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Show #335 – February 18, 2017

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Guests: Ben Serotta; Sam Ollinger

After a two-year stint with a bike share company that has changed the way he looks at the bicycle industry, Ben Serotta has a torch back in his hand as he explores the next chapter of his professional life.

In a lengthy interview that includes his thoughts on bike share, the artisan bike world, what building bikes means, and a discussion about fitting, Ben and Diane catch up for what we think is the first part of an on-going conversation.

Then, it’s off to San Diego to talk with Sam Ollinger. Sam started out as an accountant; although, bicycles were always in the picture. When she and her husband landed in San Diego, she started a blog about cycling in the area. That has morphed into Bike San Diego, a powerful laser focused organization that “gets it done” when it comes to changing the way government thinks about transportation.

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Show #334 – February 11, 2017

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Guests: Roger Bird; Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Don Walker; Greg Siple

What a show! It’s Radiothon week and the theme is “Stayin’ Alive”. In the midst of funding cuts to the station from the University, we need to up the ante and ask for your support to help us reach our goal of $50,000!

It’s easy… just log on to www.wjcu.org and pledge our support on our secure server.

Now – on to a GREAT show this week.

On a sad note, the bicycle world lost a larger-than-life icon when Chris Kegel, owner of Wheel & Sprocket in Wisconsin succumbed to a rare form of liver cancer that was diagnosed last year. In an effort to convey just what an amazing person Chris was and what his legacy will be, I asked Roger Bird, a long time friend and colleague, to offer us his thoughts about Chris, the loss, the future, and the legacy.

Then, we head on down to Washington, D.C. to speak with Senator Sherrod Brown, (D-OH) about his views on infrastructure, the environment, and a host of other topics. Senator Brown pulls no punches and holds little back as he talks about the current administration and what listeners can do to keep the pressure on for those things they want and those things they don’t.

We take short break, then head on down to Kentucky to chat with NAHBS’ show director Don Walker. the 13th annual North American Handmade Show will kick off on March 10th at the Salt Palace in SLC, Utah and Don fills us in on what’s new for 2017, gives us a peek into a new project he’ s working on with Nelson Vails and Raleigh, and tell us why NAHBS is still so relevant in an environment that is seeing trade shows falling into the abyss.

Finally, we help send Greg Siple off into retirement. After 40 years, the co-founder of BikeCentennial and Adventure Cycling, is stepping away from the organization that has been so near and dear to he and his wife. He reminisces a bit about how it all started and gives us a peek into how he sees cycling.

Quite a show!

Enjoy!
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Show #333 – February 04, 2017

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Guests: Slate Olson; Amanda Batty; Chris Case

We start our show with a cycling marketing whiz. Slate Olson, who was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, began his professional marketing career with sports giant Nike in Beaverton.

From there he became the point man in the U.S. for Rapha, helping to lead the eclectic and well respected brand for over 7 years. Moving from the small, exclusive world of apparel, Slate spent a couple of years with Specialized, taking on the role of Chief Marketing Officer.

Now, wanting to go back to his roots, he comes full circle. Slate has accepted the CEO position with Chrome Industries, which is about to leave the Bay Area and head back to Oregon.

Slate and I have a very interesting conversation about marketing, the bicycle brands he’s worked with over the years, and what he sees as the future of our ever evolving business.

The there is a short with Amanda Batty that was part of a podcast with the folks over at Red Kite Prayer. Patrick Brady asked me if I would participate in this project as they highlighted several cycling luminaries about women in the sport. You can hear the entire show at Red Kite Prayer.

After short break, it’s off to Boulder, Colorado to speak with Chris Case, Velo News’ managing editor and the co-author of the new book The Haywire Heart.

When I spoke with Lennard Zinn back in 2015, I learned about the travails he’d been through with an irregular heart beat issue. Along with what now appears to be many, many more endurance athletes who are experiencing heart issues, Lennard has had to do some real soul searching to comes to the realization that his needed to make some serious changes in his life.

