Show #385 – January 27, 2018

Guests: Dr. Tod Olin, Bobby Sweeting, Shawn Spencer

This week we go in three different directions – all of which are interesting, enlightening, and even fun!

First up is a conversation with Dr. Tod Olin from National Jewish Health Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Olin is a pediatric pulmonologist specializing in breathing issues in athletes.

One in particular, EILO – exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction – is more obscure than asthma and very scary to someone experiencing the symptoms. Occurring at high-intensity training and racing, the runner, cyclist, triathlete, or swimmer suddenly feels as if s/he can’t breathe and emits a hoarse, raspy sound.

Dr. Olin explains the condition and how breathing techniques he’s been able to develop can alleviate and even prevent symptoms from occurring.

Then, it’s a “tech talk” about carbon fiber, rims, hubs, and lacing patterns with Bobby Sweeting, co-owner of Alto Cycling in Sarasota, Florida. From his time as a competitive rider and experiencing some of the issues that occur with carbon fiber wheels, he and his partner Shawn Gravois, both graduates of University of Florida in mechanical engineering, have been developing a “better wheel” design – one that will add stability, stiffness, responsiveness, and comfort.

My final guest is Shawn Spencer, owner of Bike Cycles in Wilmington, NC. Shawn is also the event chair for the 4th annual US Open Fat Bike Beach Championship on Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Evidently, it’s a “thing” – racing your fat tire bike in sand – and it sounds like both a lot of fun AND a lot of hard work. Shawn fills us in on the event and the Wrightsville Beach Foundation, which benefits from it.

Enjoy the show!