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Show #99 – July 21, 2012

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7/21/2012
As this year’s Tour wraps up, we hearken back to the 1986 TdF and the drama that existed between teammates Bernard Hinault and Greg LeMond. Freelance journalist and author Richard Moore has written a book about the two iconic riders entitled Slaying the Badger: LeMond, Hinault and the Greatest Ever Tour de France. It’s a well-written and riveting story, and we caught up with Richard Moore while he was in France this week covering the Tour.

We know that framebuilders build bike frames, but who builds the tools that framebuilders use? One of the people who makes those tools and fixtures is Don Ferris of Anvil Bikeworks in Golden, Colorado. Besides being a helluva toolmaker, Don is a really interesting guy with a knack for explaining complex concepts in a way even I can understand.

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Show #98 – July 14, 2012

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7/14/2012
It’s a week of questions and answers (some of the answers are even even correct!) on this week’s Outspoken Cyclist…

Should women be encouraged to ride bicycles? We don’t need the LAB’s Carolyn Szczepanski to tell us the answer to that one is “yes!” But we do need her and the National Women’s Bike Summit to help us figure out how to bring more women into cycling.

Does Indiana get more hours of daylight than Ohio? Does it rain more in Indy than in Cleveland? No and maybe, and you can find out for yourself by riding across Indiana in one day on the RAIN ride. Get all the details from RAIN Ride Director Jim Schroeder.

Workplace rules or unconstitutional witch hunt? You be the judge as Diane and I kibitz on the validity of the USADA investigation into Lance, Johann, and the Disco/Postal machine.

Should everything on your bike be made of carbon fiber? Only if it’s designed and made in the U.S.A. by Enve Composites. Get the stiff yet light scoop on this ubiquitous material from Enve CEO Jason Schiers.

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Show #97 – July 7, 2012

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First up is a return appearance by Chuck Harmon and Rachel Apple and their group of students from the Bronx Lab School, who are cycling around Ohio this week as part of the school’s innovative “Explore Weeks”.

If you’ve ever wanted to maintain or repair your own bike, Daimeon “Daimo” Shanks can help you with that. A former pro tour mechanic and co-owner of The Service Course (a repair-only bike shop) in Boulder, Colorado, has written a new book called Essential Bicycle Maintenance & Repair. The book targets the DIYer, and includes anecdotes from Daimo’s days wrenching on bikes in the pro peloton.

Finally, if you’re a mountain biker looking for a bucket list challenge, consider the TransRockies Challenge, coming up in late July. It’s a 3, 4, or 7-day mountain bike stage race in the Canadian Rockies with full nightly camp support. On the line from Seattle and Vancouver, we have Aaron McConnell & Simon Parker to tell you about this unique event, and how you can enter.

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Show #96 – June 30, 2012

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It’s the start of the Tour de France and we begin this show with some insight into what might be coming up by by welcoming Bicycling.com editor Daniel McMahon, who gives us his take on the array of disarray heading into the 21012 Tour de France. Who’s out, who’s in, who was out, and is now back in: Daniel sorts it out for us.

Then, we switch over to a journalist I very much admire who has a broad and interesting perspective on transportation, cities, and the socio-political scene. Salon.com columnist Will Doig writes a regular column called Dream City, and I always enjoy reading them.

To get a first-hand impression of the impact of the wild files currently raging in Colorado, we check in with Jim Rutberg of Carmichael Training Systems. Because of the fires, the air quality in the Colorado Springs are has degraded to the point where it’s unsafe to train outdoors. So Carmichael has opened its facility free of charge to anyone in the area who wants to ride or run indoors.

Wrapping up, we head for Berkley, California to speak with Ozzie Zehner, visiting scholar at UC Berkley, and author of a new book entitled Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism. More recommended reading and listening, especially if you think you’re living a ‘green’ lifestyle.

Enjoy the show!

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Show #95 – June 23, 2012

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Here is my report from Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah where I attended Press Camp. I had the opportunity to interview a wide variety of folks from different corners of the cycling press and trade community. Here’s a list of who you’ll hear on this week’s show:

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Show #94 – June 16, 2012

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Next week, I will be reporting from Press Camp in Park City, Utah. So this week I catch up with Press Camp organizer Chris Zigmont to give you a bit of insight into the event from the organizer’s perspective.

After some news and a mini-rant from Greg, we get down to business with master mechanic Merlyn Townley. Merlyn has been a neutral support and team race mechanic for over 2o years. He also builds some of the most beautiful and durable custom wheels you’ll ever ride. Check out his shop online at Merlyn Mechanics.

