Tag: Bicycle Retailer

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Show #583 – December 4, 2021

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Guests: Tom Flood; Marc Sani

When your work and your reality start to clash, what do you do?

In the case of marketing expert Tom Flood, he followed reality and has found himself a wanted man – wanted for lectures and ideas and advocacy.

In his previous life, Tom worked in marketing for an ad agency creating content for some car manufacturers.  He was also commuting to and from work by bike.

Then, he started taking his son to school and, from the perspective of his bike saddle, he began to see the absurdity of our car-centric culture and what it has done to discourage any other types of transportation – especially biking and walking.

In our conversation, I jump up on my soapbox for a moment to voice both frustration and resignation about the lack of a cohesive way of getting biking and walking across to the people who need to hear it – not those of us who already do.

Tom is one of the first people – who not only gets it, but is doing something about it.  You can check out some of his cool ideas, including his videos, at www.creativebyrovelo.com

Dana Point, California warns eBike riders to slow down as you come into the community, which begs the question – how many are riding eBikes and why are they going so fast?

eBikes really are taking the world by storm and, People for Bikes conducted a short summit bringing in a wide variety of folks to talk about how eBikes are impacting the bike industry and some of the pitfalls that seem to be arising for which there are no concrete remedies.

Marc Sani, penned an article in the November 22nd issue that broke down the PFB summit and I wanted to pick his brain for the show this week.

Marc and I break down what was discussed at the Summit, answer a few questions, ask a few more questions, and still haven’t come to concrete conclusions about many of them.

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Show #492 – February 15, 2020

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Guests: Robin Thurston; Brian Miller

Every once in a while, I have the privilege of speaking with someone who has made a contribution to our sport – and in this case – to many sports, that has literally changed the way people participate.

Robin Thurston, the new CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media, home to Velo News, Velo Press, Triathlete, Women’s Running, and more, started out in finance. Well, he started out as a pro racer back in the 80’s; but, when he ended up in the back of a support vehicle by way of the rear windshield, he came back to the U.S. from Europe and began his professional off-the-bike career.

But, on a cycling trip in Europe, he was asked a question that would change the way we think about traveling by bike. And, I’ll let him tell you the rest.

Then, we’ll head to the big apple to speak with Brian Miller, the importer for iRideUSA.

The classic Italian brand of handbuilt steel bikes will be exhibiting at NAHBS in Dallas next month. Brian tell us about the Giammati’s – the family that started the brand in 1919 and still operates the factory today.

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Show #485 – January 4, 2020

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Guests: Dean Yobbi; Kristi Mohn; Brian Jenks (yes… THAT Brian!)

This week, we have three guests for you including an extended conversation with me and my husband Brian about… well all kinds of cycling related stuff.

First up is Dean Yobbi – managing editor of BR&IN . Back on December 19th, Dean published an article titled Park Service disbands e-bike advisory group over secret lobbying concerns” – Secret Lobbying and bike industry didn’t compute for me and so, I wanted to know more.

Then, we head on our to Emporia, Kansas – home of the incredibly popular Dirty Kanza gravel races. Kristi Mohn, who was born and raised in Emporia and returned to work and raise her kids there, is the director of the DK Women’s Bike Camp. The 4-day experience is for any woman who wants to learn, improve, and participate in the wildly popular type of riding now termed GRAVEL.

And, finally, , my husband Brian and I chat about many-things-bike .. from Jan Heine’s component predictions for the coming year to why laterals are no longer being used on tandems. It’s a “discussion as usually occurs in our house” type of chat.

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Show #472 – September 28, 2019

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Jeff Speck

Steve Frothingham, editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, talks with me about the tariffs and the effects they have had and are having on the bicycle business.

Then, I speak with Jeff Speck. He is one of the most influential city planners working today. Formerly the Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts, his company Speck and Associates is a planning firm that serves both municipal and private clients.

Jeff walks the walk, talks the talk, and give us a fascinating “civic” lesson in when and how communities thrive, how the environment is either supported or undermined, and where we find inequity in society.

Oddly enough, we have a fairly deep discussion of parking and how it affects how cities thrive – and, in fact, cities are NOT thriving! Making them more bikeable and walkable though?

Yes – bicycles, walking, and public transit play a HUGE role in all of it.

We talk about some practical ideas that even cities in dire financial straits can do to make walking and biking safer as well as controlling traffic more intentionally and successfully.

