Category Archives: Uncategorized

No Cops, No Cars, No Concrete: Gary Fisher’s Life on Two Wheels

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Jack talks with founding father of the mountain bike Gary Fisher about his life in cycling, the subject of his new book “Being Gary Fisher”, published by Blue Train Publishing.

After talking with Gary, Jack chats with Guy Andrews and Guy Kesteven about how they made the book happen, and their own reflections on Gary’s impact on the world of cycling.

The brilliant film of the 1980 Crested Butte to Aspen Klunker Classic is on YouTube here (part 1) and here (part 2).

Being Gary Fisher is available from Blue Train Publishing over here.

For free UK postage and packaging quote the code THEBIKESHOW at checkout. This is a time limited offer at the discretion of the publishers.

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When Podcasts Collide

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Find out what happens when The Bike Show collides with its hipper and funnier younger sister the Wheelsuckers podcast, presented by Alex Davis from Look Mum No Hands! and Jenni Gwiazdowski from London Bike Kitchen. And hear frame-builder and cycle tech expert Richard Hallett weigh the pros and cons of various new technologies that are flooding the bike market. Are disc brakes always a good idea? Should we all be riding on fatter tyres? And are press fit bottom brackets a long overdue development or the work of the Satan himself? Plus the lowdown on Jack’s new book Lost Lanes West: 36 Glorious Rides in the West Country.

More:

Buy Lost Lanes West

Listen to more from the Wheelsuckers podcast

Check out Hallett Handbuilt Cycles

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Higher, Faster, Rougher, Wilder with Max Leonard

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The return of The Bike Show sees Jack chewing the fat with Max Leonard, author of Higher Calling: Road Cycling’s Obsession with the Mountains. They talk a lot about climbing, bikepacking, the evolution of cycling towards exploring new places, about cycling in France, and about Max’s Kickstarter project to republish a long-lost cycling guide to the off-road paths and gravel tracks of the Alps.

Max is also the author of Lanterne Rouge: The Last Man in the Tour de France, The Men of Paris-Roubaix and City Cycling Europe.

You can back his Kickstarter for Rough Stuff Cycling in the Alps

You’ll find Max on Instagram and Twitter @m_xl

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Can Cycling Save the World? with The Guardian’s Peter Walker

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Peter Walker (pictured, above) is a political reporter at the Guardian newspaper. He set up the Guardian’s bike blog and his new book puts the case for a healthier, safer and more people-friendly nation. In short, a Bike Nation. In conversation with Jack Thurston, Peter talks about his past life as bike messenger, how his views on cycling have evolved and why he believes now is a critical tipping point in Britain’s long and chequered history of cycling.

Bike Nation: How Cycling Can Save the World is published by Yellow Jersey Press.

Photo credit: Graham Turner

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200 Years of Cycling

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This year marks 200 years since Karl Drais invented a two wheeled ‘running machine’. Since then all sorts of people have ridden all sorts of bicycles for all sorts of reasons. Looking back at two centuries of cycling and cyclists is Dr Michael Hutchinson, former professional bike racer and author of several books about cycling. His latest is “Re:Cyclists – 200 years on two wheels” is an engaging and affectionate look back at the cyclists of the past two hundred years and has just been published by Bloomsbury.

The Just Giving page for donations in memory of Mike Hall is here.

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The Indian Pacific Wheel Race: Overlanders of the 21st Century

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The Indian Pacific Wheel Race is a gruelling 5,500 km coast-to-coast bicycle race across Australia. The race features the two leading long distance bike racers in the world as well as dozens of other cyclists determined to push themselves to the very limits of physical and mental endurance. Jack is joined by Australian cycling journalist Craig Fry and long distance cycling expert Chris White to discuss what it takes to win the race, or even to get to the finishing line in Sydney, plus the long history of overlanding in Australia and the possibilities of making the journey in a more leisurely cycle touring style.

Follow the race at Curve Cycling. And on the live tracker. And on twitter.

Read Craig Fry’s features on the IndyPac for SBS and Cycling Tips.

Read Chris White’s tips on long distance cycle racing and bikepacking

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Under Monmouthshire Skies: Riding with Mike Parker

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Mike Parker is the author of the best-selling Map Addict, an affectionate history of Ordnance Survey maps and the people who can’t get enough of their beautiful maps. He’s an accomplished guidebook writer, a former stand up comedian and has presented TV and radio programmes about Wales, his adopted homeland. In 2015 he stood for Parliament for Plaid Cymru, the party of Wales and has written a book, the Greasy Poll, about the experience. We go for a spin from Castle Meadows in Abergavenny, as it hosted the National Eisteddfod, a huge annual festival of Welsh language, culture, music and song.

You can find out more about Mike and his work on his website.

If you enjoyed the musical choices in the show, then check out the two volume compilation Welsh Rare Beat, selections of 1970s Welsh folk-rock-psychedelia compiled by Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys and DJs Andy Votel and Dom Thomas. It’s out of print but available as a download or via Spotify.

If you’re a Welsh learner, or want to read English translations of some great Welsh music, check out the DistantDreamer93 Youtube channel.

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