How different is European and North American gravel racing? Velo was at the Gravel World Championships in the Netherlands to inspect the bikes used by Marianne Vos, Tom Pidcock, and many others, with the relatively fast and smooth course necessitating some interesting equipment choices. Integrated air pressure adjustment systems, huge (for gravel) gearing, and wildly different tire combinations were all spotted, as well as more than a few custom paint jobs for the special occasion.

Alvin, Josh, and Levy also delve into Suunto's legal action against Garmin and why it differs from the Strava debacle all while Levy attempts to convince the crew that social media is a psy-op while denying being addicted to Strava. We also dig into the latest 3T Racemax2 gravel bike, its background, Josh's early impressions from riding the bike, and ultimately, why the bike is so dang interesting.

Finally, we talk about SRAM winning its suit with the UCI and the perfectly passive-aggressive response the UCI offered as a response.

Further reading

• Custom Bikes and Unreleased Tech at UCI Gravel Worlds from Pidcock, Vermeersch and More
• The Sorta-Gravel Tech Pro Roadies Used at UCI Gravel Worlds
• Opinion: Suunto's Lawsuit Against Garmin Only Makes Strava Look Worse
• Third Time Lucky: Florian Vermeersch Takes Gravel World Championship with Stomping Day-Long Effort
• UCI Gravel World Championships: Lorena Wiebes Defeats Marianne Vos in Gripping Finale
• 3T Overhauls the Racemax 2 Italia for More Clearance, More Storage, and More Aero

See prior episodes of the Velo Podcast here.