Rabbit Holes

Iain investigates a series of Facebook pages pushing fake news about pro cycling – and stumbles on a vast operation producing thousands of stories in multiple languages across numerous niches. Which is pretty weird – and it only gets stranger, and scarier, from there. ------ Escape Collective is a member-funded publication, and produces this content thanks to the support of our membership. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting us: https://escapecollective.com/rabbitholes Read the article here: https://escapecollective.com/fake-cycling-news-real-money-how-content-farms-are-hijacking-cycling-media/

Iain buys a stolen bike on Facebook Marketplace, with a plan to return it to its owner. But his good act takes an ominous turn when he meets the seller, an erratic man with a troubled past and a head full of conspiracies and violence. To read the written piece and see pictures, visit EscapeCollective.com. This podcast is an Escape Collective production, and is only possible through the support of our members. To become one of those, sign up at EscapeCollective.com/RabbitHoles. And sign up to the Rabbit Holes feed for future episodes - we've got a great one in the works.

Welcome back to the Rabbit Holes podcast! This episode is an audio version of one of Iain's investigations – a journey into the vast bike industry ecosystem that is AliExpress. What's it like buying a bike from the platform? How do you know if you'll end up with something good? And, is it possible to end up with something you'll actually want to ride at the end of it all? We get our credit card out and go shopping ... and it's fair to say, it's a pretty bumpy ride. This podcast is an Escape Collective production, and is only possible through the support of our members. To become one of those, sign up at EscapeCollective.com/join. Sign up to the Rabbit Holes feed for future episodes - we've got a great one in the works.

Ever have a question about the Tour de France? We've got you covered.

Cycling's a beautiful sport. It's also a nightmare for new fans to get into – a mess of jargon, history, and tactics. Journalism professor (and new cycling fan) Holly Johnson has questions, and together with Iain Treloar, is on a mission to decipher pro cycling. In the first episode of this Rabbit Holes podcast offshoot: a chat with EF Education-Easypost CEO Jonathan Vaughters about how teams work. Escape Collective is entirely member-funded. If you like this podcast, please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/

Welcome to the first episode of Rabbit Holes, presented by Escape Collective . In the arc of a life – especially one as rich and eventful as Greg LeMond's - certain stories get lost to the grander narrative. But in 1987, the bigger story was still unwritten. That year – soon after he'd won his first Tour de France, in the prime of his career – Greg LeMond was shot, and almost died. A Grand Tour champion, violence, drugs, intrigue, rehabilitation, and redemption: this is that story. Production and sound design by Will and Stuart at Redbricks Media. Music from EpidemicSound. Thanks to Chris Marshall-Bell. Escape Collective is an entirely independent and member-funded publication, and this content is only possible through the support of our members. To subscribe, go to www.escapecollective.com/join .

Welcome to Rabbit Holes, a new podcast presented by Escape Collective. Each episode, we'll be diving into a fascinating story from the world of cycling, telling it in a way you may never have heard it before. Hosted by Iain Treloar and Jonny Long, this is a monthly (for now) exploration of stories that are big, weird, wonderful, and emotional – sometimes all at once. Curious? Dive into the Rabbit Holes with us. Escape Collective is entirely member-funded. If you like this podcast, please consider supporting us by becoming a member: https://escapecollective.com/member/