Best David Bagge Podcasts (2024)

1
Christian Bagg on racing Leadville by handcycle 1:43:42

3h ago1:43:42

1:43:42

When Christian Bagg crossed the finish line at the Leadville 100 this year, he became the first rider to complete (and start) the notorious high alpine race with a handcycle. He did it with a bike he created through his company, Bowhead Corp, the leading purveyor of adaptive mountain bikes. Taking part in Leadville was part personal challenge and p…

1
Episode 158: Benjamin Schupmann - Democracy Despite Itself 1:13:50

8d ago1:13:50

1:13:50

A conversation with Benjamin Schupmann about his recent book, "Democracy Despite Itself: Liberal Constitutionalism and Militant Democracy" (Oxford UP).

1
Melisa Rollins, Leadville 100 winner 1:07:15

1h ago1:07:15

1:07:15

There are many riders who dream of winning Leadville, but few if any have spent as much time working toward it as Melisa Rollins. She’s done the mountain bike race seven times, the stage race twice, the Leadville Trail Marathon once, and the back-to-back 50-mile running and mountain biking races. She even completed the Leadville 100 running race in…

1
Episode 157: Isaac Nakhimovsky - The Holy Alliance 1:05:42

1h ago1:05:42

1:05:42

A conversation with Isaac Nakhimovsky about his recent book "The Holy Alliance: Liberalism and the Politics of Federation" (Princeton UP).

1
Leadville recap with Michaela Thompson and John Gaston 1:47:55

5d ago1:47:55

1:47:55

To recap this year's Leadville, Payson sits down with two riders who had some of the most impressive results on the day, Michaela Thompson and John Gaston. Michaela rode to third place this year, a full hour faster than her time last year. She talks about returning to Leadville ready to change the narrative, gives a play-by-play of the race, and ta…

1
Episode 156: Genevieve Rousseliere - Sharing Freedom 1:24:16

12d ago1:24:16

1:24:16

A conversation with Genevieve Rousseliere about her recent book, "Sharing Freedom: Republicanism and Exclusion in Revolutionary France" (Cambridge UP).

1
David Spindler on brain chemistry and mental health for athletic performance (with Riley Amos) 1:19:30

7h ago1:19:30

1:19:30

Dr. David Spindler has been working as a high-performance cognitive specialist for over 25 years, helping top-level athletes unlock their brain chemistry and reach new levels of achievement. Cyclists he’s worked with include Mark Cavendish, Sam Gaze, and recent podcast guest, Riley Amos. Last week, Dr. Spindler stopped by the podcast studio in Dura…

1
Savilia Blunk recaps the Olympics XCO race 1:12:21

1M ago1:12:21

1:12:21

Just a few days after returning home from Paris, Savilia Blunk sits down with Payson to talk about her experience competing in the XCO race at the Olympics. After years of targeted preparation, she had a lot riding on the race. In the end, she was disappointed with how it all went down. In this conversation, she tells Payson about the things she sa…

1
Episode 155: Samuel Bagg - The Dispersion of Power 1:20:11

30d ago1:20:11

1:20:11

A conversation with Samuel Bagg about his recent book "The Dispersion of Power: A Critical Realist Theory of Democracy" (Oxford UP).

1
Riley Amos on the Olympics and a dominant World Cup season 1:17:58

24d ago1:17:58

1:17:58

After going nearly undefeated on the World Cup circuit this year, U23 XCO rider Riley Amos returns to the show to talk about the season and the lead-up to the Olympics, which have just gotten underway in Paris. He talks about the heated points pursuit that the U.S. team undertook to snag two Olympic slots, and how this goal was at times in conflict…

1
Sarah Sturm on Migration Gravel, plus Crusher cancellation analysis 1:48:36

20d ago1:48:36

1:48:36

Sarah Sturm is back, fresh off of winning Migration Gravel in Kenya. As usually happens when she and Payson start chatting, the conversation covers a broad range of pressing topics. Did Sarah watch Cole Paton ride to his doom in a rainstorm just before recording the show? Will Cole reply to Payson’s texts? What is tempo? Why did the runners at Hard…

1
Episode 154: Aaron Alexander Zubia - The Political Thought of David Hume 1:12:41

27d ago1:12:41

1:12:41

A conversation with Aaron Alexander Zubia about his recent book, "The Political Thought of David Hume: the Origins of Liberalism and the Modern Political Imagination" (Notre Dame Press).

