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Show #688 – April 9, 2026

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Guest: Larry Pizzi – eBikes Part II

Before we get to our guest, I want to give a HUGE shoutout to our very own Bike Cleveland Executive Director, Jacob VanSickle.  Jacob was named Professional Advocate of the Year by the League of American Bicyclists at the National Bike Summit a couple of weeks ago.

Jacob has taken what was the fledgling Bike Cleveland organization and put it on the national stage in many ways.  Our cycling experiences here in NE Ohio have been immensely enhanced by his leadership.  Congratulations Jacob!!!

Photo Credit-levassociation.com

In this, the second in our series on eBikes, I speak with Larry Pizzi,.  Larry is the president of Pedego, a long-time senior executive in the e‑bike industry, and an active participant in national policy and advocacy efforts, collaborating with brands, dealers, and organizations like PeopleForBikes.

While Larry’s views don’t particularly contradict those of Hans Rey, who was my guest in the first of this series, they do bring up important aspects of the conversation that Hans and I didn’t cover.

Larry and I have known each other for a long time, and he too offers his

opinions about eBikes and what we – specifically the industry – need to be thinking and doing so that access to eBikes remains viable for everyone – not just riding on trails.

Larry has laid out his “call to action” plan for us around three points: safety, access, and innovation.

Here is the link to Larry’s letter in Bicycle Retailer and the Mineta study.

Coming up in our third and final eBike conversation, People for Bikes’ Matt Moore and Ash Lovell will lay out the strategies that the organization is exploring and implementing for taking on many of these issues around eBikes – legislation, enforcement, definitions, and more.

In a final note of passing, I want to offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and express a profound sadness everyone in our bicycle world is feeling at the passing of Tim Blumenthal.  Tim was a pioneering voice in our bicycle world for his journalism, broadcasting, and advocacy.  He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. Here is the link to the obituary. 

Transcript_April 9

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Show #687 – March 31, 2026

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Guest: Hans “No Way” Rey – eBikes 

This episode of the show is Part I of a series about eBikes and the ongoing issues surrounding their definition, usage, regulation, and legislation – all topics of controversy and conversation.

So many people, companies, policymakers, and organizations stand to find themselves negatively impacted as the definition and regulation of the category becomes mired in misunderstanding and frankly, fear.

eBikes, as first defined, were bicycles with a pedal assist motor without a throttle that would help flatten out the hills and offer a boost for a weary rider attaining speeds of up to 20mph. 

Over the years, other so-called eBikes have been introduced to the market and now we have machines that can reach speeds topping 50mph with no pedaling capabilities.  

These have been termed eMotos by some, but out in the “real world” the distinction between the two is being blurred and undesirable consequences are beginning to become apparent.

Today’s conversation is with mountain bike luminary Hans “No Way” Rey.  Hans is an Ambassador for Bosch, probably the largest manufacturer of quality eBike “motors” on the market.  Hans is also one of our bicycle world’s icons – stretching back several decades as a wild and exciting mountain bike trials rider.

Over his career, Hans has won a large number of bike trials riding championships including German, Swiss, and USA National Champion – to name a few. 

Much less known though is his long-time interest in eBikes – as far back as 1997 when he converted one of his regular bikes with a bionic rehab motor. 

Today, Hans is deeply concerned about the ever-escalating power of motors that are becoming so prevalent as to make some communities outright ban the entire category of electric bicycles. He notes that just putting a crank on the bike and calling it an eBike is not working – that these over-powered machines are NOT bicycles at all.

On March 1st, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News published Hans’ open letter to the industry voicing his concerns about eBikes and the need to define the category, also asking the industry to heed the need for action as the more power eMoto bikes begin to gain popularity and what the consequences of non-action could be.

We talk about the definitions of eBikes, what the industry needs to be thinking, and where the responsibility for making these determinations lies.

Over the next few weeks, I will be following up my conversation with Hans with several other important bicycle industry stakeholders, all of whom are hoping to bring together a clear and effective pathway to keeping eBikes from being regulated into oblivion.

Transcript_March 31

 

 

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Show #686 – March 13, 2026

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Guest: Professor John Surico

design: River Quinn Jensen

I really love having the chance to talk with my NYC friend and colleague John Surico – Professor Surico actually.

