The Wheel Friends Podcast

We're back. Giving recent events, it was kind of a low energy episode so we kept it short.  Craig talks tandem bike repair. Steve talks E-Bike Commuting. Some classic TWF riffs.  Kane Coronado Funeral Expenses GoFundMe Patreon

On Tuesday Nov. 1st Kane Coronado was riding his bike to his friend's house on Indian Mounds Drive when he was shot and killed.  We just wanted to express our condolences to everyone that knew Kane better than we did and share the link to his funeral expenses.  Love to our Freewheeler family who knew Kane, and the Big Rippers 616.  Kane's Funeral Fund https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/kent/17-year-old-shot-killed-in-wyoming

There's some preamble, we catchup, do some old guy chat, and eventually read the first chapter of the Wonderful Ride. https://www.patreon.com/TheWheelFriends

Pt. 2 of our talk with Rachael. This one's a little more casual.

Rachael's back with Steve & Craig to talk rides and Pre-Grinduro. Steve got an electric bike.  The episode went long, so it's a two parter. this is the first part. 

Rachael Sage joins Craig in the studio in this particularly skunky episode to talke Gravel Racing, Weed, Pizza, the Philly Bike Expo and a whole lot more.  Also we're giving a Mars Bag away, listen to the end.  patreon.com/thewheelfriends

Dustin came over back in January to catchup. We talked about offensive bike lights, get a voicemail from an old friend, Sen. Blumenauer's Commuter Cycling Benefit, and a whole lot more.  Listen to dustin's music here. Support the show here.

Oops, sat on this a minute. Winter Biking is back, Craig's E-Biking, Unpoppable Tires, Roadhammers, a bizarre Heely fixation.

Craig jokingly said "we should do an awards show" and Steve made it happen. But first, some catchup, some confessions, some crashes & some costumes.  PatreonDustin's Music

Craig recaps his observations of Colorado's bike infrastructure after returning from vacation. Angry Colorado Listeners please call in. Steve takes the field recorder to the Bar after the Wednesday Evening Ride to ask some familiar friends some questions. PatreonDustin's Music

Craig tells the origin story of the bicycle as we have come to know it. But first a serious talk. PatreonGrand Rapids DSA99 Pledges PageDustin's Music

Steve took the field recorder out to Harmony Brewing Company to speak with his friend & coworker Jim Trout, an Ultra Marathon Runner and Endurance Cyclist, about his time in the saddle.  Trout recounts riding across the lower palm of Michigan in his youth all the way to his most recent attempt at the Race Across America. Also some crash stories!  PatreonGrand Rapids DSA99 Pledges PageDustin's Music

Baxter Stockman is a roadie, Steve's gone car free, Steve tried a rental e-bike, brave new recruits in the War On Cars, it rained a lot, craig's ruining his new shoes, Steve biked to a date, Crash Corner, the big lame race had a cool big crash, Wednesday evening ride stories, Wrestling meets the velodrome & Some Dream Guests.  Also Craig's starting another show. PatreonGrand Rapids DSA99 Pledges PageDustin's MusicHalcyon Bikes

Steve took a field recorder down to Nashville to record with his brother, Mikey, a fifteen year bike industry vet. They talk about how Mikey's shop handled Covid, some bike shop do's and don'ts, infrastructure in Nashville, and the best Pizza in Nashville. But First, Craig talks about a road diet for Division Avenue, Biking thru Sprinklers, and the joy of seeing a father pedaling kids to school on a cargo bike.  Patreon Grand Rapids DSA 99 Pledges Page Dustin's Music Halcyon Bikes

Recorded live in the studio y'all. Steve came over so this show's full of unfocused energy. Craig and Steve talked about Mushu being afraid of bikes, they kept finding reasons to talk about masks, Craig's addicted to Strava Badges and riding on busy roads. https://www.grandrapidsdsa.com/strike-bike/ patreon.com/thewheelfriends https://dreichmere.bandcamp.com/

BIG EPISODE. Craig's friend Joel returns to talk about a fundraiser he's putting on for the DSA to raise money for mutual aid. They talk about recent rides, biking in New Orleans, Grand Rapids history and a hell of a lot more.  https://www.grandrapidsdsa.com/strike-bike/ patreon.com/thewheelfriends https://dreichmere.bandcamp.com/

Back in the fall Craig and Steve recorded their first remote bike podcast, but instead of using conventional software, they played Descenders on Xbox. Craig talks about a weekend getaway with his wife and how badly he wished he had a bike, as well interactions in the bike lanes and losing his cool. 

