If you love to race, you’ve no doubt spent more time talking about racing than competing. And that’s half the fun.
This is the premise of Pack Chatter, a cycling podcast hosted by Tony Sylor and Todd Scheske. Twice a month, Tony and Todd sit down and discuss regional and national racing sometimes with guests and sometimes just the two of them.
“Todd and I love to talk cycling,” said Sylor. “Like most who enjoy the sport, we are a bit obsessed so we thought, ‘why not record it for others to enjoy?’”
Thus far the show has put out 4 episodes with Jeremy Powers and Brendan Housler as guests.
“We try to host people who are relevant to our regional scene,” Sylor said. “It was awesome to have a star like Jeremy, and Todd and I have known Brendan for a long time. Guests like that make the show interesting and highlight the rich cycling culture we have in WNY.”
Both Sylor and Scheske each have a long history in cycling and bring that experience to their conversations. Scheske is a Cat 1 racer who started racing as a junior and has coached beginners to World Champions. He is a former President of the Genesee Valley Cycling Club, the founder of Legaci Bikes, a USAC official, and a founding member of NYSBRA.
“Pack Chatter is something I hope Tony and I can grow into a solid listener in WNY and beyond as a medium to introduce topics, address current issues, inform and have fun talking about cycling,” said Scheske. “I want people to experience cycling as a passion as I have for over 30 years, and if our show can provide a value in the process I’m thrilled to be a part of that.”
Tony is also an active racer but currently focused on promotions. He is the Founder and Director of the Livingston Cycling Club, Once Again Race Team, Mudslinger Gravel Series and the American Rock Salt Race Series. He is also a current member of the NYSBRA board.
“I think Todd and I offer a nice balance,” Sylor said. “He has been a mentor to me for a long time, and he brings top racing and coaching background to the convo. I have a lot of experience in promoting and developing events and racers, especially from a grassroots approach. With that we each know many interesting people in the sport and look forward to introducing those people and our experiences to our audience.”
Currently Pack Chatter can be found on Sound Cloud and through www.ridelcc.com. The duo hopes to get it up on Itunes later this summer.