Today, John joins me from his local coffee shop, so you’ll hear a bit of background chatter at times, but the conversation is – as always – enlightening.  And, I don’t mind a bit of ambient noise.

As many of my listeners know, my conversations with John are focused on his work in NYC, where he was born and raised and where he teaches, writes, and works on a great many projects, including his monthly Substack column, Streetbeat.  I’m pretty sure he doesn’t sleep.

As we reported in the past, many cycling and walking projects that were in the works – whether shovel ready, already in process, or even completed, are being shut down or even torn up. The administration in D.C. thinks bike lanes are “ugly” and a waste of money. 

Case-in-point is the already in place bike lane on Arizona Avenue which was reduced to painted lines from a separate protected lane, sparking a debate between federal policies and local transportation needs. And on it goes.

John and I talk about how congestion pricing has worked so well that, using a newly coined term, there is a space dividend – meaning things are opening up with less traffic, pollution, better safety, and the extra space created – so what can we do with that?

We begin our conversation with the snow-ma-geddon winter storm, how the new Mayor of NY handled it, and how Lyft’s much relied upon Citibike system was impacted.

After the break,  John and I will dive into the ongoing dilemma of eBikes and the impact of the higher-powered Class II and III bikes that, frankly, aren’t bicycles at all.  

In our ongoing conversations about NYC’s cycling and walking culture, we often see what the future might look like elsewhere in the country.  My sense is that today was no different and, in fact my next several episodes will focus on eBike issues and the bicycle industry’s role in making sure that an eBike is truly a bicycle!

If you want to know what is happening in NYC and beyond as it pertains to urban culture, subscribe to John’s Substack Streetbeat.  It’s a monthly compilation of the work he is doing as well as some networking opportunities.  I always find it enlightening and interesting. You can find him at streetbeat.substack.com. 

My next episode features the iconic mountain bike star Hans Rey in a heartfelt conversation about eBikes and the consequences he sees if we don’t act on some clarification of terms and the industry doesn’t push for them.

March 13_Transcript

 

 

 

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Show #685 February 25, 2026

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Guest: Joe Lindsey

I wanted to get this episode up before Omloop– the first European One-Day Classic this coming Saturday.

Indeed, it’s Spring Classics time and as always, I turn to my bike racing expert, Joe Lindsey, the managing director of Escape Collective, for his knowledge and insights.

Interestingly enough, as many times as we’ve spoken over the years, it never occurred to me to define certain terms until now!  

And so, we begin this early spring conversation with a few definitions such as – what is a classic?  Which races are termed Monuments and what does that mean? And, why are the cobbled races so difficult?

And, why hasn’t Tadej Pogacar won all 5 of the Monuments? Which women should we watch? And how about the exciting 4th place TdF finisher Oscar Onley?  What’s he up to for 2026?

We chat about team rider changes, bad-fan behavior, and whether state-sponsored teams are a good idea.

We delve into some of the questions that arose for me out of the protests at last year’s Tour of Spain and how racing might be changing in this time of short-attention spans and instant news.

Log on to escapecollective.com for great stories, interviews, racing updates, and more.  And, you can find Joe’s “brief guide to how to watch racing this year”  Better yet – join!

My thanks to you for listening.  Even though there is still a LOT of snow on the ground and cold weather in the forecast, March 1st is literally around the corner, and the time change is following close behind.

If your bike is still hanging from the rafters or stuffed into a nook in the garage or basement, you might want to check it out for flat tires, loose headset, worn out handlebar tape, frayed wires, and any other thing you said – “I’ll fix next spring.”  It’s next spring! 

And, give your local bike shop a heads up because I can tell you from years of experience, that first 60 degree day brings chaos and long service time waits!

Lastly, I want to say thank you to those who offered up a donation to WJCU’s annual Radiothon.

Years ago, when I first started my show at WJCU, the hopes were to top $50K in donations. 

Well baby, look at us now.  This year, we topped $108K – just a phenomenal record.  Here’s a BIG shout-out to all the DJ’s who work so hard to produce their shows and to Jasen S. for his outstanding management of the station.  I’m honored to be part of it.

Transcript_ February 25 2026

 

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Show #684 – February 8, 2026

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Guests: Caron Whitaker; Andy McGrath

I have a bit of housekeeping before we get to our two great guests today.