Steve and Craig recorded over Discord. They talk about commuting in the cold early Spring, bad driver's in company vehicles, Steve's bad brakes that almost made him crash into a family, street harassment in Nashville, and the true cost of the Pokemon Bike. Also Vaccine talk.

Craig spoke with Liz & Ryan over Discord. Liz is organizing community bike repair events and she spoke on what brought that into fruition. Ryan works at Switchback Gear Exchange which is adding a coffee shop to their business. Craig talks about his new job. Lots of good stuff in this one.  Checkout our Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/TheWheelFriends Liz's Blog https://wrenchingwench.weebly.com/blog Go to Switchback Gear Exchange and get some coffee

It's a recap of the Community Action Alley Cat.  We handed out 115 care packages to the less fortunate in downtown Grand Rapids and it kicked ass.  patreon.com/thewheelfriends dreichmere.bandcamp.com

The Alley Cat was rescheduled, Joel's bike got stolen, The Fire Department might be able to help you recover your stolen bike, and the bike song of the week was very appropriate.

Last reminder for the Community Action Alley Cat, Craig checks the voicemails and introduces the Bike Song of the Week.  patreon.com/thewheelfriends dreichmere.bandcamp.com

Craig was rooting around in a bin of public domain media and ripped the audio from 4 bike safety videos from as far back as 1939. Community Corner: August 8th, NY, NY - Justice Ride X - Tenth week a protest ride for Black Lives Matter and to ride against police brutality The dress code is green. Meetup at Tweed courthouse 52 Chamber St. NW NY, NY. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDfenVKjL-7/ August 15th, GR, MI - Community Action Alley Cat - Bring a mask and a bike with a rack or a pack and race to deliver care packages to those in need in downtown Gr. 555 Monroe Ave NW 6 PM *Tentatively* dreichmere.bandcamp.com patreon.com/thewheelfriends

In March, Steve, Craig & Dustin met up to record for the last time before COVID-19 hit Michigan. Unbeknownst to them, Michigan was in for a hell of a ride.  They talked about Corona (Skip ahead to 10:30 if you don't feel like listening to 3 dummies talk about the Corona Virus), Craig has a bunch of great ideas, and they find a reason to talk about The Lord of the Rings again.  patreon.com/thewheelfriends  https://dreichmere.bandcamp.com/

Just Steve & Craig shootin' the breeze and daydreaming.  Talking Points: Mild Mild Winter, Commuter Encounter, Public Parks Shouldn't Close, PFOS not PFAFF's, Vegan Baked Goods, Private Shopping Hours, this is not a parts show, riding on cobblestones, Claymore Bike, Fairdale Taj, Bunnyhopping, the GR Bicyclist Look, handdrawn bike map, Misguided music album, Co Op Frame Shop, Dog Robot, Valentine's Mishap

First new recording of 2020! Steve & Dustin are back with Craig in the studio. We've got a new call in number! Not posting it here, I don't need any more phone calls from Atlantic City Casinos.  Talking points: Bicycle ASMR, this is not sexual, two party consent recording, "Meet The Wires", Fuck You Rob Schneider, The Captain, Craig's Bad Ass Day, New Request Line Number, Ins & Outs 2020, Craig is awful in a car, Biking Tattoo, Impossible Whopper, #bernie2020, Trump & Bicycles, a peloton, a better indoor bike patreon.com/thewheelfriends  https://dreichmere.bandcamp.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7E211freMc

