Bikes or Death

Patrick Farnsworth

Bikes or Death is a podcast centered around the growing sport of bikepacking, adventure cycling, and the outdoors. The show features the amazing people who participate in these activities and contribute so greatly to the cycling community. The Bikes or Death Podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of these individuals with the hopes that it inspires others to get outside, get on their bikes, and experience what our natural world has waiting for them. At its heart Bikes or Death is more than just a podcast. Bikes or Death is a lifestyle. It's the idea that a life without bikes is a life not worth living. Now go ride your damn bike!

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219 episodes
Updated July 23
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Episodes219

Newest first

Nov 13, 2020 · 2 hr 8 min
Ep. 59 - Erik Binggeser aka Truemarmalade
Erik and I met at a Bikes or Death group bikepacking trip right before the world shut down thanks to a coronavirus. Since then he's been wholed up in his Austin apartment in lockdown. With some extra time stuck indoors he's been finding ways to stay active and engaged with the cycling community. Early on he rode 1,000 miles on his training in a month, then he gave himself a stick and poke tattoo, but his latest project really caught my attention, along with many of you I'm sure. You may have seen his animated film "Studio Ghibli Campout" featuring a bearded wizardy looking character riding through a Studio Ghibli Film. Erik is the creator and stars in the film that was made with the assistance of Alison Mae Bonham. It is a uniquely beautiful film that fills you with emotion. For me I watched with a tinge of somberness as it felt like Erik was reaching out to the cycling community and saying "I really wish I could be out riding with my friends, but here's a beautiful gift that I made from my apartment instead". I found myself longing for simpler times and looking forward to group rides again. Like his film, Erik is a beautifully unique person and our conversation is a reflection of that. We talk robots, hacking, pokemon go, bikes, padded vs non-padded, riding with diabetes, and lots more good stuff. Erik, it was great to catch up again, stay well my friend, and we'll ride again some day soon!
Nov 3, 2020 · 1 hr 25 min
Ep. 58 - Chris Burkard
Chris Burkard has become a personal source of inspiration for me and it was an honor to have him back on the podcast. He was first on way back at Episode 17 to tell us about his WOW Cyclothon Record that he set in 2019. That episode really fired me up and motivated me to push myself in more ways than just on the bike. Chris' passion for life is contagious and I highly recommend you go back and listen to ep. 17, although you don't need to listen in order to enjoy. After setting an Icelandic record in 2019 he started on his next project, the first ever traverse through the interior of Iceland via bike! First means, he had to hire a cartographer to sketch out a route, then take some super jeeps out to test parts of it, and then convince a few friends to try it! Those friends were Pro XC racer Emily Batty, Eric Batty, and Adam Morka. You'll have to listen to hear how it went, but check out these pics to see the diversity of terrain they covered! Shortly after he was back at it on a bikepacking trip in the Sierras with Lael Wilcox, Rue Kaladyte, and Erik Nohlin. This adventure included a 30ish mile pack-a-bike using custom made transformer packs that Erik designed specifically for this trip. Routes and films are going to be published from these trips, but get a sneak "listen" now! In this episode I also took the opportunity to talk to him about his successful photography career and work/life balance before we got into his two most recent bikepacking adventures. It's his ability to manage successful career, be an involved father/husband, and still go on these epic adventures that I'm really inspired by. It's not an easy path, so I was eager to find out some of his thoughts and perspectives. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Oct 9, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min
Ep. 57 - Talib Abdullahi, Black History Ride
In July Talib Abdullahi created and organized a Black History Ride in Austin, TX. Motivated by the BLM movement he wanted to create a positive event that would both be education and fun. Originally, he was thinking it would be him and maybe 20 of his friends, but word quickly got out, and within a week he was leading his Black History Ride with 400ish cyclist in tow. In August I met up with Talib and a few of our friends to ride the route and record a podcast. The format for this show is much different from past episodes. We met on his route at The Quickie Pickie and recorded an intro and then we stopped at various locations along the route and recorded segments at each one. This is just a preview of the route, you'll have to get on your own damn bike if you want to give yourself the full tour! I believe it was in Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" that he says, "The world is starved for leaders". Talib's actions shows what happens when you turn your passion into action. He lead a ride that he created and 400 cyclist showed up in support. Hopefully, many more people will do his route in the days and years to come. Follow THIS LINK for all the ride/route info, go Ride Your Damn Bike and learn something! Talib, thank you for leading and being a positive example and helping to educate me and many others.
