Bikes vs Skateboards: A fan favorite encore

Summary

Smash Boom Best: Bikes vs. Skateboards

Podcast: Smash Boom Best (Brains On Universe)
Episode: Bikes vs Skateboards: A Fan Favorite Encore
Date: April 23, 2026
Host: Molly Bloom
Judge: Jared (from Armonk, NY)
Debaters:

• Daniel Alarcón (bikes) — Novelist, journalist, and co-founder of Radio Ambulante
• Sanden Totten (skateboards) — Writer, editor, and Brain Zone star

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Episode Overview

This episode is a lively debate between the merits of bikes and skateboards, two popular wheeled ways to get around, play, and express yourself. The show features humor, personal stories, evidence, creative challenges, and even a poetry showdown, all with the goal of helping listeners decide: Which is better, bikes or skateboards?

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Thoughts & Judge's Perspective

(00:11–05:16)

• Host Molly Bloom introduces the theme: “Put on your helmets and get ready to sweat... it's Bikes versus Skateboards.”
• Judge Jared shares his personal bias (more of a biker, but scraped his elbow in 5th grade) and admits to having a “grudge” against bikes. He promises to be fair, looks for evidence-based arguments, and warns about using leading questions:

  “I'm a very evidence-based person, so just bring all you got.” – Jared (02:50)

2. Declaration of Greatness: Bikes

(05:38–10:18)

• Daniel Alarcón uses a conversation with his skateboarding nephew to highlight that bikes are often the practical choice, even for skateboarders.
• Daniel covers:
  • The history and worldwide popularity of bikes (over 2 billion in use).
  • Bicycles’ key role in daily life, especially as transportation in many countries.
  • Major environmental benefits:

    “If people were to switch from driving cars to riding a bike for short trips, we could save 5 billion gallons of gas a year.” (08:28)

  • Health impacts (lower blood pressure, risk of cancer, staying youthful):

    “The average cyclist has a fitness of someone 10 years younger.” (08:59)

  • The unique thrill and magic of learning to ride a bike.
  • Memorable moment:

    “Learning to ride a bike... you've defied gravity and common sense and acquired a skill that just moments before felt utterly impossible. It's magic.” – Daniel (09:56)

3. Skateboards’ Rebuttal

(10:57–11:38)

• Sanden argues for the affordability and versatility of skateboards (especially longboards, electric boards).
• Claims skateboards can be practical, and cost less than bikes (skateboards: $50–$100, bikes: hundreds or thousands).
• Memorable quip:

  “There's just too much... bikes just can't stand up next to skateboards.” – Sanden (11:43)

4. Declaration of Greatness: Skateboards

(12:03–17:08)

• Sanden Totten uses a “time machine” story to present skateboarding’s impact.
• Skateboarding highlights:
  • Always a new trick to learn; teaches perseverance (“grit”), which research suggests is key to success.
  • History: Skateboarding’s evolution, the 1960s Z-Boys, and its debut in the Olympics.
  • Impact on fashion (Vans, baggy jeans, brands like Stüssy & Supreme).
  • Skateparks as inclusive community spaces; global nonprofits (e.g., Skatistan teaching girls to board in Afghanistan).
  • Creative thinking, resilience, and global unity—comically credited with fixing world hunger and ending wars in a fictional future.
• Standout quotes:

  “Skating teaches grit. It inspires creative thinking. It brings us together, and it's just cool.” – Sanden (16:48)

5. Bikes’ Rebuttal

(17:43–18:27)

• Daniel pokes fun at skateboarding’s fashion and risks, suggesting injuries and expensive broken boards outweigh perceived coolness.

• Smart counter:

  “You take the drapes from your grandma's house and you sew a pair of pants. Then you go to your elementary school and toss yourself like a crash test dummy...” – Daniel (17:54)

• Sanden counters with research: skateboarding isn’t as dangerous as its reputation, and biking has a higher accident rate when used as a commute (18:27–19:07).

6. Judge’s Feedback on Round 1

(19:36–20:04)

• Jared remarks that Sanden’s argument came out strong with the time machine, but Daniel’s rebuttal was “really came at everything you stood for.”

7. Micro Round: Sonnet Slam

(23:39–26:12)

• Sanden’s Skateboard Sonnet:

  • Humor and jabs at bikes:

    “Unlike bikes, which makes thou havest a massive butt wedgie.” – Sanden (24:21)

• Daniel’s Bike Sonnet:

  • Heartfelt ode to Colombia’s 1951 bike tour and national unity:

    “Now cycling fills all Colombians with pride. United by joy, the thrill of the ride.” – Daniel (26:10)

• Judge’s take: Daniel’s sonnet portrays Sanden as the “villain” using sentiment and psychology (26:38–26:54).

8. Sneak Attack: Secret Handshake Creation

(28:20–30:16)

• Daniel (Bikes):
  • Mimic bike wheels with arms, high five, grab imaginary handlebars, two quick wiggles, end with a wink.
• Sanden (Skateboards):
  • “Kick” like starting a board, hands go up imaginary ramp, hands smack, spin down, finger-skating on each other’s hands, then a “foot five.”
• Both hosts and judge enjoy the creativity!

