Tag: Tariffs

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Show #662 – February 13, 2025

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Steve Salinas

A Short Tribute To Greg Priddy

It is a tough day for the Outspoken Cyclist Podcast as well as the many shows and most of the staff of WJCU – the radio station at John Carroll University that hosts my show. 

Back in 2010, when TOC first went on the air – and we were a radio broadcast as well as a podcast for many years – my co-host, engineer, and mentor was a gentleman named Greg Priddy. 

He spent endless hours editing our show for podcast and taught me ins and outs of the studio sound board, how to edit, mix, and upload my shows, and would fill in for me when I had that occasional cold or lost my voice.

For those of you who have been listening to the show from the beginning, you will remember Greg.  He could be funny, but he was more likely to be the Abbott to my Costello, offering a serious note on many topics.

So, it is with a deep sadness that I report Greg lost his long battle with cancer this week.  Back in August of 2017, Greg asked if he could offer his thoughts about the disease and especially what he believed you might do to make sure you stay healthy.  I’ve added a link to that episode on our website if you’d like to hear it – or maybe replay it if you heard it back them as a reminder of what you can do for you and your family to ensure you detect any problems in a timely way.

Our best deepest condolences go out to Greg’s wife Jean, and we hope that Greg’s last days were peaceful.  There is a short tribute, with photos, on the WJCU website.

 

We have two great guests on the show today to talk about two timely topics – tariffs and the fires in California.

First up, I’ve invited Steve Frothingham, the editor-in-chief of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, to weigh in on not only the tariffs but the bicycle industry in general, as it struggles with everything from inventory issues to where our bikes are being manufactured and sold.

When one of my listeners suggested we look into tariffs and how they might affect the bike industry, I knew just who to call – BR&IN’s editor-in-chief, Steve Frothingham.  His immediate response was – tariffs?  I’m your guy.  Steve has been immersed in the issue of tariffs since the first Trump administration and can speak about them in depth.  However, it isn’t all about tariffs that are plaguing the bike business. 

 

In the second half of the show, we meet another Steve – yep it’s Steve squared today. 

We all watched in horror as unrelenting fire, fueled by massive Santa Ana winds, ripped through Altadena, California – leaving devastation in its wake.

Steve Salinas, who has lived and worked in Altadena for more than 40 years, couldn’t save his store.  He did help many others save their homes and got his own family and their beloved horse to safety.  And he just keeps on helping. I think you’ll appreciate his story.

You can help Steve rebuild his shop and continue his work giving bikes to those in his community who lost everything by donating to his gofundme account and follow him on Facebook.  

 

 

 

Episode 662 Transcript

 

 

 

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Show #472 – September 28, 2019

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Guests: Steve Frothingham; Jeff Speck

Steve Frothingham, editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, talks with me about the tariffs and the effects they have had and are having on the bicycle business.

Then, I speak with Jeff Speck. He is one of the most influential city planners working today. Formerly the Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts, his company Speck and Associates is a planning firm that serves both municipal and private clients.

Jeff walks the walk, talks the talk, and give us a fascinating “civic” lesson in when and how communities thrive, how the environment is either supported or undermined, and where we find inequity in society.

Oddly enough, we have a fairly deep discussion of parking and how it affects how cities thrive – and, in fact, cities are NOT thriving! Making them more bikeable and walkable though?

Yes – bicycles, walking, and public transit play a HUGE role in all of it.

We talk about some practical ideas that even cities in dire financial straits can do to make walking and biking safer as well as controlling traffic more intentionally and successfully.

So, while his book, Walkable City Rules, 101 Steps to Making Better Places, might be a manual for professionals, I believe hearing the ideas and successes puts them into a place where you can see yourself perhaps getting involved and helping to make lasting change. You can attend council and planning meetings and, taking some of Jeff’s simple “rules” show your city there just might be room for protected bikes infrastructure.

One more thought here… many of us have abandoned the roads because of safety concerns. Instituting some of the “rules” in Jeff’s book might just put us back ON the roads – where bicycle belong!

I don’t usually air the small talk that takes place as we begin to roll for recording the show; but, Jeff sort of surprised me by asking ME questions and the interview just began to unfold – without any formal. introduction.

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Show #427 – November 17, 2018

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Guests: California Travis, Kathleen Walker & Andy Sherding, Zak Pashak, Joe Lindsey

So it’s T-minus 5 days until T-day here in the States. If you are celebrating, I hope you have a happy day, don’t overeat, and find time to get out on your bike! Unless it’s snowing, then I guess it’s skis, sleds, and skates!

This week, instead of two long conversations, the show is a sort of 4-part news-zine.

We cover another perspective on the tariffs, a new event in Cape Cod, a really interesting chat about driverless cars and some of the philosophical aspects of programming them, and last but certainly not least, a first-hand report about the California Camp Fire and how it is affecting the people in Chico, the town 11 miles “down the hill” from what was Paradise.

In fact, we begin with that report. California Travis as he is known to friends and family, works for Paul Components. He was born and raised in Chico and his parents were living in Paradise when the first swept through.

Travis gives us a picture of the devastation and offers some advice on how to help if you wish.

Then, it’s off to Brewster, Mass to speak with the ride directors Kathleen Walker and Andy Sherding about a new event, The SOS Cape Cod triathlon. It’s to be held next June and it’s a really different and interesting format. Yes, it’s got bike, run, and swim, but it’s not what you think.

Part 3 is a chat with Zak Pashak, owner of Detroit Bikes. Back in October, Detroit Bikes, along with BCA (Kent Bikes) filed a 201 Petition that would impose a 50% tariff on bikes imported from China. On the surface, it sounds really bad for the bike industry; but, is it? Well, there was so much flack from the industry, that the petition was withdrawn and I wanted to know more about it.

Finally, it’s AV – autonomous vehicles and the impact they may or may not have on traffic, commuting, the safety of cyclists and pedestrians and more. I check in with journalist Joe Lindsey, whose October 2017 article spelled out part of the dilemma and has some new information from many studies that have either been just completed or are ongoing.