Minimal Multisport Podcast

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend, Brad Culp. I met Brad back in college when we were both racing triathlons, and he has since been a long-time colleague of mine in publishing and the endurance sports industry. He has been on staff for Triathlete Magazine for many years, and he was even my boss while he ran the show at LAVA Magazine while I contributed as a freelancer. I wanted to catch up with Brad in general, but also dive in to some deeper issues – and that’s what the previous clips were talking about. Brad has done a fair amount of investigation into doping and cheating in sports, and we talked about a very controversial case that unfolded this year. There was an older gentleman named Frank Meza who was setting marathon running records in the 70-74 age group, and was found to be cutting courses and even riding a bike during at least one race. There were photos and videos, and a mountain of evidence quickly piled up. He was getting berated in some online forums because of his actions, and the long and tragic story short is that he ended up committing suicide. Then people were accused of bullying him and it started a really big debate as to who was to blame, and how it all went so badly. You know – why did he cheat in the first place, why did he double-down in his denial of the cheating, why did so many people care about this, and perhaps a larger question about how we treat people online. Brad is smart and articulate, and we had a great time discussing this and other issues.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Brad Culp on Twitter - @bbculpMarathonInvestigation.com, which has covered many amateur cheating scandals, including the Frank Meza story.The outstanding podcast with Sam Harris and Jaron Lanier, talking about the costs of getting everything for ‘free’ – online content, articles, music, social media, etc.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend, Mark Hickey. I’ve known Mark for quite a few years now, and he’s a fellow bicycle industry geek, and owner of my favorite bike brand, Habanero Cycles. Yes, it’s named after the spicy peppers. Mark had a career in technology before starting the company, and we get in to how it all started, his ethos behind the brand, and then we take a few steps back to look at how not only bicycles have evolved, but a wide range of consumer products. I think most people can agree that technology is getting better and helping us in many ways, there are definitely also some hidden costs – especially if you don’t have the right strategy when you’re shopping. Just one quick example, there are a lot of little gadgets that can do things for us, but it’s easy to spend way too much time reading instructions, charging batteries, calling customer service, and otherwise going directly against what the product is supposed to do – save us time, add value, and make life better. Mark is one of the few holdouts making bikes what I’d call the right way, designing specifically for high reliability and a minimum of hassle. They’re also the most affordable titanium bikes I’m aware of, making them that much better. I ride one, and it’s better than bikes I’ve tried that cost three or four times as much. Mark had a lot to say about this and much more.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Check out Habanero’s website and Facebook page (@HabaneroCycles).My blog about the Minimalist Road Bike I built up this year from Habanero.My three 2019 Standards articles at Bikerumor for Road, Gravel, and MTB. My beloved Casio G-shock DW5600 – the best value and most durable watch on the planet: https://amzn.to/2MTMsHUSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend, wrestling coach, and Judo black belt, Patrick Barry Spano. There are a few reasons I wanted to talk to Patrick. First, he has an interesting story and has traveled quite a bit, and he fits in pretty well with the nomadic minimalist millennial theme that seems to be getting more popular by the day. Second, he is an amazing teacher and martial artist, who has really opened my eyes into wrestling, why it’s important, and how incredibly difficult it is. And finally, on a practical level, Patrick is moving very soon to Brazil, and I wanted to get him on the show before it was too late. If you’re from the martial arts world and new to this show, the elevator pitch is that it’s about bringing the two worlds of sports and minimalism together, which might sound odd at first – but it’s all about simplifying and downsizing so you can have more time to do what you want. Most minimalist programs are very general and talk about cleaning out your garage or kitchen, but hobbies and sports often get a pass, and it’s easy to accumulate too much. I interview people like Patrick who have at least some type of unique perspective on this, to hear their stories. If you’re one of my endurance sports friends, this episode might give you a peek in to the “why” behind my entry into martial arts, and how it has become a big part of my life. As a former professional triathlete, I suppose it is fitting that I got in to mixed martial arts, which is sort of the triathlon of martial arts – you have to have a wide range of skills to succeed.