We’ve got a couple cool shows in the hopper right now, including one about bikeability in Boston. I’ve got this decidedly impractical idea of reporting a story for the show entirely from my bicycle, in which I’ll ride through the various types of bike infrastructure we have (or don’t have) around the city with an assortment of distinguished guests.

So how do you conduct a two-way radio interview with both parties mounted on bicycles? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…the BIKEROPHONE!!!

Boston Bike Czar Nicole Freedman (left) with Radio Boston's Adam Ragusea (right)

To my right, wearing the bikerophone, is Nicole Freedman, Mayor Menino’s bike czar. The man behind the cunning instrument of production on Nicole’s head is our technical director, Tim Skoog. He took what looks like a goalie mask, tore out the cage, and inserted a small elecret microphone into the chin guard. Add several layers of wind shielding, and viola! Bike-mounted radio magic.

You’ll notice I’m wearing a significantly simpler set-up with the Garth Brooks -style headset mic; this is because I always want my interviewees to look sillier than me.

Silliness aside, Nicole showed me some cool things during our ride out today, including a section of Boylston St. that is currently a candidate for an NYC-style segregated bike lane. Basically, instead of going curb–>parked cars–>bikes–>moving cars, it would be more like curb–>bikes–>dividers–>parked cars–>moving cars.  Seems like a slam-dunk idea, until she tells you it’ll cost the street a whole lane of traffic. To be continued…