Tag: Nice Wheels

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Show #683 February 2, 2026

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Guest: Maynard Hershon

My guest today is an old friend and perhaps someone many of you might consider your friend too.

If you subscribed to Winning Magazine or Velo News back in the day, you relished Maynard Hershon’s column, “Tales from the Bike Shop,” at the back of each issue.

Maynard is the bicycle world’s storyteller and, in many ways, is keeping the story of proper bike riding alive.

His now out-of-print book “Tales from the Bike Shop,” is a classic – mixing his astute observations about bike-shop-behavior with humor and a plainspoken honesty about what went on in our shops back in the day. 

In his new book, “The Dysfunctional Cycling Club and Other Stories.” Maynard turns his  thoughts to today’s cycling club culture, such that it is, and what has been lost from the days of his bicycling education.  

Unlike Tales from the Bike Shop, where most of the stories, while based on his observations and experiences, were fiction, this book describes the real people he’s met, the actual rides he’s done, and his candid thoughts about the many changes that he’s experienced in today’s bike club culture.

You’ll probably find our conversation a lot like two old fogies who haven’t seen each other for a very long time – yapping, even sometimes interrupting one another, and just generally having a good time.  I’m delighted to be able to share our conversation with you.

While we didn’t get into the nitty-gritty layout of the book, I’ll fill you in a bit right now.  There are 7 sections – not exactly chapters in the classic sense – and each section has several chapters relating to the section topic – only you won’t necessarily get it from just reading the chapter headings.  You gotta’ read the book!

Maynard’s writing style is easy to read, and you’ll feel as if you’re looking in on not only  his cycling history, but what it was like to be riding back in the day.

If you’d like a copy of the book, drop Earle Young an email at earle.young@tds.net or give him a call at 608-220-0248.

Also, If you haven’t heard it or want to hear it again, you can listen to Maynard’s reading of one of my favorite stories, Nice Wheels, on our website, outspokencyclist.com. (story begins at 29:25)

Transcript_February 2

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Show #380 – December 23, 2017

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Guests: Keith Laughlin, David Coventry

Happy, happy holidays everyone!

This week, I speak with Keith Laughlin from Rails-to-Trails as our last end-of-year charitable gift idea. We talk about the vast numbers of trails, the future of the trail system, and some programs that will be launched in 2018.

Then, award winning author David Coventry joins me via Skype from Wellington, New Zealand to talk about his book The Invisible Mile.

The story revolves around the 1928 Tour de France and the Ravat-Wonder team – the first English speaking team to compete in the grueling race. The story is told from the first-person perspective of an “unnamed” protagonist and delves deeply into the psyche of racing.

Then, I once again offer up Maynard Hershon‘s “Nice Wheels” as a “feel good” story for the holiday season.

The show isn’t long – but, it’s full of good stuff!

Happy Holidays!

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Show #328 – December 31, 2016 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Guests: New Year Encore Interviews! Jeremy Powers, Shannon Galpin, Maynard Hershon’s “Nice Wheels”

This week in a special presentation, we are offering up two of our favorite conversations from 2016 and a wonderful story that journalist/writer Maynard Hershon has spun for us in the past,

First up is Jeremy Powers, one of the top pro cyclocross racers EVER -.  In my conversation with him back in October, we chatted about whether the rumors of his retirement are true, what happened in a key race in Iowa, and what he likes to eat!

He also shared some very interesting ideas about our sport of cycling. Jeremy’s was one of the most “liked” interviews on the show this year.

After a short musical interlude, we’ll come back with my August interview with the ever active Shannon Galpin – arguably one of the bravest and most inspiring women with whom I’ve ever spoken.

Her work with the women in Afghanistan stands as a testament to the sheer will of someone who just won’t take no as an answer.  Her Afghan Women’s Cycling Team was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and her work has earned her a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award.  She is one of my favorite people in our world of cycling.

We close out 2016 with the re-telling of Maynard Hershon’s “Nice Wheels”.

I first heard the story many years ago, have heard it several times since, and never get tired of it.  Of course, Maynard’s telling of it makes it that much better.

Lastly I would like to wish you a very happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year.

