Tag: Iprobono

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Show #617 – December 4, 2022

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Guests: Shannon Galpin; Dan Cavallari

This week we dive into part II of Dan Cavallari’s holiday gift ideas with a focus on cool things you might not necessarily need but wouldn’t mind seeing in your stocking or under the tree.

First though, we check in with my friend and colleague, Shannon Galpin.  It’s been a while since we talked and much has transpired since our last conversation. The amazing activist, author, artist, and human rights advocate is still working to evacuate more women, girls, and families from Afghanistan while helping to work with a variety of entities to place those who are stuck in a sort of limbo. There are also some women who have resettled around the world and still need help – with education, bikes, housing, and most importantly a pathway to feeling accepted in their new countries.

There is still much work to do.  SUPPORT AFGHAN CYCLISTS

When I log in to chat with Dan Cavallari, he’s sitting in his garage with a microphone and computer, only it doesn’t look much like the inside of a garage.  As a rabid product tester for a variety of entities, Dan’s garage actually looks more like the inside of a bike shop. 

This week, he gives us 5 picks for holiday ideas.  Share with friends and family! Dan Cavallari, The Slow Guy on the Fast Ride, joined me from his garage again. 

Here are links to all the products we discussed this week: the Bivo Bottle, the Pearl Rove Shirt, the Endura Riever bibs, the PNW tiny Pebble Tool, and the Tick’r Fit heart rate monitor strap.

Next time Dan and I will discuss those things you probably shouldn’t give a cyclist – so, family and friends – listen up.

We’ll also speak with Dr. Madeline Bonsma-Fisher.  She’s a physicist turned bicycle infrastructure researcher in Canada and her story is filled with fascinating ideas.

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Show #599 – April 16, 2022

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Guest: Paul Sadoff – Rock Lobster Cycles

This week, my guest is Paul Sadoff.  Paul and I haven’t connected since our last conversation in 2014 and when I saw a post of his come up on FB, I knew it was time.

One of the many victims of COVID was bike shows .  From NAHBS to the Builder’s Ball, we’ve missed being able to mingle among the artisans whom we’ve both admired and, in some cases, aspired to emulate.

So, when I saw a post on Paul’s FB page talking about something called “Guest House” I wanted to know about it and of course, catch up with him.

Turns out, it was quite the “thing!”  From a celebrity chef to some of the high rollers – like Chris King, The Sycips, and of course Paul himself, the show might have been small, but it was attended.

Paul Sadoff started building bikes in 1988 and is still building almost 100 frames a year.  He still sponsors a racing team, and he still loves and plays music.

UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS EPISODES:

Afghan Cyclists

Over the last few months, I’ve spoken about the women cyclists of Afghanistan.  To date, they are not allowed to ride bicycles or go to school in the country.  Many are not back at their jobs.  The Taliban is not living up to its promises – although, I’m not certain anyone really believed they would.

The original 25 women who were evacuated by my friend and colleague Shannon Galpin are FINALLY heading to Canada after 7 months in limbo in the UAE.  Once in Canada, they will begin rebuilding their lives.

Since then, there are 80 more cyclists who are being safeguarded around the globe and another 70 in safe houses still in Afghanistan who are waiting for the right time to leave.  Most are in hiding.

The situation becomes more dire as resources in and to Afghanistan dwindle and, with the world focuses on Ukraine, we might forget the Afghans for a time.

If you want to help, here is what Shannon says and a link to the current fund raising organization.

“All of the fundraising is going directly through the human rights organization iProbono who will be handling all of the funds as it’s a registered charity! I am working with them to ensure a long-term oversight for the safeguarding of the cyclists and ongoing evacuations.”

Dmitry Nechaev

Here is a quick update on Russian frame builder Dmitry Nechaev.  As you may remember, he left Russia at the beginning of the Ukraine invasion at the urging of his family and fled to Israel.

His family FINALLY made it out of Russia a couple of weeks ago – his wife, children, Mother, Mother-in-Law, AND the family dog all arrived safely in Tel Aviv.

He is hoping to have his company, Triton Bikes, up and running again soon.

Flags For Ukraine

Lastly, just a reminder that you can help the Ukraine war effort with the purchase of a Ukrainian flag or lapel pin at ukraineflags.org.  The money will buy medical supplies for the front lines.

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Show #585 – December 18, 2021

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Guests: Shannon Galpin; Dov Tate

The situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating daily – famine, illness, and now a world that seems to be looking away, is making evacuating women – especially women athletes – cyclists – more dangerous and fraught with more complications.

It all begs the question – one that has been asked over and over – what is keeping the cycling community from helping to evacuate, resettle, and protect Afghan cyclists?  The ones who are out, or about to be evacuated, are not the entire story – and in fact their stories are ongoing anyway.

If we can perhaps agree that the way the situation in Afghanistan was handled badly in the beginning, it has only become more difficult without the attention and financial support that was there at the start and has since gone away.

This is not a “pretty holiday story” – it is one that I believe should be told and that whatever we can each do – whether it is to donate money or offer help in whatever form works – NOW is the time to do it.

You can find out more about the situation as it continues to unfold and make a donation at fundly.com/support-Afghan-cyclists.  Shannon posts updates fairly often.  The other organization she mentioned is iProbono – a human rights organization at i-probono.com.

Instead of the usual gift giving product reviews we’ve done for many years, I thought we’d change it up with an idea that has meaning for so many of us – climate change.

Dov Tate is the founder of Parcours – a wheel company in the U.K.  As a triathlete he thought wheelsets were too expensive.  As an engineer at Oxford, he conducted a groundbreaking study into bicycle wheel aerodynamics with Dr Steve Faulkner at the sports engineering department of Nottingham Trent University.  The resulting study produced what is now Parcours – his wheel manufacturing company that offers a variety of models.

Now, Parcours is partnering with Ecologi, a program that offers a variety of options to fight climate change – in particular, Parcours has given each of its wheelsets a “watts saving” number and that, in turn, is the number of trees that will be planted with every pair of wheels sold.  ! Watts For Trees!