Ope! Bikes.
It's pretty straightforward. Riding and racing bikes has brought me tremendous joy and has transformed my life for the better. And I know I'm not alone in this...
Ope! Bikes. is a podcast, well, about bikes. It's a collection of stories and intimate conversations with members and participants of the cycling community. It's the deep-dive into how bikes can act as catalysts for personal development, healing, social and civil rights advocacy, environmental action, community building...the list goes on and on.
The goal of Ope! Bikes. is to bring these stories and conversations to life and to provide a platform for guests to express themselves as impassioned advocates of the bicycle.
I hope you enjoy the show!
Ope! Bikes.
Art of Shralp with Travis Finan
My guest this week is Travis Finan, the creative engineer behind Art of Shralp. Travis is a local St. Louis resident who has been riding (and sometimes racing) bikes since he was a wee lad. Over the last few years Travis has redirected and refocused his energy for bikes into the artistic endeavor Art of Shralp. If you’ve seen stickers around St. Louis that showcase a Sucky Panther complaining about gravel, a grim reaper riding a tall bike, or a mind melted smiley face cruisin’ and shroomin’ on a bike, you’ve likely stumbled upon some of Travis’ work. But Art of Shralp doesn’t just stay local, Travis has collaborated with industry participants and independent artists such as Paul Components, Mone Bikes, Oddity Cycles, Send It Safely, and DangleBong, just to name a few.
I first discovered Art of Shralp at Death by Gravel, which is a local, show-and-go bike ride in Steelville, MO. Travis designed the sticker for the event and I was stoked to add it to my collection. At the time, I didn’t realize I had ridden a mile or two with Travis but many weeks later a good friend pointed out on a local group ride that yes, indeed, that was Travis from Art of Shralp.