Tag: Bina Bilenky Trahan

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Show #579 – October 30. 2021

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Guests: Jeff Bock; Bina Bilenky-Trahan

This week, we are getting back to our roots a little bit with a new frame builder conversation.

When I contacted master builder Jeff Bock to arrange our interview, his comment back to me was how I found out about him as he isn’t – and I quote – “a household name.”  Clearly, he doesn’t know our household!

Located in Ames, Iowa, Jeff and I go back to his beginnings talking about bikes not cars, his scholarship as an artist, and more.

Jeff Bock has been building lovely steel lugged frames since 1975.  Back in college, he studied art and also became an art teacher.

Today, Jeff continues to think and build like an artist, integrating his designs to include racks, fenders, and an overall aesthetic that appeals to anyone who loves classic bikes.

We start at the beginning and bring it right up to date with his thinking about today’s equipment and who is buying classic bikes.

Next Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th, is the 11th annual Philly Bike Expo at the Philadelphia Convention Center.  By all rights, it should be the 12th anniversary of the show, but as with many things Covid .. it was put on hold in 2020.  We talk with the show’s owner and producer, Bina Bilenky-Trahan.

This year, even though masks are required inside the building and the test track has been eliminated to expand the space, there is a long list of exhibitors, some terrific seminars – including a talk that I’m delivering on the ethics of bicycle fitters as part of a symposium on bicycle fitting – and a whole slew of other great exhibitors.

I’d also like to give you a quick update I just received from my friend Shannon Galpin about the continuing evacuations of cyclists and others out of Afghanistan.  We are into week #10 and counting

There was a grueling 17-hour crossing into Pakistan of three different groups over the past week and five more small groups will be moving on if the border remains as it is.

One of the articles that was recently published might give you some breadth of the work as well as some perspective.

VeloNews did an extensive article about Sylvan Adams, the founder of the Israel Start-Up Nation and his involvement early on in helping to rescue many, many athletes from Afghanistan.  And, for those who have asked, yes I am the reporter he mentions at the beginning of the article.  There is a link to the article on our blog for today’s show.

The work is still ongoing and the need is still great. You can read Shannon’s updates and offer your support at https://fundly.com/support-afghan-cyclists

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Show #216 – October 18, 2014

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Guests: Philly Bike Expo’s Bina Bilenky Trahan, Rails-to-Trails director Keith Laughlin; Brett Horton of the Horton Collection

As bike shows go, the Philly Bike Expo is one of the best! And, as the weekend of November 8-9th approaches, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with show director Bina Bilenky Trahan and find out what is new for 2014. The Outspoken Cyclist herself will be attending the show this year too!

As we ramp up to the midterm elections here in the U.S., and with a possible changing of the majority party as an outcome, I wanted to find out how transportation issues might be affected. So, I always like to go to the “man-in-the-know”, Rails to Trails director Keith Laughlin. Keith has been in Washington, DC for many, many years and knows what is happening in Congress as well as anyone. He’ll also catch us up on some new and exciting developments with Rails to Trails for 2015.

Even though it’s still 10 weeks until the holidays, I wanted to get a jump start on some ideas for the gift giving season and, as everyone knows, I LOVE books!

From the over 170,000 photographs of the 1920’s and 1930’s of what racing looked like in the early 20th Century, Brett Horton, owner and curator of the Horton Collection was able to choose 106 of them to offer in a lovely hardbound book titled “Goggles & Dust – Images from Cycling’s Glory Days”. The book celebrates the grit and determination of the bicycle racing pioneers who established the records, traditions, and distinct flavors of Europe’s most hallowed races.

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Show #167 – November 2, 2013

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GUESTS: DR. KRISTEN DIEFFENBACH, BINA BILENKY TRAHAN, HECTOR PICKARD

As amateur or recreational athletes, most of us feel the need to continually go faster, farther, or finish feeling stronger. A little friendly competition, whether it’s with our own past performance, or against other amateurs, is a good motivating tool. But where is the line between motivation and obsession? Exercise scientist Kristen Dieffenbach, Ph.D. of West Virginia University is here to talk about this and more on today’s Outspoken Cyclist.

Meanwhile, the Philly Bike Expo has a new date and a new location this year. It’s not only moved to the second weekend in November, and to the PA Convention Center, the Expo has also grown in size and variety for 2013. Expo director Bina Bilenky-Trahan stops by during the second half of today’s show to tell us all about it.

And wrapping up today’s show is an interview with triathlete Hector Pickard, who lost all of his right arm, and part of his left arm in an industrial accident. That might seem like a major impediment, at least to swimming and biking, but Hector disproved that assumption by completing three Ironman Triathlons, among other accomplishments. Hector talks with Diane about his journey and his future exploits, and you can learn more at dontstopliving.org.