The Packfiller: Cycling Culture & Comedy

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In Episode 549, Pat, Jackson, and Paul hold down the studio to dissect the chaos of the autumn transition. Did the ASO intentionally design the 2027 Tour route to handicap Tadej Pogačar? We break down the UK Grand Départ, the return of the Puy de Dôme for the Femmes, and the escalating transfer drama surrounding Paul Seixas and Jonas Vingegaard. Plus, Mads Pedersen takes HBO to court, Mathieu van der Poel hunts for a 10th CX World Title, and Pat dives into the forensic, biological reasons why AFib and heart arrhythmias violently spike in endurance athletes during the autumn months.

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Pat, Jackson, and Paul take the studio mics to systematically roast the entire cycling community. From roadies launching crosswind snot rockets and MTBers endlessly debating 21.3 PSI, to the "Gravel Cartel" strapping charcuterie boards to their top tubes—no discipline is safe tonight. Pull up a stool to the Rim Brake Bar and let the airing of grievances begin.

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(Editor's note - Should you stick with us to the end, it's well worth it (should you be into "poopie humor, that is))

The final Monument is in the books, the 2027 Transfer Market has turned into an absolute bloodsport, and it's time to talk about the toxic waste dump that is the used bike market.

This week on The Packfiller Podcast, the panel breaks down 20-year-old Paul Seixas' stunning win at Il Lombardia and the absolute hemorrhaging of talent at INEOS Grenadiers as Q36.5 and Lidl-Trek cannibalize the peloton. Plus, Pat issues a massive warning to the amateur peloton playing "Used Carbon Roulette" on Facebook Marketplace. That $3,000 "steal" you just bought? It’s probably hiding 300 hours of corrosive indoor-trainer sweat inside the headset.

Grab a post-ride beer and join the panel.

Don't even get me started on the segments, however...

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The professional road season is entering its final, violent death rattle. Pat, Paul, and Jackson are in the Bunker to break down a microscopic 0.0002-second photo finish at the Euro Champs that had Giulio Ciccone demanding a forensic audit. Then, we look ahead to the final Monument of 2026: Il Lombardia. With Pogačar sidelined on the couch, who steps into the power vacuum?

Plus, the weather in the Pacific Northwest is turning, forcing the panel to debate the exact temperature where retreating to the basement for a smart trainer workout becomes legally and morally acceptable. We wrap it all up with another brutal round of Real vs. Fake in the Broom Wagon.

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Brandon McNulty just took the Rainbow bands for the USA, and the Packfiller crew is celebrating by bringing in a medical professional to fix our creaking knees.

Tonight on Ep. 545, we are joined by Dr. Eric Anderson, MD—US Air Force Veteran, Board-Certified Sports Medicine physician at Ridgepoint Performance Medicine, and a former Cat 1 cyclist who knows exactly how much aging athletes lie to their doctors. We discuss the catastrophic reality of "Carbon Spines" from ultra-stiff frames, the psychology of refusing to rest, and whether modern gravel racing is vibrating our teeth out.

Plus: A breakdown of Vollering's triple, McNulty's historic ride, and Pat delivers a "Satire 101" Pulpit segment for the keyboard warriors who took last week's Perspective video a little too literally.

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Remco is crushing the clock, Van der Poel just launched a 175km solo raid, and the UCI World Championships are taking over Montreal.

Tonight on Ep. 544, the OG Three (Pat, Paul, and Jackson) break down the WorldTour invasion of North America, the boiling point of peloton safety, and a brutal game of Real vs. Fake in The Broom Wagon. Plus, we drop our ultimate fall-weather comfort meals in the Final K.

Cracking an @athleticbrewing shower beer and going LIVE at 6:00 PM PDT. Hit the link in our bio to grab a stool in The Bunker. 👇

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With Tadej Pogačar skipping the World Championships, the peloton is facing something it hasn't seen in years: a massive power vacuum. When the Alpha leaves the room, do the true racers step up, or does anarchy take over? Welcome to Episode 543 of The Packfiller Podcast. Tonight, Pat Bulger, Paul Main, Jackson Bulger, and Dr. David Waples break down a chaotic week in global cycling. We cover Enric Mas finally dropping his runner-up reputation to win the Vuelta a España, Remco Evenepoel and Isaac Del Toro detonating the North American WorldTour at the Canadian Classics, and the ongoing evolution (and potential soul-loss) of the US Gravel National Championships. Plus, Pat delivers a Pulpit on attacking the local Alpha, Dr. David talks sleep aids, and in the Final K, the panel is forced to violently defend the worst pop culture trends of their youth.

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The Vuelta enters its final act, but the real danger for the pro peloton is happening on open training roads.

Welcome to Episode 542 of The Packfiller Podcast—where we treat the sport like a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole.

Tonight, the three-man tactical strike force of Pat Bulger, Paul Main, and Sam Waples assemble in The Bunker. The panel tackles the highly alarming, unsustainable epidemic of WorldTour pros having their seasons destroyed by training crashes on open roads. Are aero cockpits, hyper-focused wattage targets, and distracted drivers creating a deadly combination?