So, while his book, Walkable City Rules, 101 Steps to Making Better Places, might be a manual for professionals, I believe hearing the ideas and successes puts them into a place where you can see yourself perhaps getting involved and helping to make lasting change. You can attend council and planning meetings and, taking some of Jeff’s simple “rules” show your city there just might be room for protected bikes infrastructure.

One more thought here… many of us have abandoned the roads because of safety concerns. Instituting some of the “rules” in Jeff’s book might just put us back ON the roads – where bicycle belong!

I don’t usually air the small talk that takes place as we begin to roll for recording the show; but, Jeff sort of surprised me by asking ME questions and the interview just began to unfold – without any formal. introduction.

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Show #461 – July 13, 2019

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Rob Sulaski

First up is a conversation about the safety of three helmets from three different manufacturers.

I’m not sure how much I faith I put in Consumer Reports, but I do know that a lot of people look to the organization for assurance that they are making a good choice about a purchase.

So, when an article titled, “Who should you trust? Helmet makers dispute Consumer Reports findings” I get curious.
Three helmets were called out for alleged safety problems and issued “do not buy” warnings.

Steve Frothingham, editor in chief of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News as well as BicycleRetailer.com wrote that article and offers us a deeper look into how these helmets failed CR’s testing, what the makers of these helmets had to say, and what we might want to do if we have one.

We have some news this week, including a sighting of what one journalist is calling the coolest bike at the Tour de France, and then we speak with Rob Sulaski who is working for two companies this summer – Strong Towns, which we know really well from conversations with its founder Chuck Marohn – and Urban3 a geo-analytics company – we’ll tell you what that means when we speak with him.

Rob details the two articles that attracted my attention, one titled “The Lake Effect” which is NOT about snow storms off of Lake Erie; and the other about Palm Bay, a town in Florida that has miles of roads, lots of infrastructure, and almost no residents.

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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 #411 – July 28, 2018

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Guests: Sabra Davison; Marc Sani

Sabra Davison from Little Bellas joins me for a joyful and fun conversation!

From a ski and mountain bike background, Sabra and her sister Lea co-founded the organization – now with 17 chapters in 15 states – to give girls between the ages of 7 and 13 a most unique and focused experience through mountain biking.

Then, Marc Sani from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, just returned from Outdoor Retailer, the largest outdoor trade show in the U.S. and wrote an article about the effects being felt by all from the tariffs, freight costs, and more.

We talk about all that plus take a look at the state of the industry from the uncertainty of the administration’s wishy-washy policies to the lack of product at the most crucial time of year.

And, there’s even some news this week!

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Show #366 – September 23.2017

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Don Ferris (encore); Eric Barber (encore)

It’s Interbike 2017 and so, I’ve snagged Steve Frothingham, the online editor for Bicycle Retailer and Industry News to tell us about the show, the product categories that are trending, and the move to Reno for 2018.

Then, since Brian and I are in Boston for the Builder’s Ball, I’ve dipped into the Outspoken Cyclist’s archives to pull out a couple of past conversations.

First one is with Anvil Bike Works‘ Don Ferris. He’s funny, smart, and full of great information. Builders look to him for the finest in tooling as well as his knowledge of his craft.

I also pulled up the conversation with Eric Barber from Copenhagen Wheel. Since they are the “gold” sponsor for the Builder’s Ball I figured it would be a good match for the show tonight.

Next week we have a brand new episode of the show… but, kick back and enjoy this one!

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Show #306 – July 30, 2016

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Guests: Marc Sani; Leah Shahum

This week Diane talks with Bicycle Retailer and Industry News‘ Marc Sani about “Future Shock” and how Alvin Toffler‘s seminal work might give us some insight into the dilemmas faced by bicycle dealers today.

With a decision by Quality Bicycle Products to move one of their lines, Salsa Bicycles, into REI, the proverbial poop storm was kicked up by a bevy of dealers and Marc has some great insight into what the industry might want to do to move forward – without kicking and screaming.

After our break and some news, including a fabulous video with Chris Froome and the “Minis”, we head on out to San Francisco to speak with Vision Zero Network‘s Leah Shahum.

Leah, who has a deep understanding of transportation, especially as it relates to the bicycle and pedestrian world, gives us some solid information about what it might take to reach the “Zero Vision” goal.