Some tandem fun at work puts us on TV

Linda and I with Dick Wolfsie of WISH-TV

It is always fun when our tandem experience gets us some exposure in the media. Over the years, our riding the tandems with our sons resulted in our being featured in our hometown newspapers as we moved between Washington, Iowa and Indiana. Once, thanks to a mention by Bill McCready of Santana Cycles, the four of us were featured in an article on tandem bikes in US News and World Report magazine. But this last weekend, Linda and I were both given 15 seconds of fame in an unplanned video segment on tandems with Indianapolis based TV personality, Dick Wolfsie of WISH TV.

For background, Linda and I both work for Bicycle Garage Indy (BGI) and BGI Fitness, and last weekend was our annual spring sale. This is the 31st year for the Spring Bicycle Expo, and it draws customers from all across Indiana and surrounding states. While Linda is normally working with our fitness customers and bicycle education programs, and I am the marketing manager, for the Expo it is “all-hands-on-deck”. The Expo features a 20,000 square foot tent, to nearly double the size of our north-side Indianapolis store, and we have up to 100 people (store staff, former staff, sponsored cycling team members and dozens of manufacturer’s reps) working there at any given time.

Dick Wolfsie interview Jeff Lenosky at BGI.

During the Expo, BGI brings in Jeff Lenosky, a nationally recognized trials bike and stunt rider, sponsored by Giant Bicycle, who presents a series of shows during the weekend. Originally, Dick Wolfsie was here to shoot some short segments with Jeff, as they have done together every year for at last 7-8 years. Dick is always looking for something fun to add for local interest, and this year, he stopped by our display of Co-Motion and Trek tandems and started asking questions about them. Connie Schmucker, BGI’s Advocacy Director, (who is also half of a tandem team) is our liaison with Dick, and she asked me to join in. Dick was very fascinated by the variety (and cost of tandems), and that Linda and I had been riding tandems together for over 30 years.

Originally, Dick was going to ask me some questions about quality tandems and our experience, and then I would take Dick around for a short ride. But in the time it took Connie and I to move a tandem from the front of the store to our test ride area in the back, Dick had found another couple, who were not shopping for a tandem, and asked them to try a tandem! So Connie and I, along with Linda, had about 2-3 minutes to reset things, finding a tandem for the new couple (and helmets), and to get them staged and briefed to ride. The couple were very good sports, did great, and turned out to be neighbors of another tandem couple Linda and I ride with. We may even get them back for a real tandem test ride.

Here is the video clip that featured Linda and I,  and our tandem test riders:

And here is the link to all 4 segments that were featured on WISH TV.


It was a fun opportunity to talk about tandems, and the next day, a couple who seen the segment that morning, came in to talk about a buying a tandem.