Spokes & Strategy: Marketing the Bicycle

Pushing your limits and pushing past them can look the same from the inside.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Chris Mehlman, an ultra endurance cyclist. Chris is also the Marketing Operations Manager at Miso Partners, so a quick note on transparency before we begin. Chris was racing the first edition of the Taurus Mountain Race in Turkey when a night of severe mountain weather led to the race being canceled during the event. He walks through the choices he made on the way up, what he would do differently, and what the story says about risk, in racing and in business.What You’ll LearnHow Chris prepared for a race where the course stayed secret until two days before the startWhy he chose to ride into a high mountain section as the weather turned, and what he would do differentlyHow a nearby race vehicle, other riders, and a brief break in the weather can give a false sense of safetyWhy setting a boundary, like riding ten minutes up a climb and then stopping to reassess, can helpHow small, controlled risks build judgment before the big onesWhy saying no can matter as much as pushing on, and how that carries over to business decisionsChris Mehlman is an ultra endurance cyclist from near Boston, Massachusetts, now based in Girona, Spain. He began racing in a New England high school mountain bike league and has since moved from cross country racing into gravel, marathon mountain bike, and ultra distance events. 2026 is his first full season focused on ultra events. He is also the Marketing Operations Manager at Miso Partners.Learn more about Chris Mehlman:Website: https://www.chrismehlman.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_mehlman_delivers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmehlman34/Chris’ blog on Substack: https://chrismehlman.substack.com/ Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

A girl who has never thought of herself as an athlete will not walk into a bike shop on her own. Someone has to invite her.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Molly Hurford, author, journalist, podcaster, and founder of Strong Girl Publishing. Molly did not grow up athletic. She found cycling in college, and she has spent the years since helping more girls see themselves on a bike. She and Brandon talk about what makes a new rider feel welcome, what bike shops often miss, and how a book, a sticker machine, and a simple invitation can turn a first bike into a lifelong habit.What You’ll LearnHow a group of college cyclists, a borrowed bike, and a few spare gloves turned a self-described bookworm into a bike racerWhy friends were the main reason the girls Molly interviewed stayed in cyclingHow the Shred Girls books grew out of one question: what would have gotten me riding?Why many women feel uneasy walking into a bike shop, and a simple test for seeing your shop through a new rider’s eyesHow one shop pairs a new kid’s bike with a book and a gumball machine full of stickersWhat bike shops can learn from run shops about building community beyond serviceMolly Hurford is an author, journalist, and podcaster. She is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing, which creates books and content to help more girls see themselves in sport. She wrote the Shred Girls series, along with Fuel Your Ride, Saddle Sore, and Mud, Snow, and Cyclocross. She also co-hosts the Consummate Athlete podcast with her husband, cycling coach Peter Glassford.Learn more about Molly Hurford:Website: https://mollyhurford.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyjhurfordBio page: https://consummateathlete.com/molly-hurford-2/Learn more about Strong Girl Publishing:Website: https://stronggirlpublishing.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stronggirlpublishing/Strong Girl Talk Podcast: https://stronggirlpublishing.com/podcast/Bike shops interested in carrying the books: use the bookseller link at the bottom of stronggirlpublishing.comLearn more about the Consummate Athlete podcast:Podcast: https://consummateathlete.com/category/podcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consummateathlete/Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

When the people who design a tool also make it, the feedback loop is twenty feet long.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Jason Quade, founder and owner of Abbey Bike Tools in Bend, Oregon. Jason describes his job as owner, welder, designer, and floor sweeper. He and Brandon talk about what it takes to make tools in the US, how customer requests turn into products, and what a smoother repair department looks like from a toolmaker’s point of view.What You’ll LearnWhy Jason believes a brand that makes its own products gets faster feedback, carries less inventory, and keeps tighter control of its ideasHow a customer request becomes a real product, and when a one-off tool is worth adding to the lineHow Abbey balances tools built for professional mechanics with tools recreational riders will buyWhat Jason looks for to tell whether a shop’s service area is flowing, from service writing to where tools liveWhy “we’ve always done it this way” is a warning sign, and how Jason keeps a team improving without breaking what already worksWhy Abbey waited so long to advertise, and how Jason plans to judge whether it is workingJason Quade is the founder and owner of Abbey Bike Tools. A welder by trade, he worked in bike shops and race support before building the company’s first tool at a race mechanic’s request. Every Abbey tool is made and assembled in Bend, Oregon.Learn more about Abbey Bike Tools:Website: https://www.abbeybiketools.com/Learn more about Jason Quade:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-quade-233344347Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