First – it’s WJCU’s annual fundraiser – RADIOTHON! This year’s theme “Carrying the Torch for College Radio,” is particularly pertinent as another well-loved local college station was recently sold and converted to our local NPR affiliate for a jazz format, much to the disappointment of Cleveland State University! 

But WJCU – 88.7on your FM dial here in NE Ohio, is alive and well.  The station is the on-air voice of John Carroll University and has been the gracious host for The Outspoken Cyclist since our very first show in September of 2010. 

At that time, we produced the podcast as a companion to our one-hour radio show. Eventually we phased out the radio show and continued to offer the podcast. Now, 16 years and 683 shows later, we are so honored that WJCU has seen fit to continue to partner with us.

Here’s just a little bit about why I’m so proud to be a part of WJCU.  The station is the reigning International Student Broadcasting Championship People’s Choice Radio Station and College Media Association Pinnacle Awards Small College Audio Outlet of the Year. It has established itself as a worldwide leader in college radio.

SO – All of this is said in the hopes that you will help support their work, which in turn gives me the platform I am so honored to have. 

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the station.  All the money raised during Radiothon goes directly to the station – not the University. 

Just log on to WJCU.org and click the pledge button.  Make sure you let them know you are an Outspoken Cyclist listener too!  And, thanks!

Item #2 is about my conversation with Maynard Hershon and his new book, The Dysfunctional Cycling Club.  I neglected to give you a way to contact Maynard directly: You can find him at buymeacoffee.com and search for Maynard Hershon.

Okay – let’s get to it.

My show this week includes a conversation with Caron Whitaker, the Deputy Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists.

With the upcoming re-authorization of the Transportation Bill this fall – well, the supposed re-authorization – there is the opportunity to include a bill that would require automobile manufacturers to incorporate automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems that reliably detect pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users in real-world conditions — day and night.

Its goal is simple: ensure lifesaving technology that actually works for everyone, before crashes happen.

Caron also walks us through the Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act  along with information on the upcoming National Bike Summit.  

Caron gives us a Cliff’s Notes Course on that bill and what else is happening in Washington as well as how we can help.

My second guest is Andy McGrath.  Andy is an award-winning freelance journalist, and he began our conversation with a super fun fact – he’s a triplet!

I’ve only ever known one other set of triplets; their Mom was a client of ours.  Such a cool fact!

 Andy McGrath’s career as an author pretty much began with an award winning book – Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire, which won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2017.

Anyway, Andy has written a biography of Tadej Pogacar titled “Unstoppable.”   An apt title if there ever was one, yes?

And I think our conversation has to be one of my all-time favorites.  Andy is thoughtful, forthright, and has truly done his due diligence in authoring this book.  I think you’ll agree.

He’s a former editor of Rouleur magazine, worked at Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport, and has written on cycling for the Guardian, the Telegraph, and Financial Times.

Hi new book, Unstoppable, is the first biography of the cycling sensation, Tadej Pogocar.  Deeply and carefully researched, Andy covers the champion and his development over the years from Tadej’s beginnings as a small child in Slovenia to his meteoric rise as the 4-time winner of the Tour de France.

 

 

Transcript_February 8

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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 #682 January 10, 2026

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Guest: Paul Gibson – Ellis-Briggs Cycles

As many of you know, I have a real soft spot for traditional steel frame bikes and so I always feel somewhat justified in my “curmudgeonly-ness” when I have the opportunity speak with a master frame builder who is still practicing the art of building steel bikes.

Bicycling started out as a “working class” sport and those who supported it were working class folks.  Today, we hold our custom frame builders in high esteem at the same time that the craft of building steel bikes tries very hard to fade into history.

Framebuilder Paul Gibson not only doesn’t want to see that happen, he is actively doing things to ensure it won’t.

Paul is now the proprietor of Ellis-Briggs Cycles, the 90-year-old British bicycle company, founded by brothers-in-law Leonard Ellis and Thomas Briggs in 1936. Their vision was to create high quality lightweight racing frames. 

Through the years, there have been many changes in the custom bicycle business and Paul is hoping to preserve the traditions by teaching the skills to build lugged, steel frames as well as keep the long heritage of the craft alive and well.