1
Episode 153: Jeff Spinner-Halev - Respect and Loathing in American Democracy 1:03:16

2M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

A conversation with Jeff Spinner-Halev about his recent book, "Respect and Loathing in American Democracy: Polarization, Moralization, and the Undermining of Equality" (U of Chicago Press, co-authored with Elizabeth Theiss-Morse)

1
Dylan Stucki on aid station chaos, Single Speed Worlds, and the Durango Derby 1:45:51

2M ago1:45:51

1:45:51

Dylan Stucki has dabbled in just about every bike-related career out there. He's worked as an equipment tester, mechanic, and race promoter, and even found the time to do some pro racing along the way. These days, one of his main roles is team manager/mechanic/and all-around support system for his fiancée, Sarah Sturm. Payson caught up with Dylan t…

1
Samara Sheppard on her Grand Prix debut, Olympic disappointments, and Cape Epic podium 1:29:44

1M ago1:29:44

1:29:44

New Zealand cyclist Samara Sheppard has found success in multiple disciplines, including cross country (she won a U23 World Cup in 2012 and is a multi-time New Zealand and Oceania champion), road (she nearly landed a contract with one of the most prominent WorldTour teams in 2019), and marathon (she’s placed 5th and 6th at the marathon world champi…

1
Chef Biju Thomas on cycling, food, and emigrating to the U.S. 1:07:38

2M ago1:07:38

1:07:38

As co-founder of SkratchLabs and co-author of the FeedZone cookbooks, Chef Biju Thomas has played a major role in how cyclists fuel themselves. He and his family emigrated from a rural part of Southern India to Colorado when he was 10. As a teenager, he fell in love with cycling right around the time he started working in restaurants, and dreamed o…

1
Paige Onweller on her surprise Unbound success after ankle surgery 1:21:36

2M ago1:21:36

1:21:36

A year and a half ago, Paige Onweller was working as an emergency PA and racing bikes on the side. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, she won Big Sugar. Recognizing that she had a fraction of the racing experience that her competitors had, Paige quit her job, built out her sprinter van, and got to work racing weekend after weekend around the country. …

1
Episode 152: Robert Pippin - The Culmination 1:04:16

2M ago1:04:16

1:04:16

A conversation with Robert Pippin about his recent book "The Culmination: Heidegger, German Idealism, and the Fate of Philosophy" (U Chicago Press).

1
Lea Davison on putting the “tired” in retirement and being an advocate within the sport 1:10:48

3M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

Lea Davison thought long and hard about her retirement, but even when she finally decided to bring her mountain biking career to a close, she didn't have any intention of slowing down. During her racing career, she won a silver and a bronze medal at the World Championships, placed third overall in the 2015 World Cup series, and went to the Olympics…

1
Episode 151: Gianna Englert - Democracy Tamed 1:09:56

2M ago1:09:56

1:09:56

A conversation with Gianna Englert about her recent book, "Democracy Tamed: French Liberalism and the Politics of Suffrage" (Oxford UP).

1
Payson's 10 craziest moments from Unbound 54:10

2M ago54:10

54:10

Trains, a moto crash, the hero pull of the day, and two peeing mishaps are just some of the crazy moments from Unbound that make the cut in this episode. As the race expands every year, so does the potential for chaos within the peloton. Payson rounded up some of the most striking examples that you didn't see in any on-the-day coverage. Click to WI…

1
Episode 150: Frank Lovett - The Well-Ordered Republic 1:19:42

3M ago1:19:42

1:19:42

A conversation with Frank Lovett about his new book "The Well-Ordered Republic" (Oxford UP).

1
Unbound recap with Pete Stetina and Lauren De Crescenzo 1:47:00

2M ago1:47:00

1:47:00

This year’s Unbound was one of the most dynamic and exciting in the event’s history, featuring two new winners, separate starts for the elite men and women, and a nine-up sprint at the women's finish. Payson caught up with two of the top riders to get the lowdown from inside the men’s and women’s fields. We also hear from some of the riders across …

1
Jasper Ockeloen on Unbound, Sockeloen, and the Dutch Mafia 1:37:52

3M ago1:37:52

1:37:52

Jasper Ockeloen started racing on the road in the Netherlands when he was 8 years old and took up cyclocross not long after. The combination has come in handy now that he’s turned his focus to gravel and the increasingly popular discipline of beach racing, where he's a two-time European champion. This month, he’s back in the U.S. to tackle Unbound …

1
Episode 149: Richard Bourke - Hegel's World Revolutions 1:08:55

3M ago1:08:55

1:08:55

A conversation with Richard Bourke about his recent book "Hegel's World Revolutions" (Princeton University Press).

