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Show #216 – October 18, 2014

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Guests: Philly Bike Expo’s Bina Bilenky Trahan, Rails-to-Trails director Keith Laughlin; Brett Horton of the Horton Collection

As bike shows go, the Philly Bike Expo is one of the best! And, as the weekend of November 8-9th approaches, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with show director Bina Bilenky Trahan and find out what is new for 2014. The Outspoken Cyclist herself will be attending the show this year too!

As we ramp up to the midterm elections here in the U.S., and with a possible changing of the majority party as an outcome, I wanted to find out how transportation issues might be affected. So, I always like to go to the “man-in-the-know”, Rails to Trails director Keith Laughlin. Keith has been in Washington, DC for many, many years and knows what is happening in Congress as well as anyone. He’ll also catch us up on some new and exciting developments with Rails to Trails for 2015.

Even though it’s still 10 weeks until the holidays, I wanted to get a jump start on some ideas for the gift giving season and, as everyone knows, I LOVE books!

From the over 170,000 photographs of the 1920’s and 1930’s of what racing looked like in the early 20th Century, Brett Horton, owner and curator of the Horton Collection was able to choose 106 of them to offer in a lovely hardbound book titled “Goggles & Dust – Images from Cycling’s Glory Days”. The book celebrates the grit and determination of the bicycle racing pioneers who established the records, traditions, and distinct flavors of Europe’s most hallowed races.

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Show #215 – October 11, 2014

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Guests: Brendan Lyons; Shannon Galpin

Get ready for another great show this evening. After congratulating ourselves for beating Pittsburgh in the National Bike Challenge, we head on out to Arizona to learn about “LOOK – Save A Life – Arizona” and the story of Brendan Lyons and Lorena Evans. Last October the couple was hit from behind by a distracted motorist while training for the El Tour de Tucson. After a year of recovery, they will be awarded the Dedication Award at this year’s event.

We will also speak with activist and philanthropist Shannon Galpin. Shannon’s non-profit Mountain2Mountain was formed to create education and opportunity for women and girls in conflict regions around the world. in 2013, Shannon received the National Geographic Society’s “humanitarian of the year” award, and this month her new book, Mountain to Mountain details the work she’s done to help put girls on bikes in Afghanistan. The story is fascinating.

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Show #214 – October 4, 2014

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Guests: Rodney Hendrickson; John Schubert; Steve Hampsten

Hey – it’s October! And, if it’s October, it’s also time for Rodney Hendrickson’s “Thriller Ride”. The spooky 4-route event takes place next weekend and, as always Rodney has lots of ghoulish things planned for the event.

Then, we take up the continuing story we’ve been covering for most of the summer and now on into the fall.

When Cherokee Schill first moved to Jessamine County in Kentucky, she did so to take a job driving a fork lift. She wanted and needed to support her two teenage children AND she was also 90 pounds overweight.

With little or no money, she couldn’t afford to fix her old car, which had 300,000 miles registering on the odometer. She also couldn’t afford the insurance. She began riding a bike the 18 miles to and from work; and that’s when the real saga begins.

She was given tickets, she has been charged with reckless driving, (in this case riding), and she’s been thrown in jail. In a trial where 4 expert witnesses all agreed that the safest place to ride her bike on US27 – the ONLY route to and from her job – was IN the lane and NOT on the shoulder, the judge disagreed and found her guilty.

Tonight, we talk with one of those expert witnesses. John Schubert has been doing this work for 30 years and he will give us his explanation(s) of what went down at the trial and what he believes SHOULD have gone down.

After our break, we’ll head on out to Seattle to speak with frame designer and builder Steve Hampsten. Most folks think – Hampsten? – must be Andy! But, older brother Steve is no less talented or less fun. The two started out riding together; but, Andy turned pro and Steve went on to become a top level chef. Steve’s explanation of how being a chef is so like being a framebuilder is just the beginning of this delightful conversation.

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Show #213 – September 27, 2014

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Guests: Donna Holdiness; Aili McConnon

Sometimes life throws you so many curve balls, that eventually you just surrender and try to find a new road. Donna Holdiness did that and that road is unfolding in magical ways to help her keep the unbelievable positive perspective she now has on life.

Ten years ago, her son was involved in a distracted driving crash resulting in the loss of life; two years ago, her husband was killed as he was on a training ride by a juvenile driving an SUV.

