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Show #444 – March 16, 2019

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Guests: Colin Browne; Angie Schmitt; Shaun Gad

This week we have 3 guests covering a wide variety of topics.

We will speak with Colin Browne, the communications director for WABA – The Washington Area Bicyclists Assn. WABA is one of the oldest advocacy organizations in the country, established in 1972, and reaches a broad swath of the D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area with a variety of programs – which we talk about in our conversation.

We’ll welcome back Streetsblog journalist Angie Schmitt whose article “Walking and Biking are Hurt by Lack of National Leadership: Report caught my attention.

And finally, we learn about a major expansion of the Gran Fondo NY series when we speak with Sean Gad, one of the founders of the GFNY Jerusalem.

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Show #443 – March 9, 2019

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Guests: Carlton Reid; Tom Kellogg

This week Carlton Reid is with me to talk about a variety of subjects from autonomous vehicles to Brexit.

Carlton’s long history writing about bicycling has resulted in two books – Roads Were Not Made for Cars and Bike Boom.

Last year, he was named the Press Gazette’s Transport Journalist of the Year. Currently, Carlton is writing for Forbes Magazine.

The interview I didn’t know I would have, and am incredibly delighted to share with you, is with one of the most respected and talented frame builders ever to have graced our bicycle world.

Along with his partner Jeff Duser, Tom Kellogg has built under the name of Spectrum Cycles since 1982, producing some of the most exquisite steel and titanium frames.

This past week, Tom and Jeff announced their retirement. Taking orders through July 31st, they will build whatever is in the queue and then permanently close the shop.

I figured this was the perfect time to check in with him and learn more.

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Show #442 – March 2, 2019

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Guests: Don Walker, Kyle Bryant, Brad Sauber

It’s a three-fer! And a very diverse three-fer at that.

First up is a quick check in with Don Walker, show owner and director of NAHBS. The 15th edition of the artisan builder’s show is only two weeks away. Opening on The Ides of March at the Sacramento Convention Center, the event will showcase magnificent hand built bikes, offer up some great seminar opportunities, and give attendees a chance to get up close and personal with a favorite builder.

Then it’s clear across the country to Philadelphia to speak with Kyle Bryant. Diagnosed with a rare and pretty much fatal disease – Friedrich’s Ataxia – Kyle decided to take life by the wheels – 3 of them to be exact – and riding across the country with his Dad by his side and his Mom as SAG, Kyle finds his true spirit as he visits research facilities, some weird and interesting places, and completes what many of us might think is an impossible mission.

Kyle tells it in his just published book, Shifting Into High Gear, One Man’s Grave Diagnosis and the Epic Bike Ride That Taught Him What Matters. It is at once scary, sad, joyful, and exciting!

 

Finally, it’s off to the Mill Valley, California to speak with Brad Sauber.

We talk with lots of tour directors; and Brad, with over 30 years of experience, has just launched his new company RAID Cycling. Not for the faint of heart, Brad’s tours are true tests of a rider’s mettle – but, the amenities that go along with the long miles and steep climbs might just be what you are looking for in a new adventure.

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Show #441 – February 23, 2019

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Guest: Tom Ritchey

 

Tom & his cousins – Palo Alto, California
It’s all sand wild tubular construction triangulated bracing if you look closely
in the back there’s a 12 V battery a starter motor a reduction gearing system.
Tom is around 13 years old in the picture

I doubt most of us do NOT have some piece of equipment on one of our bikes that wasn’t designed and made by Tom Ritchey.  His company, Ritchey Logic is one of the most innovative and prolific in our industry.

Tom earned his stripes at a very young age as his father nurtured his curiosity and taught him pretty much whatever Tom wanted to know when it came to making things.  It wasn’t long before Tom was following his own ideas on design and innovation.

So, when Brian sat me down to watch a video of Tom in a Q&A session over in Germany a few weeks ago, I thought… what have I been waiting for?  I immediately contacted him and graciously, he not only granted the interview, but shared a lot of things I didn’t know and perhaps you didn’t either.

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Show #440 – February 16, 2019

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Guests: Kevin Mills; Bill Elliston

 

This week, Kevin Mills, Senior VP for Policy at Rails to Trails introduces us to the Great American Bike Trail – a cross country, 12-state alternative to riding on the road. With 12 states already identified and thousands of miles already in place, Kevin fills us in on what the next steps are in completing this long-held vision of the Rails to Trails organization.

Then, it’s a great conversation with Bill Elliston,  pro racer, coach, race announcer, and probably one of the most mellow and well rounded “lifers” in our sport of cycling.

Highlighted in an interview by Peter Flax back in 2017, Bill Elliston’s history and career come to life in our conversation – from his early beginnings to his work with the athletes coaches today, Bill has a great perspective on cycling.

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Show #439 – February 9, 2019

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Guests: Heidi Myers; Jonathan Asher; Phil Gaimon

 

We begin this week’s show with two timely topics.

First is the topic of distracted driving. Heidi Myers is the marketing strategist for Louis Garneau and I caught up with her to talk about an initiative Louis launched late last year – Don’t Text & Drive. On December 22, 2017, one of Louis’ team members, 22 year old Jason Lowndes – was hit and killed by a distracted driver. The follow summer, Louis was hit and suffered a concussion.

Out of those two incidents and the pain and suffering that they have caused, Louis decided to launch the International Con’t Text & Drive Initiative.

Our second topic is about land and water conservancy and a plea for our help in getting Congress to reauthorize and important bill that will guarantee the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Jonathan Asher of the Wilderness Society Action Fund fills us in on the LWCF, the approaching legislation, and why this is so important to all of us who value our national lands.

