Category Archives: Bicycling

E065 – Dan Sorger: DBC City Bike Design



This has been perhaps our most controversial episode to date, garnering criticisms from listeners, guests, and others in the industry.  If we had heard a single voice of disagreement, we would take it with a grain of salt, but, after several voices from the bicycling industry have raised concerns about Dan Sorger’s professionalism and claims to innovation, we’re inclined to make you aware of those concerns with you before presenting this interview.  As always, we prefer that you listen judiciously and arrive at your own conclusions.  Thanks for listening, and enjoy.

Dan Sorger of City Bike Design and I sat down for a conversation last December to talk about his bicycle design company.  Sorger designs bicycles designed specificially for utilitarian users in the Boston metro area and is fervently passionate about making bicycles that work for the people that use them for local transportation.

we discuss: problems with dutch bikes, 10,000 moving parts & a guaranteed warranty, serious transportation & balance, focus on the customers, a staff that understands the mission of the company, the bicycle fills the niche, building bicycles for specific locations, designing to avoid fatigue, redesigning bicycles for today’s manufacturing technologies, designing lighting and aesthetic features, and much else.

Also, Brandon is out this week, and Brock’s old friends Billy SkiffingtonJordan Boldt, and Jesse Califf dropped by before the recording was finalized, so they added their voices to the mix to keep Brock from sounding like a guy alone with a microphone in a small room; nominal success can be assumed.  Jordan details his experience as the manager of a farmers’ market.

Mailbag
Ryan in Georgetown ON: “made a few Canadian Beer suggestions that I understand you can get at http://www.johnsmarketplace.com/Bottles/. Is this place close to you? I would be interested in your bike touring set up: What bikes do your tour with? Are they the same bikes as you commute with? Is the bike aluminum or chromo? 26 or 700cc? How many bags? Fenders? Drop Bars? The more detail the better.  I have been studying Bike touring and am gearing up for my first small venture out.”

Chris in Arcata CA: “I just wanted to remind everyone the importance of using a correct size saddle on your bike.  It’s important particularly in the back of the saddle that it is wide enough for your sits bones to seat properly on the saddle.  Though you don’t want the saddle too wide as that will interfere with hip rotation.  Why am I putting out this reminder?  I found recently a lump that had developed on my rear end near the “exit point” if you will.  Turns out I had a small external hemorrhoid.  Good bike shops have a device to measure your “sit bones” distance.  So just a reminder…be sure to have a properly fitted saddle for your ride!  Keep up the great interviews at sprocket headquarters guys!”

Donations from Ryan in Ontario & JohnnyK in FL, thank you!

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E064 – David Watson, Pete Stidman: Boston Advocacy



In today’s episode we share two interviews with two Boston, MA based bicycling advocate organization leaders: David Watson of MassBike, a comprehensive statewide entity, and Pete Stidman of the Boston Cyclists Union, which focuses on the city itself.  Josh Zisson of Bike Safe Bostonmade the connection with MassBike and Rob Sadowsky of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance in Portland, OR suggested the BCU; many thanks to both for more quality interviews!  We’ll have one more Boston interview next week while Brock is in Europe, while Brandon and Aaron Flores will host an interview with Martina from Clever Cycles the week after.

We also mentioned the quick sale of all positions in this year’s Cycle Oregon week ride – perhaps some of you will have the opportunity to join in for next year’s event!

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E063 – Amos’ Touring Stories



Amos Hunter rejoins us at the Sprocket Podcast for a discussion of some of his bicycle touring mishaps, and he also brings a game of “Guess the Bicycle” with him!

We also discuss:
Greg Hum visits, Best Bands Ever 2012BU Bridge bike lanes & the Liveable Streets Alliance in Boston, MA

and an extra bit of audio with Amos describing his new shaving method.

Headlines
BikePortland: the City of Beaverton plans a downtown redesign more friendly to bikes and pedestrians
BikePortland: bicycle fashion show seeks models for event
Taking the Lane: many photos demonstrate how NOT to lock your bike
PathLessPedaled: Damian Day outruns his disabilities by cycling up to 10,000km a year
RowdyKittens: after giving it a solid try, Tammy Strobel decides to get an iPhone

Mailbag
Carl from CA: “I was checking out this site: alpacka rafts. Totally funky and functional @ the same time. In one section they mention a couple of crazy dudes that ‘bikerafted’ the Alaskan Lost Coast: http://lostcoastbike.blogspot.com/ it looked real gnarly!”

Logan in PDX: “The story of stuff now has a podcast!”

Rance via Facbook: “LOVE THE KIDDICAL MASS idea. We had a Critcal mass a few years ago and I really didn’t like the negative vibe. I ride everyday and don’t want to piss off drivers. I thought we were going to ride as a group to show that there were a lot of us on bike, but many used it as a chance to yell at cars and ride like an idiot. Keep up the great work!”

Katie Proctor shares a link to the video of a Mom bicycling with 6 kids aboard!

JohnnyK submits an article from the distant past and a modern solution from instructables.com for carrying children in bicycle sidecars.