9. The Final Six

(30:23–31:00)

• Sanden (Skateboards):

  “Create. Innovate. Be Great. Ride. Skate boards.”

• Daniel (Bikes):

  “Good for the soul, body, planet.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's magic. And you never forget your first magic trick." – Daniel (09:56)
• "Skating teaches grit...It brings us together, and it's just cool." – Sanden (16:48)
• "I'm a very evidence-based person, so just bring all you got." – Jared (02:50)
• "Unlike bikes, which makes thou havest a massive butt wedgie." – Sanden (24:21)
• "Now cycling fills all Colombians with pride. United by joy, the thrill of the ride." – Daniel (26:10)
• "The wink is like, let's go. Let's go ride." – Daniel (28:52)
• "Biking is a great way to get to your skate park." – Sanden (33:07)
• Funny banter on fashion, danger, and cool factor throughout.

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Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |-------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:11–01:50 | Introductions & Judge's Backstory | Jared's biking bias, debate background, and expectations | | 05:38–10:18 | Declaration of Greatness: Bikes | History, numbers, health, environment, magic of riding | | 11:06–11:38 | Skateboards’ Rebuttal | Cost, practicality, freedom, quick jab at bikes | | 12:03–17:08 | Declaration of Greatness: Skateboards | Skill, grit, history, creativity, fashion, community, humor | | 17:43–18:27 | Bikes’ Rebuttal | Dangers, cost, fashion jab, sustainability of bikes | | 18:27–19:12 | Danger Debate | Stat comparisons on skateboarding and cycling injuries | | 23:39–26:12 | Micro Round: Sonnet Slam | Funny skateboarding sonnet vs emotional, historical bike sonnet | | 28:20–30:16 | Sneak Attack: Secret Handshakes | Imaginative, step-by-step handshakes for both teams | | 30:23–31:00 | The Final Six (words) | Final quick pitches | | 31:33–32:39 | Winner Announcement & Judge’s Rationale| Jared explains his scoring and why bikes win | | 33:02–33:40 | Affectionate Wrap-Up | Both debaters reflect on shared youth experiences |

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Conclusion & Final Score

Winner: Bikes (final score: 3–2)
Judge Jared’s rationale:

• Sanden took an early lead with his creative “time machine” argument.
• Daniel’s rebuttal and sonnet gave him the psychological edge, painting him as the “good guy.”
• Sanden’s handshake won the micro round, but Daniel’s six-word closer, focused on saving the planet, sealed the win.
• Both debaters showed strong research, storytelling, and plenty of humor.

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Why Listen?

This episode isn’t just an argument about transportation and tricks—it’s a masterclass in playful but persuasive debate. The hosts and guests use wit, evidence, creative writing, and personal stories to make their points, modeling fun and respectful disagreement for kids and families.

Favorite Closing Moment:

“Thank you, Jared. That was very thoughtful, and I can't tell you how pleased I am to have won this for the planet.” – Daniel (32:40)

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Want to vote yourself? Visit smashboom.org and share your pick!

Transcript

[Molly Bloom]

Lemonade.

[Sandon Totten]

Brains on Universe.

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, friends, it's me, Molly. We are hard at work making brand new episodes of smashboom Best and we're gonna be back in just a couple weeks. We are so excited. But until then, we're sharing some fan favorite episodes. And this week we're sharing an oldie but a goodie. This is skateboards vs bicycles enj from

[Sandon Totten]

the brains behind Brains On. It's Smash Boom Best, the show for

[Jared]

people with big opinions.

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, I'm Molly Bloom and this is Smash Boom Best, the show where we take two things, smash them together, and ask you to decide which one is best. Put on your helmets and get ready to sweat. Cause we've got a super sporty showdown for you today. It's Bikes versus Skateboards. Which set of wheels will win? Beautiful bikes or slammin skateboards? This is gonna be a wheelie tricky debate to judge. Lucky for us, we have Jared from Armonk, New York here to help us make a decision. Hi, Jared.

[Jared]

Hi, how are you?

[Molly Bloom]

Thank you for being here. So, Jared, when I say bikes, what comes to mind?

[Jared]

When you say bikes? Triathlons come to mind. Me falling in fifth grade and scraping my elbow comes to mind. So I have a little bit of a grudge against it, but I think I can get by hastad and be a good judge.

[Molly Bloom]

And what about skateboards?

[Jared]

When I hear skateboards, I hear doing flips off of ramps and I hear some pretty scary injuries. But the fun is worth it.

[Molly Bloom]

You're very safety minded. So do you bike or skate right now or have you been kind of scared away from them?

[Jared]

I'm more of a biker, I'm not gonna lie. But I will try to keep that bias out of it.

[Molly Bloom]

Excellent. And Jared, do you like debating? Do you ever get into debates with your friends or family?

[Jared]

I'm actually known in my family as someone who won't give up on a debate if I think I'm right. And I used to do mock trial, freshman and sophomore year, so I'm definitely a little bit of a debater.

[Molly Bloom]

So did you learn any debate tips or tricks in mock trial that you would want to help our debaters do today?