Finally, follow our favorite RAAM racers, Cassie Schumacher/Wheels 4 Change, and Andre Husain/Team Hope at RaceAcrossAmerica.org.

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Show #93 – June 9, 2012

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The cycling season is in full swing here in the Northern Hemispere, and whether you’re riding for sport or transportation, we’ve got something for you on this week’s Outspoken Cyclist.

Are you an “advanced cyclist”? Our first guest, Hunter Allen can quickly help you answer that question. If you are, or if you want to be, his new book Cutting Edge Cycling: Advanced Training for Advanced Cyclists will show you how. Hunter’s discussion of power meters and the various metrics and training zones is really interesting stuff. If and when you’re ready to train with power, Hunter is the go-to guy.

There is more than one way to be an advanced cyclist, and another way is to become proficient and comfortable riding on the roadways as a a vehicle (“I’m not riding in traffic; I am traffic.”). Joining us in the second half of the show to talk about riding safely and effectively on the road is Keri Caffrey. Keri is the woman behind Cycling Savvy, a 9-hour course designed to help anyone from a beginner to an advanced cyclist confidently and safely negotiate all types of urban and suburban traffic situations.

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Show #92 – Jun3 2, 2012

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Track, Road and Tri: we’ve got a bit of each for you this week on The Outspoken Cyclist.

Ian Dille has written a new book with and about Marty Nothstein, entitled The Price of Gold. Nothstein is a former World and Olympic track cycling champion, who was known as a terror both on and off the track. Dille talks about the process of writing the book, and provides a few tidbits to whet your appetite for a good summer read.

After some news and a break, Diane welcomes Tour of Utah President Steve Miller. The Tour of Utah is billed as “America’s Toughest Stage Race”, and is poised to attract some of the top pro teams in 2012. Situated in early August between the TdF and the Vuelta, the Tour of Utah should deliver a treat for racing fans with TV and live streaming coverage.

If you’ve ever wanted to do a triathlon, but didn’t know how you could fit all that training into your already packed weekly schedule, Joe Friel has the solution for you. The second edition of his book Your First Triathlon: Race Ready in Five Hours a Week is out. Check out Diane’s interview with Joe, and then check out the first chapter of the book here.

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Show #91 – May 26, 2012

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This week’s Outspoken Cyclist is all about “challenge”. The world of sports in general throws around the word “challenge” a lot. Many iconic events have the word “challenge” in their names. Today’s show features three people who will see your so-called challenge and raise you a life-altering experience.

Leading off is Davis Phinney, one of America’s greatest and most successful bike racers. Davis is married to Connie Carpenter-Phinney, a successful racer in her own right, and their son Taylor is currently racing the Giro d’Italia. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 40, and has since formed the Davis Phinney Foundation to raise funds and awareness to help people with Parkinson’s live well today and every day. Davis has some great insights on his own experience with PD, as well as the subject of ‘cure vs. management’.

Bringing it back to the local level here in Cleveland, we welcome back our friend and Alaskan ‘wild rider” Doug Bahniuk. Like Davis Phinney, Doug is also living with Parkinson’s (and living well, by the looks of him), and this summer he’ll be Riding the Rockies with the goal of raising $5,000 for the Davis Phinney Foundation. Check out Doug’s blog for more details.

Last, but certainly not least, our final guest today is Mark Stephan. In 2007, Mark was involved in a cycling crash that broke two vertebrae in his neck and left him a quadriplegic. Two years later, he climbed stairs to the top of the Sears Tower. This summer, he’s riding cross country on a recumbent trike. After you hear his amazing story on The Outspoken Cyclist, you’ll want to learn more at Stephan Challenge.

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Show #90 – May 19, 2012

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May is National Bike Month, and the season is just getting into full swing for a lot of riders. But in between all that riding, ya gotta keep up with what’s going on, right? Never fear, The Outspoken Cyclist is here to maximize your intake of cyclinformation.

Aaron Gulley participates in, and writes about athletic pursuits of all types for a number of publications, including Outside Magazine. Listen as he describes his path as a journalist, and some of his favorite topics.

Ellee Thalheimer is another great example of an immersion writer. She brings a rich history of adventure travel and cycle touring to her new book Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Oregon.

And finally, we wrap up with a visit from three “repeat offenders” on The Outspoken Cyclist: framebuilders Josh Symonds, Mike Zancanato, and Richard Sachs. They’re here to talk about their upcoming Baller’s Ride, happening May 25th – 27th in Virginia.