 

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E062 – Katie Proctor: Kidical Mass



Katie Proctor of the Portland Kidical Mass tells us about bicycling with children and how to begin changing transportation culture by having fun with how we get around.  It includes hot chocolate…

Also: swrve jeans, waterfalls and moss, crosscountry skiing,the Rick Emerson Show ends, and shit cyclists say

Headlines
RT from Michael Andersen: “The chained TriMet buses look like children excessively bundled up by well meaning yet overzealous parents”exm.nr/zRCcsz
Cycle Wild: new schedule for Portland area bicycle camping in 2012 is posted! go camping.
Listener Blayne in BC builds his own bookshelf instead of buying one – here’s how
BikePortland: City of Sherwood bans bicycles around “public places,” then amends law amidst outcry
BikePortland: SoupCycle reaches milestone 50,000th delivery

Mailbag
Patrick in Davis CA:  “As I was watching the Heat vs Bulls play today on tv, the commentators mentioned that due to the Miami marathon Lebron biked to work and that he sponsors a biking charity. They showed his bike, embossed  with his nickname “King James”, kinda cool.  I remember back in the era of “Neon Deon” that Deon Sanders would bike to games when he played for the Reds. Wonder how many other athletes bike to work?  Have a good show, Pav.”

Carl in CA: “I have been following this couple for a while. They are Raw Vegan evangelist Freelee Love ( Raw Fit Bitch) and Harley Johnstone (Durian Rider ). They live in Australia where they follow their passion of Raw Vegan eating, cycling and running. They are very adamant about their passions and have been loading the inter webs with informative and funny videos for a while now.”  Also: “Q. Do young people really go to Portland to retire?”

Donations: JohnnyK in FL, Blayne from BC.  thanks folks!

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E060 – Matt Picio: Cast Iron Cyclist



We’re pleased to have Matt Picio, founder of Cycle Wild and also known as the Cast Iron Cyclist, joining us to discuss people camping out by bike and his fantastic cross-country bicycle tour.

Headlines
from Logan: Pedal-powered Shanty Boat is a mobile place to live
from Jeremy in AL: handcrafted wooden bikes made from felled city trees
Taking The Lane: the Conservative case for bicycling might surprise you
PathLessPedaled: Russ gets beaten by an angry motorist in NZ, but he’s OK
Oregonian: Boring Station under construction for a paved end to the Springwater Corridor

Mailbag
Ethan from Pedal Power: “I hope all is well. This might be a bit too “fred” for you folks but if you care to promote our Pedal Power jersey sale we’d appreciate it. The artwork is done by Kathleen King, a great artist whose done some other work for me. All proceeds will be used to help save the earth.”

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E059 – Josh Zisson: Bike Safe Boston



This week, in lieu of Dr. Jeff’s scheduled appearance, we present an interview Brock taped with bike lawyer Josh Zisson from Boston, MA during his December travels.  Josh has been working on bicycle law awareness and connecting bicyclists with resources for legal problems and clear presentation of state bicycle laws across the country.  He was also recently featured in an article from Fast Company.  And don’t worry, Dr. Jeff will be back in February once Brandon is done celebrating his birthday!

We discuss: bike lawyers, bicycling improvements in Boston, bike czar Nicole Freedman, perceptions and visibility, TravellingTwo & the dutch perspective, LA’s bicycle harassment law, confrontations, taking the lane, Whale’s Tale Pale Ale from Nantucket, Josh’s Bicycle Accident Reportcards, the Idaho Stop Law, Josh writes about “Putting Your Foot Down,” hopes for the future of bicycling in Boston, the Hubway bike share program, low income neighborhoods and transportation options, Brock’s take on Boston and its liquor laws, Portland: a paradise for bicyclists?, the armored car incident, parking meters and bike politics, Boston Bikes, Fred Armisen’s fear of bicyclilng, rail crossings that might be more bike-friendly, thePrince Spaghetti Factory, the shocking state of state laws, a catalyst for advocacy, bike boxes, knowledge leads to possibilities, Tim Jaques and the mispronunciation of his name, reflective Bike Safe Boston T-Shirts to benefit advocate groups, and the possibility of a burgeoning bicycle law network to protect you from unconscionable (or “scumbag”) lawyers.

Headlines
via SoupCycle: Educate yourself about which foods to definitely buy organic and which aren’t as bad.
via Ethan from PedalPower: bicycle composting tumbler helps you aerate your food scraps for the garden
via Michael Andersen: experimenting with packless travel!
via Carl in CA: many youngsters are finding driving to be less appealling

Mailbag
JohnnyK says “I really love coffee.  I probably drink more coffee than you guys drink alcohol.”

Chris in Arcata says: “I’m in Arcata, CA. Thank you for a podacst full of great fun, and info. Your podcast, and portland in general provide me constant inspiration to advocate bike issues in Arcata. I ride a sidewinder trike cycle which gets lots of attention in town. I also am a kinetic grand champion racer. Most well known as the “peace peddler”, and more recently the “sprocket brothers-private eyes” solving a case on the course. With a awesome portland based pit crew ! I have other bikes as well. My bicycle base is for fun, excersice, utilitarian uses. So a good variety of uses. Recently have seen two cargo bikes in town. Spoke to the woman on one yesterday, and she always has her child in the cargo box. It looks adorable, and practical. She said she got the cargo bike used in portland. I recently got the little package ear flap cap. So rest assured portland has it’s presence on the beautiful northern CA coast.” Thanks for the donation Chris!

