Michigan and Indiana cycling scenes are worth talking about. Michiana Spoken focuses on the people, events, and locations that make these areas great. The cast provides you with the news, event coverage and general knowledge needed to improve your bike time in these areas.
American road cycling is dominated by the Crit Racing scene. It's fast, dramatic, and dangerous which provides all the thrills of a good spectator sport. Dylan Curtis is a guest speaker on this episode and he's here to talk about racing, team management and the future of road crit racing. Dylan is the team manager of Apex Racing and a race coordinator of the Fat and Skinny tire fest. His expertise and enthusiasm for the sport is contagious and you'll love to hear his perspectives on riding and racing.
With hearts bigger than their legs, Jason and his Cancer be Damned team face life's obstacles with grit and determination. Listen in to hear his story and how he's doubled down on the things he appreciates most.
Nate and Spencer sit down to discuss the TK Lawless Iron Shoe 50 MTB race and Spencer's one day trip to South Carolina to ride Paris Mountain. *We finally fixed the hardware issue and have better sound quality again!
Nate and Spencer sit down to talk about the local race's and rides coming up as well as recent events they've done. They also dive into some new products they've been testing and their take on them. Sorry for the audio quality on this episode, we've been having some issues with our recording device!
2020 brought a wave of new riders to the bike world. The local paths and trails were flooded with riders experiencing the sport we have all loved for their first time. One such rider, Tyler Plummer, decided to document with new riding experiences on his Youtube channel. Tyler, known by his Youtube name of Michiana Madman, saw a need for more educational videos of the local trails to help other new riders experience mountain biking. Listen in to hear his stories of his first year getting into riding.
Some people are drawn to the life of adventure and can't stand the thought of sitting still for too long. We pulled Kymberly Byers away from the ski slopes of West Virginia to talk with her about her Summer bike travels. After attempting the Trans Am bike race in 2019, she wanted more endurance and adventure by bike for the following year. 2020 brought an adventure of epic proportions are she left Fort Wayne, IN and bikepacked 100 consecutive days and traveled over 5500 miles during that trip (over 10k miles for the year!). Listen in to hear all about her travels and future plans!
Hey everyone, it's been way to long! I am hoping to have more consistent content coming to you this year. Thing's are changing up at Michiana Spoken, and I have a new Co-host who will be joining me from here forward. Nate Ganger has been around the shop since he was a teenager, and has grown up to be a very accomplished rider. He brings a wealth of knowledge from his riding, racing and professional wrenching over the past 7 years. So tune in and listen to us talk about our winter riding plans.
Some cyclists are cut from a different cloth than the rest of us. Most enjoy challenging ourselves at some level, but for some, the difficulty of a hill or a century ride just isn't enough. I sat down with one such cyclist, John Mancini, to discuss a race he recently completed. The race known as The Crusher is one of the hardest ultra-distance races in the Midwest. For John, 250 miles and 35 hour ride time wasn't difficult enough, he chose to do it on a single speed through a massive line of thunderstorms! Tune in to hear his stories from the trail, and learn more about what he likes to call his "class three fun".
29028 feet, one ride, one hill, no sleep... This is what Grant Baker set out to do with little preperation and a lot of determination. He had heard of "Everesting" a couple years ago and knew that this was something that he wanted to tackle. Listen in to hear his story!
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the world by bike? Our guest, Mike Dits, spent the last four years traveling 77,000 kilometers across 63 countries and 5 continents--all on two wheels. In this episode we talk about his experience of living life on the road. For more information and to see pictures about his trip, visit his website http://www.renewride.com/.
After a short hiatus Matt and Spencer come back together and revamp the cast following some big changes in setting and structure. While working out some of the kinks in technology the boys get back to business and discuss Spencer’s new partnership with Pivot cycles. Cycling technology makes another quantum leap and the boys are here to report. Settle in and fear not, we’re back in the saddle again!
John Marquardt, former President of Northern Indiana Mountain Bike Association (NIMBA) and Love Biketober Fest associate organizer joins us in the studio. The boys sit down with John to discuss the background of the new event, what it benefits, and also highlight some of the funding projects of Bike Michiana Coalition. John’s association and advocacy is far reaching in the Michiana region, this episode highlights exactly what is so great about Michiana Cycling! For more event information visit: https://lovebiketoberfest.com/ and turn up October 6 at Love Creek County Park in Berrien Springs, MI! Need directions and too lazy to search the main page - we’ve got you covered https://lovebiketoberfest.com/directions/ Food, bikes, and beer… what more do you want!?
