26 February 2007: Calling All Bicycle Filmmakers!

Posted on February 27, 2007 by Jack Thurston

Looking ahead to the 2007 Bicycle Film Festival, which has plans for screenings in 15 countries including a third year in London. In the studio is the BFF’s London coordinator Roxy Erickson. We discuss how to make a great bicycle film, even if you’re not an experienced filmmaker. We also tap our feet to the all time grooviest soundtrack of a cycling film: a half hour film about the London-Holyhead road race, at the time the world’s longest single day race.

Two great British-made bicycling short films that ought to be featured in this year’s Bicycle Film Festival are:

Four Minute Tour, a stunning look at the Tour de France, featuring audio from The Bike Show.

Country Commute, a hilarious and charming ride across the Cornish countryside, featuring plenty-o-helmet camera.

MP3 Download

Ogg Vorbis Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Vote for The Bike Show

Posted on February 21, 2007 by Jack Thurston

I have to confess that I’m amazed and delighted at the success of The Bike Show’s podcast edition. Most listeners will be aware that The Bike Show is made for broadcast on Resonance FM, an experimental art radio station in London. However, thanks to podcasting, it is reaching a much wider audience, right around the globe.

So first of all, thanks again to Jon Oates, who first encouraged me to get my podcasting act together and held my hand while I flapped around trying to do it. This was back in May 2005, in the early prehistory of podcasting, before iTunes podcast directory, Ricky Gervais and all.

Since then, The Bike Show’s podcast has grown in popularity to a point where it is downloaded each week by between 1000 and 1500 subscribers! Almost all of this has been through word of mouth. I have done zero promotion as I’m too busy just making the show itself every week.

But I’ve been told that a good way to spread the word about The Bike Show is to vote for it on Podcast Alley. You can do that in a flash by clicking here. So far there is a grand total of 7 votes. The show deserves more than that, doesn’t it?

12 February 2007: More experimental bicycle music

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Jack Thurston

Pipe cycle Another thrilling dip into the world of experimental music involving bicycles. With guest in the studio Andy Cox, guitarist in The Beat, Fine Young Cannibals and Cribabi, who is known to play the occasional bicycle. We feature Frank Zappa’s first ever TV appearance (see below) – playing a bike! Plus music made by Sylvia Hallett, the Portland Bike Ensemble, Jon Rose’s Pursuit Project and Jab Mica Och El. Andy shares a few exclusive fragments of his own bicycle music.

Thanks to the knowledgeable folk at Create Digital Music for many of the leads on the music in this show.

See the full Frank Zappa appearance on the Steve Allen Show (1963): Part one and Part two.

MP3 download

Ogg Vorbis download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

5 February 2007: Cyclosportives, bicycle podcasting and Budapest

Posted on February 8, 2007 by Jack Thurston

In this week’s show we hear from Patrick Field about how to survive the grueling Paris-Brest-Paris: by riding a recumbent. Also a look at the blossoming world of bicycle radio and podcasting and a look ahead to the best in cyclosportives in 2007.

Links:

Bikescape podcast from San Francisco.

Rapha’s ‘Culture Clash’ Roller Race at Shoreditch Town Hall – 10 February 2007

Dartmoor Classic Cyclosportive
– 13 May 2007

Tour de France Mega-Sportive – 1 July 2007

L’Eroica Cyclosportive – 7 October 2007 (pictured above)

MP3 Download

Ogg Vorbis Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

29 January 2007: Going the Distance and the Physics of the Bicycle

Posted on February 2, 2007 by Jack Thurston

First run in 1891 as a race designed to demonstrate the practicality of the bicycle, Paris Brest Paris has since become a four yearly event that attracts long distance cyclists from around the world. This year is a Paris Brest Paris year and Kieron Yates – this week standing in for Jack Thurston – talks to Richard Phipps of Audax UK, the British long distance cycling association, about preparing for the ride and what to expect should he make it to Paris.

Also on today’s show Kieron tries to discover just how it is that we stay upright on our bikes as we pootle off down the road. Physicist, Dr Helen Czerski, provides the answers, describes the ‘Einstein flip‘, and confirms the efficiency of the bicycle. Helen is a member of the NOISE network of scientists.

MP3 Download

Ogg Vorbis Download