Tag: Trek

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Show #533 – December 19, 2020

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Guests: Gary Fisher; Rob DeMartini

As promised, Gary Fisher is back to talk about his new book, Being Gary Fisher And The Bicycle Revolution well, we SORT of talk about it. Let me explain.

There is no one quite like Gary Fisher – and from the time he was a little boy, he’s marched to the beat of his own drum.

He says his new book, Being Gary Fisher – And The Bicycle Revolution – isn’t a memoir; rather a collection of stories and ideas.

If you remember the original “Whole Earth Catalog,” – a loose compilation of all sorts of things hip and natural – it’s kind of like that… only in full, explosive color, teeming with photos and commentary, with the bicycle stitching it all together.

The conversation shoots off in a variety of directions – sometimes seemingly disconnected; but, he always comes back to the bicycle – for what it is, what it does, and what it can portend for the future. In fact, after you hear this and read the book, it will all become very clear!

After our break we head to Colorado Springs.

There was a lot of twisting and shouting about the new Olympic Development Academy, a program USA Cycling is rolling out for 2021. When a Velo News article appeared about the ODA, social media lit up like it was 4th of July.

Aimed at finding and training young riders, 16 and up, in the hopes of drawing in a more diverse body of talent, the fact that there is a price tag attached to the program seemed to upset a lot of people. I think you’ll understand it a lot better from the source.

I wanted to hear about it straight from the source, so I rang up USA Cycling’s CEO Rob DeMartini to give us the low down on the program and what he and the organization is hoping it means for the future.

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Interbike – Day #1 – September 19, 2012

Throngs of people filed into Ballroom G at the Sand’s Convention Center to partake of a breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, juices, potatoes, coffee, tea, and an outrageous number of great lookong pastries!   Free food always attracts cyclists! But, this was about getting people to listen.

The presentations by Fred Clements of the NBDA , Tim Blumenthal  of Bikes Belong, and John Burke CEO of Trek Bicycles, were filled with stats, ideas, and encouragement to grow the industry,grow the sport, and get involved with bicycling on the local level.

I think there was some cyniccism (really?) on a lot of levels:

1. Trek just wants to sell more bikes – which of course would be true, but is that bad?

2. The industry is on the wrong track about how to go about getting more people on bikes – and of course there are always several sides of that questin.

3. Why cna’t we all get along? – wow, solving that problem would be earth shaking!

I will say that I found all the statistics very interesting; changing them for the better?  Daunting!

The presentation ended right on time and the show opened.  It’s BIG!  And, confusing; the numbering system seems so strange this year. The media center has been moved to a good place though.

I’m about to write a short “”story”  about the radio show – there’s a chance to win a prize!  Wish me luck and I’ll update you soon.

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

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Repairing Carbon Fiber Frames & Parts

FYI: The following “letter to the editor” is presented as written and published in the October 1, 2012 issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

Supplier doesn’t endorse repair of carbon fiber

(Bicycle Retailer & Industry News – October 1, 2012 Issue)

I am compelled to comment on your Aug 15, 2012, carbon fiber repair article (“Crack problem? Carbon repairers have you covered.”) Contrary to the impression given by your article, Trek Bicycle does not endorse or recommend repairing damaged carbon fiber frames or parts, nor do we endorse or recommend any business that offers such repairs.

Carbon fiber is a superior material that is lighter, stronger and has a greater fatigue life than either aluminum or steel.  However, when it is overloaded and becomes damages, we recommend that it  be replaced – not repaired.  In fact, while we realized that we cannot stop bicycle owners from seeking carbon fiber repair services, such repairs void Trek’s lifetime warranty and we require repair shops such as Calfee’s to provide us with the serial number of the carbon Trek bicycles they do repair in the event of a future warranty claim or injury.

Trek offers a generous Loyalty Replacement program under which we replace damaged Trek carbon fiber frames and parts at greatly reduced cost.  If you, as a dealer, have any doubt regarding the integrity of a carbon fiber frame or part, you should recommend that a customer replace it with a newly manufactured frame or part.

Robert Burns
Vice president & general counsel
Trek Bicycle Corp.