1
Kateřina Nash on 30 years of racing and her role within the UCI 1:41:32

4M ago1:41:32

1:41:32

At 46, Kateřina Nash has been racing bikes for three decades and continues to compete at the highest level. Originally from the Czech Republic, she competed in skiing throughout her early life, even competing in two Winter Olympics before discovering a love for mountain biking. She was part of the first cohort of the groundbreaking LUNA Pro Team in…

1
Episode 148: Richard Tuck - Active and Passive Citizens 1:01:15

3M ago1:01:15

1:01:15

A conversation with Richard Tuck about his recent book "Active and Passive Citizens: A Defense of Majoritarian Democracy" (Princeton UP).

1
Kenny Belaey on 9 trials World Championships and life after competitive cycling 1:26:00

4M ago1:26:00

1:26:00

Kenny Belaey started riding professionally at age 9 when he and his brother began doing trial biking shows in their native Belgium. Since then, he’s racked up nine UCI world championship titles in the discipline, more than any other rider. But even during the peak of his racing career, Kenny kept up with the performance circuit, using the shows as …

1
Episode 147: Laura Valentini - Morality and Socially Constructed Norms 1:20:51

4M ago1:20:51

1:20:51

A conversation with Laura Valentini about her recent book, "Morality and Socially Constructed Norms" (Oxford UP).

1
Taylor Lideen on missing out on the Grand Prix and starting the season with a bang 1:38:50

4M ago1:38:50

1:38:50

After participating in the Life Time Grand Prix in its first two years, Taylor Lideen missed out on a spot this year. While that might leave some riders struggling for motivation, it’s done the opposite for him. Two weeks ago, at Sea Otter (the first Grand Prix race of the season), he snagged 6th place, just seconds off the podium. The next weekend…

1
Sea Otter recap with Hannah Otto 1:20:19

5M ago1:20:19

1:20:19

The Grand Prix is back and Hannah Otto is here to give a rundown of the first race of the season. She and Payson discuss the opposite tactics that played out in the men's and women's races, which new and returning riders caught their attention, and how the Cape Epic might have influenced the podium. They also answer a few listener questions and rev…

1
Episode 146: Alan S. Kahan - Freedom from Fear 1:16:59

5M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

A conversation with Alan S. Kahan about his recent book, "Freedom from Fear: An Incomplete History of Liberalism" (Princeton UP).

1
Nichole Baker on her eighth year in Uganda for Path of Logic 1:44:55

5M ago1:44:55

1:44:55

After four years of pestering, Payson has finally convinced Nichole to return to the show to talk about her most recent trip to Uganda. In 2017, she visited the country for the first time to teach pathology residents and, based on her experiences and newfound connections there, started Path of Logic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving …

1
Cynthia Carson on winning Badlands and the Atlas Mountain Race 1:17:28

5M ago1:17:28

1:17:28

It takes a particular kind of grit to win the grueling 800-mile Atlas Mountain Race, and Cynthia Carson did it on less than five hours of sleep. The rising bikepacking star has had quite a year, winning Spain’s infamous desert race Badlands in September and becoming the first woman to finish in the top 10. Cynthia joins Payson this week to talk abo…

1
Episode 145: Jason Blakely - Lost in Ideology 1:18:00

5M ago1:18:00

1:18:00

A conversation with Jason Blakely about his recent book "Lost in Ideology: Interpreting Modern Political Life" (Agenda Publishing).

1
Luke Lamperti on his first few months in the WorldTour 1:08:00

5M ago1:08:00

1:08:00

At 21 years old, Luke Lamperti is already riding for one of the biggest teams in the WorldTour, Soudal–Quick-Step, and he's hit the ground running. Since the season began, he’s racked up podiums at the Challenge Mallorca, the Muscat Classic, and the Tour of Oman, solidifying his place as a young rider to watch. Before signing with Quick-Step, he ra…

1
Mid South recap with DFL Beth McBride and rider experiences 53:45

6M ago53:45

53:45

At approximately 12:30 a.m. last weekend, Beth McBride crossed the finish line of Mid South to a thunderous reception. The race is known for its celebration of riders of all levels, and the final rider to cross the finish line is arguably more of a celebrity than the first rider. Payson sat down with Beth to talk about her race, including overcomin…

1
Episode 144: Ines Valdez - Democracy and Empire 1:06:12

6M ago1:06:12

1:06:12

A conversation with Ines Valdez about her recent book Democracy and Empire: Labor, Nature, and the Reproduction of Capitalism (Cambridge UP).

