Category Archives: Technology

E076 – Ryan J. Lane

May 7, 2012Bicycling, Communication, Gardening, Music, Technologysprocketpodcast

Ryan J Lane is a musician, photographer, deep thinker and all-around good guy. As the creator of our show’s theme music, we wanted to have him in to discuss what simple living looks like to him, and also have a chance to hear him play some songs live in our studio! We talk about giving recordings away for free, his bicycling experiences, his career as an independent photographer, the advent of iphone photography, and the philosophic and theological discussions in Tolstoy’s writings on faith, simpler living and life change.

Brock’s 30th birthday party is coming up at Cartlandia: Best Bands Ever 2012, a free music festival!

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Headlines
TRANSPORTland: my grandma was a cargo bike rider
NW Farms & Food: what weeds can tell you about your garden
LiveLeak.com: chinese dog acts as sentinel against bicycle theft
STV: Scottish thief returns bicycle to owner with chocolate bar and apology note

Mailbag
Patrick in Davis CA: “Hello Brock and Brandon, continue to love the Sprocket Podcast, keep up the good work. Wanted to respond to last weeks show regarding voting in national elections. I feel it’s very important to vote in both local and national elections. The current Tea Party controlled house is an excellent example of why elections matter. Important funding for transportation, research and other important social issues has dissipated. Replaced by old social issue battles that we all thought were over. I happen to be running for City council this year. It’s been a very educational experience. One issue that may interest you is how local businesses enjoy bike tourists and weekend riders.”

Josh in Cully, PDX: “Heard of anyone Railbiking in Oregon? Quite a few abandoned railroads in OR. Best thing I’ve heard about Charlie Hales is that he wants to turn an abandoned rail into a trail from the city [of Portland] all of the way to the coast. It’s hard to imagine how successful it would be for tourism if you could fly/ train into the city and get all the way to Astoria (great coast city) without being on a road at all.”

Chris in Arcata CA: “Just a heads up. I ordered some swrve stuff. The cotton skinny knickers, and the milwaukee ES jacket. Great products ! Wanted to mention that some products are made in LA. They also make some products overseas. My knickers have a made in USA tag on them. Talked with them over the phone a few times. Very friendly they sound like a good small crew of folks! My Levi commuters have a happy place with me though as well.”

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)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E075 – Michael Andersen: Low-Car Life & Politics

April 30, 2012Advocacy, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Communication, Doin' It, Downsizing, Gardening, Housing, Kitchen, Technology, Transit, Walkingsprocketpodcast

We welcome our favorite relentlessly upbeat transit journalist Michael Andersen, chief dictator of the fine publication Portland Afoot, back to the show for more talk about Portland’s transit environment and economy and the joys of low-car life.

Brandon is freaked out by billionaire asteroid miners.

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Michael brings a lightning round quiz for simple life perspectives on nouns, but after a discussion on local transit politics.

Headlines
BikePortland: “Dutchtubs” are about to revolutionize Portland OR’s leisure scene
BikePortland: jogger asks about legality and courtesy of jogging in streets
Grid Chicago: Bees are coming! On bikes!
Taking the Lane: Elly Blue hosts a contest to discover the nation’s worst bicycling streets
BikePortland: circling Mt. Hood on a mountain bike just got easier
PSU Vanguard: Bus, MAX, streetcar, or taxi?

Mailbag
Jim says: “Check out this link to an upcoming indie film to be released regarding Tom Allen’s big tour and the decisions he had to make….:http://janapar.com/ Looking forward to your upcoming path less pedaled interview… and also appreciated your interview w Rebecca Lerner.”

Dan in MN on the foraging episode: “looking for free food was a must in my family when I was growing up. We caught fish, ate mushrooms, harvested wild rice, did maple sirup camp, picked hazelnuts, and ate ferns. We also made our own medicines. Nice to know that other people do this.”