Oh boy, it's 2020! Here's an episode from when we were hungover after a Halloween Party. Remember 2019? Good times.  The theme of this episode is returning.  Steve went to Mexico, Dustin sick (he got better), and Craig went back to work. Talking points: Dysentery, tales from the streets, New Steve, Biking in New York, Biking in Mexico, Bike Stores, Holbox, Tulum, Mexico City, Podcast Magic, Bepis, The People's Vehicle, Steve's cool bike things in Mexico, Altitude Doping, Brendan Fraser, The 10th Kingdom, Craig's best crash, Dreichmere  Check out Dustin's music https://dreichmere.bandcamp.com/ Support the Patreon https://www.patreon.com/TheWheelFriends

Craig's friend Ian, a Jimmy John's Bicyclist, comes in to talk about bike delivery in Grand Rapids. Then they spend a great deal of time talking about some major problems with motorists. Craig also kind of convinces Ian to give Strava a try.  Ian's band is Fire Kitten, check em out on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/FireKittenrocks/ Andy Shaw Illustrates bicycles find him on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/andyshawillustrations/ Support the show's Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/TheWheelFriends

In this dog heavy episode of the Wheel Friends, Craig invites Mitch back into the studio to talk about the various ways to pedal with your pooch.  They also talk about the new additions to the Grand Rapids Bike Park, Changes to the city's bike lanes in the next few years, an UBER hack for biking busy streets, Craig gets frustrated about another bad bike opinion from the internet, and whether or not we should allow robots in the bike lanes? You can support the show by going to https://www.patreon.com/TheWheelFriends

Alan & Pat are still in the studio, but now they're talking about the Swift Solstice Camp-out. They also talk about bike jobs, bike camping, Alan's upcoming fabrication projects, Hemingway quotes and more!  Checkout the Patreon, patreon.com/thewheelfriends City Slicker 100 Event Page https://www.facebook.com/events/1323612277804169

Holy Smokes! We packed a lot into this one. Alan's back this time with Patrick from Freewheeler bike shop and Craig's dog Mushu.  They discuss buying harder to find things without the help of a car, Craig's recent bike crash, Fixie riding, Monster Garage but for Bikes, Craig reads a post from someone in his neighborhood being extremely wrong on Nextdoor, and a whole lot more!

In this special episode of the Wheel Friends, Craig and Co. perform "The Bicyclers" a bicycle comedy published in 1896.  The Bicyclers & Three Other Farces was written by John Kendrick Bangs and is available in the Public Domain Support the show by going to patreon.com/TheWheelFriends

Robert Wood of Grand Rapids Bike Polo was in the studio this past March to talk Bike Polo, The Toronto International Bike Expo, and Bike Polo Memes. Craig talks winter bike rides, sheds some confusing details on a ride that may or may not happen, and pitches a Battle Royale Bicycling Game.  Details on an upcoming bike polo shuffle at the end! Check out Grand Rapids Bike Polo on Facebook & Instagram

Allison, Angela & Theresa share some stories from 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. 

New Episode from out of the Archives (June 2018).  Shawn from Freewheeler Bike Shop came in and we discussed Not Talking About the Tour De France, Creative Bike Shop Marketing, Our Ideal Bike Shops, the Rampancy of Bike Thefts in Grand Rapids, and a whole lot more. 

Craig is joined in the studio by his old friend Alan and his new friend Anthony.  Anthony talks about riding his bike to fish in Millennium Park.  Alan talks about racing BMX as a kid, generational naming, and the highly publicized theft & recovery of his bicycle. 

New Year, New Theme Song!  The Wheel Friends is back for the first episode of 2019 with Martel Posey of the Spoke Folks Bicycle Co-Op.  Martel talks about his love of bicycling being birthed from necessity, his trip to Bike! Bike! 2018 in Los Angeles, singing Prince from the back of a Karaoke bike, and his love of all things bicycle.  Check it out!

It's the first episode in the new studio space! Craig bought a house (Hence the absence) & Steve's new bike got stolen!  Craig shares a story of almost being right hooked, Steve describes his new bike and how he lost it. But don't worry, it gets recovered! Hear how it was done and maybe you can use the advice yourself some day.

