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Show #264 – September 19, 2015 – Interbike!

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Guests: Patrick Brady, Joni Taylor, Amanda Batty

If it’s middle of September, it must be Interbike! And, so it was… opening last Monday at Bootleg Canyon outside of Las Vegas, the annual U.S. trade show had its share of good and bad press.

This week, we have the privilege of three perspectives on the show: two from journalists and one a vendor.

First up is my friend and often the eyes and ears of events I can’t attend, Red Kite Prayer’s Patrick Brady.  As always, Patrick has a keen sense of what is trending and where the market is strong.  Patrick gives us his review of the new SRAM Red electronic shifting group, where he sees the eBike market heading, and some insight into the size and scope of the show.

Then, we talk with a really good friend of mine and the U.S. importer/owner of TexMarket, Joni Taylor.  As Joni says, “we’re the biggest apparel manufacturer no one has ever heard about”.  And, it’s true. TexMarket offers concept to finished product on a large or small scale from fine Italian fabrics for shops, groups, and most of the teams you see on the road.  Because of her long association with the bicycle industry, Joni has yet another unique perspective on this year’s show as well as the incident we are calling “SOCKGATE”.

So, after our news, we will talk about “sockgate” with journalist Amanda Batty.  You may remember our conversation with Amanda a few months ago when she was summarily pushed out of Pink Bike for her stand against what she termed the misogynist attitudes among those she worked for at Pink Bike and her commentary about it. Which circles right back around to Patrick Brady who stood right up for her in his column “Too Many White Guys” in Red Kite Prayer.

Forgoing Interbike this year – for a variety of reasons – Amanda gives us her take on the “scandal” and once again painstakingly explains why the industry should be looking forward – not back!

So… want to know more about Interbike 2015? Here we go….

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Show #263 – September 12, 2015

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Special Guest: Mountain Bike Guru Charlie Kelly

Tonight we welcome one of the least well known and yet probably the most influential figure in the mountain bike world – Charlie Kelly.

Along with his pals Gary Fisher (AKA Spidey back in the day), Tom Ritchey, and still one of his closest friends Joe Breeze, Charlie was the force behind Repack – the race course that everyone rode and no one knew about (there’s a reason for that) and the one who chronicled the era – from the equipment and riders to the eventual formation of a sanctioning body.

There isn’t enough time in just one show to hear what there is to know about Charlie and his story; but, he’s beautifully made the entire era available in his new book Fat Tire Flyer: Repack and the Birth of Mountain Biking.

Sure to be one of the most popular coffee table books of the 2015 gift giving season, Fat Tire Flyer is replete with photographs, stories, flyers, and documentation.

Charlie’s wish? To have the story made into a movie… he even knows who he wants to play whom!

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

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Show #262 – September 5, 2015

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Guests: Professor James Longhurst; Senior Olympian Gene Killingsworth

Welcome to The Outspoken Cyclist – this is our first podcast in season #6 and, once again, I’d like to thank you for your support! Hope you enjoy this week’s show.

We begin with Professor James Longhurst. James is an academic historian, a student of urban culture and all types of cycling and has written a fascinating book about cycling titled “Bike Battles – A History of Sharing the American Road.”

Unlike other historical books that we’ve discussed, James explores how the bicycle has waxed and waned not only in our culture but also in public and government policy.

When we prioritize our preferences in transportation, we see a periodic debate about how bicycles have both been ignored and revered. James thinks we are in a bike boom, but not the way one might think.

It’s a fascinating discussion and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

We take our break and offer up this week’s news and then we get to meet a Senior Olympian.

Gene Killingsworth races in the 75-79 age group and this year took home gold and bronze medals as well as unexpectedly receiving a special certificate from the Ohio Legislature for his efforts.

He has a fascinating story about how he got started in the sport, how a crash almost took him out of the sport, and what you might want to think about as you get older.

So, here we go…

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Show #261 – August 29, 2015

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Guests: East Coast Greenway’s Eric Weis; Journalist and author Ian Dille

Last show of August also means the upcoming anniversary of The Outspoken Cyclist. Next week, we begin year #6 and it’s been quite a ride! (sorry for the bad pun) It’s difficult to even begin to thank all of you for your support. So, I’ll just say thank you and please continue to listen, offer suggestions for topics you’d like to hear, and like our Face Book page!