Chris Case, along with Lennard and Dr. John Mandrola combine their respective talents to give us all a deep and thorough introduction to what we might now call The Haywire Heart and what you can do to protect yourself.

Hope you enjoy the show!

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Show #332 – January 28, 2017

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Guests: Denise Mueller; Brian Jenks; Gerolf Meyer

Welcome to this week’s show!

The January 7th and 8th weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal had a front page story about our first guest, Denise Mueller.

Now holding the title of the “fastest Woman on Two Wheels”, Denise, at the age of 43 rode a specially built bike behind a Range Rover and pedaled at 147.72 miles per hour to set her record back in September.

Denise is no stranger to cycling having won many, many titles as a teenager; then, life got in the way as it often does. Now, she has her sights set on breaking the OVERALL speed record next year.

It’s a great conversation – especially if you like speed!

Then, I’ve asked Brian to join me in the studio to chat with me in what I hope will become an ongoing feature of the show.

I don’t know anyone who is more thoughtful about the subject of bicycles from a wide range of perspectives and I’ve asked him to share some of that knowledge and expertise with us.

This week, he’s talking about cold weather riding and what to do with your bike. We are also opening up our FaceBook page and Twitter account to you to suggest topics you’d like covered in the future.

Then, we’re jumping the pond to Europe to catch up with someone I met at NAHBS in Denver a few years ago.

Gerolf Meyer is a cycling enthusiast – he’s a geographer – he’s also the host and producer of, wait for it…. a bicycle podcast in Germany! His monthly program Antritt, does a lot of what we do here and our conversation is fun. He’ll tell you the story of how we met and about the event he helps put together. (There are three shows in English in his podcast list – 2 with Charlie Kelly and one with Joe Breeze).

So, buckle up sunshine – let’s head on out to Carlsbad, California and talk with the “fastest woman on two wheels!”

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Show #331 – January 21, 2017

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Guests: Damon Rinard; Tim Moore

Cycling Engineer Damon Rinard, is a speed freak… now I don’t mean that in the druggie sense; I mean he loves things that go fast.

His engineering background includes work in the aerospace field and of course a long history in the bicycle world. He is currently the lead engineer for the Cannondale division of Dorel’s Cycling Sports Group and has some very interesting things to say about the equipment we see on the road today.

Then, it’s over to the U.K. to speak with British cycling author Tim Moore.

He’s done some wild and whacky rides and not only has lived to tell about them, he’s written some great books too. His book Geronimo detailed his crazy recreation of the 1914 Giro D’Italia on a 1914 wooden bike.

Now, his new book, The Cyclist Who Went Out In The Cold, tells his story of riding the Iron Curtain trail from north to south on a German MIFA 900 series bike and… well, I’ll let him tell you more about it.

Eliciting both out loud laughter and some sobering insights into the post cold war world, The Cyclist Who Went Out In The Cold might just be your next best bicycle read!

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Show #330 – January 14, 2017

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Guests: Axel Merckx, director sportif Team Axeon; Hal Walter, 6-time world champion pack burro racer (yep!)

Hey there… it’s our January 14th show and, it’s a good one!

First, I talk with Axel Merckx – director sportif of team Axeon Hagens Berman. Yes, yes, Axel is the son of the “Cannibal” – the great Eddy Merckx – and he’s super proud to have such a talented and famous father.

In his own right however, Axel himself is a great cycling legend – he has an Olympic medal, many podiums, and has taken all that talent and focused it on his winning team of young riders.

For example, in the 2016 race season, team Axeon garnered 35 victories, 13 jersey classifications, eight national titles, three team titles and sent three riders to the WorldTour ranks.

We’ll hear how Axel has been able to shape and grow his team into a formidable “cycling machine” and hear just a bit about his Dad.

In the second half of the show, we meet up with a most interesting guy! Hal Walter is a journalist, author, Dad, and a 6-time world champion Pack Burro Racer!