A bike that shakes uncontrollably at speed is not bad luck. It is physics, and Lennard Zinn has spent over 40 years solving for it.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Lennard Zinn, a former US national team cyclist, physicist, founder of Zinn Cycles, and author of the world’s best selling bicycle maintenance guide. Lennard explains how a terrifying high speed shimmy on a descent led him to start building his own frames, why tall and heavy riders still face unique stability challenges today, and how setbacks throughout his life and career became turning points rather than detours.What You’ll Learn* Why bike “shimmy” happens, and what frame geometry, tube size, and rider weight have to do with it* How Lennard went from racing on the US national team to building custom frames after a single terrifying descent* Why 3D printed titanium made e-bike production possible for Zinn Cycles, and how it unexpectedly protected the business during the pandemic* Why Lennard sees early injuries, business setbacks, and even a heart arrhythmia diagnosis as gifts rather than losses* What has gotten harder, and easier, about maintaining your own bike since Lennard wrote his first repair manual in 1995* What advice Lennard would give someone starting a career building bikes todayLennard Zinn is a former member of the US national cycling team and a lifelong endurance athlete. He reported for VeloNews for 33 years and is the author of the world’s best selling guide to bicycle maintenance and repair, along with The Haywire Heart. He holds a degree in physics and has built custom bicycles for 45 years as the founder of Zinn Cycles.Learn more about Lennard Zinn:Website: https://www.zinn.bike/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennard-zinn-0b1ba02Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zinnlennard/Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

People rarely leave a job over money. They leave because nobody showed them where it was going.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Ron Thurston, a two-time bestselling author and retail leadership expert with over 30 years of experience at brands like Apple, Gap, West Elm, and Saint Laurent. Ron spent a year and a half living in an Airstream, traveling the country to talk with frontline retail workers for his podcast Retail in America. He and Brandon talk about what actually keeps good people in a shop, what a leader owes their team before asking for more, and where technology fits into a business built on human connection.What You'll LearnWhy a lack of clear career path, not pay, is the number one reason retail employees quitWhat a simple ten minute shift opener and closer can do for team communication and retentionWhy Ron recommends blocking 20 to 30 minutes a day for team development or self development, even in the busiest shopsHow to coach a team when the owner themselves struggles with the people side of the businessWhere AI tools genuinely help a small retail operation, from coaching to inventory planning to customer outreachWhy Ron tells people to choose their manager before they choose the brand they work forRon Thurston is a two-time #1 bestselling author, business strategist, and keynote speaker with over 30 years of executive retail experience at brands including Apple, Gap, West Elm, Tory Burch, Bonobos, and Saint Laurent. He is the author of Retail Pride and Human Pride, and the creator and host of the Retail in America tour and podcast, which documented frontline retail stories across 30 states.Learn more about Ron Thurston:Website: https://www.ronthurston.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rthurston/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retailpride/YouTube (Retail in America): https://www.youtube.com/@retailinamericaSpokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

Character is hard to measure and easy to spot, and it matters more than follower count.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Yuri Hauswald, a former 24 Hour Solo mountain bike racer, 2015 Unbound Gravel 200 champion, 2023 Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductee, longtime GU Energy Labs athlete manager, and co-owner of Merchant Cycles in Emporia, Kansas. This year Yuri returned to Unbound with a different goal, starting last and passing as many riders as he could to raise money for youth cycling in the town that shaped his career.What You'll LearnWhy Yuri chose to start dead last at Unbound this year, and how that decision tied directly to a youth cycling fundraiserWhat Yuri actually looks for when evaluating athletes for sponsorship, and why character outweighs metrics like follower countHow referral-based trust works in athlete sponsorship, and why it mirrors how small businesses earn new customersWhat Merchant Cycles has learned about surviving a business built around one massive week of revenue each yearWhy consignment relationships with vendors helped the shop recover from an inventory and staffing miscalculationHow a Kansas youth cycling team grew from four riders to over twenty, and what that growth says about community over competitionYuri Hauswald is a former 24 Hour Solo mountain bike racer and the 2015 champion of what is now known as Unbound Gravel. He was inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame in 2023. He has been a GU Energy Labs athlete for over 20 years and now manages GU's elite athlete roster and PR storytelling. He is also a co-owner of Merchant Cycles in Emporia, Kansas.Learn more about Yuri Hauswald:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yhauswald/Twitter/X: @YuriHauswaldSupport youth cycling in Emporia, Kansas:Yuri's fundraiser: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/yurichasetherace/yuri-hauswaldLearn more about GU Energy Labs:Website: https://guenergy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guenergylabs/Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

Some businesses chase a bigger vision. This one just tries to do a good job, every single time.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Mike McCormack, founder and race director of the Breck Epic, a six day mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, Colorado. Mike also runs a communications business and has spent decades working in youth cycling and trail access. He and Brandon talk about making hard calls in real time, building culture without forcing it, and what it actually takes to earn sponsorship loyalty in a crowded market.What You'll LearnHow Mike decides when a stage needs to be cancelled for weather, and why he calls it an easy decision even when it is not an easy dayWhy Mike believes trying to build culture on purpose is the wrong approach, and what naturally creates it insteadHow the idea of unreasonable hospitality shaped the way Breck Epic thinks about surprise and delight for ridersWhy sponsorship is a two way street, and what Mike means by needing to deserve loyalty rather than chase itWhat the Superloop Series is, and how it is filling a gap between racing and big supported group ridesWhy Mike thinks growing riders matters more long term than growing racersMike McCormack is the founder and race director of the Breck Epic, a six day mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, Colorado. His work also includes youth cycling initiatives, trail access advocacy, and a communications business.Learn more about the Breck Epic:Website: https://breckepic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breckepicLearn more about Mike McCormack:Instagram: mikemac01LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccormikeSpokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

