Ope! Bikes.

Today we’re sitting down with someone whose path into bikepacking is truly one of the more fascinating evolutions in the sport: the incredible Kendall Park. Kendall’s story starts far from endurance riding. Long before multi-day pushes through rugged terrain and the patient, measured rhythm of ultra-distance events, Kendall was a football player and strength athlete built for power and explosivene...

In this episode, we’re venturing beyond the world of ultra distance racing and into something a little more poetic and a little more unconventional—with our guest, nomadic rider and storyteller, True Marmalade. Erik Binggeser—better known by his rolling moniker, True Marmalade—has spent the past few years crisscrossing the U.S. by cargo bike, logging over 50,000 miles on a titanium Omnium as part...

On this episode, we’re shifting gears a bit and diving into the world of custom bike building and the artistry of frame crafting with today’s incredible guest, Brian Hall. Brian hails from River Falls, Wisconsin and is the founder, builder, and creative mind behind Rare Earth Cycle. Not only does Brian design and handcraft beautiful, purpose-driven bikes, he’s also living proof that blending artis...

On this episode we’re once again diving into the world of ultra-distance bikepack racing with our incredible and courageous guest, Kayla Hall. Kayla hails from Roanoke, VA and is an ultra-distance cyclist, nurse, and all-around powerhouse. Kayla doesn’t just compete in ultra-distance bikepack racing, she conquers some of the nation’s most challenging routes. From the TransVirginia route to the Ark...

Hailing from the rolling foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, Randy has made his mark in both the ultra-distance running and bikepacking communities. Known by many as the "spiritual heartbeat of Arkansas bikepacking", Randy’s infectious energy and unwavering resilience have earned him a well-deserved reputation as an adventurer who brings his personality and his passion to every mile. Th...

My guests today are Tanner Frady and Dave Easley from Oklahoma City, OK. Tanner and Dave are ultra-distance cyclists, their single-speeders, and, given their relatively short racing career, have already reached impressive milestones. Between the two of these guys…Tanner and Dave have accumulated thousands of miles racing events like MidSouth, East TX Showdown, Osage Passage XL, Kansas Cannonball 5...

Joining me for today’s conversation is none other than Jen Swartout. Jen lives in Bella Vista, AR and, in March of this year, completed the daunting DESPAIR course as part of Ozark Gravel DOOM. Jen’s story and overall perspective is an intriguing one. Jen’s been riding bikes as a hobby cyclist for almost 20 years but really didn’t start her journey into bikepacking and ultra-distance events until...

My guest on the show today is Alex Kowalski. If that name rings familiar it’s probably because you 'followed the dots' during this year’s 2024 Tour Divide. Not only did Alex leverage his infectious attitude and good vibes to capture the hearts of dot-watchers and Instagram followers alike, he did so while ultimately winning the single-speed category with a total time of 17 days 22 hours...

My guest today is Dr. Chanel Mitchell aka Chanel Tsunami from St. Louis, MO. Chanel is many things but labels herself as a disruptor. As a member of The Regulators Cycling Club and ambassador for Ride For Racial Justice, Chanel is continuously finding ways to disrupt the norm, create sustaining change, and provide more opportunities for BIPOC cyclists. As a plus-sized woman, Chanel has also proven...

My guest today is someone I stumbled upon rather naturally. Over the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on my journey as an athlete especially while preparing for UltraMegaJoy in March of next year. For those who weren’t aware, I spent several years as a competitive powerlifter and strongman athlete post graduate school. However, once I found the bicycle the rest was history. And I’ve always want...

My guest today is Stephanie Hall. Stephanie is someone I met a few years ago at the Arkansas High Country Race and has been someone I’ve admired and enjoyed keeping up with as the calendar turns. Plain and simple, Stephanie is an ultra distance athlete and is someone who continues to push the envelope on what’s possible during the events she’s competing in. In this conversation Stephanie and I dis...

My guest today is Mike Weiss, owner and founder of Big Shark Bicycle Company located right here in St. Louis, MO. If you ride or race bikes in St. Louis there’s a very significant chance you’ve come across an organized event or race that is sponsored and supported by Big Shark. With three store-front locations in the St. Louis area Big Shark’s mission has always been to share the adventure and pas...

My guest today is Olivia Reeve from St. Louis, MO. Olivia and I sat down earlier this week to celebrate and discuss her recent signing with Women's Domestic Elite cycling team, United Cycling. In this episode we dive into Olivia's journey from a Category C racer at Tuesday Night World's to competing in the Women's Pro peloton. We also discuss how Olivia plans to find balance be...