Matt takes on new opportunities in Tennessee and heads south. Although an end to his time in Michiana, new doors open for Michiana Spoken. Spencer and Matt discuss the future of the cast, talk shop, and stay true to why they started all this in the first place - for the love of bikes! The cast features trikes, Spencer’s upcoming trade-show, VO2max and a quick review of Carl Grove’s new course record!
Following some vacation and brief hiatus, Spencer and Matt get back in the studio to make up for lost time. This episode of Michiana Spoken is a bit of a variety piece covering everything from sports nutrition, new tech, Michiana cycling events and some opinionated discussions on tubeless tires. Prepare for a trip down the rabbit hole as the boys get back to work and bring you up to speed on all the things they’ve been mulling over since the last cast.
In this episode we sit down to interview living cycling legend, Carl Grove. Carl won his first World Championship at the age of 86, but that was just the beginning. Over the past five years Carl has continued to push himself to his limits, winning multiple world titles. However, his racing career hasn’t come without controversy; some of it reaching the level of international news. Listen in to learn about the ups and downs of Carls’ storied racing career, and hear what he has planned for the future.
Bike racing is fun and donuts are delicious. That’s why The Dirty Donut gravel race sounded so darn intriguing. Spencer sat down with Jeff Pedals to talk about their experience at this inaugural event. Wind, rain, and stomach aches weren’t enough to stop these two from completing this event. Tune in and listen to their stories!
One of the worlds largest gravel races occurred over this past weekend. Dirty Kanza is revered as one of the most grueling adventure gravel races, period. Matt and Spencer sit down with Doug Thomas, a two-time finisher of this harrowing course, to gain some insight on not only what it takes to complete the ride, but also to better understand the rapidly growing gravel culture. Apparently, mullets are somewhat key to understanding the adventure racers mind-set, so settle in and embrace the pace.
Matt and Spencer cast from Winona Lake at the Fat & Skinny Tire Fest. Racing, riding, and cycling culture are the topics of this cast with a special look at what makes FSTF such a successful and well-attended event. Dylan Curtis from Team NeighborLink makes a special guest appearance in the Tramper and helps define how the local cycling scene really punctuates this outstanding event. Follow us on Instagram @michianaspoken Reach us at michianaspoken@gmail.com
Dirt, gravel, road … the biking industry has put a lot of effort into developing machines that can dominate their respective disciplines. Now, with the help of new technologies, bikes are emerging that can do it all - or so they claim. Spencer provides a review of the Salsa WarRoad after putting it through the group ride paces. The boys explore the complexities of tire and wheel sizes and what the industry changes mean for the average rider. Oh, and Matt unknowingly curses the Tour of California’s stage 4. Come join us this weekend for the Fat and Skinny tire fest. Check out the details at https://fatandskinnytirefest.com/ See you in Winona!
Spencer and Matt sit down with Tim Drescher, event organizer and generally great guy, to discuss the upcoming Pumpkinvine Bike Ride on June 15, 2019. Focusing on the finer points of the ride, the group also dives into the rich history of the event, its purpose, and provide some updates on new trail expansion. Spencer and Matt also take some time to answer listener questions about purchasing used parts. If your interested in volunteering for the Pumpkinvine Bike Ride reach out to us here michianaspoken@gmail.com If your interested in riding the Pumpkinvine Bike Ride sign up at: The Pumpkinvine Bike Ride – Goshen-Middlebury-Shipshewana … … and as always, find us on Instagram!
The road cycling season has officially launched in the Michiana region! The long winter hibernation has ended and the wait is over. Power hungry cyclists are on the prowell, keen to shed their winter coats. This marks an exciting time so the boys decided to sit down, catch their breath, and discuss some of the finer points of group rides. Etiquette, tactics, and tech tips for safe group riding punctuate this Hot Laps episode with something for the seasoned and amatuer cyclist alike. Do you have more group ride questions? Let us know @ michianaspoken@gmail.com Interested in Pumpkinvine Cyclery group rides? Check them out @ Pumpkinvine Cyclery’s Club Page on Strava PVC Club Page
Spencer and Matt spend this episode addressing some important topics of safety which are often neglected. Following Melting Mann, Spencer asks some insightful questions regarding first aid and safety preparedness for cyclists. The discussion includes past experiences, recommendations, and newly available tech available to keep cyclists safer and more aware while in the saddle. As the weather turns and we find ourselves out on the roads and trails more often, these are some important points to ponder!
