Show #684 – February 8, 2026

Guests: Caron Whitaker; Andy McGrath

I have a bit of housekeeping before we get to our two great guests today.

First – it’s WJCU’s annual fundraiser – RADIOTHON! This year’s theme “Carrying the Torch for College Radio,” is particularly pertinent as another well-loved local college station was recently sold and converted to our local NPR affiliate for a jazz format, much to the disappointment of Cleveland State University! 

But WJCU – 88.7on your FM dial here in NE Ohio, is alive and well.  The station is the on-air voice of John Carroll University and has been the gracious host for The Outspoken Cyclist since our very first show in September of 2010. 

At that time, we produced the podcast as a companion to our one-hour radio show. Eventually we phased out the radio show and continued to offer the podcast. Now, 16 years and 683 shows later, we are so honored that WJCU has seen fit to continue to partner with us.

Here’s just a little bit about why I’m so proud to be a part of WJCU.  The station is the reigning International Student Broadcasting Championship People’s Choice Radio Station and College Media Association Pinnacle Awards Small College Audio Outlet of the Year. It has established itself as a worldwide leader in college radio.

SO – All of this is said in the hopes that you will help support their work, which in turn gives me the platform I am so honored to have. 

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the station.  All the money raised during Radiothon goes directly to the station – not the University. 

Just log on to WJCU.org and click the pledge button.  Make sure you let them know you are an Outspoken Cyclist listener too!  And, thanks!

Item #2 is about my conversation with Maynard Hershon and his new book, The Dysfunctional Cycling Club.  I neglected to give you a way to contact Maynard directly: You can find him at buymeacoffee.com and search for Maynard Hershon.

Okay – let’s get to it.

My show this week includes a conversation with Caron Whitaker, the Deputy Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists.

With the upcoming re-authorization of the Transportation Bill this fall – well, the supposed re-authorization – there is the opportunity to include a bill that would require automobile manufacturers to incorporate automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that reliably detect pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in real-world conditions — day and night.

Its goal is simple: ensure lifesaving technology that actually works for everyone, before crashes happen.

Caron also walks us through the Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act  along with information on the upcoming National Bike Summit.  

Caron gives us a Cliff’s Notes Course on that bill and what else is happening in Washington as well as how we can help.

My second guest is Andy McGrath.  Andy is an award-winning freelance journalist, and he began our conversation with a super fun fact – he’s a triplet!

I’ve only ever known one other set of triplets; their Mom was a client of ours.  Such a cool fact!

 Andy McGrath’s career as an author pretty much began with an award winning book – Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire, which won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2017.

Anyway, Andy has written a biography of Tadej Pogacar titled “Unstoppable.”   An apt title if there ever was one, yes?

And I think our conversation has to be one of my all-time favorites.  Andy is thoughtful, forthright, and has truly done his due diligence in authoring this book.  I think you’ll agree.

He’s a former editor of Rouleur magazine, worked at Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport, and has written on cycling for the Guardian, the Telegraph, and Financial Times.

Hi new book, Unstoppable, is the first biography of the cycling sensation, Tadej Pogocar.  Deeply and carefully researched, Andy covers the champion and his development over the years from Tadej’s beginnings as a small child in Slovenia to his meteoric rise as the 4-time winner of the Tour de France.

 

 

Transcript_February 8

Show #683 February 2, 2026

Guest: Maynard Hershon

My guest today is an old friend and perhaps someone many of you might consider your friend too.

If you subscribed to Winning Magazine or Velo News back in the day, you relished Maynard Hershon’s column, “Tales from the Bike Shop,” at the back of each issue.

Maynard is the bicycle world’s storyteller and, in many ways, is keeping the story of proper bike riding alive.

His now out-of-print book “Tales from the Bike Shop,” is a classic – mixing his astute observations about bike-shop-behavior with humor and a plainspoken honesty about what went on in our shops back in the day. 

In his new book, “The Dysfunctional Cycling Club and Other Stories.” Maynard turns his  thoughts to today’s cycling club culture, such that it is, and what has been lost from the days of his bicycling education.  