So, Donna dug deep and started the (Dr.) Gary Holdiness Bicycling Fund and the results are nothing less than stunning. Donna will tell us about the work she is doing to educate and improve safety along the Natchez Trace where both accidents happened. And, her work may just make all the National Parks in the U.S. a safer place to ride your bike.

After our break and the news, we will speak with author Aili McConnon whose book, The Road to Valor, offers a stunning look at Italy, bicycle racing, the resistance, and a famous cyclist just prior to and through World War II. Gino Bartali, who is the only rider to win the Tour de France twice – ten years apart – has a much less known story woven with secrecy and piety. McConnon’s telling of it is riveting.

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Show #212 – September 20, 2014

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Guests: Jacob VanSickle & Lambert vanBeers talk NEO Cycle; Joe Prisel – mountain bike park designer and builder; author and historian Richard Moore

#ShutUpHour! Jens Voigt makes history – no surprise – riding 51.115km in one hour, smashing the old record! GO JENS! Someday I hope to have a chance to chat with Jens – just to yuk it up with him.

This week the Outspoken Cyclist offers up a brand new weekend of cycling with NEO Cycle – an urban cycling festival sponsored by a whole host of great companies including The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Ohio Savings Bank, General Electric, Forest City Enterprises, and Spynga – Cleveland Heights.

The director of Bike Cleveland, Jacob VanSickle tells us about the event and the co-owner of SpyngaFlows, Lambert vanBeers talks about his involvement in the Grand “Fundo”.

Then, we talk about indoor mountain bike parks – only this is about the MOTHER OF ALL INDOOR MOUNTAIN BIKE PARKS. Opening in January, the Louisville Mega Cavern Mountain Bike Park will offer 350,000 square feet of mountain biking that will include some fascinating options you may never have imagined. Joe Prisel helped build the original Ray’s Mountain Bike Park, went on to help design and build the “Lumberyard”, Portland, Oregon’s Park, and now lives outside of Seattle where he designed and built the Burlington Mountain Bike Park.

Lastly, we welcome author and Tour de France historian Richard Moore back to the show. Richard’s new book, Etape: 20 Great Stories From the Modern Tour de France, highlights all new interviews with both famous and sometimes obscure riders from a variety of stages beginning with 1971. Richard, who also wrote Slaying the Badger and Tour de France 100 knows so much about the riders, the routes, the stages, and the stories and is able to recall and share them with us this evening.

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Show #211 – September 13, 2014

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Guests: Robin Bylenga, Richard Fries , David Trimble

September 13th and it’s FALL here in NE Ohio! Temps are cool, winds are blowin’, and the leaves have started turning colors.

September is also Interbike time and we will hear about this year’s event from a colleague of mine from Greenville, SC. Robin Bylenga is the proprietor of Pedal Chic. Robin gives us a glimpse into what the industry is offering for 2015 as well as her thoughts about the IBD and what s/he is up against when it comes to competing with on line marketers.

Richard Fries, who is one of our perennial favorite guests, will fill us in on what he’s been up to including an opportunity to announce the UCI Para Cycling World Championship races for television audiences. He shares his work with Anthony Shriver and the Best Buddies Challenge and gives us an update on the Providence CycloCross progress toward becoming a World Cup event.

Finally, we will speak with David Trimble, the director and founder of the Red Hook Criterium Series. Starting with a simple birthday ride idea back in 2008, the Red Hook has become one of the premiere non-sanctioned events growing from one race in Brooklyn, NY to a worldwide series. The final race of 2014 will be held in Milano, Italy next month.

So, hang on to your handlebars and we’re off to Las Vegas!

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Show #210 – September 6, 2014

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Guest: Albert Eisentraut

As we begin our fifth year of The Outspoken Cyclist, I wanted to reach out to someone who most listeners know OF but perhaps don’t know a lot ABOUT (pardon the prepositions at the end of the … ah, never mind)

From his early childhood memories of Oscar Wastyn’s shop in Chicago to his experiences of being a runner at the 6-day races as well as his views on frame building and today’s bicycle business, my interview with Albert Eistentraut is probably one of the most lively and interesting of our many, many wonderful conversations over the past four years.

This evening, the show is dedicated to just Albert and I think you will find it delightful! Enjoy!

Have a great week!

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Show #209 – August 30, 2014

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Guests: Chris Coburn, Cyclocross Superstar Katie Compton, Matt Shad, Jan Michael Ramery & Jonathan Strauss

To everyone who is in and around Napa – we hope you are all safe, well, and recovering from the earthquake!