Let’s move on to this week’s show. My first guest is the trail program coordinator for the East Coast Greenway AND the force behind both the New England Bike-Walk Summit as well as the New England Builder’s Ball.

Eric Weis seems to wear all the hats at once and well! He fills us in on this year’s September 24th one-day Bike-Walk Summit, which will be held in Worcester, Mass. The Summit offers the 6 New England States a forum to move pedestrian and cycling issues forward with a full program including collecting data, design and engineering projects, a poster session, and off-season projects. Eric’s hope is that the Bike-Walk Summit breaks even and that some of the projects from the summit come to fruition.

We also talk about the Providence Cyclocross Festival which begins with the New England Builder’s Ball – a party celebrating the hand builders of New England including Richard Sachs, Firefly, JP Weigle, Zancanato, Bilenky, and more.

The Builder’s Ball, which takes place on Friday, October 2nd from 7-11pm at the Roger Williams Park Casino, offers a portion of its proceeds to the East Coast Greenway! There is music, food, and beer! What could be better?

After a break and our news, we head on down to Austin, Texas to talk with journalist and author Ian Dille. Ian, who is one of my favorite writers, has a new book, The Cyclist’s Bucket List – A Celebration of 75 Quintessential Cycling Experiences.

What is most interesting about this, the first of the “coffee table – gift” books of the 2015 fall season, is that it encourages you to develop your own bucket list of unusual, interesting, and fun places that are connected to cycling.

Each entry has a “Get There” side bar that helps you find your way. Great photos, great writing, and some venues you just might not have expected!

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Show #260 – August 22, 2015

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Guests: Lennard Zinn; Anna Brones

When we spoke with tech guru, frame builder, and endurance athlete Lennard Zinn, then 55, back in 2013, we were super impressed with the depth and breadth of his knowledge and expertise. In fact, our interview had to be broken into two parts to cover all the details of our conversation.

But what we didn’t talk about on air was the terrifying and life threatening physical issues he was experiencing.

Fast forward to 2015 and the now 57 year old has had to make some serious life choices because of his experiences. These issues were highlighted in a recent Velo News article, “Cycling to Extremes – Are endurance athletes hurting their hearts by repeatedly pushing beyond what is normal?”

The lengthy piece graphically and bluntly details what is happening to endurance athletes like Lennard who seemingly just get leaner, stronger, and faster as they age. But, there may be a silent killer lurking and this evening, Lennard and I delve into not only what happened to him, but what he believes may be a reason to take a serious look at your training, riding, and racing choices as you age.

After our break and some current events, we take a bit of a different and lighter tone as we head on over to Paris, France to speak with Anna Brones about her new book, The Culinary Cyclist. In the handlebar bag size book, Anna shares some of her wonderful recipes, practical ideas, and endearing etiquette with us.

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Show #259 – August 15, 2015

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Guests: Sam Polcer; Brian David Bruns

This week, it’s a conversation with Sam Polcer, Communications Manager for Bike New York. The organization is what others look to when bicycle education is the subject.

Bike New York has been interviewed by CBS, NBC, and many others. And, Sam knows his stuff!

After our news – and there is lots of it – we go to Las Vegas to have a chat with award winning Interational author, Brian David Bruns.

Brian grew up in Iowa and when his high school friend suggested they should celebrate their 20th reunion by riding RAGBRAI, Brian said – why not?

Hilarious from page 1, Rumble Yell is Brian’s story of how a non-cyclist rode the 500 miles, 7 day rolling party and what he did to get ready.

Prepare to laugh!

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Show #258 – August 8, 2015

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Guest: Walking Quadriplegic Jenny McCune

Today our show offers up one great interview along with a full complement of news.

Have you ever heard the term, “walking quadriplegic”? I hadn’t either, until one of my students told me about a somewhat distant relative, Jenny McCune, who had gone down in a bike crash in 2007 and suffered a several spinal chord injury.

Jenny’s story is remarkable – not just because she is walking; but, also because recently she has begun riding again!

She attributes much of her recovery to her patience as a practicing Buddhist as well as her determination to make the amazing comeback she has made.

Jenny talks with me about her love for our sport, what it took to walk again, and how she just couldn’t stay away from her bicycle!

