think about performance, creativity, and brand authenticity.

They also unpack the role of cultural marketing in cycling, why consumer loyalty is earned through product quality and lived experience, and how cycling teams and sponsorship models may continue to evolve toward more rider-centric approaches.

Grounded, honest, and experience-driven, this episode reflects on where cycling has been—and where it’s headed next.

• (00:00:09) - Service Course Report Podcast
• (00:03:47) - Mixing Skills on a Motorcycle
• (00:05:23) - Griptian on Marketing His Own
• (00:05:55) - What's something that we wouldn't know about you?
• (00:07:03) - Fooled by Nature: Cooking For Kids
• (00:10:33) - Flying Back and Forth With Friends
• (00:13:33) - Bob Mackie on His Non-Golf Experience
• (00:18:48) - The Clash And Their Laundry
• (00:22:40) - Skater Die Playing in a Homeowner's Community
• (00:25:16) - Eddie B's ergometer test
• (00:29:09) - Larry Shields Training On An Ergo
• (00:31:13) - Gravel Bike Rides
• (00:33:27) - Tracting tires
• (00:36:17) - How To Trim Tires
• (00:41:19) - Michelin's Impact on Cycling Tires
• (00:45:48) - Canyon No More in US Mountain Bike Racing
• (00:51:29) - What Keeps a Business Going?
• (00:51:57) - Keegan Stigmata Leaving Santa Cruz for Specialized
• (00:57:16) - Keegan Hill on Specialized
• (01:00:43) - Biking Metrics on a Smartwatch
• (01:08:05) - Fooled by Science: Falling Down On My Bike
• (01:14:53) - Riding With a UDH derailleur
• (01:17:03) - Amateur Moment: Putting a Tire On Reverse
• (01:22:57) - Tom Dumoulin wins Positive Pete Award
• (01:23:18) - Sinisca Cycling Team to Continue with Foundation
• (01:29:52) - A Year in the Life