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Follow Patrick on Instagram @pbspanoSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend Chris Bucher.Chris is a professional photographer, ultramarathoner, cyclist – and along with his wife Jen, is one of the most dedicated minimalists I know. Chris has been a good friend of mine for round about 17 years, and we recorded this show in my living room, when Chris was recently down in Florida to shoot photos at the St Pete Grand Prix and the Super Sebring race weekend (because among other things, he does a lot of automotive photography).I really enjoyed our conversation, and I hope you do to. We talked about how he got in to minimalism, how it affects his purchases and financial planning, and how he greatly downsized a bunch of stuff that was filling a storage unit. Their condo is simple, beautiful, and very welcoming… maybe I’ll see if he can send me some photos of it for a blog post. He’s also one of the biggest influences that got me interested in photography, and has been a huge help to me assembling my minimalist camera setup – where the idea is to get the best possible photos with the smallest investment. ----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:ChrisBucher.comFollow Chris on Instagram @BucherPhotoBuy his photography books on Amazon through the links below... it helps both Chris AND this show!Lighting Photo Workshop: https://amzn.to/2CmZ1nFBlack and White Digital Photography Photo Workshop: https://amzn.to/2Yhqf8CMy minimalist camera setup (Canon Rebel SL2): https://amzn.to/2FhBBAA  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with the lovely, smart, and inspiring Janelle Morrison.Janelle is a former pro athlete, and now is a coach, speaker, mentor, and author of a new manual on her website, JanelleMorrison.com. We met many years back and had an immediate connection because she and I both had life threatening accidents only 6 months apart, with both of us fighting just to survive, and both of us were determined to make a comeback to race Ironman once again. We also both had a similar reaction after coming back and completing that goal, which was that we had trouble figuring out what it all meant, and where to go from there? Who am I? Am I just a triathlete? Isn’t there more to life than this? I don’t want to give away the whole story, and I’m sure you’ll find it to be both interesting and inspiring.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:JanelleMorrison.comDocumentary film – A Second Chance Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend and colleague, Tyler Benedict.You might know him as the owner and founder of Bikerumor.com, the most popular cycling tech website in the world. While that should keep any reasonable person busy, Tyler also has a podcast, a sports drink company, an active travel blog, and he even manages to find some time to practice ninja warrior obstacle courses. The great thing about Tyler is that, although he’s a very driven person, he’s also very friendly and open to change. After being the new kid on the block and being criticized by some of the old guard of the outdoor and cycling industry, he has stayed the course and also kept the business nimble – and over time has emerged as one of the most reliable and stable publications. He has great insights on business and life, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing what he has to say.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Bikerumor.comTyler’s sports drink company, Fast AFTyler’s podcast, The Build CycleTyler’s travel blog, Adventurous Way of LifeArticles by Greg Kopecky at Bikerumor.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend, Dr. Graham Bodie.Graham is a professor at the University of Mississippi, an endurance athlete, and also an expert in listening.  What?! Listening? What does that have to do with this show? Well, let me tell you why this will all make sense very shortly.  The outdoor sports business (and a lot of businesses) have been going through a lot of turmoil, with the advent of social media and some huge shifts in the way companies advertise and develop their products.  I was thinking about this, and it struck me that a huge part of the problem stems from a lack of companies and leaders listening to their employees and customers.  Graham has a ton of expertise in this area, and I thought he’d be the perfect person to pose some big questions to – to see if we can’t figure out what’s going on – and even how to listen better at home.Now, I’ll be the first to admit that it took a little bit of time for this episode to find its legs.  Sometimes you have a vision for where you want something to go – but you don’t know exactly how to get there.  The first 15 minutes or so really sets up the issue, and if you stick with it, I think you will be pleasantly surprised, and Graham gives some great take-home pieces of advice at the end that we can all apply to our own lives to improve relationships.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Graham’s website - http://www.grahambodie.com/The Listen First Project - http://www.listenfirstproject.org/The Armchair Export podcast - https://armchairexpertpod.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with my friend and colleague, Phil Casanta.Phil is a former elite runner, professional cyclist, and now he is one of the premier bicycle mechanics and fitters in the world, running a shop called Hypercat out in California.  Phil and I dive pretty deep in to the inner workings of the bicycle business and how it has evolved in both good and bad ways.  If you’re not very into bikes, you can probably skip over the first 15 minutes or so, as we talk about some fairly technical things with how bikes have evolved from being rather simple, to the current high-tech state that requires more consumer knowledge to own and maintain.  If you’ve listened to this show before you already know that I think this is mostly a bad thing, and I wanted to get a historical view from Phil, who is older and wiser than I, and has seen in detail how things have changed since the 1980’s.