As dads, we often no longer get out on the bike as often as we used to or like. Along with the tips in my HOW PARENTS CAN MANAGE CYCLING WITH A NEWBORN, we can help feed that craving by experiencing riding with others. YouTube is filled with plenty of cycling content for when we are sitting on the couch, at work, or too tired to get out and ride. The following are Dads Riding Bikes’ top 10 Best Cycling YouTube Channels:
Tristantakevideo
Coming in at our number one spot is Tristantakevideo. Tristan Cardew (Tristantakevideo) is an Australian amateur cyclist based in the Spanish city of Girona. Unlike most cycling YouTubers who are doing gear reviews, Tristan focuses almost entirely on his cycling adventures.
Girona has become a cycling mecca over the last 10 years, with many pro cyclists calling it their home. Tristan takes you on all his adventures around the city along with venturing into Andorra where you can find many of the iconic Tour de France climbs.
Tristan is a professional photographer along with being a phenomenal cyclist. Many of his videos are behind the scenes with professional cycling teams as well as one-on-one rides with pro cyclists, specifically Ben O’Connor, who according to Tristan’s videos are great mates!
Dylan Johnson
Your go-to cycling data nerd is Dylan Johnson, racer and coach. On his channel, he breaks down all the latest training methodologies, gear, and tech giving you what the science says works and not his opinion. He also races in the Lifetime Grand Prix, which is a US-based ultra-endurance gravel and mountain bike racing series. He covers all the gear he uses to compete in it.
The Col Collective
Looking for inspiring epic climbs from all over the world? Look no further than The Col Collective, hosted by Mike Cotty. Cotty is a masterclass at producing grand and spectacular videos of him climbing the biggest mountains in the world. Mike shines at telling you stories of the local culture and history of the mountain all while slamming out big watts at altitude, flying up the mountain. The Col Collective recently took a break from filming, but is back now and better than ever.
Above is my favorite climb, although I am biased because Mt. Evans (As of September 2023 it is now Mt. Blue Sky)is out my backdoor in Colorado and I have climbed it as well.
NorCal Cycling
I am not a bike racer, other than the occasional Zwift race, but I do enjoy watching racing. If you haven’t already, check out my series on unlocking the Zwift Tron Bike, the best all-rounder for Zwift racing.
Jeff at NorCal Cycling is a Category 1 amateur crit racer based in Northern California. NorCal Cycling provides great footage of local and national crit racing that you just don’t get anywhere else.
Crit racing is fast-paced and full of elbowing for positioning and big crashes. Like any other sport we watch on the TV, it’s nice to experience crit racing from on the couch!
Safa Brian
Looking for high-speed descents, nail-biting corners, and overall extreme road biking, then you need to check out Safa Brian, AKA Safa. His trademark “Pray for Speed” is exactly that. SAFA has a very high production quality offering first and third-person perspectives focused almost entirely on him and his buddies ripping down Big mountain descents. Buckle Up!
Park Tool
Park Tool makes the list despite it not being an entertainment channel. Park Tool is a bicycle tool company that also puts out top-notch content on how to maintain and repair every aspect of your bike.
The 2020 pandemic changed the bike shop employment landscape. Since then, the basic maintenance turnaround at my local shops has been a minimum of two weeks. As a dad, my time is limited when I can get out on the bike, so I try to do all my own basic maintenance to ensure my bike is always ready to go!
Berm Peak
While the majority of my time is spent road biking, I do occasionally jump on the mountain bike. Berm Peak is hosted by Seth Alvo, primarily focusing on riding mountain bikes, trail building, and outdoor adventure content.
Berm Peak frequently showcases his DIY projects, which can range from building innovative features for his mountain biking trails to constructing unique mountain biking obstacles and structures. His projects often inspire viewers to try their hand at building their own trail features. He offers tutorials and behind-the-scenes looks at the trail-building process, demonstrating his creativity and engineering skills.
Vegan Cyclist
Another ultra-endurance athlete on this list is Vegan Cyclist. Despite the name, he does not talk too much about being vegan and instead focuses on his training for ultra-endurance cycling events. He recently became the US Ultradistance Cycling Champion. He is a great storyteller and will take you along on some of his crazy 200+ mile rides!
Ed Laverack
Ed Laverack is 2x British Champion and a former professional cyclist. He has a down-to-earth personality and gives you a glimpse of what it takes to train, eat, and ride at a competitive level. You can jump in on his live Zwift racing streams or ride along outside as he trains for the upcoming British Hill Climbing season or tries to nab a KOM.
Chris Miller Cycling
AKA the Nero Show, Chris Miller Cycling is a video cycling podcast hosted by two Australians Chris Miller and Jesse Coyle. Both race at the amateur level, and Jesse is also a cycling coach. The podcast covers a variety of topics where they give their unfiltered opinions on racing, new bikes, bike tech, and any pro-rider drama.
Drop a comment below on what are some of your favorite cycling YouTube channels to watch when not on the bike.