This week, we talk briefly with Chris Coburn. Chris’ brother Dr. Miles Coburn was a much loved biology professor, father, husband, son, and brother. He was killed in a bike accident back in 2008 and since then, we honor Miles and his commitment to cycling and the environment with the Ride for Miles, a commemorative ride that starts and end right here on the campus of John Carroll University.

Then we head on out to Colorado Springs to talk with SUPERSTAR Katie (FN) Compton. There isn’t a more dominant or successful cyclist when it comes to cyclocross than Katie. Amassing twenty two World Cup wins and four medals at the Cyclocross World Championships, as well as 90+ UCI wins, Katie shares her story with us this evening.

After a break and some news, we head on down to Columbus, Ohio to speak with Matt Shad. Matt is an urban planner as well as the director of the Great Placemaker’s Lab, a 3-day workshop that offers cuty planners, landscape architects, and anyone else involved in the planning, design, and management of neighborhoods and public spaces.

Topics for the workshops range from walkability, art, and retail to aging, transit, and parking. The plenary speaker will be Jeff Speck, who we interviewed back in June, 2013. Speck’s Walkable Cities is still one of my preferred books when we talk about downtowns and transportation.

And finally, we go to Miami, Florida to speak with the organizers of an event that rivals any amateur ride or race anywhere: The Road Titans 300+ Cycling Challenge. You just might want to get your low gears on and head on down to Oconee County, South Carolina for 3 days of riding, climbing, mid-November. Jan Michael Ramery and Jonathan Strauss will fill us in on all the nitty gritty details.

So, click the download button and let’s go!

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Show #208 – August 23, 2014

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Guests: Encore presentation of interviews with Ross Shafer & Richard Schwinn

This week we bring you an encore presentation of interviews with two of my all-time favorite people.

Our first interview, which took place August 27, 2011 is with one of our industry’s true Renaissance Men – as Greg puts it. Ross Shafer has done a bunch of cool things in his career, including launching and running Salsa Cycles from 1981 to 1997. These days, Ross runs his own design, fabrication and consulting company called Six-Nine Design from his home base in Petaluma, California.

After a quick break, we’ll be back to bring you my conversation from August 13, 2011 (see a pattern here?) with the venerable Richard Schwinn from Waterford Precision Cycles. From the economics of transportation to bike polo, there is no part of our business that goes unturned when we talk with Richard.

Even if you’ve heard these two interviews when they originally aired, I know you’ll find them fascinating with something you missed this time!

We will be back next week with a brand new episode of The Outspoken Cyclist when we talk with super-star Katie Compton!

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Show #207 – August 16, 2014

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Guests: Nancy Gibson in Rwanda; Sue Knaup with a new project; Phil Burt on Bike Fit

After watching “Rising from Ashes“, which tells of the Rwandan Cycling Team and how it began from the aftermath of unthinkable human suffering in Rwanda, the “Cycling Hairstylist of London” Nancy Gibson knew she wanted to do something to help the team – especially the fledgling Rwandan Women’s Cycling Team.

After raising $5,000 dollars – mostly from her supportive clients – Nancy set off for a three-week ride around Rwanda. She’s about to begin week #3 and I caught up with her on a rest day at the Rwandan Cycling Center for a chat.

We’ll also talk once again with Sue Knaup. After being involved with both successful and not-so-successful non-profits for the past 40 years, Sue has decided to share her broad knowledge and deep understanding of the issues small, non-profits face. She’s taken all that knowledge and written a new book, “Cures for Ailing Organizations.”

From the smallest events to worldwide efforts to bring relief in any of its many forms, Cures for Ailing Organizations points out the problems and offers solutions that keep an organizations vibrant, healthy, and profitable. You can read about the project and perhaps get involved yourself – it’s a very modest amount needed to get this book to those who need it – at Kickstarter.com

Lastly, I head on over to London to speak with physiotherapist Phil Burt. Phil’s new book “Bike Fit – Optimize your Bike Position for High Performance and Injury Avoidance“, as just published by Bloomsbury Press this week and Phil’s no non-sense approach to fit, whether you are a top level pro or the touring cyclist, offers up some great solutions to most of the common problems the occur between you and the bike.

Phil’s work with the British Cycling was obviously pretty impressive as he took members of the team to gold in two Olympics and a first-place podium finish in the Tour de France. (It doesn’t hurt that Phil and I have very compatible philosophies on fit either!)

Enjoy the show!