On the racing front, we break down Matthew Brennan taking his fourth victory of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Stage 16, towed to the line by an absolute masterclass Wout van Aert lead-out. We also analyze the ticking clock of the General Classification battle as Primož Roglič stares down a 1:46 deficit against Enric Mas with a 32-kilometer time trial looming. Finally, we preview the 15th edition of the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, headlined by Remco Evenepoel and Isaac Del Toro..

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The Triple Crown dream is over—and the 2026 Vuelta a España is in total chaos.

Welcome to Episode 541 of The Packfiller Podcast—where we treat the sport like a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole.

Tonight, the "OG Three" (Pat Bulger, Paul Main, and Jackson Bulger) assemble in The Bunker to break down a seismic week in professional cycling. Tadej Pogačar’s race-ending crash on Stage 8 has blown the Vuelta wide open, handing Enric Mas and Movistar the red jersey while Oscar Onley makes a massive statement on the Alto de Aitana.

The panel also dives into the historic revival of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic and the punishing Manayunk Wall, Tom Pidcock and Sina Frei conquering the technical rock gardens at MTB Worlds in Val di Sole, and why the US domestic racing scene is in desperate need of a blueprint. Plus, we test the crew's survival skills with a brutal round of "The Lead Out" peloton trivia.

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Welcome to Episode 540 of The Packfiller Podcast—where we treat the sport like a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole.

Tonight, Pat, Jackson, Paul, and Dr. David navigate the absolute chaos of the 2026 Vuelta a España. From Stage 3 getting annulled by a massive hailstorm to Tadej Pogačar launching a demoralizing 50-kilometer solo attack the very next day, the Spanish Grand Tour is completely off the rails.

The panel also dissects the controversial new Visma | Lease a Bike documentary, questioning if Jonas Vingegaard's claims about a "tailor-made" Tour route are valid or just the frustrations of a defeated champion. We also debate Richard Plugge's radical proposal to move professional racing to closed circuits, deliver a forensic autopsy of the Spokane local racing scene, and reveal Pat's long-term targets for the 2027 Master's Nationals.

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The Local Bike Shop is Dead. Welcome to Packfiller Cycles.

Welcome to Episode 539 of The Packfiller Podcast—where we treat the sport like a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole.

Tonight is the biggest broadcast in the history of the Packfiller Empire. We are officially expanding from media into hardware. Joining us in The Bunker are special guests Karsten Hagen (Van Rysel) and Jack Brodhead to help us launch Packfiller Cycles—a closed-door, appointment-only concierge dealership. No fluorescent lights. No entry-level hybrids. Just high-performance speed, a pint of Brick West beer, and a direct pipeline to the Van Rysel RCR Pro.

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Spokane Wildfires, Time Trial Agony, and "Chest Fairing" Controversies

Welcome to Episode 538 of the longest-standing podcast on the sport of cycling! Think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole.

Tonight, Pat, Paul, Jackson, and Dr. David open the show with an honest check-in on the community and the raging wildfires impacting our home region of Spokane, WA.

Once we address the smoke in the air, we dive straight into the absolute chaos of the professional cycling world. From Marlen Reusser's crushing TT performance at the Tour de France Femmes to the bizarre UCI pre-race clothing inspections surrounding "chest fairings," we break down the finest marginal gains (and absurdity) in the peloton. Plus, Remco Evenepoel breaks records at Clásica San Sebastián, Tadej Pogačar officially confirms his return to the Vuelta a España, and Dr. David receives his official punishment for finishing DEAD LAST in our Tour de France Fantasy League.

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The 113th Tour de France is officially in the history books, and Tadej Pogačar has permanently etched his name alongside the giants.

The Packfiller panel (minus a missing Dr. David) convenes in the Rim Brake Bar to deliver a forensic audit of the 2026 Tour. We break down the absolute dominance of the Yellow Jersey, Mads Pedersen's hustle for Green, and Richard Carapaz's aggressive ride for the Polka-Dots. We also review the wreckage of our Fantasy Tour teams and answer the ultimate prologue question: What piece of Tour-winning gear are you stealing from the Paris podium?

But the biggest news isn't coming out of France. Stick around for the Cool Down, where Pat outlines the future of the Packfiller Empire and prepares to completely bypass the traditional cycling retail market.

Grab a Campesino IPA from Big Barn Brewing, settle in, and welcome to Episode 537.

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Well, we're missing David, and the promised trivia segment... well, went to live on a farm upstate. But, as it's the last full week of the Tour de France, we have plenty to talk about, including EPO (not that kind), Tour opinions abound, and segments that will warm your cold, dead, elitist, roadie heart.

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The OG trio is back (mostly). Sam has survived his battle with a stump, David returns from the void, and Pat is running on patio-remodel spite.

