Colby Pearce has been a Steve Hogg Certified expert bike fitter for the past 10 years and has worked with elite athletes and WorldTour teams, including EF Education First. He is also an elite cycling coach and has been passing along his wisdom to the riders he coaches for decades. Pearce’s repertoire of knowledge spans 30 years, five continents, hundreds of races, and countless miles in the saddle. The minutiae of cycling and riding technique are just part of the story that Colby shares. Alignment with nature, foundational principles of health, and treating the sport as a practice are some of the philosophies he shares. Cycling in Alignment features a diverse guest list, including those who may or may not be familiar names in the cycling world. Prepare to have your belief systems shattered.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Chris Balser: Your Cranks are Most Likely Too Long - Part B - Ep178
In the continuation of my discussion on crank length with Chris Balser, we talk about factors that may drive a fitter to recommend shorter cranks, pros and cons of shorter cranks, and of course wander off into related topics.
I am sure anyone who is considering crank length as a possible limiting factor in their cycling will benefit from this conversation.
Disclaimer: I made an attempt to keep the language less anatomical as this can be challenging for some listeners but it gets a bit technical here and there.
Chris's Website ►► bicyclefitguru.com
Matt Appleman Cranks ►► https://www.applemanbicycles.com/shop/2xr-crankset/
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Chris Balser: Your Cranks are Most Likely Too Long - Part A - Ep177
In Part A of this podcast I discuss crank length with Chris Balser. We talk about factors that may drive a fitter to recommend shorter cranks, pros and cons of shorter cranks, and of course wander off into related topics.
I am sure anyone who is considering crank length as a possible limiting factor in their cycling will benefit from this conversation.
Disclaimer: I made an attempt to keep the language less anatomical as this can be challenging for some listeners but it gets a bit technical here and there.
Enjoy.
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Tripping over Dollars to Pick up Pennies - Ep176
In this walking podcast I talk about the tension between looking for marginal gains in contrast to focusing on basic principles.
Far too often I see athletes putting carts before horses. Or, tripping over dollars to pick up pennies. Choose your analogy, but the message is: getting lost in details when they don’t have foundational health and sporting principles in order.
Even more controversial: for an athlete who has their 80/20 dialed, rather than occupying time and energy over turning every small stone looking for “more watts”, turn your 80/20 into 85/15.
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Thursday Aug 28, 2025
Post Script to Finding Dead Space - Ep175
A few more thoughts on finding dead space can be found in this podcast, amongst some random movie quotes, poorly delivered jokes and esoteric analogies. Standard Operating Procedure in my universe. I hope this helps expand on the idea of finding “dead space” in your riding, life, and relationship with sport.
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
Tuesday Aug 26, 2025
Finding Dead Space – Ep 174
In this walking podcast I discuss the concept of finding dead space in the breath, and in your life. This is also known as equanimity, or being content with the present moment as it is. It’s a concept that has utility for athletes, as they are often rushing from thing to thing, and this rushing is often a consequence of the mentality that they are not inherently enough.
“The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.
All of these embody the virtue of non-competition. Not that they don’t love to compete, but they do it in the spirit of play. In this they are like children and in harmony with the Tao.”
Tao te Ching, Stephen Mitchell translation
Monday Aug 18, 2025
Monday Aug 18, 2025
RPE is Fundamental - Ep173
Riders use P as a goal and think it is an objective. It is not an objective, it is a measure of output. It is an artificial construct, a mathematical calculation.
The objective of training is physiological load: SAID principle. It does not matter how many watts you do, what matters is, did you load the system appropriately given the context of your training?
The objective racing is not P. It is speed. In mass start racing, it is speed at the right time. In time trialling, it is also speed at the right time.
RPE is primary to power in the hierarchy of relationship to the sport of cycling. Unfortunately, many modern riders misunderstand this. We might say their entire relationship with the sport is upside down.
In this walking podcast, I discuss the proper relationship of Power and Relative Perceived Exertion.
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
Tuesday Aug 12, 2025
The False Glorification of Suffering - Ep172
The culture in our sport often glorifies suffering as though it were a badge of honor or something to aspire towards. This is incorrect. In this walking podcast, I explain why. Thank you for listening. Smash and subscribe!
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Wednesday Jul 30, 2025
Shame - Ep171
In this walking podcast I talk about the insidious emotion of shame and how it can multiply.
I also talk about the lunar cycle and how it is related to our breathing a bit. More to come in future talks no doubt.
And I was visited by a frog which is a fortuitous event. Obviously.
Don’t worry, all of this gets tied into cycling and your relationship to sport. But I don’t mention FTP or grams of CHO, even once.
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Nathan Hass: SBTGRVLRDX - Ep170
What the heck does NHSBTGRVLRDX stand for?
Why, it stands for Nathan Haas Steamboat Gravel Redux of course. I thought that would be obvious.
I am sure you will be captivated stupendified by our post race banter on the 2025 Steamboat Gravel race, where vowels are so 2018.
Fun was had and gravel cornering shall be discussed.
Enjoy.
Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Wednesday Jul 02, 2025
Nathan Haas: Cycling is like Fishing - Ep169
In this episode of Cycling in Alignment Nathan Haas and I drive to Steamboat for the SBT GRVL race. As a former World Tour professional and seasoned gravel veteran, Nathan has some great perspectives to offer on the newest addition to the cycling world. In cased you missed the memo, this is gravel [no, e-bikes don’t count].
We do speak a bit about the upcoming SBT race, and also take a bit to unpack Nathan’s analogy that in fact, cycling resembles fishing in many ways.
I won’t spoil the analogy by giving away all juicy bits in a social post, go listen to the podcast you lazy sod.
All humor aside, I am sure you will enjoy Nathan’s thoughts, as he is indeed a philosophical and reflective person.
“I see you have found a sense of humor. If only just a sense.”