Sep 22, 2020 · 2 hr 4 min
Ep. 56 - Patrick Farnsworth, host of BoD
This week I'm in the hot seat as my friend Ryan ask me YOUR questions! He interviewed me once before on Ep. 8, but a lot has changed in 48 episodes and thanks to your questions we had plenty to talk about. If you've been listening for a while you've probably heard me talk about my lack of expectations for the podcast. Not in a self-deprecating way, but in the way that you do something that you're passionate about for a community you love without expectations. I didn't tell anyone about the podcast or promote it outside of an obscure post on a small instagram account, but that didn't stop me from quickly realizing not only the popularity of Bikepacking, but the desire for these types of interviews and stories. Admittedly, there is a part of me that wanted this podcast to remain small and obscure. That part of me is insecure, self-conscious, and it can be riddled with anxiety and doubt, but I've tried my best to produce the show authentically and to the best of my abilities with the time and talent I have. In the process I've grown considerably as a person, and while I'm still not 100% comfortable in this roll and feel like I have so much to learn, I am ready to fully embrace this opportunity and take it to the next level. In the past few months I have been working in the background to shift my focus on Bikes or Death from a hobby to a career. I will be announcing many new and exciting changes in the coming months, but for now I'm excited to share that for the first time ever I'm partnering with companies that believe in BoD and are equally committed to its success. I'm only partnering with brands that I dig and believe my listeners will benefit from, and most importantly aren't going to silence or censor the show in any way shape or form. We discuss this topic more in-depth on this week's episode, so give it a listen won't ya?! This week's episode was supported by Rockgeist, who wants you to know about their monthly raffle benefiting organizations committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity in bikepacking and the outdoors. Learn more, and enter for your chance to win a CUSTOM Mudlust Framebag, at Rockgeist.com. I'm also stoked to share with you my new favorite sunglasses from Goodr. When I lost my expensive ass sunglasses a month ago I sought out to find an affordable alternative that didn't sacrifice on quality or style, blah blah blah....sunglasses. Check out some of my favs at Goodr.com/BikesorDeath.
Sep 16, 2020 · 1 hr 38 min
Ep. 55 - Dave Nice, aka Fixie Dave
This weeks episode I chat with Dave Nice who is known on the interwebs as @fixiedave. His username gives away the fact that he rides fixie, but it says nothing about his completion of the Tour Divide in 2012 after attempting it 5 times before. I have to assume it takes a determined person to ride a fixie, but what adjective should I use to describe the determination of someone who takes on such massive route, fails 5 times, before ultimately accomplishing said goal? Dave was originally inspired by John Stamstads 1999 ITT run on The Tour Divide. By the time that Ride the Divide was being filmed in 2008 Dave was there lining up for his 3rd attempt as many of us were just hearing about this race/route for the first time. He's been at this far longer than most of us. He went on to attempt the divide 5 times before finally completing the entire route in 2012 in 33d, 14h, 4m. Since then he attempted Route 66 fixed, but had to scratch after 1,863. These days you'll find Dave working at Kids on Bikes in Colorado Springs where he is passionately working with kids to inspire the next generation of cyclist. Dave doesn't own a car, he uses a flip phone, and rides fixed. Simple. I can dig it.
Aug 26, 2020 · 1 hr 39 min
Ep. 54 - The SStrempkes, YoYo on The Colorado Trail
Two things that intimidate me are the Colorado Trail and YoYo'ing the CT, but nothing kept Katie and Andrew Strempke from being the first people to Yo-Yo it. By the numbers they did a total of 1,080 miles, 140,000 ft of elevation gain, with maybe 200 miles or more of hike-a-bike, and one slumber party in a vaulted camp toilet. They completed it in 16d, 14h, 20m which is made more epic by the fact that they were both on Singlespeed!! Katie wrote an article for her blog that was published on Bikepacking.com that is well worth the read. In this episode we dive into important topics like "what is it with bikepackers and sleeping in toilets?". Have a listen for this inspiring story and many more. One of my favorite takeaways was Katie's mantra "Growth>Comfort". Stay uncomfortable my friends, nothing great was ever accomplished in an abundance of comfort.
