The Packfiller: Cycling Culture & Comedy

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. 🤝 SUPPORT OUR SYNDICATE PARTNERS: ☕ Thomas Hammer Coffee: Fuel the ride or the post-race bike wash with the official Packfiller Blend. Order yours today. 🚲 Van Rysel & Packfiller Cycles: The new Van Rysel gravel offering is race-ready and beautiful. Want the closed-door concierge dealership experience? Drop us a line. 🍻 Athletic Brewing Co: The guilt-free post-ride ritual. Zero alcohol, zero compromise. Grab their seasonal Oktoberfest right now to protect the shield and fuel the recovery. SUBSCRIBE for live episodes every Tuesday at 6:00 PM PDT.

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.. 👉 Enter the Syndicate and design your custom Van Rysel or TIME build at: https://www.packfiller.com

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. 👉 Design your dream Van Rysel or TIME build at: https://www.packfiller.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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. 🎙️ SUPPORT THE PACKFILLER EMPIRE: Book The Packfiller for your next event (We promise no Donkey Kong references): [Insert Website Link] Catch us live at the Everett Performance Omnium (July 10-12): revoracing.com 🍻 THIS EPISODE IS FUELED BY: Big Barn Brewing: Ride your bike to Greenbluff, WA. Tell them The Packfiller sent you for $1 off your first pint. Athletic Brewing: The ultimate recovery radler. Thomas Hammer Coffee: Keeping your style sharp and your coffee black.

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.

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.

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 a hole. (Pat is potentially that a hole). 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.

The Packfiller Empire has finally returned to the studio with a little Riverside dust in the lungs to show for it. Fresh off the 24 Hours of Riverside, the ensemble cast breaks down the absolute type-2 fun of mass-start mountain biking, Sam and David’s 5-person team title, and what’s next for Jackson "The Cyclist Without a Bike." Plus, Pat lays out the long, audacious road to the 2027 Master’s Nationals and a 350W FTP. On the World Tour front, we dissect Jonas Vingegaard's absolute dismantling of the Giro d'Italia General Classification on Stage 16, the controversial Milan sprint neutralization, and the massive shift toward rider-driven POV media from teams like Unibet Rose Rockets. Finally, stick around for the inaugural debut of Pat’s Pulpit , where we take a deadpan, cynical look at the absolute cognitive dissonance and elitism of the amateur roadi

Four days, four stages, an ungodly amount of wind, and a studio reeking of Neosporin and existential exhaustion. Welcome to Episode 528 of The Packfiller Podcast—the post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole. The complete Packfiller Empire has finally returned to the studio after surviving the region’s largest stage race, Wenatchee’s own Tour de Bloom. Tonight, the full panel—including a doctor and a physical therapist who have a lot of medical concerns—dissects a weekend defined by breakthrough redemptions and absolute field carnage.

The Giro is in the mountains, the Tour de Bloom is days away, and the sport of cycling is officially bankrupting us all. Welcome to Episode 527. This week on The Packfiller, Pat, Paul, and Sam stare down the barrel of the Wenatchee Tour de Bloom stage race. With the young guns and the doctor absent, the Gen-X cynicism is running at an all-time high. We dive into the pre-race anxiety of facing down a 4-stage omnium, the fear of the unknown, and the absolute reality of surviving the Masters peloton. But the real question tonight: At what point does the cost of rubber make amateur racing a rich man's hobby? We are breaking down the staggering, offensive cost of modern cycling. From $220 tires and $2,000 upgrade kits to the $12 chickpea pasta required to keep the chassis light. Pat drops some inside intel from a recent text exchange with Van Rysel about their pricing philosophy and avoiding the industry "Boutique Tax," and we ask the ultimate question: What is the one piece of gear you bought that was so expensive you had to lie to your spouse about the price? Finally, the Broom Wagon returns with a financially ruinous trivia segment: The Itemized Receipt. Lock in, check your bank account, and keep the rubber side down.

The Giro d'Italia is finally here, and The Packfiller crew is breaking down the chaotic Bulgarian Grande Partenza and Vingegaard's plan for the brutal final week! But first, we celebrate a massive local win from Jackson, get the gritty details of David's BWR San Diego sufferfest, and Pat reveals his final FTP numbers just one week out from the Tour de Bloom. Plus, we recap Tadej Pogačar's absolute foreclosure on the Tour de Romandie, preview the looming Angliru at La Vuelta Femenina, and test the boys' knowledge in a special "Blind Spot" edition of Broom Wagon Trivia. Grab a proper pint of Big Barn Brewing, (or an Athletic Brewing IPA if you're unable due to life requirements) and let's get into it!

Welcome to Episode 524 of the longest-standing podcast in cycling. Think of us as a post-ride beer with several friends and one asshole. (According to the internet this week, Pat is officially that asshole for explaining why local group-ride heroes can't hang with the women's pro peloton). This week on the Packfiller Podcast, the crew debriefs a brutal reality check at the local Twilight Crits before diving into the absolute tactical masterclass we just witnessed at the Amstel Gold Race. We break down Remco Evenepoel’s newfound patience, Paula Blasi’s monumental Spanish upset, and preview the "Paul Seixas Hype" heading into La Flèche Wallonne. Plus, the UCI officially killed the eMTB World Cup. Is it a victory for acoustic bikes, or a massive missed opportunity? Grab a pour and settle in. The Broom Wagon is waiting. 👇 THE BIG BARN BREWING PROLOGUE QUESTION: We are celebrating Jackson's Golden Birthday this week. What is the one thing you actually want for your birthday this year? Let us know in the comments. ☕️ SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SPONSORS: Big Barn Brewing: Stop in, view the beauty, sip the brilliant beers, and tell them Packfiller sent you. Thomas Hammer Coffee: Do yourself a favor and get the Blue Eyes Blend. Athletic Brewing: Holding down the tides with NA options when you can't hit the taps.

The Hell of the North left the peloton wrecked, with cobbles so brutal your spine needs re-checked. They race through the trenches and suffer the pain—while I loudly complain if I ride in the rain. Welcome to Episode 523 of the longest-standing podcast in the sport of cycling. The Breakdown: This week, Pat is back from "The Forge" isolation camp in Lewiston, Idaho, 15 pounds lighter, pushing 300 Watts, and carrying the digital ashes of his former AI coach. The full panel (Paul, Sam, David, and Jackson) is in the studio to break down one of the most chaotic spring weekends in recent memory. We cover Wout van Aert finally burying his demons against Pogačar in the Roubaix velodrome, Mathieu van der Poel's catastrophic Arenberg puncture, and Franziska Koch's absolute stunner in the Paris-Roubaix Femmes.