While our conversation isn’t terribly long, it is full of juicy nuggets of interest from the history of the company to Paul’s desire to develop a curriculum for students – especially students who aren’t inclined to sit in a classroom day after day but rather wish they could learn some hands-on skills.

I’ve had so many conversations about the art and science of building steel frames over the years and always appreciate someone who is still immersed in the craft.

You can follow and help support Paul’s Patreon at patreon.com/ellisbriggs.

Transcript_January 10

 

 

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Show #681 – December 23, 2025

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Guest: Tucker Schwinn

In my Substack post about Tucker Schwinn’s new book, Closure – The Final Days of the Waterford Bicycle Factory – I said I had hoped to be able to speak with him directly.

That happened over the past weekend, and I wanted to share that conversation, even though this will be a short podcast episode.

Tucker is the son of Richard and Debra Schwinn.  He grew up in the world of Waterford Precision Cycles and when the announcement of the closure of the factory was made and even before, decided to use his photography degree to document everything – from the eyewash station to the paint booth and anything in-between.

From beautiful descriptions of some of the photos to allowing others to just stand alone, I think the book is a must-have if you are a collector of bicycle related keepsakes.

My relationship with the Schwinn’s goes back a long time and, while I lament the loss of the factory and the beautiful frames produced there, the book helps to cement some of the memories in a way I hadn’t expected.

I know Tucker holds a lot of it in his heart and the book is a deep expression of his love and remembrance of the days – years – spent there.

You can get a copy of the book at, closurewaterfodbook.com or from TuckerSchwinn.com. I think it would be a splendid addition to your cycling library, and you will get a perspective on the factory from a very unique point of view.

Transcript_TuckerSchwinn

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Show #680 – December 17, 2025

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Guests: Chuck Marohn; Esther Walker

I’m really pleased to welcome two great guests to the show today.

The first is not new to TOC, and in fact has been someone I’ve not only spoken with in the past but have also referred to many times on episodes where he doesn’t even appear.

I love catching up with Strong Towns’ founder Chuck Marohn because I always experience an enlightening and encouraging conversation.  Today is no different.

I can remember my first conversation with Chuck Marohn back in 2013.  In those days, Chuck was beginning to show the way cities and towns could become financially viable, putting people first and debunking decades of municipal planning that wasn’t working then and certainly wouldn’t work today.

Fast forward and Strong Towns is beyond strong!  It’s a force to be reckoned with that has expanded worldwide with literally hundreds of local conversation groups that have taken up the reigns in their communities to improve everything from parking and housing to streets and highways.

In this episode we cover a myriad of topics from the Ride for Life Rally that was held in D.C. to Chuck’s thoughts about how we might be getting our advocacy for cycling and walking wrong by looking to the Federal government for help as well as his thoughts about how we can all be part of a Bike Walk Revolution.

Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it. It makes so much sense. And it just might spur you to action.

For more information and some great tools to help you launch successful advocacy in your community or to enhance the work that is already being done, log on to strongtowns.org.

In the second half of the show, I speak with Esther Walker, the executive director of Outride.

Founded in 2012 by Specialized’s former CEO Mike Sinyard, who suffers from ADHD and found that riding a bike helped him to focus and learn, Outride started by investigating how bike riding could become an important part of a comprehensive therapy program for kids with ADHD.

When Mike realized that riding a bike helped with focus and energy, offering him a much wanted and needed break from the sufferings of ADHD, he decided to put his philanthropic leanings to work to pass on what he was discovering.

Today the organization offers hard data from extensive research as well their Riding for Focus program for middle school kids all over the country and in Canada.   From a yearly research summit to community grants, the organization is laser focused on getting kids on bikes and keeping them there.

Check out their research on their YouTube channel.  And if you are so inclined, start a community impact program in your town or learn how your local middle school can participate.

Consider making a donation to Outride to help continue their research as well as fund the community grant program.

You can extended commentary on my Substack.  Please consider becoming a subscriber and perhaps helping to support the work with a small monthly donation.

As we approach the end of 2025, I want to thank you for listening to the show.  I appreciate your ongoing interest and loyalty and hope to bring you more note-worthy and wide-ranging episodes in the coming year.

Transcript_December 17