Aug 20, 2020 · 1 hr 11 min
Ep. 53 - Sofiane Sehili
At this point Sofiane Sehili needs no introduction. Three days ago Sofiane finished the French Divide in 1st place and with a New Course Record to boot. After his impressive 1st place at the Atlas Mtn Race earlier this year he was looking forward to a busy and successful race year, but then Covid happened. When some restrictions were lifted he wasted no time signing up. In June he raced the Hope 1,000 and took 2nd, the following month he lined up at the Three Peaks Race and was able to take 2nd again. He went into the French Divide 10 days after coming off Three Peaks. In case you aren't counting, that's THREE ultra events in the same number of months. The fact the he even completed all three events is impressive enough alone. When you take into account his results, it is truly a remarkable achievement. I think it's worth noting that he is also just a damn nice guy who (as you will hear) isn't shy to bring attention to his competitors and highlight their achievements as well. Class act all the way around and I'm so stoked he's on team bike.
Aug 13, 2020 · 1 hr 6 min
Ep. 52 - Cinthia Pedraza
Cinthia Pedraza calls Austin, Texas home. Some recent experiences in her hometown led her to write an article titled "Bike Racing, White Privilege, and the Coronavirus" that was published on The Radavist. As you can imagine she was praised by some and targeted by others. Personally, I'm grateful for her willingness to share her perspective on a touchy subject when the world feels poised to cancel anyone who expresses opinions that don't align with their own. My platform seeks to be an antidote to this and instead wants to be a safe place for people to share their stories and perspectives. It is through these conversations that we can learn, grow, and help to inform our own opinions. I applaud Cinthia for taking the initiative to share a hard thing, on a sensitive topic, that is directed to HER cycling community. A nod to John Watson, of The Radavist, is in order as well. As you'll hear, when Cinthia wasn't able to get her article published, she put it on her instagram account. John got wind of it and asked if he could publish it on his site, and the rest is history....
Aug 11, 2020 · 1 hr 6 min
Ep. 52 - Cinthia Pedraza
Cinthia Pedraza calls Austin, Texas home. Some recent experiences in her hometown led her to write an article titled "Bike Racing, White Privilege, and the Coronavirus" that was published on The Radavist. As you can imagine she was praised by some and targeted by others. Personally, I'm grateful for her willingness to share her perspective on a touchy subject when the world feels poised to cancel anyone who expresses opinions that don't align with their own. My platform seeks to be an antidote to this and instead wants to be a safe place for people to share their stories and perspectives. It is through these conversations that we can learn, grow, and help to inform our own opinions. I applaud Cinthia for taking the initiative to share a hard thing, on a sensitive topic, that is directed to HER cycling community. A nod to John Watson, of The Radavist, is in order as well. As you'll hear, when Cinthia wasn't able to get her article published, she put it on her instagram account. John got wind of it and asked if he could publish it on his site, and the rest is history....
Aug 3, 2020 · 1 hr 48 min
Ep. 51 - Lewis Ciddor
In this week's episode I do my first "colab" podcast with Lewis Ciddor who not only won Tour Divide in 2017, but is also the host of the Overland Archive Podcast. We come to the podcasting world with different experiences and perspectives which I think are both valuable. I was excited to chat with him about his personal history with cycling and of course his 2018 TD win. It was made particularly interesting because I had just interviewed Bailey Newbrey who was the 2018 TD Second Place finisher and he was on a SingleSpeed. Admittedly when you get two people who are relatively new to the podcasting world, and still trying to figure it out, there will be a fare amount of nerdery being discuss. Honestly, Lewis offered to edit this episode, so I haven't even heard it yet. Coupled with a bad memory, I don't remember everything we discuss. I do remember having a great time and felt like it was one of the more conversational podcast that I've recorded. That's probably due to the nature of us both being host and taking turns asking questions. Thank you Lewis for the chat, and I hope everyone enjoys listening as much as we enjoyed recording!
Jul 28, 2020 · 47 min
Ep. 50 - Leo Rodgers, One Leg :: Zero Excuses
Episode 50 is coming in hot! Today's episode is with the charismatic, inspirational, and rowdy Leo Rodgers! He's made a splash in the cycling world recently with features in Bicycle Magazine, a Lucas Brunelle Film, and most recently signed with Crust/Ronsbikes/Ultradynamico factory PRO recreation TEAM. The attention is well deserved. When a motorcycle accident left him without a leg he reconnected with his childhood passion, bikes. The missing limb hasn't slowed him down and if you go ride with him he'll tell ya "don't worry I'll wait for you". As the Para Track 200m TT world record holder he can back it up! But he's not just at home on the track, he transcends all cycling cultural boundaries. Is he a roadie, track racer, gravel racer, tall bike FIXIE enthusiast, commuter? He's all of that, but mostly he's a man with a passion for the bike lifestyle that he promulgates with enthusiasm at every opportunity. His story is a reminder that there are people who do more with less and they don't make excuses. Everyone will face challenges in life, no one is exempt, and those challenges will define the person that we become. This was a really fun interview and I was stoked to get a little bit of Leo's time and bring a bit of his story to you. Happy listening, now go ride your damn bike!
