Month: April 2013

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Show #140 – April 27, 2013

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GUESTS: ROB COPPOLILLO, SARAH BRAKER, SARAI SNYDER

 

Friend, has this spring’s weather taken the joie right out of your vivre? Has the bounce gone out of your bungee? Well, short of a nice long bike ride on a sunny day, this week’s Outspoken Cyclist is bound to improve your disposition.

We start with Rob Copolillo, who has written a new book called Holy Spokes!: A Biking Bible for Everyone. But Rob isn’t just an author, he’s a twin and a father of twins, a skier, rock climbing guide and bicycle enthusiast. He’s also served as a guide for Andy Hampsten’s Cinghiale Bicycle Tours. With experience that broad and deep, a book was inevitable!

In the second half of the show, we learn about Bikes Not Bombs from communications director Sarah Breaker. Bikes Not Bombs is based on Boston, and they use the bicycle as a tool to effect social change. Trust me, it’s way cooler than it sounds; just listen to Sarah’s excellent explanation.

Wrapping up, we welcome back Sarai Snyder to the show. Sarai is the driving force behind Girl-Bike-Love and CycloFemme. CycloFemme 2013 is coming up on May 12th, and it looks to be bigger and better than ever with over 150 rides celebrating women on bikes in 37 U.S. states and 22 countries

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Show #139 – April 20, 2013

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GUESTS: BIKE SNOB NYC AKA EBEN WEISS; PATRICK BRADY AKA PADRAIG

 

Well, WJCU is not the BBC (Big-time Broadcasting Company) but we did manage to lure two notable guests to the show this week.

Bike Snob NYC and his alter ego Eben Weiss have a new book out called Bike Snob Abroad, and Eben will be visiting our fair city next Saturday for a Q&A, signing, and bike ride (assuming we can defrost the Cleveland freezer by then). Listen to Diane’s interview with Bike Snob NYC right here, and then see him live on April 27th at 1:00 pm at the Market Garden Brewery in Ohio City.

Dropping in after the news is Red Kit Prayer’s Patrick Brady, making us all jealous by reporting from the Sea Otter Classic. Always ready with commentary on a diverse array of subjects, Patrick also tells us about his plans for an upcoming book crowd-funded via Kickstarter, called Why We Ride.

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Show #138 – April 13, 2013

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GUESTS: ANDY HAMPSTEN, LENNARD ZINN

 

Trust me when I tell you that this guy has nothing on our guests this week, who happen to be two titans of the cycling world.

As Bob Roll put it, back in the 1980s Andy Hampsten “cracked the chest of European road racing and feasted on its heart.” Andy went on to win the Giro d’Italia, and a stage at the TdF, among other accomplishments. These days, he owns Hampsten Cycles with his brother Steve, and he combines his passion for Italian food, wine, and riding as proprietor of Cinghiale Tours. Andy checked in just before getting ready to head over to Italy for the Giro, and his own touring season.

After the break and some news, Lennard Zinn joins us. Lennard is one of the most knowledgeable people in the area of bike tech, and the fourth edition of his book Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance has just been released. He is also the longest-running columnist in VeloNews. Listen and learn about his journey from physics major, to racer, to framebuilder and technical guru.

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Show #137 – April 6, 2013

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GUESTS: LES EARNEST, SHANNON GALPIN, BEN SARRAZIN

 

Imagine if your wife, sister, or daughter was prohibited from riding a bicycle. Imagine if you competed in a sport which was controlled by organizations that included virtually no representation by the athletes. Imagine if you could actually carry something besides yourself on a bicycle. Well, imagine no more, because this week’s Outspoken Cyclist features all three of these very real stories.

It would be easier to describe what Les Earnest hasn’t done than what he has done, but suffice it to say that you’re reading this on a computer because of at least one of Les’ many discoveries. He also happens to be a walking encyclopedia of the history of competitive cycling governance in the U.S., and an active participant in organizations such as the USCF and USA Cycling. His efforts have focused on improving racer representation in the sport’s governing bodies.

Shannon Galpin is a National Geographic 2013 Adventurer of the Year for her work with women in Afganistan. Specifically, Shannon runs an organization called Mountain 2 Mountain which is helping put women on bikes in a country where the culture prohibits it. And these women aren’t “just riding around” they’re training and racing with the goal of fielding an Olympic team.

Lastly, we meet Ben Sarrazin of Yuba Cargo Bikes. Ben grew up in France, and was inspired by seeing people using bikes for transportation. During summer kayaking trips to the U.S., he saw an opportunity to create and sell transportation and cargo bikes here in the ‘States. From cupcakes to kayaks, a cargo bike can help you get it (and you) where you want to go.