Should you keep pedaling or tuck on a descent, getting comfortable in aero, draft-legal racing for beginners, and more!

It's a warm, smoky evening in Bend, the kind where you drive to Sisters for training and now you're recording a podcast instead of sleeping. We kept it deliberate and efficient this week, which means we absolutely went off on mattresses, California Chicken Cafe, and ice cream. In between, a great bag of questions.

This week we discussed:

1x vs. 2x drivetrains: the actual advantages of each and why most people should just stick with a two byWhen to stop pedaling and tuck on a descentDraft-legal racing for a first-timer: how the pace works at the start of each leg, why staying near the front of a group saves energyBuild our ideal triathlon city using places we've actually been: road running, trail running, road cycling, gravel/MTB, open water swimming, airport, coffee, pastries, donuts, restaurants, and weatherXterra racing and the suffering question: is it a matter of learning to dig deeper or a matter of training?Getting comfortable in aero on a TT bike when you're scared, Paula's day-before-Challenge-Daytona story and why race day has a way of sorting it outHow many pro races have Eric and Paula actually done? Pro Tri News has a number that may or may not be rightCrank length and hip injury: when to experiment with shorter cranks and when to leave well enough aloneWhat actually constitutes good bike technique, and whether the pedal stroke matters as much as Eric thinks it doesLong rides on a gravel rail trail vs. TT bike before an IronmanAQI thresholds for training in wildfire smokeHeart rate spikes in T2 from bike to run, what's happening physiologically and the breathing reset trickDisney princess themed bikes

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