Squid Bikes - Where Art and Cycling Are One. The Origin Story and Much More - Episode 14

The Cross Section Podcast

It's the penultimate episode of season 1 and a session that I had in mind from the very beginning. This week’s episode is unique in that I have not one, but two guests - Emily Kachorek and Chris Namba of Squid Bikes. They joined me from Sacramento where their unique HQ is located; a place where art and cycling become one. I first met Emily and Chris and their third wheel Pete years ago when they hosted the 2nd live screening of my short film State of Cyclocross. We projected the film on a Saturday night onto the side of one of the many shipping containers right there in their courtyard. A intimate gathering of 'cross devotees and an experience that I treasure even more now due to the lack of such things today.
On this episode we caught up and talked about Squid’s origins, their design process, and how it has used the gap year of 2020 and the bike boom to transition a bit with a renewed focus on its roots. While it may seem that they fly by the seat of their pants, they are a very professional outfit and they always have a plan; nothing is ever arbitrary. We of course talked tracklocross and cyclocross, the past and the future as well as their legendary 'Cross Nationals After Parties (how the cops weren't ever involved I'll never know).
As The Cross Section has no sponsors for this first season, I decided that this episode is brought to you by Mid-Town Taqueria in Sacramento - the best chips and street tacos I have ever tasted and I eat a lot of street tacos.
This is the penultimate episode of the first season. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and I appreciate you all for listening in the past 4 months. It's been a labor of love and a celebration of friends and their stories.
One more episode to go, but for now … let’s hang out with Emily and Chris co-founders of Squid Bikes … I think you’ll like it.
Thanks so much for taking some time out of your life today and I hope you had as good of a time as I did with this one. Follow me on Instagram@dcmediahausand also Sign up and download, rate and review and subscribe wherever you source your podcasts so you’ll always know when a new show drops - it means the world. Stay Safe. And just keep pedaling.
Content Warning: A small handful of curse words by both host and guest (but mostly by the host).