Better with Bikes – Details, episodes & analysis

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 champion for the fifth time in 2007, so she quit speed skating and became a full-time cyclist.  

Racking up the world title successes, Ellen decided she would try her hand at claiming a world record. So in April 2022, Ellen announced she would try to break the hour record on May 23rd in Grenchen, Switzerland, and on May 23rd, Ellen did just that.

In today's episode, we sit down with Ellen to talk about how she went from speed skater to UCI Hour Champion world record holder. We'll cover Ellen's backstory, how she claimed the UCI Hour Champion world record, including managing the nerves leading up to the race, and she'll even give advice for younger cyclists looking to turn professional.

Ellen Van Dijk 2022 Season in Review: https://racing.trekbikes.com/stories/trek-segafredo-women/2022-season-in-review-ellen-van-dijk

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 Cup. And all certainly feel welcomed when greeted with cowbells, people in costumes, a world-class course, food, beer, and one hell of a good time. 

But the Trek CX Cup that started in 2017 is more than just a good time; it has been instrumental in getting more people on bikes, the standard of equal pay between men and women professional riders, and exposing more people in the US to a very European-dominated aspect of cycling. In today’s episode, we sit down with Chad Brown, CFO of Trek Bikes, to break down what cyclocross is, how cyclocross began, the significance of Trek’s CX Cup, and even what the secret bar is.

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 vocabulary; however, life had other plans.

In the latest episode of "Better with Bikes," hosts Eric Bjorling and Richie Burke interview World Champion, Olympic medalist, four-time British National Champion, and 2021 Paris-Roubaix Femmes winner, Lizzie Deignan. They cover everything from her surprising introduction to cycling, the decision to have a child mid-career, and making history with the 2021 Paris-Roubaix win.

Though Lizzie has accomplished much throughout her career, she is far from over. She has a second child on the way but mentioned she's far from retiring and looking forward to the next adventure. Lizzie Deignan has proven herself to be a trailblazer in women's cycling and women's sports; we are proud to have her representing our team, and we look forward to what she will accomplish in the future.

For more Better with Bikes content: https://www.instagram.com/trekbikes/

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.

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. 

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.

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 has been sharing his passion for the outdoors with others, educating them on humanity’s impact on our planet. 

Today, we’re talking with Eric about his polar adventures and how he’s worked to bring awareness to the climate change conversation through his expeditions. There are plenty of inspiring, goofy stories, and Eric’s unique perspective and determined attitude is quite a treat. We sure enjoyed having him in the studio, and hope you learn something helpful while listening to our chat. 

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 friendship that goes far beyond bikes. 

On this episode, we’ll dispel some myths about women’s cycling, find out how the dynamic duo spends their off-season, and talk about how these two peas in a pod grew to become the “light-hearted core of the team”.

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 seen, Mads Pedersen stood atop the podium when the smoke cleared.

People were shocked by the outcome, but if you really knew Mads — well, you wouldn’t be all that surprised. Mads, along with his Trek-Segafredo Men’s and Women’s teammates, stopped into Trek HQ for our annual Team Camp. While he was here, we found a few minutes to talk about racing, marriage, pastries, and learn what a world champion orders at McDonald’s. 

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.  In addition to a Q&A‌ with Trek employees, you’ll hear about how one of country music’s brightest stars became a  passionate cyclist, got comfortable wearing “froufrou pants”, how cycling keeps him in shape when he’s on tour, and more.