WSJ sports columnist Jason Gay talks writing, riding, and surviving in NYC during COVID

04/20/20 • 39 min

On this episode of Better With Bikes, we’re happy to welcome Wall Street Journal sports columnist, author, and bike nut Jason Gay. Jason joined Mark and Eric, all from their respective living rooms, to talk about COVID-19’s impact on the cycling world, among other things.
Together, they discuss the sports world as a whole during the pandemic, talk about what it’s like to be the “bike guy” in the office, and provide a few tips for other aspiring stay-at-home virtual cyclists.

Previous Episode

The science of safety: A talk with the brilliant creators of the WaveCel helmet

Cycling has changed drastically over the last 30 years. Advances in materials science and engineering technology have propelled bike development to places folks previously couldn’t imagine.
But despite this boom, a critical piece of the puzzle remained unchanged, stuck in the early 80s: helmet safety technology.
Today on the Better With Bikes podcast, you’ll meet the three brilliant minds responsible for bringing WaveCel technology to the forefront of the cycling community.
Our host, Mark, and first-time co-host, Eric, sit down with Dr. Steve Madey and biomedical engineer Dr. Michael Bottlang, creators of WaveCel. Trek’s Lead Helmet Designer, Tony White, joins the conversation to discuss how the new safety tech was brought to Trek Bicycle.
Together, they’ll discuss how WaveCel came to be, how the technology works, and why it’s so important for the future of cranium protection across the cycling realm and beyond.

Next Episode

Being Gary Fisher: The Godfather of Mountain Bikes Tells the Story Behind the Sport

Very rarely do we have the chance to ask the inventor of something that changes the world what they were thinking. If you could talk lightbulbs with Thomas Edison, phones with Alexander Graham Bell, what would you say?
That’s the conversation we’re having today with Gary Fisher — a man widely credited with the invention and popularization of an entirely new idea that would one day grow to an olympic sport enjoyed by millions across the globe.
In this expansive discussion about Gary’s new biography Being Gary Fisher, we cover Gary’s Bay Area California amateur road racing upbringing, his time organizing the Grateful Dead’s first shows, and what led him and a collection of free thinkers to leave the pavement behind to “ride bikes in the woods.”
Learn about the evolution of the mountain bike, its trial-and-error development, and rise in popularity. We’ll also talk about how mountain biking evolved into an olympic sport, how Trek got involved, and reveal some of Gary’s favorite places to ride, reminiscing on some of Gary’s most iconic bikes along the way.