Patrick in Davis CA says: “received the cool Sprocket Podcast stickers. I put one on my pepper peddler coffee box and one on work point of sale computer. Hope you get more UC Davis listeners in the coming new year. Really enjoyed the interview and learned new things about my coffee.”  Also, thanks for the Donation!

 

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E058 – Tom’s Cargo Bikes



Tom’s Cargo Bikes builds all kinds of conveyances from repurposed bicycle frames in style and with finesse.  Tom LaBonty gives us the rundown on how he got into this pastime, how he cut his chops on the skills necessary, and what he’s done with the bikes he builds.  You can get yours, too, and for not as much as you’d expect to pay!  Check out tomscargobikes.com

We discuss individual builds, growing up in Montana and fixing up muscle cars, moving to the city and getting out of regular car use, massive snowstorms, cargo bikes at Alaska Air, learning the terminology, 50 bikes built, Spin Art Bike, Yolo Colorhouse, blender bike, the Xtracycle,Multnomah County Bike FairBikes for Humanitybake feets, proprietary steering systems, “it’s all in beta,” marshmallow roasting, bass player uses cargo bike, Dutch sperm cargo bike, an unwitting bidding war, Tom’s portland hotel bike serves beer & coffee, and environmental pragmatism.

Brock & Brandon also discuss the possibility of stickers, prom themes and sea foam, whipped cream and other delights, new years’ plans, and pensive adolescent habits.  Also: quad frame tallbike video! 

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E057 – Pedal Powered Family



A Happy Christmas to all, and to all another great archived interview.  The Pedal Powered Family consisting of Reuben, Heidi, Eden, and Harper have been on the road now for some time, giving their children a unique opportunity to discover the world while taking hold of a personal dream themselves.

With them we discuss British Columbia, warmshowers.org, the route (and their progress on a map here), website and blog, Voodoo Doughnuts, their bikes & setup (including a genius DIY sun/rain cover), their Portland visit, interruptions, employment – being self employed and leveraging an extended leave of absence, emailfacebook & twitter, traveling with kids and listening to their schedules, less time working hard & going fast, routine is good, heading south into Mexico & South America, then to the east coast, other modes of transport: rental car & train, simple living: finance & reducing expenses, minimalizing

Brock & Brandon discuss their own holiday traditions, what counts as a Northwestern state, TriMet free rides on New Year’s Eve before the interview.  Also Brandon suggests sharing Brock’s Xmas Mixtape.

Mailbag
JohnnyK sends his comment to E54, as does Logan. 

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


E056 – Jena Robinson



This week we talk to old friend Jena Robinson, who currently lives in the Nashville, Tennessee region, about her work with food reclamation and helping to meet needs.  We discuss: Nashville Greenlands, the Lents neighborhood of Tennessee, a work cooperative arrangement, dumpster diving, Nashville Food Project, garden management, meal delivery, working yourself out of business, primitivism leanings, accounting for non-financial costs, ethnic diversity in the community, etc.

While trying to connect with Jena, we weren’t sure if we’d connect with her and in a panic invited our wives to sit down with microphones and BS a bit.  It REALLY is a little rambly, due to the hosts’ ill-preparedness, and not to be ascribed to our wives.  Topics include bicycling accidents, coffee overnighters, new helmets, etc.

We also discuss regional Pacific Northwest accents, and also historical ones a la Daniel Day-Lewis.  And Brock is looking to have coffee or beer with Boston area listeners in the last two weeks of December.

Mailbag
Street Books is hosting a book drive.  By this week it’s already happened but you can check their wish list and make donations here.

Logan sends us an article on the Oregon Trail game from Dave Knows Portland!

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)


Stickers are now available!



Just in time – perhaps a tad late for Christmas, but for personal holiday of the heart, we’ve received our first run of bike-sized stickers from Bike Punk and want to make them available to you if you want one. Here’s what the stickers look like (they are about 4 inches in width):

Here’s the deal: we’d like to send these to anyone who wants them for a minimal donation. The stickers cost about 50 cents to make, these days a stamp is about 50 cents, and PayPal’s fees are about 30 cents plus a small cut of the donation amount. So if you can send us a donation of $1.50 we can send you one sticker; add another 50 cents for each additional sticker you would like sent to you. Remember to specify which color scheme (black background or white background) and amounts you wish for, and above all, include your address so we know where to send your sticker!

Portland residents can message us and arrange cash for the stickers at just 50 cents each, and Brock or Brandon might be able to deliver them personally! Or say hello if you see us in public and ask if we have some on us.

Bike Punk prints on USA-made vinyl with eco-conscious ink using renewable energy and a really neat printer! They also have a delightful assortment of their own sticker designs, among other things.

Thanks, and happy holidays!

Brock + Brandon