[Jared]

One thing that I learned, even though they're outlawed in mock trial, I learned that leading questions are very, very important. And since on smashboom Best we don't have a rule against leading questions, that is definitely the best way to try to convince someone that you are correct.

[Molly Bloom]

So what's an example of like what a leading question is?

[Jared]

So instead of saying, for example, do you like bikes? You would say, oh, you like bikes, right? Trying to lead them to the answer that you would like and does something to their brain where they think, hmm, I should agree with them, instead of just they get to make their own decision.

[Molly Bloom]

Very interesting. Do you have any other advice for our debaters today?

[Jared]

I would say you guys really need to give me a lot of evidence. I'm a very evidence based person, so just bring all you got. I know leading questions, so maybe don't use them on me because I might turn them against you. And good luck.

[Molly Bloom]

Perfect. Well, let's meet our debaters. Here to defend bodacious bikes, it's novelist, journalist, radio producer and co founder of the award winning Spanish language podcast, Radio Ambulante, Danielle Alarcon. Hi, Danielle.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Hi, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

So, Danielle, in a single sentence, why are bikes the smash boom. Best?

[Danielle Alarcon]

Bikes are incredibly fun, they're super useful and they can help save the planet.

[Molly Bloom]

It's hard to beat that. So here to represent Skateboards, it's the totally tubular writer, editor and Brainzone star, Sandon Totten. Hi, Sandon.

[Sandon Totten]

What's up, Molly and all you righteous

[Molly Bloom]

listeners in one sentence. Sandon, why are skateboards cooler than bikes?

[Sandon Totten]

Skateboards are super fun. They are really, really good for you in a lot of different ways and they just look cool. When you're leaning up against the wall with a skateboard, nothing looks cooler.

[Danielle Alarcon]

I think I said super fun. So can you. Is that allowed? Is that just plagiarism already?

[Sandon Totten]

Fun is in the public domain.

[Molly Bloom]

Well, this is a very well matched debate. I know it's going to be super tough. Let's review the rules of the game. Round one is the declaration of Greatness. Using facts, logic and top notch storytelling, our debaters will present the most persuasive arguments for their side. After each declaration, the opposing team will have 30 seconds to rebut their opponent's statement. Then we've got the micro round, a creative challenge each side has prepared for in advance. Round three is the sneak Attack, a surprise challenge debaters will respond to on the spot. And to top it all off, we've got the final six. In this round, each team will have six words to make a closing case for their side. Our judge, Jared will award two points in the first round. One for the best declaration of greatness and one for the best rebuttal. After that, he'll have one point to award each round. But he'll keep his decisions top secret until the end of the debate. Listeners, we want you to judge too. This is a tough One. So mark down your points as you listen. At the end of the show, head to our website, smashboom.org and vote for whichever team you think won. Okay, is everybody ready?

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Yes, I'm ready.

[Molly Bloom]

Excellent. Then it's time for the declaration of greatness. Our debaters will present the most fascinating facts and awesome arguments in favor of their side. We flipped a coin. And Daniel, you're up first. It's time for for a declaration of greatness for those tremendous two wheelers bikes.

[Danielle Alarcon]

So when I was tasked with writing a declaration of greatness for the bicycle, I knew right away who I had to talk to.

[Marco]

Yeah, okay. Okay. So are you gonna tell me to introduce myself or should I just introduce myself?

[Danielle Alarcon]

I guess I just wanted to see what I was up against. This is my nephew.

[Marco]

My name is Marco. I'm 13 years old. And you're my uncle.

[Danielle Alarcon]

See, skateboarding, it's basically all he talks about. Tell me what you like about skateboarding.

[Marco]

I like how creative it is. And I can just like, get together with friends and learn new tricks and have fun.

[Danielle Alarcon]

I'll grant him that. It is creative, it is fun, and everyone loves tricks, even if they do seem a little repetitive.

[Marco]

A tre flip, a kickflip, a heelflip, a dolphin flip, a varial flip, a varial heelflip, a dragon flip.

[Danielle Alarcon]

That's a lot of flips. But I get it. Skateboarding is pretty cool. And I like that My favorite nephew is into skateboards. All right, so what are you doing later?

[Marco]

I think I'm gonna go to skate park.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, cool. And how are you gonna get there?

[Marco]

On my bike?

[Danielle Alarcon]

It's cool. It's totally fine. You want to try out a dozen varieties of flips, great, knock yourself out. But at the end of the day, like billions of others, you'll always come back to the bicycle. The whole world is crazy for B and has been for 200 years. The first bikes had no pedals. You just ran with them underneath you coasting. Kind of like those balance bikes your kid brother or sister rides. Except for adults. And when they were invented in Germany, they were supposed to replace horses. Then we had those crazy contraptions. You've probably seen the ones with the teeny tiny back wheel and the absurdly large front wheel.

[Taylor]

Me, oh my. The world looks so different from up here.