A bike leaves the shop working. Nobody knows what happens to it until it comes back broken.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Umberto Javarone, founder and CEO of CrankPal, and Nico Abbruzzese, CrankPal's COO and partner, who also owns a bike shop in Milan focused on triathletes. Umberto's background is in aircraft maintenance, and Nico brings hands-on service industry and shop ownership experience. Together they built a workshop management platform paired with a rider app that predicts when bike components are likely to need attention, closing the gap between visits instead of waiting for something to break.What You'll LearnWhy predicting bike maintenance is more complex than it looks, and how mileage, time, and weather all factor into component wearHow CrankPal's feedback loop uses real workshop data to improve its predictions over timeWhy progressive onboarding helped shops actually adopt the platform, instead of overwhelming them with every feature at onceHow a universal parts catalog saves a shop from manually building out inventory from scratchWhat a real service experience looks like from pickup to quote approval to delivery, without a single phone callWhy Umberto and Nico see communication between shop and rider as just as important as the maintenance prediction itselfUmberto Javarone is the founder and CEO of CrankPal. His background includes bicycle and aircraft maintenance, along with years working in operations and urban mobility.Nico Abbruzzese is CrankPal's COO and partner. He owns and runs a bike shop in Milan dedicated to triathletes and endurance athletes.The CrankPal iOS app for cyclists is now available on the App Store. Download it here: https://apps.apple.com/app/crankpal/id6801326831?ct=spokes-and-strategy&mt=8Learn more about CrankPal:Website: https://www.crankpal.com/en-US/workshops/LinkedIn (CrankPal): https://www.linkedin.com/company/crankpalLinkedIn (Umberto Javarone): https://www.linkedin.com/in/umbertojavarone/LinkedIn (Nico Abbruzzese): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoabbruzzeseInstagram (Nico): https://www.instagram.com/nicosdao/Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

Most businesses see their analytics. Only Google sees what a customer does before they ever click.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Mike Blumenthal, co-founder and analyst at Near Media. Mike has spent over two decades studying local search and consumer behavior, and built and sold multiple companies along the way, including Gather Up and Local U. He and Brandon talk about what actually drives a customer's decision to choose one local business over another, and what that means for a bike shop or brand trying to earn trust.What You'll LearnWhy Mike closed his family's five million dollar retail business, and what that experience taught him about trust and business partnershipsHow Mike's user behavior research shows people making decisions differently by category, and what that reveals about the role of reviewsWhy brand recognition acts as a hidden ranking signal Google uses, even before a customer clicks anythingWhat a "lifestyle business" model could look like for a bike shop beyond fitting and selling bikesWhy build quality and buyer education matter more than ever as e-bikes bring in a new kind of customerWhy Mike believes it's never too late to start riding, at any ageMike Blumenthal is co-founder and analyst at Near Media, where his research focuses on local market behavior, including how consumers search for and choose businesses like personal injury attorneys. He previously co-founded Gather Up and Local U, and ran his family's retail business for over two decades before moving into local search and consumer research.Learn more about Mike Blumenthal and Near Media:Website: https://www.nearmedia.co/LinkedIn (Near Media): https://www.linkedin.com/company/nearmediacoLinkedIn (Mike Blumenthal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mblumenthal/Twitter/X: @mblumenthalSpokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/

The algorithm decides what you see online. At a trade show, nobody is deciding that for you, and that is the point.In this episode of Spokes & Strategy, Brandon Morphew talks with Jim Kersten, show director of CABDA Expo and a third generation bike shop owner in Chicago. Jim explains why he built CABDA around regional timing instead of one massive event, what trade shows still do better than online discovery, and why he believes the bike industry's biggest problem right now is execution, not ideas.What You'll LearnWhy CABDA moved away from a single national show to regional events timed around when shops can actually leave the floorWhat "organized serendipity" means, and why unplanned conversations on the show floor can matter more than scheduled meetingsWhy Jim believes the industry doesn't have an idea problem, it has an execution problem, and what that looks like in practiceHow CABDA measures success beyond total headcount, including the mix of shops and businesses attendingWhy some major brands skip trade shows to run their own dealer events, and what Jim thinks they are missingWhat Jim tells any shop owner deciding whether to make the trip back to CABDA this yearJim Kersten is the show director of CABDA Expo, which produces bicycle industry trade shows built around independent bicycle retailers, brands, distributors, and the service providers who support them. He also owns and operates a bicycle shop in Chicago that has been in his family for almost fifty years.Learn more about CABDA Expo:Website: https://cabdashow.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabda_expo/Learn more about Jim Kersten:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-kersten-98197725Spokes & Strategy is brought to you by Miso Partners.Follow Miso Partners:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misopartners/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misopartnersWebsite: https://misopartners.com/