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/!  It adds no cost to you and we receive a small commission from your purchases.----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Hypercat’s website, Facebook, and Instagram.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with 6-time Ironman World Champion and the man that ESPN called the Greatest Endurance Athlete of All-Time, Mark Allen.If you’re not from the endurance sports realm, the best way I can explain it is that he’s the Michael Jordan of triathlons.  Or if you’re one of my friends from jiu-jitsu, it’d be like having Rickson Gracie on the show.  In other words – he’s a big deal, and it was an honor to have an hour of his time.  Even if you aren’t into running or triathlons, much of what Mark and I talked about applies to all sports, business, and just generally trying to improve how you tackle any difficult situation.  In particular, Mark is a big believer in learning how to quiet your mind, and that this is one of the biggest factors in being able to achieve anything great.  Don’t worry, it’s not all hippy and woo-woo, and Mark gives some great advice that you can benefit from.----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, TriRoost.com!  Go check them out to learn about endurance sports, partake in joke telling, and share pictures of your pets!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banners at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/----------Check out our blog, Instagram, Youtube channel, and Facebook!----------Mentioned in the show:Mark Allen’s LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Get coached by Mark at Mark Allen Coaching.Artwork photo credit: Rich Cruse.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode of the Minimal Multisport Podcast is with one of the best short-course triathletes in the world, Cam Dye.The big news for Cam is that he recently announced his retirement from the sport, after a very successful career.  More importantly, however, he is super down to earth, and I’m not just saying that as the standard thing you’re supposed to say.  I met Cam back when I was a fledgling pro triathlete myself, and he was always super approachable.  I later worked with him as the sponsorship manager for one of his equipment sponsors, and I was always struck by how willing he was to come by and talk to us before his races.  Like… to the point where I was thinking, “Hey man, shouldn’t you go and put your feet up now to rest for this huge competition tomorrow?!”  He always went way over the top and was super friendly.This interview was very fun, as Cam gave a lot of unfiltered opinions on the good and bad of the sport and the companies that are engineering its direction.  Especially towards the end, he gives it to you very straight on what needs to change, and also his advice to anyone that wants to pursue a career in athletics.----------THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  Also THANK YOU for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at https://www.minimalmultisport.com/contribute/----------Mentioned in the show:Cam Dye’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Get coached by Cam at AJ Baucco Coaching: https://ajbcoaching.com/  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode features professional triathlete and multiple Ironman Champion, Ben Hoffman. Ben is a great guy, very entertaining, and a super talented athlete.  Also, he has been in the news lately, having missed the opportunity to race this year at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, due to an injury – which we talk about in-depth during the show.I also wanted to talk to Ben because he is a very smart and genuine guy, and his overall message fits into this show quite well.  He’s a very thoughtful person, and while he doesn’t describe himself as a minimalist, a lot of his approach to life lines up with nicely with minimalism and wanting a balanced and happy life.  He has hobbies like woodworking, welding, and carpentry.  He and his wife Kelsey make a point to clear out the clutter from their house several times a year.  He has lived out of an Airstream trailer.  And perhaps most importantly, he doesn’t just pursue sponsorships with manufacturers of high tech sports equipment – he also has both a bacon and a wine sponsor.  I think he’s doing something right! :)----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, the TriRoost.com!  If you’re looking for an online forum to meet people, have a few laughs, and participate in a positive triathlon community – look no further.  If you don’t fit in anywhere, you probably fit in at TriRoost!  I personally post there and participate, where you can ask me tech questions, or about this show.THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!  This show in particular has some really great and entertaining bonus material with The Hoff.Also thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com!----------Mentioned in the show:Ben Hoffman’s website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode is with the great Dr. Nat Collins.  He is a doctor of physical therapy, coach, ultrarunner, and occasional triathlete.  Nat and I discuss a lot of things, but the main reason I wanted to pick his brain is that he has a unique combination of clinical work, coaching experience, and personal experience that a lot of coaches don’t have.  He has a very deep understanding of biomechanics, and has helped me personally with injuries before.  