[Danielle Alarcon]

So it took a few years, but even those early versions, people loved them. And these days, more than half of all the people in the world know how to ride a bike. There are 2 billion bicycles on the road and a New one is sold every two seconds. Why is that? What is it about bicycles that are so great? Well, for hundreds of millions of people around the world, a bicycle is an essential tool. It's how we get to work, how we get to school, how we run our errands. A vital alternative to cars or buses or trains, helping make cities more livable and sustainable. Every trip we take on a bicycle is literally helping the planet. Denmark is widely considered the world's most bike friendly country. And in the capital, Copenhagen, cyclists are keeping 90,000 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere every year. And the more people ride, the more impact we can have. If people were to switch from driving cars to riding a bike for short trips, we could save 5 billion gallons of gas a year and keep up to 45 million tons of harmful greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. You can do all the varial double reverse heel dragon flips you want, but you aren't going to have that kind of impact against climate change with a skateboard. There's a reason my nephew rides his bike to the skatepark. There's hardly a more practical way to get around for short trips. And it turns out all this pedaling is not just good for the planet, it's good for us in really tangible ways. Lower blood pressure, lower rates of obesity, significantly lower risk of developing certain types of cancers. Riding a bike can literally keep you young. A study in England showed that the average cyclist has a fitness of someone 10 years younger. So it's good for the planet and it's good for you. But let's forget all that. This is what's important to Smash. Boom. Best fans. It's fun. It's so fun. I mean, think about it. Put the four wheels of a skateboard flat on the ground and give it a push. It rolls. That's cool. But the two wheels of a bicycle, it just falls over. As kids, we literally have to be tricked into believing we can do it, because it really doesn't seem like it would be possible.

[Marco]

Don't let go, Dad.

[Danielle Alarcon]

I won't, kiddo.

[Molly Bloom]

I promise.

[Danielle Alarcon]

And then dad does let go, of course, and you wobble for a moment. And then, like magic, you get it. You've discovered a superpower. You've probably heard people say that such and such is like riding a bike. It's a phrase we use to describe those actions which are so ingrained in us that they're impossible to forget. Something you learn that leaves an indelible mark. Muscle memory. Well, this is why by learning to ride a bike, you've defied gravity and common sense and acquired a skill that just moments before felt utterly impossible. It's magic. And you never forget your first magic trick.

[Molly Bloom]

A very magical declaration of greatness for bikes, boosting the health of the planet and our bodies. Incredible. Jared, what did you think about Daniel's declaration of greatness?

[Jared]

I mean, I really liked it. I thought he had a very interesting angle with the environmental piece. I think I'm very big proponent of saving our environment, and that's what my science research project was about this summer. So he definitely struck a note there with me. And I also agree biking is the more practical alternative, but we'll see. Can the fun of skateboarding outweigh the practical nature of biking?

[Molly Bloom]

Sandon, I know you have some things to say, so it's time for your rebuttal.

[Sandon Totten]

I'm ready to triple kickflip all over this.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, sandon, you've got 30 seconds to grind Daniel's gears, and your time starts now.

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah. So biking is one way to get around, but so is skateboarding. There are all different kinds of ways to get around on skateboarding. Some people just like to use your traditional skateboard, but longboards are great for for longer commutes because they give you a really smooth ride. There's even electric skateboards if you really, really want to put some power into it. Also, if you want to talk about sort of like the freedom of biking, bikes are way more expensive than skateboards. Your average skateboard will be like anywhere from 50 to 100 bucks. But bikes usually start at a couple hundred to up to several thousand. You know also another great thing about bikes?

[Molly Bloom]

Time.

[Sandon Totten]

That skateboard.

[Molly Bloom]

Couldn't cram it all into 30 seconds.

[Sandon Totten]

You never can. There's just too much. I could have gone on and on about how much, you know, bikes just can't stand up next to skateboards. But I tried my best.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, stand up. I get that. Oh, nice.

[Molly Bloom]

They literally can't. Well, Sandon, it's your turn now. We want to know why skateboards deserve to be crowned the Smash Boom Best.

[Sandon Totten]

Instead of telling you why skateboards are awesome, I thought I would show you with a time machine. Come on in. Okay, first stop, my childhood baseball. 15 year old Sandin just got a skateboard. Yo, where'd you come from, old man? The future. Don't worry about it. As you can hear, I was a raging ball of hormonal angst, Spiky hair, baggy pants, angry music. Pretty much nothing made me happy back then. Whatever. Just don't get up in my grill. I'm trying to land an ollie. Why is it so hard? Okay, the ollie is a crucial trick. It lets you and your board jump over things. First, you push down fast on the back of the board with one foot so that it hits the ground and makes the front pop up like a seesaw. Then you jump up while delicately sliding your other foot across the board to level it out, bringing the whole thing into the air for a moment. You and your deck are flying. I practiced for days until.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Whoa.

[Molly Bloom]

Whoa.

