Tag: Mountain Bike Hall of Fame

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Show #523 – October 10, 2020

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Guests: Lynette Toepfer; Zapata “Zap” Espinoza

We’ve been talking a lot about the plight of the bike industry – lack of product, backed up service departments, and the need for new protocols due to the pandemic.

To help explain how all of the is affecting our US manufacturing, I contacted White Industries in Petaluma, California. White Industries is a family owned business manufacturing hubs, cranks, bottom brackets, headsets, and more .

Since no titles are used at White, I’ll just say that I spoke with Lynnette Toepfer to find out how COVID-19 has affected the company, how their supply chain is doing, and what they are forecasting for 2021. Oh, and then there are the California fires.

Then, as promised TWO weeks ago, Zapata Espinoza, editor-in-chief of Road Bike Action and mountain bike hall of famer – yes, those seem diametrically opposed and they are not – joins me for a terrific conversation.

If you’re entry into bicycling came at a young age – say 8 or 9 – and you loved your BMX bike, then you graduated to either motocross or mountain biking, you know what Zapata Espinoza means when he says he’s “that” kind of guy – the one who loves the thrill of the competition on two wheels.

What Zap didn’t know was how the mountain bike craze would change his life – from a law degree that never materialized to editor-in-chief of several bike magazines.

Today, he’s the editor in chief of Road Bike Action and a member of the mountain bike hall of fame.

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Show #517 – August 29, 2020

Guests: John Stamstad; Steve Maxwell & Spencer Martin; book review with Gary Mikitin

We have two great guests today as well as a splendid book review of Dr. Stephen Fabes, Signs of Life.

My first guest is a mountain bike hall of famer, he holds long-distance records, and recently an Amazon Prime video –Into the Divide – was released commemorating his ride from Canada to Mexico 21 years ago. Billed as Man vs man, man vs nature, and man vs self,  rode the 2465 mile bike trail – because he loves pushing the extremes.

In fact, If it’s the longest, the most arduous, and, the most challenging – John Stamstad either has done it or wants to do it! And, with humility! He just doesn’t see how remarkable his feats of distance really are!

Once again, we check in with our friends at The Outer Line – Steve Maxwell and Spencer Martin. 

In this new era of COVID and with a compressed and shortened racing season underway, we discuss whether the riders need a union, what sponsors are feeling and doing, and what might bring new life to bike racing – especially in the U.S.

Finally, Gary Mikitin is back with his review of emergency physician, Dr. Stepehn Fabes’, new book, Signs of Life. Dr. Fabes travelled more than 53,000 miles, crossing 102 international borders by bicycle discovering how societies treat their most vulnerable in a thought provoking and witty medical odyssey.

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Show #495 – March 14, 2020

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Guests: Bouker Pool; Ned Overend

I sincerely hope you are well and not experiencing any effects of the now declared pandemic. I am sure you have been overwhelmed with the flood of information and admonitions about what you should and shouldn’t do.

However, if you are interested, I always like to check in with Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s information and posted his thoughts about the Covid-19 outbreak on our Face Book page if you are interested in reading it. You can also fine his work on line at drmirkin.com.

This week, I had the distinct honor of a terrific conversation with one of the most celebrated – and deservedly so – mountain bike heroes of the past 40 years! Ned Overend, who is about to turn 65, is still out there competing at incredible levels.  His accolades go on for-EVER – and include 3 Halls of Fame, more titles than you can count, 6-time NORBA Champion, etc. etc. etc.

He’s been a brand ambassador with Specialized since he retired from racing for the company many years ago.

Our conversation covers his early life – from his birth in Taiwan and 4 years in Ethiopia – to his early days as a car mechanic and then a celebrated bike racer.

First though, we’ll speak with Bouker Pool, the Chief Commercial Officer for USA Cycling. With the worldwide spread of the corona virus, the organization is scrambling to get all of our athletes home from racing and training in a myriad of countries.

We’ll talk with Bouker about that as well as what might be on the horizon for the cycling season including nationals, worlds, and the Olympics.

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Show #391 – March 10, 2018

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Guests: Mark Norstad; Colleen Kelly Alexander

Mark Norstad might just be the most important frame builder’s supplier anywhere and I have a lengthy conversation with him this week.

Mark started Paragon Machine Works in 1983 – since then, it moved from his parents’ basement with just Mark as the only employee, to a small 1,000 square foot shop, then up to 2,000 and now it’s 8,000 square feet and 10 full time people.

Manufacturing everything from bottom brackets and lugs to custom dropouts and cable stops, Mark believes it is important to serve both the hobbyist as well as the established builder.

We also talk about his induction in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and his broad and deep commitment to bicycle advocacy.

My second guest is Colleen Kelly Alexander. Her new book, “Gratitude in Motion: A True Story of Hope, Determination, and the Everyday Heroes Around Us” takes us into Colleen’s life – from the early days of her Dad’s bicycle shop to the horrific crash that crushed her from sternum to thighs when a freight truck ran a stop sign and rolled over her – with both sets of wheels.

She spent 5 weeks in a coma and endured at least 29 surgeries. Yet, today, Colleen runs, rides, and speaks about what keeps her indomitable spirit buoyant and forward looking.

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Show #239 – March 28, 2015

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Guests: Titanium frame builder Kent Eriksen; Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Ned Overend

For this last week of March I’ve chosen two of the industry’s favorite sons – Kent Eriksen and Ned Overend.

Kent started the brand Moots, moved on to his own company – Eriksen Cycles – and is one of the early adopters of titanium as the “material of choice”.

He calls himself a “seat of the pants” engineer and grew up riding and working in bike shops in his Wisconsin home.

He talks about his years of living in a tree house and today, he works in a very interesting facility in Steamboat Springs.  Earlier this month, Kent won “Best TIG Welded Frame” at NAHBS.  He still loves to ride and ski and spends a lot of his time, just as I’ve found most builders, IN his shop!

We discuss a bit about fit, technology, and of course my usual question for all builders these days – his opinion on road disc brakes! You might be surprised by his answer; but, seems that he understands the market as well as anyone with whom I’ve spoken.

Our conversation is fun and interesting.

After our news break, we head on out to San Diego to catch up with mountain bike legend Ned Overend. Growing up the son of a U.S. diplomat and living all over the world with his family, Ned talks about his childhood, his early racing days, and takes us right up to the present with an article he wrote last week for Bicycling.

Ned is a Mountain Bike Hall of Famer, has appeared in dozens of mountain bike videos, still loves to ride and race, and is the tech product guy at Specialized.

Our conversation runs the gamut from the early days of mountain biking to his most recent article in Bicycling titled “Ned Overend’s Secrets to Riding Forever”.