Jul 22, 2020 · 1 hr 11 min
Ep. 49 - Mike Dion, Ride the Divide turns 10!
He didn't invent the Great Divide Route or the Tour Divide Race, but Mike Dion quite literally brought awareness to both with his 2010 film Ride the Divide. Many bikepackers I've met, including myself, credit it with their own journey into this new way of exploration. 10 years later, his film is still relevant as people are finding it for the first time and getting inspired with their own sense of wanderlust. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary Mike is throwing a party and we are all invited. Most of the cast, crew, and athletes from the film will be online and taking your questions. There will be a live screening of the film with the option to listen in to the behind the scenes chatter amongst the cast and crew. If that wasn't enough, I will be hosting the live Q&A and moderating the conversation. To find out more and buy tickets click here (if you're seeing this on social media go to bikesordeath.com and click the RTD10 Party hyperlink at the top of the page). Tune in to the podcast, get stoked, and join us online on August 2nd!
Jul 1, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Ep. 48 - Bailey Newbrey, owner of Sincere Cycles
I got to meet up with Bailey Newbrey in his new-ish shop, Sincere Cycles, on a recent trip to Santa Fe, NM. Bailey made a some noise in 2018 when he finished the Tour Divide in second place overall on a Singlespeed! We chat a lot about his 2016 and 2018 Tour Divide runs and his reasoning behind running SS. He also makes some bold predictions towards the end of the podcast that is worth sticking around for. Sincere Cycles calls an old bar home which gives it a cool vibe right off the bat. His workstation is behind the bar where he serves up some of the finest bike knowledge and experience that money CAN'T buy. We talk about how is business fits into the Santa Fe scene and what some of this plans are for the shop. Of course, we talk covid-craziness as well. It was a true pleasure getting to meet up with Bailey in his shop. It gave me a chance to see him interact with customers and use his experiences to inform suggestions. He clearly has a passion for what he is doing which is made easier by creating a bike shop that is tailored to his interest and expertise. I love it when people take their passions and figure out a way to make them a "job" too. I wish him all the success both in his new shop and in upcoming races.
Jun 12, 2020 · 1 hr 29 min
Ep. 47 - James Mark Hayden
James Mark Hayden came on the ultra endurance bike racing scene in 2015. Since then he's been putting down some incredible performances, winning the Transcontinental Race twice, shared 1st place at the Italy divide, getting 4th at Silk Road even though he was robbed by men on horses during the race, and most recently he finished 2nd at Atlas Mountain Race to Sofiane who came in only 4 hours earlier. All of this he accomplished while finishing up his degree at university. Guess what? School is over, no more distractions, and James is on a mission to be a professional ultra endurance bike racer. What does that look like? We talk about it on the show. When racing starts again James is going to be one of the guys to watch. Check out his instagram @jamesmarkhayden where he post tons of great knowledge about his training and related topics.
Jun 12, 2020 · 8 min
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Friends, we can no longer be silent. Being a non-racist is not enough, we need to be anti-racist and create the change that is so desperately needed. Please listen to this message about what Bikes or Death, and I, are doing and how you can help.
May 13, 2020 · 1 hr 12 min
Ep. 45 - The First Timers
This weeks episode features four first time bikepackers and students of Jerod Fosters Adventure Media class at Texas Tech University. Many of you will probably be familiar with this course from past interviews, but for the uninitiated it is a college course that teaches students how to capture more adventurous type media. As an example of the type of media they produce check out a couple of videos that students produced from last years trip to Big Bend Ranch SP: Video 1 | Video 2 (if you're reading this on social media visit bikesordeath.com). Unfortunately for this years class their BBRSP trip was cancelled 3 days before due to Covid-19. However, they did get to train for, prepare for, and participate in a bikepacking trip to Caprock Canyon SP. So on this episode we talk to four "First Timers" on preparations, fears, experiences, and lessons learned. I'm excited to release this episode because as this sport continues to grow more and more people are being inspired to get out there. Hopefully hearing experiences from other beginners will help to inspire and encourage others that I read to go out and explore the world on a bike. My guest today are Taylor Plate, Nejahla Hopkins, Colton Rohrbach, and Kolby Donnell. Their experience going into this course ranged from None to Some and their stories range from inspirational to humorous. I've seen first hand the transformation bikepacking can have on someone when they are introduced to it for the first time. I hope this episode will inspires others to go outside and get a little lost on their bike.