JohnnyK in FL: “if you don’t want flats from glass just get Tire Liners; however you will never get a Fred to use these because God forbid they add weight to their bikes.” Also: “Ok just got back from the Dinner with Elly Blue and friends. I really enjoyed it and it was very much a learning experience. So now I cannot wait for your interview with her.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E074 – Adam Clement: Retroshift

April 23, 2012Bicycling, Building, Communication, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

We welcome Adam Clement from Retroshift to talk about cyclocross, manufacturing and sales in a complex financial world, and his innovative new method of changing gears!

Bike Safe Portland wallet-sized accident reports are available now in Portland bicycle shops near you! Thanks to Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston and the Bike Safe Nation project.

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Mailbag
Rory from Kalamazoo commutes to school 5 days a week now that it’s warmer, and is curious about our suggestions for merino wool clothing companies. Also suggests Bell’s Brewery Oberon Ale!

Logan in PDX points us toward the Global Database on Bus Rapid Transit!

And Chris from Arcata CA gives a positive review of the Levi’s 511 Commuter Jeans. Brock also suggests the Swrve Cordura jeans if you want to support the little guy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E072 – Ayleen Crotty: Filmed By Bike 10

April 9, 2012Bicycling, Brewing, Communication, Gardening, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

Ayleen Crotty, unassailable overlord of the immensely popular Portland institution Filmed By Bike, joins us to celebrate the event’s 10th year, and to explain how it got started and how it works today. She also brought along a generous and tasty supply of Temperance Bourbon!

The Sprocket Podcast is now available on Stitcher smart radio! If you use the service, you can add us to your programming roster.

Headlines
Oregonian: A Bethlehem PA transit bus blocks the getaway of a hit-and-run against a bicyclist
Oregonian: cycling clothing Rapha more than just a clothing company
BikePortland: bike culture hub VeloCult moves to Portland from San Diego to much acclaim
BikePortland: community bike shops are changing the face of cycling in America

Mailbag
Louis Avden leaves us a gardening update from Kentucky!

JohnnyK, resident FOG says of peak oil: “You can’t suck on mothers milk forever kids…” Also he pointed us towards these folding pedals available from Universal Cycles to stave off future thread-stripping incidents.

Steve in MT refers us to the Theft Resistant Bike Light, the Defender, on Kickstarter (almost there!) and the physics of how bicycles stay upright.

Dan from the Leech Lake Reservation says: “Nice show, You guys motivate me every day to get out and keep riding my bike.” And he has a bike blog: http://ditibiwebishkiganbicycle.blogspot.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E069 – Matt Picio on Peak Oil

March 19, 2012Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Communication, Downsizing, Gardening, Housing, Kitchen, Technology, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Matt Picio rejoins the show to discuss the Peak Oil hypothesis/phenomenon with Brandon.

Youtube Video Series: Albert Bartlett on the Exponential Function
Recommended Reading: The Long Descent by John Michael Greer, The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler, Reinventing Collapse by Dmitry Orlov

Also: the man (not a woman, as we had thought) undertaking a bicycle tour while eating at a budget below the poverty line.

Also: Humanity on Wheels: An Evening of Mass Transit Tales! This Tuesday, March 20 at 7:30pm at The Jack London Bar, 529 SW 4th Ave in Portland OR

Headlines
Treehugger via Carl: the “Mamachari” from Japan offers mothers a compact kid-carrying solution

Mailbag
JohnnyK in FL: “Welcome back Brock it sounds like you had a wonderful time on the other side of the pond. What is it about trains that brings out the 5 year old in us. Anyway I am taking the good Dr.’s advise and I am slowing the F!@k down. I think this is why turtles live so long. I want to be a turtle.” Also he found an explanation of old school shaving similar to that of Amos Hunter.

Carl in CA: “I am pissed! While riding through the many parking lots of the Tustin Market Place, I was pulled over on my bike by a mall cop. Why you ask? I had no shirt on! I was heading to REI and as always would put my shirt on before I entered the store. But I was outside in a huge parking lot…” He also wonders when and where he entered a communist country.