Our news includes a bit of discussion about Trek’s decision to offer an on-line shipping opportunity to the general public and what it could mean for the independent bicycle dealer as well as more trouble in the peloton including a crash that took out the entire BMC team this week, a positive doping sample from last year’s Tour of Utah winner Tom Danielson, and who made the Active Times list of the top 50 bikes shops in the U.S.
Enjoy the show!

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Show #257 – August 1, 2015

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Guests: Physics Professor John Eric Goff; Ohio Bike Lawyer Steve Magas

We’ve seen the winners of the TdF. We’ve seen more than our share of crashes in this year’s event. And, we’ve seen controversy. So, what’s left? Well, how about something a little more techy-geeky?

Dr. John Eric Goff, physics professor at Lynchburg College in Virginia, does a little calculating – PRE-race, to predict finishing times for all 21 stages of the Tour de France; and, he’s been doing this for a few years now. How accurate is he? And, how does he do it? Just you wait and see.

Dr. Goff, author of Gold Medal Sports, is interested in the physics of sports and is off to Sheffield, England for a one-year sabbatical that will include some more interesting projects with sports related topics; maybe even one that involves bicycle tires! And, he’s my first guest this evening.

Then Tim and I rattle off some news items before we head on down to Cincinnati to talk with bicycle attorney Steve Magas.

Evidently, statistics in bicycle crashes – especially as they relate to deaths – show a marked decrease; but, are these statistics correct or is something else going on? Steve, who always has fascinating things to tell us, will fill us in on that and more.

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Show #256 – July 25, 2015

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Encore Presentation: Engineers Andy Ruina & Jim Papdopoulis; Custom Frame Builder Mark Nobilette

For those of you who are newer to the Outspoken Cyclist or who just like to be reminded of great conversations, today’s show is an encore presentation from April 30, 2011. The guests, engineers Andy Ruina and Jim Papdopoulis and frame builder Mark Nobilette, offered up two of my favorite interviews.

I am off this week recovering from my regenerative stem cell therapy procedure we spoke about with Dr. Roger Kruse back in June. All is well and I will be back next week with a brand new episode of the show.

Enjoy the conversation! Here was the original information about the show:

Today’s first guests are a pair of researchers from Cornell University, who have made some recent discoveries about the self-stability of bicycles. In the process Andy Ruina and Jim Papadopoulos have poked holes in a couple of long-held beliefs about what makes bicycles balance as they do. Get your geek on and hear what they have to say.

After the news and calendar, Diane chats with one of the world’s foremost framebuilders, Mark Nobilette, about his past and present in the realm of steel bike frames.

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Show 255 – July 18, 2015

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Guests: Connor Long; Dennis Markatos-Soriano

This week’s show is chock full of awesomeness! We begin by sending off the Velo Sano Ride and our XOBA event. Velo Sano, now in its second year, is already raising multi-millions of dollars for cancer research here at our Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

XOBA, the Cross Ohio Bicycle Adventure, will begin in the Northeast corner of the state and travel down the east side to end up in Racine, Ohio right up against the W. VA. border.

Then we head on over to Copper Mountain, Colorado to speak with cyclist, swimmer, rock climber, actor, and so much more Connor Long. Celebrating his twenty-first birthday today, July 18th, Connor is captaining a team of cyclists to raise funds and awareness for the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome by riding 38+ miles, hoping to top his high mileage mark from 2014.

The ride is called the Copper Pro Challenge Community Ride and Connor is captaining the Courage Classic “Dare To Ride“ team.

Connor has Down Syndrome and his beautiful explanation of what that means blew me away. You are going to love him! (PS – his Dad Brian helps out in this interview, so I didn’t want to leave him out)

After a break and our news – which is full of fun and actually segues quite nicely with Connor’s idea of “triathlon”, we will head on down to Durham, N.C. to speak with the executive director of the East Coast Greenway, Dennis Markatos-Soriano. (watch his TexX talk by clicking on his name!)

The East Coast Greenway vision is for a long-distance, urban, shared-use trail system linking 25 major cities along the eastern seaboard between Calais, Maine and Key West, Florida. It will serve non-motorized users of all abilities and ages. A 2,900-mile long spine route will be accompanied by 2,000 miles of complementary routes that link in key cities, towns, and areas of natural beauty. This green travel corridor will provide cyclists, walkers, and other muscle-powered modes of transportation with a low-impact way to explore the eastern seaboard.

We talk with Dennis about the challenges, the successes, and how this amazing network is coming together.

Full plate tonight so… let’s get to it