Better with Bikes
On Better With Bikes, we explore the inspiring, unknown, and behind-the-scenes stories of people changing the world with bikes — sometimes in ways, you might not expect. This podcast is our way of pulling back the curtain and giving these extraordinary people a platform to share their perspective on cycling’s unique and varied culture.
Episodes
28 episodes
Gone in 60 Minutes: One woman’s quest to smash the Hour Record
Ellen Van Dijk always had a need for speed. Becoming a speed skater at eight and cycling since the age of ten, Ellen has been competing for most of her life. Ultimately Ellen found more success as a cyclist, having become a national cycling cha...
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Episode 27
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30:28
A World Cup in Our Backyard: A Completely Different—and Way More Fun—Approach to Bike Racing
Every fall, thousands come to Trek’s global headquarters in Waterloo, WI, for one weekend to witness riders from all over the world race at the Trek CX Cup. From juniors, to weekend warriors, to the top riders, everyone is welcome at Trek’s CX ...
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Episode 26
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19:46
Valentina Höll: The 2022 World Champion is Just Getting Started
Valentina Höll has been cycling for the better part of her life. Growing up in a rural town in Austria with parents who were avid cyclists, she soon found her way into the sport. Vali's journey began at just the age of three, but it wasn't unti...
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Episode 25
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29:54
The Fight for Mount Diablo: One Man’s Mission to Make an Epic Ride Safer for Cyclists
Each year one hundred and fifty thousand cyclists ride on Mount Diablo. Unfortunately, the risk they take is too familiar to cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians alike; the threat of motor vehicle collisions. Since 2000, Mount Diablo has claime...
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21:06
Kiel Reijnen: Riding (And Running) Where the Road Ends
You may not know, but last year, former Trek-Segafredo stand-out turned gravel racer Kiel Reijnen had one of the craziest weeks in sports. Not only did it include running 18 miles (on gravel) after his bike broke down, but he also embarked on a...
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26:18
Feeding the Sharks: Bram Lippens, Team Chef for Trek-Segafredo, Shares Stories of Life on the Road with a Team of (Very Hungry) Cyclists
Imagine this—your job is to feed an entire team of athletes tackling some of sport’s most brutally taxing events on the road more than 200 days a year, you’ll be in a new kitchen every night, and you have to make sure that what you create satis...
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18:42
Jolanda Neff Bonus: The Secrets of Peak Athletic and Life Performance, Where She Keeps the Gold Medal and More..
Jolanda Neff is known for many things, including winning gold in the 2021 Olympics, being a 14x World Cup Champion, being a 16x Elite World, European or Swiss National Champion, and being awarded Pink Bikes' 2021 Comeback Athlete of the Year. J...
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Episode 21
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14:10
Jolanda Neff: Her Crazy Journey to the 2021 Olympic Gold Medal and What's Next
Back in 2019, we had the pleasure of interviewing Jolanda Neff. A cyclist known for her diversity in three different disciplines: road, mountain, and cyclocross. But as we welcome her back in 2022, she's now known for winning Gold for Women's M...
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Episode 20
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29:14
We’re Giving Away a Bike (and more!): The BWB Revival Episode
Eric Bjorling is back for the revival of Better with Bikes with his new co-host, Richie Burke. The two discuss Richie’s rich history with Trek–considering he’s the son of Trek’s President, John Burke, there’s a lot to unpack here–what’s to come...
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9:17
Black Watts: A Community of Fathers Bringing Cycling to Everybody
What started as a fun way to get out of the house during lockdown soon evolved into a community of over sixty people looking to make a difference. In 2020, Chad Bennett, Aquil Jannah, and Chris Harvell put together a Fathers Day ride consisting...
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29:12
Lizzie Deignan: A Mother and a Champion Looks Back and Forward
Life is unpredictable and crazy, and very rarely, if ever, does it go to plan. Professional cyclist Lizzie Deignan can undoubtedly attest to this. When asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Becoming a cyclist was never in her vocabu...
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24:42
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 convers...
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Episode 16
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49:38
WSJ sports columnist Jason Gay talks writing, riding, and surviving in NYC during COVID
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 cyclin...
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39:50
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 o...
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48:56
Pedaling through the cold: One polar adventurer & climate change activist’s ride to the South Pole
Eric Larsen is a seasoned adventurer, expedition guide, dog musher, and educator who’s spent the last fifteen years traveling to some of Earth’s most remote remaining places. That’s quite the rap sheet. But his greatest achievement...
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1:12:04
Ruth Winder and Tayler Wiles: Cycling squad goals
Cycling is always better when you’re doing it with the people you enjoy most. For Trek-Segafredo professional women’s team athletes and best friends Ruth Winder and Tayler Wiles, riding for the same team was the opportunity to create a friendsh...
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34:14
Mads Pedersen: Why pro cycling’s biggest shock of the year shouldn’t surprise you
Cycling is a sport known for its rising stars, but it’s not often one of those bright young athletes finds himself shooting straight to the top. At just 23 years old, racing in some of the worst weather the world championship series has ever se...
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27:26
Luke Bryan: Huntin’, Fishin’ and Ridin’ Every Day
On this episode of Better with Bikes, we sit down with country music star Luke Bryan. Luke stopped into Trek’s Waterloo, WI headquarters during his annual Farm Tour to spend some time talking bikes and sharing stories with the Trek Family. ...
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34:02
Jolanda Neff: Cycling’s Triple Threat
At only 26 years old, Jolanda Neff has already achieved a somewhat mythical reputation in the cycling world. Racing professionally in three — yes, three — disciplines (road, mountain, and cyclocross) brings its own set of unique ch...
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42:24
Bo Knows Bikes: How the world’s greatest athlete gives back through cycling
On this installment of Better With Bikes, Mark sits down with the legendary Bo Jackson. Widely considered the greatest athlete of all time, Bo’s not just a fierce competitor — he’s a caring, passionate person with an unshakable love for his com...
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57:27
Building a better Bat Cage: Bureo’s ocean plastic solution
Marine pollution is a massive issue that’s plaguing our planet. Through Trek’s partnership with the NextWave consortium, we were introduced to Bureo, a company that recycles hundreds of thousands of tons of fishing nets from the ocean.
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31:32
Growing up Jens: The unconventional childhood of a cycling legend
You surely know Jens Voigt from his storied career and reputation as one of cycling’s hardest workers — but once you hear his whole story, you’ll love this cycling great even more. Today, this cycling legend joins us in the studio to talk about...
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1:04:04
Same pain, same gain: Why an equal pay World Cup matters for cyclocross
What exactly is Cyclocross? Where did this cycling oddball come from? And what makes it such a fun sport for both spectators and athletes alike?On this episode, we chat with Scott Daubert (Trek’s Race Shop Manager) and Ellen Noble (Prof...
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38:56
Return to Earth: Anthill Films and Jackson Goldstone take us inside this year’s biggest release
On this episode, we sit down with Anthill Films' Return to Earth Cinematographers Colin Jones and Matt Butterworth to talk about the filming process, what it takes to secure the perfect soundtrack, and the message behind the film. 15 y...
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Episode 5
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44:30
The representation cycling needs now: How Black Girls Do Bike is changing cycling with founder Monica Garrison
Black Girls Do Bike started life as an online community, but quickly blossomed into much, much more. BGDB now proudly gives a voice to two of the most under-represented and under-served groups of the cycling community. We sat down ...
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Episode 4
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28:12