Unlike Tales from the Bike Shop, where most of the stories, while based on his observations and experiences, were fiction, this book describes the real people he’s met, the actual rides he’s done, and his candid thoughts about the many changes that he’s experienced in today’s bike club culture.

You’ll probably find our conversation a lot like two old fogies who haven’t seen each other for a very long time – yapping, even sometimes interrupting one another, and just generally having a good time.  I’m delighted to be able to share our conversation with you.

While we didn’t get into the nitty-gritty layout of the book, I’ll fill you in a bit right now.  There are 7 sections – not exactly chapters in the classic sense – and each section has several chapters relating to the section topic – only you won’t necessarily get it from just reading the chapter headings.  You gotta’ read the book!

Maynard’s writing style is easy to read, and you’ll feel as if you’re looking in on not only  his cycling history, but what it was like to be riding back in the day.

If you’d like a copy of the book, drop Earle Young an email at earle.young@tds.net or give him a call at 608-220-0248.

Also, If you haven’t heard it or want to hear it again, you can listen to Maynard’s reading of one of my favorite stories, Nice Wheels, on our website, outspokencyclist.com. (story begins at 29:25)

Transcript_February 2

Show #682 January 10, 2026

Guest: Paul Gibson – Ellis-Briggs Cycles

As many of you know, I have a real soft spot for traditional steel frame bikes and so I always feel somewhat justified in my “curmudgeonly-ness” when I have the opportunity speak with a master frame builder who is still practicing the art of building steel bikes.

Bicycling started out as a “working class” sport and those who supported it were working class folks.  Today, we hold our custom frame builders in high esteem at the same time that the craft of building steel bikes tries very hard to fade into history.

Framebuilder Paul Gibson not only doesn’t want to see that happen, he is actively doing things to ensure it won’t.

Paul is now the proprietor of Ellis-Briggs Cycles, the 90-year-old British bicycle company, founded by brothers-in-law Leonard Ellis and Thomas Briggs in 1936. Their vision was to create high quality lightweight racing frames. 

Through the years, there have been many changes in the custom bicycle business and Paul is hoping to preserve the traditions by teaching the skills to build lugged, steel frames as well as keep the long heritage of the craft alive and well.

While our conversation isn’t terribly long, it is full of juicy nuggets of interest from the history of the company to Paul’s desire to develop a curriculum for students – especially students who aren’t inclined to sit in a classroom day after day but rather wish they could learn some hands-on skills.

I’ve had so many conversations about the art and science of building steel frames over the years and always appreciate someone who is still immersed in the craft.

You can follow and help support Paul’s Patreon at patreon.com/ellisbriggs.

Transcript_January 10

 

 

Show #681 – December 23, 2025

Guest: Tucker Schwinn

In my Substack post about Tucker Schwinn’s new book, Closure – The Final Days of the Waterford Bicycle Factory – I said I had hoped to be able to speak with him directly.

That happened over the past weekend, and I wanted to share that conversation, even though this will be a short podcast episode.

Tucker is the son of Richard and Debra Schwinn.  He grew up in the world of Waterford Precision Cycles and when the announcement of the closure of the factory was made and even before, decided to use his photography degree to document everything – from the eyewash station to the paint booth and anything in-between.

From beautiful descriptions of some of the photos to allowing others to just stand alone, I think the book is a must-have if you are a collector of bicycle related keepsakes.

My relationship with the Schwinn’s goes back a long time and, while I lament the loss of the factory and the beautiful frames produced there, the book helps to cement some of the memories in a way I hadn’t expected.

I know Tucker holds a lot of it in his heart and the book is a deep expression of his love and remembrance of the days – years – spent there.

You can get a copy of the book at, closurewaterfodbook.com or from TuckerSchwinn.com. I think it would be a splendid addition to your cycling library, and you will get a perspective on the factory from a very unique point of view.

Transcript_TuckerSchwinn

Show #680 – December 17, 2025

Guests: Chuck Marohn; Esther Walker

I’m really pleased to welcome two great guests to the show today.

The first is not new to TOC, and in fact has been someone I’ve not only spoken with in the past but have also referred to many times on episodes where he doesn’t even appear.

I love catching up with Strong Towns’ founder Chuck Marohn because I always experience an enlightening and encouraging conversation.  Today is no different.

I can remember my first conversation with Chuck Marohn back in 2013.  In those days, Chuck was beginning to show the way cities and towns could become financially viable, putting people first and debunking decades of municipal planning that wasn’t working then and certainly wouldn’t work today.

Fast forward and Strong Towns is beyond strong!  It’s a force to be reckoned with that has expanded worldwide with literally hundreds of local conversation groups that have taken up the reigns in their communities to improve everything from parking and housing to streets and highways.

In this episode we cover a myriad of topics from the Ride for Life Rally that was held in D.C. to Chuck’s thoughts about how we might be getting our advocacy for cycling and walking wrong by looking to the Federal government for help as well as his thoughts about how we can all be part of a Bike Walk Revolution.

Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it. It makes so much sense. And it just might spur you to action.

For more information and some great tools to help you launch successful advocacy in your community or to enhance the work that is already being done, log on to strongtowns.org.

In the second half of the show, I speak with Esther Walker, the executive director of Outride.

Founded in 2012 by Specialized’s former CEO Mike Sinyard, who suffers from ADHD and found that riding a bike helped him to focus and learn, Outride started by investigating how bike riding could become an important part of a comprehensive therapy program for kids with ADHD.

When Mike realized that riding a bike helped with focus and energy, offering him a much wanted and needed break from the sufferings of ADHD, he decided to put his philanthropic leanings to work to pass on what he was discovering.

Today the organization offers hard data from extensive research as well their Riding for Focus program for middle school kids all over the country and in Canada.   From a yearly research summit to community grants, the organization is laser focused on getting kids on bikes and keeping them there.

Check out their research on their YouTube channel.  And if you are so inclined, start a community impact program in your town or learn how your local middle school can participate.

Consider making a donation to Outride to help continue their research as well as fund the community grant program.

You can extended commentary on my Substack.  Please consider becoming a subscriber and perhaps helping to support the work with a small monthly donation.

As we approach the end of 2025, I want to thank you for listening to the show.  I appreciate your ongoing interest and loyalty and hope to bring you more note-worthy and wide-ranging episodes in the coming year.

Transcript_December 17

Show #679 December 4, 2025

Guests: David Shellnut; Bill Nesper

Every time I think our issues with cars vs cyclists are getting so much worse, which of course they are, I come across something that is even more dreadful!

Seems that Canada – a place where I would have thought cyclists would be not only safer but encouraged – is definitely not that!

In my conversation with David Shellnutt, The Biking Lawyer, I learn that there is not only open hostility to cyclists, but the police seem to be complicit in making cyclists “pay” for infractions while drivers’ who have been issued tickets find themselves with no consequences whatsoever. 

Besides his busy law practice helping cyclists in a multitude of ways, David shows up to speak at club meetings, litigates anti-racism in the courts, sides with survivors of sexual violence and assault, and helps to feed the needy.

Our conversation runs the gamut from what The Biking Lawyer does to the legislation that is coming up in early 2026.

 You can find and follow him @ The Biking Lawyer on social media as well as read his blog on thebikinglawyer,ca.

And, he did indeed meet up with our Oshawa Bike Club Friends that Saturday.  

 

 

In the second half of the show, we feature the first of our holiday giving segments with Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. 

The LAB does some great things – from offering a multitude of helpful options to get involved on a local or national level to helping make our communities more bicycle friendly, which in turn makes them safer.  The LAB also hosts the National Bike Summit where, as a delegate of your community, you have the opportunity to make your case for legislation directly with the officials who can make those votes happen.

With the end of the year upon us, I like to highlight non-profits that benefit the cycling community or organizations with bicycle charity as a focus – be it local, national, or worldwide. 

Today is the first of those segments.  I’m highlighting the 145-year-old organization that originally lobbied for paved roads – only in those days, it wasn’t for cars but rather for bicycles.

Now in 2025, the League of American Bicyclists is still doing the hard work of keeping bicycles and bicyclists in the forefront of the transportation department and in 2026 the 5-year transportation bill will again be up for re-authorization.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of spending a few days in Washington with the LAB’s National Bike Summit.  From the many breakout sessions to the Day on the Hill, the Summit is a well-oiled machine and something that makes you feel as if your participation really does matter.

Go to BikeLeague.org to take action, sign up for the e-newsletter, check out the map of bicycle friendly communities, universities, and businesses, and so much more.  And if you are not a member, perhaps you’d like to join.  Or, maybe make a donation to help keep the League’s work going. It’s a worthy cause.

One other item before I sign off today.

The National Bicycle Dealer’s Association is looking for 2,000 cyclists to take a consumer survey.  It’s anonymous, fairly comprehensive, and is meant to help bike shops learn what you want and need from them .  Here is the link to the survey.

Transcript_December 4

Show #678 – November 20, 2025

Guest: Joe Lindsey

This episode was going to be an audio with commentary for my Substack.  But, as often happens when I speak with Joe Lindsey from the Escape Collective, the conversation becomes so interesting that I just couldn’t see NOT sharing it on all my platforms.

Another reason I wanted to share this with everyone is that Joe, is an expert on competitive bike racing, which I am not, and since the 2025 continental and world races are pretty much over, I figured it was time to review them.

We begin with a short discussion about this year’s World’s, which for the first time was held on the African continent.  Political for sure; but all seemed to go well.

Not so with the Vuelta A Espana as Joe and I move into a conversation about the Israel-Premier Tech team and how politics and protest, which have always been a part of bike racing, has now reached a level that is truly dangerous to the riders, the sponsors, and the sport itself.

Since Joe and I spoke, much has happened, both in the Middle East and with the team itself.  Premier-Tech pulled their sponsorship, saying that “the core reason to sponsor the team has been overshadowed to a point where it has become untenable.”

Sad to say the least, but I think you will hear some good reasoning in my conversation with Joe.

As we cover some of the women’s racing from this past season, we get into the topic of fueling and weight.  Ugh!

Weight is an especially tough topic for women – just look at the endless ads for weight loss and what defines beauty in all forms of advertising.

But there has been a seismic shift in thinking about fueling for bike racers and with that a shift away from just focusing on weight to the importance of nutrition.

Joe also talks about course design as it relates to the physique of a rider.  Certain courses do favor a light, sprite rider while others offer advantages to a different body type. 

And then there is course design as it relates to the safety of the riders.

We get into the weeds a bit with the UCI vs SRAM dispute about gearing as the discussion runs headlong into where the UCI should focus its work and what might happen if everyone rode the same bike – much like stock car racing.

So you see, it’s a solid discussion and I hope you enjoy it.

November 20_transcript

Show #677 – November 11, 2025

Guests: Kevin Duggan; Sarah Davis

We read or hear about corruption from a lot of places and when I came across a story from Kevin Duggan from Streetsblog NYC about a prominent family in Brooklyn NY that bribed officials to kill a protected bike lane, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to find out more.

So, who are Gina and Tony Argento and why are they so hell bent on not wanting a bike lane in their neighborhood?

The Argentos are big-whigs in the Greenpoint District of Brooklyn, NY – many high-profile television shows are shot on their “Broadway Stages” properties. 

This past August, they were indicted for bribing the mayor’s assistant with not only money, but a cameo on an upcoming show episode. Ah, vanity!

According to the Grand Jury indictment handed down late August, the defendants, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who was Mayor Adams. Right-hand gal, Gina Argento, Anthony “Tony” Argento, and Broadway Stages, Ltd. (“Broadway Stages”) are charged with the of the crime of CONSPIRACY IN THE FOURTH DEGREE, in violation of New York Penal Law § 105.10(1)…

 I know I shouldn’t gloat about things like this but seeing people who are so incredibly insulated from what goes on around them as well as having such hubris as to believe they are above the law, learn that there are consequences to their actions, gives me a teeny-tiny bit of hope.