In Episode 535 of the Packfiller Podcast, we break down the absolute chaos of the opening days of the 2026 Tour de France. We analyze Visma's clinical Team Time Trial, Tadej Pogačar’s early flex in the Pyrenees, Mads Pedersen surviving the mountains, and the reality of a 100-degree Occitania heatwave baking the peloton.

Plus, in Pat's Pulpit, we dismantle the "purity of sport." While the White House is speed-dialing FIFA to overturn Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card, the UCI is busy banning ice-socks because they alter a rider's "aerodynamic morphology."

Grab a Big Barn Campesino IPA, protect your shield, and let's get into it.

👇 Drop your Tour de France heatwave survival strategies (and your fantasy punishments) in the comments below!

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We are exactly four days away from the biggest cycling circus on earth crossing the start line in Barcelona, and the pro peloton is entering a state of absolute panic. This week on The Packfiller Podcast, the crew dives face-first into the 113th Tour de France. We break down the absolute madness of an opening day Team Time Trial, slap letter grades on the heavy GC favorites (Pogačar, Vingegaard, and the Red Bull-Bora "co-leadership" dynamic), and debate whether the Alpe d'Huez back-to-back double-header is brilliant route design or pure sadism. Closer to home, we unpack the fragile reality of TPU tubes, figure out who is dumb enough to ride Mount Spokane at 2:00 AM, and make a massive announcement: PACKFILLER LIVE IS BACK! Mark your calendars for August 1st at Big Barn Brewing. Grab a Campesino IPA, avoid the 13% walls, and don't forget to upload!

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The Tour de France is weeks away, and the peloton is in absolute chaos. Tadej Pogačar just put the entire WorldTour on notice with a historic, 67-year record-breaking onslaught at the Tour de Suisse. Meanwhile, Visma-Lease a Bike is structurally collapsing, Wout van Aert is officially out with an infection, and the UCI is handing out 500 CHF fines to Mathieu van der Poel for unzipping his speed suit in 90-degree heat.

Plus, we are convening the official "Cycling Fashion Tribunal." Jackson and Paul battle it out across generational lines as we ruthlessly judge the Top 15 Cycling Fashion Crimes of 2026. If you wear ankle socks on a road bike or leave the valve nuts on your tubes, prepare to be sentenced.

Hit subscribe, drop your verdict on the Fashion Tribunal in the comments, and welcome to the Bunker.

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Welcome to Episode 532 of the longest-standing podcast on the sport of cycling. We are "The Packfiller"—think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole. (Pat is definitely that asshole tonight).

With Sam and David out for the evening, the OG three—Pat, Paul, and Jackson—hold down the studio to discuss the biological reality of getting a season-threatening injury from a hotel mattress, tearing down a BMC chassis, and whether the summer racing season is already evaporating.

In the WorldTour, we dissect the newly rebranded Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, where Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas proved that professional cycling has officially been taken over by teenagers. Then, we tackle the UCI's controversial new "Cognitive Load" limit on head unit screen sizes. Are riders actually blinded by data, or is this just another case of old-school administrators yelling at modern technology?

Finally, we roll out The Broom Wagon for a brutal game of "Real or Bullshit: Cycling Tech Edition." Can the panel spot the difference between real WorldTour gear and completely fabricated cycling engineering?

Grab a pint, check your Apple AirTag crankset, and let's ride.

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Welcome to Episode 531 of the longest-standing podcast on the sport of cycling. We are "The Packfiller"—think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole. (Pat is potentially that asshole).

This week, four generations of riders sit down to dissect a massive week in the WorldTour and the absolute delusion of the local amateur scene. We break down Team Visma-Lease a Bike's flawless TTT at the newly rebranded Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Demi Vollering’s absolute masterclass at the Giro d'Italia Women, and the radical new 5-day compression experiment at the Tour de Suisse.

Then, we turn our attention to the comments section. The panel roasts the "Unsolicited Coaches" of the local group ride, and Pat delivers a Pulpit aimed directly at the "Keyboard Cat 5s" who recently called us the softest podcast in the sport. Spoiler: We agree with them.

Grab a pint, check your tire pressure, and for the love of God, learn how to use a comma.

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Welcome to Episode 530 of the longest-standing podcast in the sport of cycling. Think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one ahole. (Pat is potentially that ahole).

The Waples brothers are still MIA, so the OG three—Pat, Paul, and Jackson—are holding down the studio to dissect a wild week in the peloton. We are breaking down the absolute peanut butter mud chaos at Unbound Gravel and debating if Keegan Swenson's star-ratchet rescue proves the "Spirit of Gravel" is alive, or if tech is just ruining the race.

Plus, we look at the absurdity of Lorena Wiebes getting disqualified at the Giro d'Italia Women over 20 measly grams, Anna van der Breggen’s devastating return from retirement, and the highly controversial "internal down tube hydration" bladders that are currently starting an aero war in the WorldTour.

Stick around for the end as Paul (the retro-steel veteran) and Jackson (the carbon-fiber Zoomer) go head-to-head in a brutal, buzzer-beating round of The Broom Wagon: The Generational Brand Gauntlet.

Grab a drink, check your ego, and keep the rubber side down.