Back again to tell us their personal tales of the Arkansaw High Country Race are my good friends Zach Smith and Matthew Roeleveld. Zach and Matthew raced the South Loop this year which features 487 miles of gorgeous, backcountry Arkansawyer roads mixed with a healthy 32,000 foot dose of elevation gain. In Part 2 of Talkin' High Country, Zach and Matthew revel us with their experiences while o...

Hey everyone! And welcome back to Ope! Bikes. My guests this evening are Zach Smith and Matthew Roeleveld from St. Louis, MO. Zach and Matthew are both small business owners and two dudes who are genuinely stoked on riding and racing bikes. Not only do they excel at cycling, but they’re also amazing fathers, friends, and family men. I’ve known these guys for a few years now and I’m grateful to be...

My guest today is none other than Chuck Campbell. Chuck is a retired science teacher who lives in Russellville, AR and is someone who is passionate about the state’s natural and human history. This passion Chuck possesses is something that inspired him to create the Arkansaw High Country Route, a 1,000 mile tour through some of the most beautiful and challenging parts of The Natural State. Not onl...

Today’s episode features the one, the only Lindsay Shepard. I met Lindsay in 2021 while riding together during the Arkansaw High Country Race. Since then Lindsay has been one of the most inspiring and most influential members of the bikepacking community that I’ve had the opportunity to follow and become friends with. Lindsay is no stranger to hard things. She’s been adventuring on her bike since...

Do you know Kayce Peters? You should. Kayce is a friend, cyclist, USA Cycling official, and a pillar of the St. Louis cycling community. Not only is Kayce from St. Louis but he's been around long enough to see the community evolve and grow. Kayce's contributions extend far beyond his personal pursuits. As a USA Cycling official and dedicated advocate to the cycling community, you can fin...

My guest for today’s episode is Maggie Livelsberger from Erie, PA. Maggie is coming off an impressive showing at DOOM where she took 1st place in the women’s category and became the first woman ever to complete the route on a singlespeed. Maggie finished the 390 mile course with a time of 3 days 4 hours and 3 minutes. Maggie has an impressive ultra-distance resume. She took 1st place at Coast to C...

Hey everyone! And welcome back to the second edition of Ope! 'N Mic with my friends and guests, Nate and Steve. On this episode we're recapping Week #1 of the National Cycling League that took place on Miami Beach in Miami, FL earlier this month on April 8th. The race was streamed live via GCN+ so Nate, Steve, and myself decided to get together and discuss what we observed during the fir...

My guest this week is Travis Finan, the creative engineer behind Art of Shralp. Travis is a local St. Louis resident who has been riding (and sometimes racing) bikes since he was a wee lad. Over the last few years Travis has redirected and refocused his energy for bikes into the artistic endeavor Art of Shralp. If you’ve seen stickers around St. Louis that showcase a Sucky Panther complaining abou...

Joining me this evening are my friends Nate and Steve from KewlBeanz Cycling. We’ve been homies for a few years now and we often find ourselves discussing current events surrounding cycling. So, instead of continuing our seemingly endless text message chain, I decided to bring them on the show to discuss these items in podcast format. Tonight we’re talking about the new NCL racing league, how the...

Today’s episode features the one, the only, Mr. Scott Ogilvie. If you ride or race bikes in St. Louis, there’s a good chance you know who Scott is. Not only is Scott a pillar of the cycling community but he’s also the Complete Streets Program Manager for the City of St. Louis, working as part of the Planning and Urban Design Agency. In this role, Scott is committed to making our streets safer and...

Tonight I sat down with Monica Cox from St. Louis, MO. Monica is a video editor, producer, photographer, and freelance content creator. Last year, Monica's capstone project was a film documentary focusing on women's crit racing in the 2022 American Criterium Cup. Together with her production crew, Monica sat down to interview racers from ButcherBox, LA Sweat, and a local St. Louis racer...

On this episode I sit down with Andrew Onermaa from Fayetteville, AR. If you don't know Andrew, that's OK. He's only been on the ultra distance bikepacking scene for a few years now. Most notably, Andrew is the 'local kid' who went head to head with Ted King during the 2020 Arkansas High Country Race, pushing Ted to ultimately claim the Fastest Known Time...at least for a...