Apr 22, 2020 · 1 hr 51 min
Ep. 44 - Pepper Cook, Your Pal Behind the Puns
Pepper Cook is a legend in the bikepacking and touring community. She's known for her witty puns, quirky humour, and almost a decade of epic solo bike trips. I got to meet her at last years Bikepacking Summit where she was a presenter. I've been a fan of her for a long time and listening to her masterfully tell stories around a campfire goes down as a highlight of my life. She is as engaging and funny in person as you may imagine. The day before we recorded this episode she made a heartfelt post on instagram about some of her personal struggles with happiness and mental health. On this episode we unpack some of what precipitated that post and really shed light on the dichotomy between social media and what's going on in a person's real life. We also discuss the value bike travel has had on personal journey with mental health. These are important topics and I appreciate Peppers willingness to openly discuss some hard topics. We also discuss her recent sponsorship with Salsa Cycles, her nomadic lifestyle and recent move to alaska, as well as her most recent solo trip on the Baja Divide. Enjoy!
Apr 15, 2020 · 1 hr 43 min
Ep. 43 - Jerod Foster, adventurous Husband and Father
I'm excited to have Jerod Foster back on the podcast, he was first on as my 3rd guest. On that episode we discuss his career as a Professor at Texas Tech University, where he teaches a class called Adventure Media. In this class he takes 16 student bikepacking and gives this real world experience capturing content in wild places. I was fortunate to go on one of these trips and see first hand the impact that this course has on the students who chose to tackle it. If you'd like to hear more about that I suggest you go back and listen to episode 3 where we discuss this and much more. As I got to know Jerod better I started to admire him for another reason, his ability to have an adventurous life and career, while still playing an active role in his family. As a father I know the challenges of taking young kids outside and immersing them in nature, I also know the benefit. I believe it is an important role as a parent, but it's not always easy. I hope you'll enjoy this episode on being an adventurous spouse and parent as much as I did. Jerod shares some real heartwarming stories and already has me planning my first bikepacking adventure with my girls.
Apr 7, 2020 · 1 hr 55 min
Ep. 42 - Mark McGraw, GranGravel 500 (unofficial) Winner
On March 19th at 5:00am Mark McGraw lined up at the start line of the "unofficial" GranGravel 500 Race along with two others. The official race was cancelled due to COVID-19, but that didn't stop these guys from lining up to take on the course, the elements, and potential resupply closures at key points. The forecast called for lots of rain that would make many of the roads unrideable. Despite that Mark still was able to finish in 66 hours (2 days, 18 hours). When he was only 80 miles from the finish I drove out to snap some pictures and cheer him on, by this time he was the last man standing and it was raining. However, I was happy to see that his spirits were high and his legs still pushing strong. I'm bummed that I wasn't able to participate this year, but it was a joy to get to chat with Mark about his race. I learned some things that I hope I get to put into action next year. The GranGravel 500 was created by Billy Rice. It starts and finishes in Bryan, TX (my hometown) and takes you through 500 miles of East Texas gravel, through two National Forest, and by countless country churches and cemeteries. Maybe next year I'll see you at the start line?!
Mar 31, 2020 · 2 hr 9 min
Ep. 41 - Emma Flukes, a scenic trip to Hell
Emma Flukes doesn't shy away from a challenge. In fact, she seeks them out and seems to thrive there. She is the brainchild behind the twisted, grueling, unsanctioned, unsupported, route described as "a scenic trip to Hell", and known as Tassie Gift. In Nov. of 2019 she and a handful of other lunatics set out to test themselves in some truly unprecedented weather making the 1,100 miles and 125,000 ft. of climbing even more challenging. As I followed along as a dot watcher and instagram stalker I was surprised and impressed by Emma's attitude, she seemed completely unphased by any of it, and at some times seemed to thrive. After the race we started chatting about recording a podcast, but it took several months (my fault) before I was able to peel back what was really going on behind the veil of instagram. A month ago she participated in and took second at the Vic Divide. She chatted with the creator of the race Lewis Cidor on his new podcast Overland Archive. Her telling of the race was much less dramatic that one may expect, but I won't ruin the surprise here. You gotta listen. I'd recommend that you check out her instagram profile @oneflukeshot before you listen to this one. It's actually pretty insane and will add context as you listen.