I wanted to get his take on athleticism in general, and what the key things are that the average person is bad at.  In other words, for most of us with desk jobs, and living in an artificial environment – what are the most common physical issues he sees, and the best ways to fix it without spending a tremendous amount of time?  Spoiler alert: If you’re spending zero time in the gym, have never seen a physical therapist, and don’t know what a foam roller is, you’re probably not doing yourself a ton of favors in terms of long-term health.  ----------THANK YOU to this episode’s sponsor, the Rooster Endurance Triathlon Team.  Apply to the team today at http://triroost.com/... Or if you’re listening to this episode later, go and check out their website and forum anyway!THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!  A mere $2 per month gives you access to all of our bonus content!Also thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com!----------Mentioned in the show:Runesiology website (Nat’s coaching website and blog)Running Irregardless PodcastNat’s InstagramBuy a foam roller! https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Density-Round-Roller-36-inches/dp/B00XM2MRGI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1541000507&sr=8-4&keywords=foam+roller&linkCode=sl1&tag=minimalmultis-20&linkId=0e7198dfef5dbafb21a7b9047f923d2c&language=en_USBetter yet – buy a vibrating roller! https://www.amazon.com/Vulken-Intensity-Vibrating-Massager-Recovery/dp/B074C9LJ35/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1541000782&sr=8-5&keywords=vibrating+foam+roller&linkCode=sl1&tag=minimalmultis-20&linkId=2314778e9d3984d12a4f962cbc1e05cd&language=en_USRecommended exercise: Hip ThrustersRecommended exercise: Single leg (pistol) squatSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode is with none other than Ben Hobbs – one of the funniest, most controversial characters in the triathlon and endurance sports world.  You may know him as “The Real Starky”.Ben started off as “just another guy” – another age group triathlete.  As a joke, he began a parody Twitter account that poked fun at triathletes, and this snowballed into something much bigger – a blog, a very popular podcast, and eventually a legitimate news website that competed with major publishers in the triathlon space.However, after several years of making content, it all stopped rather suddenly.  The podcasts trickled off, the articles stopped, and everyone started to wonder what happened.  Where is The Real Starky and what is he doing now?  Why did he stop?  Is he ever going to come back?  What about Ben’s side project, The Ben Hobbs Podcast (which, incidentally, was outstanding).Well, folks – now is your chance to hear the full update.  Ben and I talked for about an hour, and caught up on all-things-TRS.  We get in to his life changes, reducing his digital footprint, eliminating most social media, and even how adopting a minimalist lifestyle has improved his quality of life in the over-teched world of 2018.  Ben is very funny and a great speaker from his years of podcasting experience, and I think you will enjoy this episode.For our Patreon supporters, we’re also releasing some extra bonus content from the interview – a mere $2 per month will give you access – see the link below!----------THANK YOU for supporting us on Patreon!  It’s cliché but true – listener support is the only way that this show is possible!Also thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com! ----------Mentioned in the show: TRS Triathlon WebsiteTRS Radio PodcastThe Ben Hobbs PodcastYouTube video – The Scientific Benefits of BoredomBook: Marie Kondo – The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: https://amzn.to/2CQ6RbgDocumentary: Minimalism – a Documentary About the Important Things: https://amzn.to/2CO7dPv  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

NOTE: Due to an audio problem, we had to re-upload this podcast. If your levels sound off, please delete the episode and re-download to get the newest version. Thanks!This episode of the Minimal Multisport Athlete Podcast is with my friend John Paul Severin. John is a longtime triathlete (and athlete in general), who I met while racing in college. We have a similar outlook on life and have both taken steps to simplify our lives as we move into real adult life in our 30s.The long story short is that John is busy now. He has a wife and kids, a full-time job, and is trying to balance all of that while still staying in shape. He has some effective strategies for this, such as commuting to work on his bike. He and his family also have a big interest in minimalism, mostly as a strategy to bring some sense of peace to a house with three small children. John got in touch with me to discuss something that I mentioned on the last episode, which is trying to downsize his bikes. At his peak, John had 4 bikes, each fulfilling a slightly different purpose than the next. Now he is working to reduce that to 3 or perhaps even 2, and we talked about all of the details such as: -How he prioritized the most important ‘jobs’ that his equipment needed to do. -How having a couple sets of different tires can completely change the capability of one bike. -How simplifying his equipment has allowed him to bring a sense of fun and joy back into exercise – ultimately leading to better longevity in the sport, and overall health. Thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com!Mentioned in the show:Article: The Frame Material Debate - on Slowtwitch.comThe Psychic Derailleur Podcast – Episode 2: https://thepsychicderailleur.com/2018/09/20/ep-2-doug-karr/”We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard ShawSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