[Sandon Totten]

Did you see? I totally did it. I did it. That was amazing. I did an ollie. Yeah. I would learn plenty of other tricks but that first one. Wow. Totally boss. Am I right, homeslice? Ugh. You're such a dork. You'll think I'm cool in about 20 years. As if. All right, well, let's keep moving. They say you never forget how to ride a bike. But once you've got it, what else is there to learn? Skateboarding is the opposite. There's always another trick to master, a new move, to invent. It's hard, frustrating. You'll fall and get up again and again. Researchers have a word for this kind of stick to itiveness, grit. And studies show that kids who develop grit go on to do better at school and in their careers. Some think it might be even more important than intelligence. Skating teaches grit. Okay, here we are in Southern California in 1967, a crucial moment in skateboard history. There's an epic drought, so backyard pools are empty. A team of pioneering young skaters called the Z Boys just started skating in those dry pools, riding up the curved walls and even flying above them. Dude, you caught epic air on that one. Before this, people mostly skated on flat surfaces. But this group changed that. Now we see people skating in concrete bowls or on half pipes all the time. In fact, it's become so popular, it just made its debut in the Summer Olympics. Even today, people are dreaming up new ways to skate. Looking fresh, my bros. Who invited the school principal? Who, me? No, no, no.

[Molly Bloom]

I'm cool.

[Sandon Totten]

I have a time machine.

[Taylor]

Let's bail.

[Sandon Totten]

Huh? Probably should have worn normal clothes instead of this shiny silver time travel jumpsuit. Oh, well, speaking of threads, that's another awesome thing about skaters. They're fashion icons. Skaters help popularize loose fitting jeans and shoes like Vans and Converse. Skaters even started major brands like Stussy and Supreme. Biker fashion. Not hot. No one's like, ooh, I'm going to look so cool in my spandex onesie and my big padded bottom, which FYI, looks like a diaper. Just saying. Okay, part of what drew Yungme to skating is the community. In fact, a study from the University of Southern California found that skate parks are great at bringing people together because folks of all races, genders, and ages gather and bond over their shared love of shredding. That's why nonprofits are actually building parks in communities around the world. Like Skadistan, a park in Afghanistan that teaches young girls to board and believe in themselves. Alright, last stop, the future,

[Taylor]

Which.

[Sandon Totten]

Whoa, it is surprisingly clean and beautiful here. Um, hey, hey, random future person, how did the world get so awesome?

[Danielle Alarcon]

Well, after skateboards won against bikes on the show called Smash Boom Vest, everyone started skating.

[Sandon Totten]

We learned how to think outside the

[Danielle Alarcon]

box and keep trying when we fail. That helped us solve problems like climate change and world hunger. Plus, we all bonded over boards, so we ended war.

[Sandon Totten]

Wow. All because I wanted to bait.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Nah, I'm pretty sure it was someone much cooler.

[Sandon Totten]

See ya. Why does that keep happening? Anyway, the point is, skating teaches grit. It inspires creative thinking. It brings us together, and it's just cool. Which is why I better ditch this time machine and get back on my board. Later, skaters.

[Molly Bloom]

A bold declaration of greatness. Skateboards saving the world. I love it. Jared, what stood out to you about Sandin's declaration of greatness?

[Jared]

I think that time machine may have taken us back to before I was born, but nonetheless, I am a big fan of vans, and it's really hard to argue against world peace, so I'm excited to see how Danielle goes against that.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Mmm. Was that about skateboards or about Sandin's fear of not being cool?

[Sandon Totten]

The two are delicately intertwined, but don't confuse the argument there,

[Molly Bloom]

Danielle. Let's hear your 30 second rebuttal.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Just 30 seconds?

[Molly Bloom]

I know it's tough. Tell us all the bumps you heard in team Skateboard's argument and your time starts. Now.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Well, if you want to be a skateboarder, I can save you some time. You take the drapes from your grandma's house and you sew a pair of pants. And then you go to your elementary school and toss yourself like a crash test dummy down the stairs again and again until you break your arm. And you don't even need a board for that. So I don't know, I'm just not that impressed. Sanon said that it's that bikes are expensive. You know, my. My nephew breaks a board every month and a half and has to buy a new one. And I've had the same bike for like more than a decade. So I think mile per mile, my bike beats the skateboard time.

[Sandon Totten]

I just want to say real quick, you mentioned that throwing yourself down some stairs is a great way to imitate skateboarding. But according to the research I found from one of the branches, the National Institutes of Health. This is a quote. Despite the negative image among medical fratern, skateboarding does not appear to be a dangerous sport with a low incidence and injuries encountered being not severe. Whereas the University of Glasgow studied biking as a form of commuting and found that it had a 45% higher risk of admission to a hospital for an injury compared with other methods of commuting. It can be very dangerous. But people skate in skate parks where your only danger is gravity. And you know, if you're good, you can figure out a way around that eventually.

[Danielle Alarcon]

I think Santa just threatened my life.

[Sandon Totten]

I think riding your bike is threatening your life. But you do what you want.

[Molly Bloom]

Sandon did his opposition research today. All right, Jared, it's time to award your first two points. One for your favorite declaration of greatness and another point for your favorite rebuttal. You get to decide what criteria you're using. Did one side make you laugh more? Did the other tell a better story? Make a decision, but don't tell us who is getting the points.

[Jared]

All right, I've just written down my two point value, so we should get going.

[Molly Bloom]

Excellent. All right, Sandon, Danielle, how are you feeling about this battle so far?

[Danielle Alarcon]

I'm a little skateboard. Oh,

[Sandon Totten]

upon I bike it.

[Molly Bloom]

That's great.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, wow. Let's see. No, I'm feeling good. I've got the wind in my hair and I'm just coasting. You know, it's going great.

[Molly Bloom]

Awesome. All right, it's time for a quick break. Adjusting your helmet, stretch your legs and

[Jared]

we'll be right back with more Smashboom. Best.

[Sandon Totten]

You're watching State of Debate, home to ragin rhetoric and awe inspiring argumentation.

[Nancy Nance]

Hiya, debate heads.

[Taylor]

It's Todd and Taylor and Nancy Nance for short. Although my mother called me Susan for a long time. Nancy Nance is our mail carrier. Yeah, I deliver mail. I should be doing that now, but I'm starving.

[Nancy Nance]

Anyway, we're pretty sure Nance has some news about the Grandmaster debate cup.

[Taylor]

Yep. But first I just need one bite of my big old juicy bread pocket. What's a bread pocket? You know, it's got two slices of bread, ham, tomato, lettuce and pickles. Yum.

[Nancy Nance]

You mean a sandwich?

[Taylor]

It would be a sandwich if it had Mustard. But alas, it's just a sad little bread pocket. Well, that's not true. You're. A bread pocket. Would be a sandwich with or without mustard.

[Nancy Nance]

Yeah, Nance, you just used the no true Scotsman fallacy. That's when you say something isn't real or true unless it fits your specific standards.

[Taylor]

Yeah, like. Like it's not truly soup if it's not hot. Or they're not truly fries unless they're a crinkle cut. Or all grandma cookies are tasty. My grandma's cookies are terrible. Maybe she isn't a grandma. Nah, she definitely is. Anyway, that's really helpful. Okay, now can we have the mail, please?

[Marco]

Oh.

[Taylor]

Here you go.

[Nancy Nance]

It's here.

[Taylor]

Oh, my gosh.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, wow.

[Taylor]

Drum roll, please.

[Nancy Nance]

I didn't get in.

[Taylor]

I got in.

[Sandon Totten]

No way.

[Taylor]

This is fantastic news. You're gonna be famous. Do you have any insta. I should call my mom. Can I take a picture with you?

[Danielle Alarcon]

Of course.

[Nancy Nance]

Actually, Taylor, we should finish this State of Debate episode.

[Taylor]

Oh, right. Sorry, Nance. Just give me a second. No worries. Mom can.

[Nancy Nance]

Congrats, pal. Just don't forget about little old State of Debate when you're out there.

[Taylor]

I would never. You're the mustard to my sandwich.

[Nancy Nance]

Oh, gee, thanks, Taylor.

[Taylor]

Will you take a picture with me? I want to send it to my mom. Sure, sure, Nance. Oh, she's not gonna believe her eyes.

[Nancy Nance]

Welp, that's all for today. Debate heads. Taylor's headed to the cup. I guess it'll just be little. Follow me. Next week on State of Debate.

[Taylor]

Smash.

[Marco]

Boom.

[Molly Bloom]

You're listening to smashboom Best. I'm your host, Molly Bloom.

[Jared]

And I'm your judge, Jared.

[Molly Bloom]

One of my favorite things about this show is all the amazing debate ideas we get from listeners like you. Check out this awesome debate suggestion from Iggy.

[Marco]

In Ecuador, my debate idea is tennis versus golf.

[Jared]

Sounds like quite the match.

[Molly Bloom]

We'll check back with Iggy at the end of this episode to see which side he thinks should win.

[Jared]

And now it's back to our debate of the day. Bikes versus skateboards.

[Molly Bloom]

That's right. And it's time for round two, the micro round. Today's micro round is Sonnet Slam. Daniel and Sandon, we've asked you to write a sonnet showcasing your side's best qualities in the style of William Shakespeare. Sandon, you're up first. Let's hear your rad rhymes.

[Sandon Totten]

If gymnastics and ballet make thou squeal, when performed by experts in perfect time, wait till thou seest the same grace on wheels, tis going to verily blow thou mind. Soaring on half pipes, skaters will amaze. Down railings, off curbs, they dance through the air, always in motion, flowing like the waves of Tony Hawk's majestic golden hair. From Ollie's fakies and cool kickflips to the impossible or varial unto all skill levels there art cool tricks. Be thou Rod Mullins or Aunt Muriel. Skating makes thou happy and a little edgy. Unlike bikes, which makes thou havest a massive butt wedgie. Those seats, you know, they'll get you.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Wow. He went there.

[Sandon Totten]

The underwear went there, man. I just pointed it out.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, Danielle, it's time to pedal some poetry.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Yeah, just a little bit of background. This is a sonnet I wrote about the 1951 tour of Columbia. And I spoke with a historian named Mauricio Silva, who specializes in bicycle history of Colombia. And he. He told me how basically this famous tour, this bike race, helped create a sense of national identity. Because before this, even the geography was foreign to a lot of the people living in different regions of Colombia. So I was so inspired by the story that I wrote this little sonnet.