On this episode of Hot Laps the boys give a quick update on some upcoming road and gravel events to help you plan your ride calendar. With spring coming into force, riders will be ready to move outdoors. However, Spencer and Matt have some interesting news to share regarding an upcoming Zwift beta release which may conflict your indoor/outdoor riding decisions. Happy April! See Matt and Spencer trial the new Zwift update here: Zwift trial
Spencer is joined by guest host Steve Prendergast, a local cycling personality, to bring race day coverage of the 6th annual Melting Mann Dirt Road Bike Challenge. Racers were met with ideal roads and blue skies, but those conditions didn’t necessarily translate to ideal race days for the riders. Listen in to hear the stories from the peloton, as podium finishers give their perspectives. Guest Racers: Chris Uberti with Team First Internet Bank Logan Miller with Team Pumpkinvine Cyclery Racing Summer Gilbert with Andrie Junior Development Team Luke Hileman with Wheel in Motion Racing
The cast brings attention to the upcoming spring season. With Melting Mann just around the corner the boys pull Mark Wright from the Colorado slopes to chat about some important race day information and updates. The fun continues with a more in depth look into ideal rigs, recommendations for newcomers, and other ride day considerations. The cast finishes with Spencer offering some important recommendations to get your ride ready for Spring riding. Interested in volunteering for Melting Mann or have recommendations for future casts? Reach out @michianaspoken on Insta or michianaspoken@gmail.com *Suspension service intervals are ~50 hours for fork lowers and air can service and ~200 hours for full overhaul.
Flexibility training is imperative for both performance enhancement and injury prevention. We discuss the finer points of flexibility training by examining why stretching methods are so useful for cyclists, when you should stretch, and what methods are recommended. We invite Theresa Hochstetler, a local Yoga Alliance registered instructor and Michiana resident, into the studio to help us better understand the ins and outs of stretching with a specific focus on the benefits of yoga. Theresa shares her wealth of knowledge to help you grasp why this often overlooked area of your fitness is so vital to a successful cycling season. Check us out on Instagram @michianspoken for more content and updates and be sure to keep the great questions and feedback coming our way!
The guys do science. Continuously increasing heart rate during endurance exercise is well documented, but how can it affect your training and performance? On this episode of Hot Laps, Spencer and Matt define Cardiac Drift and help you better understand the phenomenon. Plus, they discuss strategies to help you prepare and combat against its influences which may lead to negative performance. References: Coyle, E. F., & Gonzalez-Alonso, J. (2001). Cardiovascular drift during prolonged exercise: new perspectives. Exercise and sport sciences reviews, 29(2), 88-92. Ekelund, L.G. Circulatory and respiratory adaptation during prolonged exercise of moderate intensity in the sitting position. Acta Physiol. Scand. 69: 327–340, 1967. Sawka, M., & Pandolf, K. (1990). Effects of body water loss in physiological function and exercise performance. Perspectives in exercise and science and sports medicine, 3(1-38). Carmel, IN: Benchmark Press
On the first Hot Laps episode Spencer and Matt take some time to discuss the recent release of SRAM’s new electronic groupset. Also, the two talk about innovations in mountain bike tech and how consumers benefit. Hot Laps give the boys a chance to dive into topics which may not be as involved, but still worth talking about. This quick hitting format provides a fun, fast, and informative way to discuss important updates in tech, highlight local events, and review local rides and trails. Stay tuned for more Hot Laps episodes. As always you can reach Spencer and Matt by leaving comments in your preferred podcast app, through michianaspoken@gmail.com, or on Instagram.
We talk to Pete Colan, inventor and owner of Sportscrafters, to better understand the training and functional importance of rollers as part of the seasoned cyclists training repertoire. Plus, we discuss some of the ins and outs of indoor trainers including smart product revolutions, training considerations, and what to look for if you're new to the scene. Spencer and Matt give their opinion on best budget friendly and extravagant home training setups, all while attempting to demystify a rapidly evolving market.
Spencer and Matt broadcast on location from Frosted Fat Tire fat bike relays at “The Pit” in Three Rivers, Michigan. They battle the elements and focus on the finer points of the event including mechanical challenges, race strategy, and the extreme environmental demands on the athletes. Event organizer Mark Wright sits down with the team and talks about the history of the relay as well as some exciting changes to the upcoming Melting Mann race. Plus, athletes Nate Ganger and Jody Jerrnigan pause during the race to warm up in Chinook and talk about the race as it unfolds.
Join Pumpkinvine Cyclery co-owner Spencer Short and Exercise Physiologist Matt Thomas for their podcast debut as they educate you on all things Michiana Cycling. This week they talk about some of the controversy surrounding local cycling great, Carl Grove. Plus, Spencer gives you tech tips to keep your machine in winter working order while Matt warns riders of ambitious over-training.
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