Chris in Arcata: “Are you familiar with kinetic sculpture racing? These are hand built pedal powered machines with crazy engineering, and often crazy art. Often machines have multiple peddlers with costumes, bribes, poems, etc… We peddle on street, sand, mud, water. I’m a well known racer within the community, though I’m taking a break from being an actual racer this year. Last our team was first in speed, and I think we got a engineering award…. This race was born in Humboldt county, California. This race is memorial weekend starting in Arcata… Other locations that do this race [are] Baltimore, Australia, Port Townsend, Corvallis (Da Vinci days), Klamath Falls, and perhaps others… peaceful peddling from Arcata.”

Darren from Australia: “just a quick email to let you know about my cycle touring blog, www.cycletourer.blogspot.com. I’m spending the year travelling to various parts around the globe for one mega cycle adventure. I’ve just completed a little over 7 weeks on New Zealand’s south island cycling with some amazing people from around the globe… It’s amazing how many people have commented on the podcast stickers on my bike so I’m hoping to have converted many cycle tourists to the dark side… I was hoping to catch up with Russ and Laura of The Path Less Pedaled as Laura created a custom head badge for my Surly, but alas, we unfortunately did not cross paths.” His next stops are London, Cornwall, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Germany, & Denmark for an estimated 10,000km on the cycle computer before the tour ends.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E066 – Martina Fahrner: Clever Cycles

February 27, 2012Bicycling, Business, Cargo, Communication, Family, Technologysprocketpodcast

With Brock in Germany, The Sprocket invites regular guest-host Aaron Flores to cover and man the boards. You could say he’s on his way to becoming their Steve Martin.

This episode’s guest is Martina Fahrner from Clever Cycles. We talk of the gender-divide within in the cycling industry (how it’s getting better and where it still needs to grow), how bicycles can be a utilitarian and not just a recreational instrument for life without a car and life with children, and we congratulate Aaron for staying sober while behind the steering wheel of the podcast.

enjoy!

Brandon

dictated not read

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E065 – Dan Sorger: DBC City Bike Design

February 20, 2012Bicycling, Building, Technologysprocketpodcast

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 Skiffington, Jordan 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!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E061 – Bobby Roberts: Transit Tweets

January 23, 2012Communication, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

Today we speak with Portland radio & podcast legend Bobby Roberts about Portland transit, bicycling, and culture. Mr. Roberts is one of the hosts of the Cort & Fatboy daily podcast, as well as a host on Hamfisted Radio, and is also notable for a plethora of other things.

Headlines
BBC via BikePortland: how does one cycle across the south pole?
Koga via BDR: mutating bicycle makes hiking more fun on the downhill portions
Treehugger via Susan: Lund, Sweden boasts a 60% bicycle commuter rate and is planning a 4-lane bicycle highway
Dutch Bike Co. via Susan: hipsters deserve credit for zip ties as a bicycle traction device
BikePortland: Portland Afoot distributes low-car life info in neighborhoods, furnishes “WalkScores.”

Mailbag
from David Heddy: “Looks like we might need to start looking for some ‘fair-trade’ tech. products…” also This American Life’s coverage of the topic.
Note: we discussed TAL’s episode with Mike Daisey shortly before much controversy erupted around it, so take our thoughts on it all with the necessary grain of salt needed to fully contextualize the piece.

Greg Hum writes from Boston; he’s a drum-biker and knows the guy that gave Brock his new helmet.

Also, we forgot to mention it on the show, but Josh Zisson from Bike Safe Boston sent us some t-shirts and we are now representing them properly:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E058 – Tom’s Cargo Bikes

January 1, 2012Bicycling, Building, Technologysprocketpodcast

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 Fair, Bikes for Humanity, bake 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!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

E057 – Pedal Powered Family

December 25, 2011Bicycling, Downsizing, Family, Technology, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

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, email, facebook & 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS | More