Show #471 – September 21, 2019

Guests: Dan De Vise; Ben Brewer; Gabe Klein

This week, I chat with three most interesting people – two expansive thinkers in totally different fields – one is “urbanism” the other is what he terms “economic sociology” and I bring back Dan De Vise whose book, The Comeback – Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a legendary Tour de France, (which we reviewed when it came out in June of 2018) inspired Congressman Mike Thompson of California to introduce HR Bill #3589 to award Mr. LeMond the congressional gold medal – the second highest civilian award in the country.

I don’t think Greg LeMond was ever totally forgotten; but, I do believe he never really received the accolades and recognition he deserved as a true champion of our sport and of his conduct in the peloton.

Dan De Vise tells us the synchronistic way this honor came about and what happens next.

Then, James Madison University sociology Professor Ben Brewer, who grew up in Northern California during the “big boom era” of mountain biking and innovative frame building, studies and reports on social issues and how they are juxtaposed against economics – and his new case study is bicycle frame builders.

His survey to frame builders is about to close and, in addition to sharing that link with frame builders, I wanted to know what he wants to know.

Lastly, but definitely not leastly – Gabe Klein has been on my radar for a long time. I first learned about him when he was the Transportation Commissioner for Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago.

Gabe’s thoughts and ideas about cities, transportation, and the broader ramifications of getting it all wrong make for a very interesting conversation.