Here’s a copy of the indictment  and read Eric’s coverage on the scandal. 


In my conversation with Sarah Davis, the Active Transportation Senior Planner for the City of Cleveland, we unpack the Cleveland Moves initiative supported by Mayor Justin Bibb

While Cleveland’s population was in decline for several decades, it recently seems to be trending upwards again. 

But one of the consequences of fewer people and cars is that perception that you can go faster on the roads.  But the greater speed has resulted in the horrific statistic of 75 traffic fatalities in 2024.  Bad stuff!

Cleveland Scene is the Cleveland’s voice of arts and culture, music, city living, and more and back at the beginning of October, Cleveland Scene published an article titled: “Cleveland Set for $4 Million Grant for 15 “Quick-Build” Bike Lanes Across City”

With such a big dollar amount plus bike lanes in the headline, I dove in to find out more.

The result, my conversation with Sarah Davis, active transportation senior planner for the City of Cleveland.

Here is a link to the Scene’s article on our website, outspokencyclist.com. 

And you can learn more about Cleveland Moves at https://www.clevelandohio.gov/transportation-mobility/cleveland-moves – mouthful! 

Okay – I need to correct my comment about how long I’ve been in Cleveland – math whiz that I am… it’s been over 60 years not 50. 

Next time on TOC, we’ll speak with Canadian Attorney, David Shellnutt .  Oh yeah, we think we have a lot of issues with cars and bikes… woo-hoo seems Toronto might be right up there with some of the worst for some reason. 

For extra commentary, head on over to my Substack.

And in fact, an extended conversation about the 2025 bike racing season with my friend Joe Lindsey from the Escape Collective, will be available exclusively on that platform on Tuesday, November 18th

You can subscribe to my Substack for free, although I’d be honored to have you support the work with a paid subscription… it’s not very expensive!

Transcript_November 11

Show #676 – October 16, 2025

Guests: Scott Tong; Tony Jordan

Scott Tong is one of my favorite NPR hosts. Most days, along with Robin Young and several other Here and Now folks, I listen to Scott on WKSU, our local NPR affiliate.

Over the past year or so, I’ve heard Scott talk about riding his bike, crashing his bike, and more recently, training for a long-distance cycling event.

So I reached out to him, and he was happy to talk about his riding experiences, the bike he rides – which is only one of my all-time favorite brands – and the event he was training for with his brother-in-law and his wife.

Scott Tong, was wondering whether he might be getting too old to ride his beautiful Serotta Road bike and I assured him he is not!

It is true that while training for a long-distance event a couple of years ago, he fell and broke his collar bone and this year, while training for the same event, his wife fell and broke HER collar bone.

Still, he’s really not that old and he likes to ride!  He got back on the horse and completed the Seagull Century in Maryland right after our conversation.

If I were to ask you if there is enough parking wherever you go, what would you say?  Probably – No.

But what if I told you there is actually too much parking in many places, and that parking in general is poorly managed by most cities?

That’s the starting point for my conversation with the president of the Parking Reform Network, Tony Jordan, an organization that educates the public about the impact of parking policy on climate change, equity, housing, and traffic.

From the bizarre parking codes for every conceivable building, business, and residence, to a need for rethinking the miles and miles of concrete that take up precious land and contribute to climate issues, Tony Jordan helps to answers my many questions, and helps to give us actionable ideas to make our parking, driving, and especially biking and walking concerns better.

For more information about the organization and ways to get involved in improving parking, transportation, and equitable options in your area, log on to parkingreform.org.

And for my extended conversation with Tony about how bicycling and parking reform are connected, log into my Substack entry.  It’s a little bonus track!

Follow us on Instagram, FB, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.  Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite app so you never miss an episode.  And do check out my Substack for my thoughts and commentary.

Next time on TOC, join me for an extended conversation with Escape Collective’s Joe Lindsey as we wrap up the 2025 cycling season and talk about some of the controversial issues facing the pro tour.

October 16_Transcript

 

 

 

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