Lastly, we have a fun and lively conversation with ex-pro racer Phil Gaimon. After pro-racing, Phil wanted and needed to reinvent himself. He has a college degree, has started businesses, and of course, still rides his bike. But, combining all of his expertise and adding cookies, hill climbs, controversies, and KOM’s, Phil has become somewhat of a YouTube phenom as his “Worst Retirement Ever” series is downloaded and viewed thousands and thousands of times.

Oh yeah – we also talk about his book, Draft Animals – and the controversy that erupted over it.

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Show #438 – February 2, 2019

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Guests: Deb Banks; Michael Roth

Our show this evening begins with a delightful conversation! Deb Banks, AKA the Rivetress, IS in fact the proprietor of Rivet Cycle Works manufacturing a line of classically beautiful and functional leather saddles. But wait, there’s way more to Deb than saddles. With a PhD in education, Deb spent 30 years in academia before deciding to head out of Boulder and back to California where she grew up.

Today, she wears not only the Rivet hat, but also has a key role in RUSA, Randonenneurs USA, as well as putting together a brevet series in Northern California.

Still recovering from a major crash back in 2014, Deb is hoping to get to PBP this year too.

After a break, we chat with Michael Roth from AEG, he world’s leading sports and live entertainment company. AEG is the producer of the Amgen Tour of California, among a whole lot of other things, and this week the 2019 routes were introduced, touting the longest and most challenging men’s and women’s routes in the race’s 14 year history.

We’ll ask Michael about the routes, who might be showing up to race, and about some of the charitable things that have come out of the partnership between Amgen and AEG – including a very respectable donation to the Red Cross after the California fires last fall.

I want to give a shout out to longtime bicycle fanatic and self proclaimed aficionado Jim Langley for reaching one amazing milestone.
When we spoke with Jim way back in 2013, he had just completed 73,000 miles over a 20 year period – not missing a day of riding. Fast forward to this week where Jim just posted 9,164 daily consecutive riding days – equaling 25 years! He told me he wasn’t always sure he was going to make it, getting older and all… but, clearly that is NOT the case. So, if you have a moment and want to congratulate him, you can find him at [email protected].

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shoe #437 – January 26, 2019

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Sean Petty

Frigid air, ice and snow, and thoughts begin to wander towards spring and getting off the trainer and back outdoors.

So, I thought I would give you a little history this week with an extended conversation with Sean Petty.

Beginning in 1985 when Sean joined the Southland Corporation (think Team Seven Eleven) and became part of that era of great American competitive cycling with the likes of Greg LeMond, Davis Phinney, and Andy Hampsten and up until today where he still serves on the boards of USA Cycling and the UCI, he maintains a remarkable and unique perspective about our sport.

We start our conversation way back at the beginning of his career and bring it right up to the present day where his obvious love of the sport will see the first all-women’s UCI pro race here in the States this summer.

Before we get to Sean’s interview though, I thought it was important to bring Steve Frothingham,  Bicycle Retailer & Industry News‘ editor on to talk about how the government shutdown is affecting the bicycle industry and perhaps you.

The CPSC – consumer products safety commission – is running on a skeleton crew and there are two bicycle recalls that have not been issued because of the shutdown. Steve will tell us about those recalls and what else might be happening with the lack of government oversight

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Show #436 – January 19, 2019

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Guests: Joan Hanscom; Chris VandenBossche; Frank Moritz

Hunkering down in the “big storm”?  Well, curl up with your favorite adult beverage for this week’s podcast!

Joan Hanscom has a long and storied history in the world and work of cycling – and her passion is bike racing as a planner, not a participant.

As she moved through her career, she kept coming back to her time with the Philadelphia Classic races back in the 80’s and the excitement of watching them unfold.

Fast-forwarding to today, Joan is the new Executive Director of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center – although most people will recognize the name T-Town – and her hopes and visions for this iconic track will become abundantly clear in our conversation

Now entering its 45th year, the Amishland & Lakes Bicycle Tour is a weekend of beautiful roads, great food, and great support. Ride Director Chris VandenBossche and I talk all about it when he joins me a bit later in the show.

Taking the Adventure Cycling’s TransAm Cross Country 93 day ride and cutting out 14 days with the Eastern Express route, not only shortens the time, but makes the ride much more palatable to a wider range of riders.

Frank Moritz is the creator of the new route and explains how and why he devoted almost two years to developing it.

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Show #435 – January 12, 2019

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Guests: Professor Richard Alley; Professor Roger Gilles

This week, I have two fascinating stories told by two Professors.

While we talk about cycling pretty much exclusively on the show we’re taking an end run around cycling with my first guest and talking about something I believe you will find interesting and important.

Dr. Richard Alley is the Evan Pugh Professor at Penn State. His field is geosciences and our conversation is about the climate – his particular specialty.

More specifically, he is really interested in and both studies and teaches about abrupt climate change and sea level change.

He makes a compelling case for not only what IS happening but what can be done to slow down the inevitable. He’s fun, articulate, and might just make you want to go back to school!

(As an aside: Dr. Alley did a 6-part Prime Time PBS series titled – “Earth – The Operator’s Manual”

Then, we’ll be hearing from Dr. Roger Gilles. Professor Gilles. He teaches writing at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.

Until his wife found an old postcard taped to a wall in a rest room, Dr. Gilles had little interest in cycling per se. BUT, his wife authors children’s books and this postcard showed Tillie Anderson, a woman back in the late 1800’s who was a famous 6-day bicycle racer.

As one strange thing led to another, Roger’s wife found she had way too much material for a children’s book. And so, it fell to Roger to take the project and run with it.

The result? A fascinating look into the world of women racing bicycles in the late 19th Century – “Women on the Move- The Forgotten Era of Women’s Bicycle Racing.”