Not planning on having children, at the age of 44 Hal and his wife welcomed Harrison into the world only to have that world turned upside down when, at the age of three, Harrison was diagnosed at “neuro diverse” – or as most of us know, autistic.

Unlike many children who are “on the spectrum”, Harrison can run, swim, bike, and has a pack burro for a best friend.

Hal has written a book of essays titled Endurance that tells us a few of the stories that have unfolded for Hal, wife Mary, Harrison, and all those who are part of their lives.

Hal and I talk about Harrison, the school in which he was mainstreamed since he was 3, how the pack burros fit into their lives, and how Harrison taught himself to ride a bike.

It’s a great conversation!

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Show #329 – January 7, 2017

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Guests: Jim Walker, Engima Bicycle Works; Jan Gierlach, Ridefor3Reasons

Show #1 for the year! Welcome and Happy New Year… I hope your holidays were fun.

First up, Jim Walker, managing director of Enigma Bicycle Works in the U.K. talks with Diane about his 4+ decade bicycle career, admitting that he is the brains and not the brawn behind the end products! He claims he is “useless with his hands” – and y et, he knows all the ins and outs of the handmade bike business.

Unlike most shops or custom builders, the client can come to Engima and watch the process from start to finish! There is even a “frame building academy” where a customer can come in and build his/her own frame with the assistance of the masters at Enigma.

Mostly a titanium fabricator, Engima also makes steel and stainless steel, including their own forks and offer full bikes in 15 different models.

Jim and Diane also discuss the “one time only” coffee table book that Engima produced in 2013, Seventy-Three Degrees – the world’s finest bicycle builders.

Then we speak with Jan Gierlach, an 18 year old philanthropist who has already raised $600,000 for his 3 charities – ALS, Hospice, and Cancer. His connection to all three is personal and heartfelt.

Jan’s interest in making a difference for each of these organizations initially came from a talk given to his school by Bob Lee. We spoke with Bob about his charity, Ride for 3 Reasons back in 2012. Now, Jan, who graduated a semester early from high school, will embark upon a 3,300 mile cross-country solo bike ride next month to fulfill his promise to those who have supported his efforts and helped him meet his goal.

 

 

 

 

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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 #327 – December 24, 2016

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Guests: Chef Biju Thomas, TrainerRoad’s Jonathan Lee

Happy Hanukkah – Merry Christmas – Happy Holidays!!!

Today’s show features our friend and most excellent chef Biju Thomas. Recently featured in Nation’s Restaurant News because Indian Food is going to be a top trend in 2017, I caught up with Biju on the road between Little Curry Shop I and Little Curry Shop II.

We get to learn about what makes Indian Food so yummy, hear a really cool idea for a winter gathering, and find out that cookies are just as good as any energy bar on the market!!! HA!

So, now that we’re full of good food and have added a few (ahem) calories; it’s time to think about taking them back off and getting back ON the training wagon.

Whatever type of goal you have for next season, TrainerRoad.com has a program to suit your schedule and your goals. Jonathan Lee gives us the ins and outs of how the TrainerRoad concept works to help you get FASTER!

It’s short and sweet this week, but chock full of goodness!

Have a GREAT holiday. Stay safe!

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Show #326 – December 17, 2016

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Special Guest: Richard Schwinn

With only a couple of more weeks until 2017, I thought it would be a good time to bring back one of our most interesting and well-received guests for a one-on-one show.

Richard Schwinn grew up in our industry, took a leave of absence for college, and came back when the company needed a guiding hand to navigate the changing waters of the 90’s.

Out of the sale of the company in the early 1990’s, Richard Schwinn and Mark Muller retained the Paramount name and factory in Waterford Wisconsin and Waterford Precision Bicycles was born.

Today, in the midst of a carbon fiber frenzy, Waterford Precision and its companion brand Gunnar, are a bright and shining star in the custom bike world.

Richard and I discuss a variety of topics from the current state of the business to the future of the independent bike dealer and more.

It’s a fascinating conversation and I hope you enjoy it.