[Molly Bloom]

Very cool. Let's hear it.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Colombia is a land of extremes. The Andes mountains, a snow covered spine. Tropical beaches, a beautiful dream. Deserts and grasslands and jungles divine. But a country so vast hardly seems real. Towns so remote they're almost unmoored. Isolated, alone, no way to feel. Till everything changed with a bicycle tour. 1951, a marvelous race brought cyclists to ride all over the land. Connecting the country, the people, the place. Citizens realized their nation was grand. Now cycling fills all Colombians with pride. United by joy, the thrill of the ride.

[Molly Bloom]

Beautiful. Bringing a whole country together.

[Sandon Totten]

I would say, Daniel, that was a cool bit of history. I didn't know.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, thank you. Yeah, no, I didn't know it either. I learned it and was really moved.

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah. You know, if you want to borrow my time machine later to check it out in person, you know, that can be arranged.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, thanks. I'll bike right over.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, all right. Jared, did anything stick out to you in particular about our debaters micro round?

[Jared]

Danielle, I'm not gonna lie. You did a very good job of making Sandin seem like a pretty mean person. I mean, he leveled you with the diss track and you just came with a sentimental sonnet, so you really made him seem like the villain in this one. I'm not gonna lie.

[Sandon Totten]

Everybody loves a villain. You know, Darth Vader, Thanos,

[Danielle Alarcon]

when they go low, we go high, you know?

[Molly Bloom]

Exactly. Well, Jared, it's time to award a point. But don't tell us who is getting the point for this round. Have you decided?

[Jared]

Yes, I have.

[Molly Bloom]

Excellent. Then it's time for our third round, the super stealthy sneak attack. Our sneak attack is secret handshake. Come up with a secret handshake for your team. Does it involve a shake, a wiggle, A smashboom bop? Tell us about it and listeners, See if you can figure it out at home, too. We'll give you a few minutes to brainstorm. While you work. Let's listen to some soothing hold music. Bike fast bike real slow Bikes are gonna take you where you want to go. Pedal your way to freedom. Burly flip skaters rule. Four wheels and a whole lot of cool. Roll to the park and chill with your crew. All right, we're back, and we're ready to try to enact these secret handshakes. Sandy went first in the last round, so Daniel, you're up first. Let's hear about your secret handshake for bikes.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Okay, this is going to require a lot of. A lot of imagination here, but stay with me. You have your arms outstretched in front of you as if you're going to give someone a double high five. You move your arms in parallel in a circular motion to mimic the shape of the bike wheels. And then when you're done, you go to the middle of the imaginary spoke. Bam. Double high five. And then grab imaginary handlebars and wiggle them two times. And then you wink.

[Sandon Totten]

Is the wink like that?

[Molly Bloom]

I love it.

[Danielle Alarcon]

The wink is like, let's go. Let's go ride. That's what it is.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, I was acting that out as it was happening. The wink is a fun way to end. I like it.

[Danielle Alarcon]

It is. I just. I improvised that.

[Molly Bloom]

Love it. All right, Sandon, let's see if you can top that. Let's hear the secret handshake for skateboards.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Okay.

[Sandon Totten]

I had a lot of fun with this one. Okay, so you start facing your friend, okay. And you both do a little kick with your feet like you're kicking a skateboard to get started. And then you take your hands and you kind of both ride them up an invisible ramp until they're both up in the air facing each other. And the hands just hang there in the air for a second like they've just caught major air off of, like, a side of a pool. And then they smack hit each other. And then as they're coming down, you do a spin around like you're doing, like, a little kind of flip on your way down, and then you get back to the ground, and then one person holds their hand out, and the other one takes two little fingers, like it's a little person on a skateboard, and they ride it across that hand. And then you hold your hand out and they ride their little skateboard guy across your hand. And then you turn around and you do a foot five. Because, you know, skateboarding is about the feet. So you just hold up your Vans or your Chuck Taylor's or your whatever you're wearing, DC or airwalks, and then you go and you two hit each other foot to foot. Little foot five at the end.

[Molly Bloom]

That's a fun one, too.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Wow, that was intense.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, my goodness. This is tough. Jared, I don't know how you're going to decide, but think about which team wowed you. The criteria, again, is up to you which one sounds more fun to do with your friends. Have you decided?

[Jared]

I have.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, excellent. Then it's time for our last round,

[Sandon Totten]

the final six.

[Molly Bloom]

Sandon, you're up. You've got just six words to make a final impression on Jared. Let's hear them.

[Sandon Totten]

All right. Create. Innovate. Be Great. Ride. Skate boards.

[Molly Bloom]

Almost a poem.

[Danielle Alarcon]

I felt like the boards was in parentheses at the end.

[Taylor]

Is that.

[Sandon Totten]

It's a dramatic pause. A Shatner pause, as we call it.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Oh, nice.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, Daniel, your turn. Let's hear your last six words.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Good for the Soul Body planet.

[Molly Bloom]

Very nice. All right, team bikes and team skateboards really took us for a ride today. But it's time to award your final point and crown one of these sporty activities, the Smash Boom. Best Jared Award. That final point.