This episode covers the big, hairy, nasty topic of aesthetic minimalism vs functional minimalism. In short, there’s a big trend for selling things that look very sleek and minimal, but in practice are actually much more complicated and difficult to live with. For example – that touch screen on your car’s dashboard has a lot of technology, but actually requires you to take your eyes off the road much more than car stereos from 20 years ago because you can’t feel any buttons with your fingers (it’s all on a flat screen). It LOOKS minimal, but isn’t very minimal in the real world. We discuss one area that this has affected the bicycle business in-depth, which is the near-ubiquitous trend for routing the shift and brake cables inside the bike frame (rather than externally). While this can make the bike appear to look more minimal, many beginning cyclists don’t know that it makes repairs and service significantly more difficult and expensive over the long haul. We end up with three take-homes for the Average Joe / Jane cyclist: 1. If at all possible, shop for bikes that have external cables. If your bike dealer ONLY has bikes with internal routing, ask if they have a particular model that’s easier to service and own. 2. On the high-end of the marketplace ($$$), SRAM has wireless electronic shifting, which eliminates the need for routing any shift cables at all (though you do have to charge multiple batteries). 3. There are now single chainring (1x) systems, which only have ONE shift cable, cutting down on service time. For a more in-depth discussion on this, check out this article I wrote for Slowtwitch.com: https://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/1x_Reconsidered_6840.html Thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com! Mentioned in the show: Minimalism: a Documentary About the Important Things: https://amzn.to/2p38Xve SRAM Apex 1x11 rear derailleur : https://amzn.to/2NEtbJG SRAM eTap Electronic Groupset: https://amzn.to/2xbzf26 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

We interview former professional triathlete and nuclear engineer, David Thompson. David is a very honest and interesting person, who worked incredibly hard to make a living in the sport using a very minimal approach - keeping his costs as low as possible and always traveling on-the-cheap. He's now working on raising his family and getting back in to the military, after deciding that it was time to call it a day with triathlon. David is not on any social media, so if you want to catch up with him, you can meet him in-person at the pool, roads, and trails of St Paul, MN. Thank you for supporting the show by shopping through our Amazon affiliate banner at www.minimalmultisport.com!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

While we don't want to be mindless consumers, we all have to buy things from time to time. This episode touches on a more conscious strategy for purchases, focusing on a few keys - shopping for simplicity, reliability, and brands/products that specialize in the "it just works" factor. While it may seem obvious, not everybody thinks this way, and there are a lot of products that focus too much on whiz-bang features rather than the basic components of reliability. The reason for shopping this way is to end up with products that serve us more than we serve them. Visit our website: www.minimalmultisport.com Mentioned in the show: Casio G-shock DW5600E sports watch: https://amzn.to/2PgMR3FSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

We interview AJ Johnson - triathlon coach, former professional triathlete, and magazine editor. He's a really interesting guy, and we had a great time catching up about our history as 'pro' triathletes and fierce publishing competitors. More importantly, AJ is competing in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii this year in honor of his very good friend who tragically passed away this year. It's a sad and compelling story, and I encourage you to follow AJ's journey via his Instagram account - AJoutside. Visit our website: www.minimalmultisport.com Mentioned in the show: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg: https://amzn.to/2Pm3eMmSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

We sit down with bicycle industry veteran, Chris Wiggins. Chris owns A1 Cyclery in Indianapolis, IN, and has a great deal of experience in all types of cycling, and many other outdoor sports such as adventure racing. We talked about the state of the cycling business, how it has changed, the problems it's encountering, and where we're heading. In addition, we touch on why he changed the business model of the store from a high-end racing focus to more utilitarian bikes that could benefit the average Joe (and the personal reasons for doing so). Check out Chris online at: A1Cyclery.com! ThePsychicDerailleur.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)

Welcome to the Minimal Multisport Athlete! This introduction episode welcomes you to the show and talks about the purpose, basic format, and previews upcoming shows. We're all about maximizing fun and life balance for multisport athletes, without getting bogged down in a lot of work or consumption to support our play. In other words - applying the principles of minimalism to our sporting lie. We'll cover topics such as triathlon, cycling, adventure racing, general health, mixed martial arts, and more! www.minimalmultisport.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/minimalmultisport/)