 

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Show #181 – February 8, 2014 – RADIOTHON!

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Guests: Richard Fries, Cyclocross Worlds; Mark Livingood, Tandem Geek; encore storyteller Maynard Hershon “Nice Wheels”

This week at WJCU is our annual Radiothon, which among other things, gives us something to talk about besides the weather. This year, WJCU’s Radiothon theme is Thrive and Survive, which is a sentiment we as cyclists can relate to. Some days on the bike, we’re just surviving, and other days we’re thriving.

For 52 weeks every year, WJCU brings you independent, commercial-free music and talk programming, created by actual human beings with a passion for serving you, the listener. One week out of those 52, we ask you to make a donation to help ensure that WJCU can continue to bring you great shows like The Outspoken Cyclist. Pledge your support online through Sunday, February 16th. 100% of your donation goes to WJCU, and it’s tax deductible!

Now, on to this week’s show. Richard Fries has been announcing at bike races for decades, and recently he’s been promoting Cyclocross in New England. He’s just back from the 2014 Cyclocross World Championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands, and he has a full report, along with some upcoming plans for ‘cross racing here in the U.S.

In the second half of the show, Diane and Tim bring you the week’s news, and then check in with The Tandem Geek himself, Mark Livingood. Mark brings news of changes at the Tandem Club of America, including a revamped website.

And we wrap up with an encore presentation of a story by one of the great cycling writers, Maynard Hershon. First aired in November, 2011, Maynard’s story “Nice Wheels” is ripe for another spin.

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Show #66 – November 26, 2011

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Guests: Chef Biju Thomas, The Feedzone Cookbook; storyteller and writer, Maynard Hershon; encore broadcast  with David Herlihy, author of The Lost Cyclist

Well, here we are in the middle of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and one of the many things Diane and I are thankful for is the opportunity to invade your ears each week and bring you our take on what’s happening in cycling. And naturally, we’re also thankful that you tune in or download each week. Without you, we’d just be two cyclists sitting in a small, dark room taking to ourselves.

So Diane and Brian up and run off to the Adironacks this week, but before she skipped town, Diane put together a show we think you’ll be thankful for.

First up is Chef Biju Thomas, who has combined his passion for bike racing with his passion and skill at cooking. Chef Biju has teamed up with Dr. Allen Lim on The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes. The book focuses on making tasty, healthful food that can sustain a competitive athlete, and yet require a minimum of ingredients and preparation.

After a short break, Maynard Hershon is back with an original story that’s just right for the holiday season, entitled “Nice Wheels”. Always nice to hear from Maynard, and we promise to badger him to return to TOC periodically.

We close out this Thanksgiving weekend show with an encore of an interview Diane conducted almost exactly a year ago at the now-closed Joseph Beth Booksellers in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Author David V. Herlihy was in town to promote his book The Lost Cyclist.

We hope you enjoy this week’s show, and we hope you found time for a ride or two in the unseasonably mild weather the past few days.

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Show #62 – October 29, 2011

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Ron Burzese, Bicyclingblind.org; Bina Bilenky, Philadelphia Bike Expo; Maynard Hershon, with a bicycling story

The skies have turned sunny in northeast Ohio this weekend, which fits the mood of this week’s show perfectly. We have three guests who are simply wonderful people, each with a great story to tell.

Ron Burzese is a competitive cyclist who has raced in numerous Texas state championships, a world championship, and nearly qualified for the Athens Paralympics. And he achieved all this without eyesight! Ron is a blind tandem stoker who works as a certified travel instructor for other blind people. Along with a few other like-minded people, Ron started the U.S. Blind Cycling Connection a little less than two years ago. Bicyclingblind.org helps connect sighted captains with vision-impaired stokers, and opens up a whole new world for folks whose legs and lungs refuse to to obey the limits of their eyes.

During the news this week, we have a short, but fun conversation wth Bina Bilenky, who’s the organizer of the Philly Bike Expo, which is happening this weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

And to wrap up the hour, the only person who could top a story like Ron’s is Maynard Hershon, and that’s exactly who we have in the second half of this week’s show. Maynard will bring us an amazing story that also happens to be 100% true. Not to be missed!