[Jared]

It is done.

[Molly Bloom]

Let us know when you've tallied up the points and are ready to announce the winner.

[Jared]

All right, the points are tallied. The winner is chosen.

[Sandon Totten]

My stomach is dropping like somebody dropping into a half pipe.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, drumroll, please. And the winner is.

[Jared]

Bikes.

[Sandon Totten]

Yes. Wow.

[Molly Bloom]

Jared, was there, like, a deciding moment in the debate that you knew that's like, oh, this is bikes.

[Jared]

All right, so let's take Sandon's time machine back to the first round, and I'll kind of run it through. So, Sandon, you actually were awarded the first point in this. In this game, so you kind of came out to an early lead. I don't know how Danielle came back from it, but your time machine analogy really stuck with me. I mean, I just used it myself. I think Danielle's rebuttal just really came at everything you stood for as a person, everything that skateboard stood for. So I had to give that round to him. Moving on to the second round. Danielle kind of made you look like the villain's end. And it was very well played. He used a bit of psychology there, and I think that was really what decided it. Sandon, you actually got the next round with your elaborate handshake. But Danielle really presented himself as the good guy in the story with his last six words, saving the planet.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Wow.

[Jared]

I thought it was a very, very, very good debate. The final score is actually three two, Danielle. So it was close. And it came down to the last round.

[Molly Bloom]

Very close.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Thank you, Jared. That was very thoughtful. And I can't tell you how pleased I am to have won this for the planet.

[Jared]

I hope your son is proud.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Yeah. I was gonna mention my son Eliseo, who has been telling me all week that Sandon was really tough and he was right. Sandon, you were terrific. And I feel like I really learned a lot about how cool skateboards are.

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah. Danielle, it was a pleasure to debate you. It was really fun. You know, I've got no real beef against bikes. I own a skateboard and a bike. I think, you know, biking is a great way to get to your skate park. So I agree with your. Was it your nephew? Right on. Right there, Sam.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Then I should also say my 15 year old self would have been skating next to your 15 year old self.

[Sandon Totten]

That's right. We would have been grumpy together, not talking, scowling, listening to loud music.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Absolutely, absolutely. There are photos somewhere of me in the gigantic pants.

[Sandon Totten]

Yep, yep. Exchanging tips for getting those really spiky, you know, ends of the hair.

[Molly Bloom]

I hope we can dig up these photos, guys. This would be good. Well, that's it for today's debate battle. Jared crowned bikes the Smashboom best. But what about you?

[Jared]

Head to smashboom.org and vote to tell us who you think the winner is.

[Molly Bloom]

Smashboom Best is brought to you by Brains on and American Public Media.

[Danielle Alarcon]

It's produced by Rosie Dupont, Sandon Totten, Ruby Guthrie and Molly Bloom.

[Sandon Totten]

We had engineering help from Johnny Vincevans and Louis Fisher.

[Danielle Alarcon]

And we had production help from Christina Lopez, Mark Sanchez and Maneka Williams Wilhelm.

[Molly Bloom]

Rosie Dupont is the voice of our hold music and our announcer is Marley Feuer, worker Otto. We want to give a special thanks to Austin Cross, Taylor Kaufman, Kiara McMillan and the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Sandon, is there anyone you want to thank today?

[Sandon Totten]

Yeah, I want to thank my wife for putting up with me practicing the skateboard in the garage and also letting me put our little baby son Felix on the skateboard for picks opportunities. It was super cute and yeah, that's it.

[Molly Bloom]

Daniel, any special shout outs or thanks today?

[Danielle Alarcon]

Yeah. I want to thank my nephew Marco. I want to thank Mauricio Silva, the Colombian historian who helped me out. I want to thank Leon and Eliseo, my two boys and my wife Carolina, and my dad Renato, who taught me how to ride a bike.

[Molly Bloom]

Awesome. Jared, do you want to give any special thanks today?

[Jared]

Yeah. I would like to thank my family for being on the other side of all my debates and my mock trial teacher, Mr. Gilbert for teaching me how to judge.

[Molly Bloom]

Excellent. Before we go, let's hear who Iggy thinks should win in his tennis versus golf debate.

[Marco]

I think golf would win because in golf you can visit new golf courses and it's out in nature so you can see nature all around you. While in tennis, you. You're always in the same place.

[Molly Bloom]

Do you have an idea for a knockdown drag out debate? Head to smashboom.org and tell us about it. We'll be back with a new debate battle next week.

[Jared]

Waiters, see you later.

[Sandon Totten]

Be excellent.

[Danielle Alarcon]

Hasta luego.

[Sandon Totten]

I just want to point out real quick the foot five. The nice thing about it is you don't actually touch hands. So, you know, no germstrong.

[Molly Bloom]

But you already had them skate across the other person.

[Sandon Totten]

Oh, yeah.

[Danielle Alarcon]

You can't take that back.

[Sandon Totten]

No, I can't.

[Molly Bloom]

I won't.

[Sandon Totten]

I love that part. It's so fun.