The Wheel Friends Podcast returns after a short hiatus with the long sought after race coverage from the 3AM Alley Dawg.  In what we're calling "The Wheeled World of Sports", Craig & Steve will recount their racing experience as they rode in a 3AM Alley Cat.... er... Dawg Race through Downtown Grand Rapids.  A story of pain, pleasure, and the American Spirit.

On this episode of the Wheel Friends, Craig is joined by bike commuter and fellow Podcast host, Joel Campbell of Borderless and the Lamp Post Podcast.   Joel explains Borderless. Craig reminisces about biking through the countryside. Then they talk about infrastructure, how dumb cars are, and Joel shares his experience getting hit. Be sure to check out BorderlessMedia.org to see what Joel's working on and be sure to check out his podcast The Lamp Post wherever you get your podcasts.

Mitch & Emily join Craig on the show this week.  Mitch is hosting an early morning Alley Cat (Alley Dawg) on April 15th so he's on to give us the scoop. Mitch & Emily also bought a Tandem Bike. Craig talks about riding with a group of strangers he met on bikes. Emily shares how she meets people on bikes. Also Strava Sex Bots, ID Chips, and a whole lot more. Also, if you wanna race in the 3AM Alley Dawg you can get details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/187332055374447/

Happy St. Patrick's Day Friends! In this episode Dustin comes by to return one of Craig's bikes, the two talk convenience centers, bicycle solutes, theories about Trump's bike opinion, why the episodes have been delayed and much more!

The days are getting warmer. Bless Fam. Bless.  Steve and John came over to talk about Craig's recent bike ride, John's anxieties about Riding, and Craig & Steve's new bags.  The guys also brainstorm a new bike for Steve to ride when he moves to Tennessee.

The Wheel Friends is back baby! Craig's friend Liz Rennie from the Spoke Folks bicycle co-op is back on the show to kick off the new year. They talk about bicycling resolutions and realistic goal setting. Liz designs a dream bike and then she and Craig design bikes based on the Lord of the Rings.  All that and a whole lot more!

Happy Holidays friends! This week on the show, our friend Avery Miller from Symbiote Cycle Works and Grand Rapids Bicycle Company returns. Avery recently took a road trip playing bike polo with various Polo Clubs across the US and he shares from his experience on the road.  Also in this episode some things to be aware of when Biking to the bank, frustration with Harry Potter and a brief explanation on why the bicycle stays upright. It's not all gyroscopic force. 

  This week on the Wheel Friends, Craig is joined by his friend Dania! Dania is an active member of the Grand Rapids bike community, a vintage bike enthusiast, and a botanical artist.  They talk about Dania's bike beliefs, design the ultimate bicycle for gardeners, and discuss buying gifts for bicyclists (Anything with a bike on it, tbh).   Dania's Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/interpersonaldesign

The Wheel Friends is back and so is winter. This week, Steve returns to the show and he and Craig talk about a whole lot of stuff. This episode is freeform bike-chat.  Steve tells Craig about the bike tattoo he wants and the podcast he'd have if he had one, the conversation then pivots into a discussion on millennials, the next generation of bicyclists, cybernetics and the MTV skateboarding bubble.  Also we're on Spotify now. Which I forgot to mention. 

Happy Thanksgiving!  Craig is back in action after a week off and he's got our old friend Eli back on the show.  Eli recounts his shady history of Hand Ups, and we discuss what we would do to go all out with a high Hand Up Budget.  Then Craig shares his number one complaint about riding your bike indoors on a trainer.  Then Craig and Eli talk about their ideal bicycling videogame. Also Eli seems to think that "Open World" is something Nintendo recently invented.  Yeah, it's a stuffed episode. Gobble Gobble. 

This week on the Wheel Friends Craig is joined by his friend Emily "Hambone". Emily's been racing a lot in the past year and she recounts some of her experiences racing Gravel, Cyclocross and the Occasional Mountain Bike Race. She shares her favorite racing conditions as well as her reasoning for not riding road races.  Then Craig & Emily tell some stories of bicycling shenanigans, including ways they've dealt with motorists not respecting the bike lane.