1
Morgan Aguirre on leaving the U.S. for European gravel 1:11:01

6M ago1:11:01

1:11:01

In 2019, Morgan Aguirre decided to step outside of her comfort zone. Having never competed in any sports, she rented a bike from her local Trek store with the goal of riding 50 miles. Things escalated quickly, and soon, fellow Seattle resident (and now WorldTour rider) Veronica Ewers saw her posts on Strava and asked her to join the Fount Cycling G…

1
Paul Voss on taking up gravel after the WorldTour 1:19:45

6M ago1:19:45

1:19:45

During his eight years in the WorldTour, Paul Voss rode for some of the most successful teams in the sport, including Milram, Endura Racing, and Bora-Argon 18. In that time, he raced in multiple Grand Tours, and even wore the polka dot jersey for a stage of Tour De France in 2016. But in that same year, he was pushed off the Bora team when Peter Sa…

1
Episode 143: Justin Dyer - The Classical and Christian Origins of American Politics 1:04:02

6M ago1:04:02

1:04:02

A conversation with Justin Dyer about his recent book, "The Classical and Christian Origins of American Politics: Political Theology, Natural Law, and the American Founding," from Cambridge University Press.

1
Ulrich Bartholmoes, 2023 Tour Divide winner 1:19:53

6M ago1:19:53

1:19:53

In 2023, just four years after competing in his first bikepacking race, Ulrich Bartholmoes won the biggest race of them all, the Tour Divide. The 2,745-mile route is always at the mercy of the elements, but Ulrich and his two fellow race leaders found themselves in a particularly strange (and scary) predicament when cold temperatures and constant r…

1
Danni Shrosbree on US vs European gravel and placing 4th at Unbound 1:10:10

6M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

Danni Shrosbree knows a thing or two about multitasking. Having spent years juggling a full-time job in the footwear industry alongside professional road cycling, the British cyclist added the Life Time Grand Prix to her roster last year, traveling between races in Europe and the U.S. while holding down her in-person day job. Despite this grueling …

1
Christian Meier on leaving the WorldTour for ultrarunning 1:16:05

7M ago1:16:05

1:16:05

In 2016, Christian Meier made an unusual decision: at the age of 31, he walked away from a successful WorldTour career a year before his contract was due to end to focus on the coffee shop he and his wife had just opened in Girona, Spain. That year, they opened two more businesses. After dabbling in off-road racing for a couple of years, he made a …

1
Episode 142: Lisa Herzog - Citizen Knowledge 1:14:00

7M ago1:14:00

1:14:00

A conversation with Lisa Herzog about her recent book "Citizen Knowledge: Markets, Experts, and the Infrastructure of Democracy" (Oxford UP).

1
Lawson Craddock on 10 years in the pro peloton, the 2018 Tour, and Texas 1:10:10

7M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

Lawson Craddock grew up in the flatland of Houston but fought his way onto the WorldTour feeder team Trek-Livestrong when he was still a teenager. After turning pro three years later, he raced for Giant-Shimano, Cannondale, and his current team, Jayco–AlUla. In his 10 years in the WorldTour, he's taken podiums at the Vuelta, won the Time Trial Nati…

1
Heidi Franz on surviving the Zaaf debacle and returning to the pro peloton 1:40:41

7M ago1:40:41

1:40:41

In 2022, Heidi Franz was approached with an enticing offer: B&B Hotels-KTM, a revamped team with a sky-high budget and some of the biggest WorldTour riders set to sign on, wanted her on its roster. But after months of unfulfilled promises and extensive press coverage, the team collapsed, leaving Heidi and dozens of other riders without a team right…

1
Episode 141: Kristi Sweet - Kant on Freedom, Nature, and Judgment 1:03:33

7M ago1:03:33

1:03:33

A conversation with Kristi Sweet on her recent book "Kant on Freedom, Nature, and Judgment: the Territory of the Third Critique" (Cambridge UP).

1
Jack Thompson on resetting the boundaries of ultra cycling and recovering from addiction 1:37:52

7M ago1:37:52

1:37:52

Known to his fans as Jack Ultra Cyclist, Jack Thompson has been smashing world records left and right for close to a decade. Growing up in Perth, Australia, he struggled with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder as a teenager and eventually entered rehab for a drug addiction. Once he was able to channel his focus into cycling, however, he f…

1
Sam Gaze on his mountain bike world titles, depression, and joining Alpecin-Deceuninck 1:29:23

8M ago1:29:23

1:29:23

In 2014, Sam Gaze was a privateering teenager from a rural farming town in New Zealand when he took the men's title in the opening round of an eliminator World Cup in Cairns, Australia. With this breakout ride, he caught the eye of Specialized Racing and relocated to Europe, where he went on to claim five world titles, including U23 World Champion …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

David Bagge Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide