The Cycling Independent

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A Useful Review: Shimano Deore XT Di2

Padraig Oct 19, 2026
Talk

The Pull: Mark DiNucci

Padraig Oct 16, 2026
Page One

Paceline Podcast 487: Bike Friends

Padraig Oct 15, 2026
Page One

Photo Gallery: Rob English

Padraig Oct 14, 2026

Featured Posts

Llamas, Donkeys and Sage

Maureen Gaffney Jun 16, 2025

The Wuanita loop in Saguache (“Saw–watch”) County, Colorado was my third bikepack, but my first without the handholding provided by a 2021 “Bikepacking 101 Course” offered by Rim Tours in Moab, or a…

Page One

Part of Me

Pat Navin Oct 25, 2023

In my dream, I am riding up a steep climb on a narrow road winding through redwoods, barely able to turn the pedals. But I am happy. Ecstatic, really. I am one with my bike, an extension of my body,…

Page One

Photo Gallery: Rob English

Padraig Oct 14, 2026

As a follow-up to my interview with Rob English, I've created a gallery of images from a couple of bikes he submitted for awards at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The tiny seatstays…

Paceline Podcast 487: Bike Friends

Padraig Oct 15, 2026

The friendships we form on the bike can run deep. But why? Is it the shared sweating? Is it riding into a shared future? Is it just not looking each other in the eye? Lori and Patrick explore these…

Page One

Photo Gallery: Rob English

Padraig Oct 14, 2026

As a follow-up to my interview with Rob English, I've created a gallery of images from a couple of bikes he submitted for awards at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The tiny seatstays…

Page One

The Pull: Rob English of English Cycles

Padraig Oct 12, 2026

Of the many frame builders I have written about and interviewed over the years. Rob English of English Cycles may be one of the most creative. The fact that he works in steel fillet brazes his frames…

Op-Ed

Poison or Cure?

Padraig Aug 10, 2026

Here's a little secret I never tell non-cyclists: At times, the bike can be both the poison and the cure. I want to explore this, in part, because I and several people I know are suffering with a…

Op-Ed

Hot Take: Bikes Are Too Good Now

Emlyn Lewis Jun 10, 2026

I just wanted to crack the passenger side window, like one-and-a-half cranks of the old lever that did the job when you could actually "roll down the window." But we don't roll the window down…

Op-Ed

Ebullition/Doubt 38: Tense and Nervous and I Can’t Relax

Raymond Epstein May 11, 2026

We always parked on the “landside” of Atlantic Avenue, generally at my mom’s friend’s house. This was back when it was still possible to rent a place on the north end of Virginia Beach long before…

Classified

A Useful Review: Shimano Deore XT Di2

Padraig Oct 19, 2026

"Seriously?" That was my now-reconsidered response to news that Shimano had invented electronic shifting, back in the aughts when the original Dura-Ace Di2 group was introduced. It seemed to me,…

Classified

A Useful Review: Dirt Baggies

Padraig Aug 17, 2026

It seems unlikely that I sweat more than the average cyclist, but I have avoided baggy shorts for the simple reason that I've had issues with my skin becoming irritated because the baggies didn't…

Classified

A Useful Review: Hunt Enduro V3 Wheels

Raymond Epstein May 26, 2026

Let’s begin with an agreed-upon maxim. Wheels can have the most immediately noticeable effect on your bike’s performance. Wheels are often the first big upgrade that riders make for their bike as it…

Talk

The Pull: Mark DiNucci

Padraig Oct 16, 2026

If you wanted to find the American who made the most profound impact on the ride of steel road bikes in the last 30 years, it would be hard to find a person more influential than Mark DiNucci. As an…

Talk

Revolting on Hiatus

Robot and Stevil Oct 12, 2026

We're sorry. We know you depend on weekly fart jokes to maintain your sanity in this world run amok, but the podcast is on temporary hiatus while life has its way with us. We hope episode 250 will be…

Talk

The Pull: Damon Rinard

Padraig Oct 9, 2026

On this week’s show, my guest is Damon Rinard, the engineering manager for road bikes for Cycling Sports Group. Rinard has more than 30 years’ experience in the bike industry. He came to prominence as…

Cycling is more than just a sport—it’s a way of life, a passion that connects people through adventure, endurance, and the freedom of the open road. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just beginning your journey, the Cycling Independent is here to bring you insights, stories, and the latest updates from the cycling world. Stay inspired, explore new trails, and embrace the cycling lifestyle.