And while it will probably never be an Oprah Book Club Selection, I think this a book that you’ll still want to check out.

Tracking the evolution of BMX bikes from the 70s to the modern day, it’s cool reminder of how far we’ve come in terms of BMX technology, and also how in many ways, we have stayed more or less true to the original designs from back in the day.

There are also cool one-off bikes, like Woody Itson’s gold-plated Hutch Trick Star.

And in the “modern era”, some of Jim Bauer’s cool custom projects.

24″ BMX gets some love too.

Whether it’s an OG Patterson cruiser, a 2009 S&M 24″ 38 Special or an early SE Floval Flyer…Rad Rides has got that covered too.

Overall, I’m pretty impressed by this book.

Just thumbing through the pages, I find myself constantly stopping and poring over each cool ride.

If you have any roots at all in BMX, you gotta check this book out.

Without a doubt, there was some controversy over whether or not this was a good idea.

Well, love it or hate it…it looks like DK Bicycles is continuing to build on its relationship with Walmart.

On a roadtrip to Ray’s MTB a week ago, we stopped in at a Walmart and I was shocked to stumble on to this…an aisle endcap stocked with DK parts and accessories.

While clearly not super high-end, I was pleasantly surprised that what was on offer was, for the most part, okay-quality (especially in light of what’s usually available at mass-market stores).

It actually kind of blows my mind a bit that you can now walk into a Walmart (in the U.S.) and pick up a DK Random Wrench.

Who would have thunk it?

Sure, BMX has always been a bit trend-driven. From Swatch watches and neon colors in the 80s to the flannel shirt and beanies of street riders today…BMXers have always had a look.

That being said, I never thought I would see the day that a freestyler, like Matthias Dandois ,would have a full-blown fashion spread in GQ magazine rocking, amongst other things, $2500 suits!

Well that day has come, as you can see by this picture.

And racers aren’t being shy about jumping on the fashion bandwagon either.

Check out this picture of Elite Women’s racer, Miki Iibata posing in decidedly non race apparel (I’m pretty sure those heels aren’t compatible with her clipless pedals!)

Miki Ibata

I’m wondering, is this part of a broader trend?

Are BMXers now considered..<cough, cough>…fashionable?

For instance, their 3-position adjustable rear dropouts.

A quick adjustment on the dropouts and you can make a significant change to how your bike handles.

According to the Gunslinger website, each frame

feature[s] 3 position adjustable rear dropouts, that allow you to tune the frame head angle and bottom bracket height to match your riding style.

Making a change to how your bike handles takes essentially no time at all. This simple adjustment in the dropout alters both the bottom bracket height and head angle.

Want a slower head angle for more stability in the turns? No problem. Want a more responsive ride? Just raise the bottom bracket slightly.

Definitely some innovative thinking on Gunslinger’s part and something well worth checking out if you take racing seriously.

You can find out more by checking out the Gunslinger Bicycles site or MyBikeStand.com (the latter has a great review on their site…and it’s where I borrowed this picture from).

I was especially amused to see one show up in this picture (found the other day on BMX Museum).

Turns out Rockabilly Jay from S&M put up his beloved custom 22″ TT 38 Special for sale on eBay and he used this promo picture to advertise it.

(Eagle-eyed readers will notice that this is the same bike we featured way back in 2010 on Cruiser Revolution.)

Before you ask, I’m not sure who the model/rider is…but I will say she has excellent taste in knee/shin protection.

But is the tide starting to turn?

Here and there you will see someone rocking their seat posts proudly…still low by old school standards but higher than what’s been the norm (which for a long time has meant slammed).

Perhaps it’s time to take a poll and find out where you (and your seat post) stand on this issue.

Whether that’s a carbon fiber frame, a 20mm axle set up or top-secret training technique, no stone is going unturned.

To what length are racers going to give themselves an advantage?

Would you believe cloak of invisibility technology?

Cruiser Revolution has uncovered some top-secret spy photos of a racer (nationality unknown) using the cloak of invisibility.

Check out this photo taken at a top-secret training facility in remote area somewhere in Nevada. The red bike is clearly being piloted by an invisible man!

Rumors have been circulating in the smoke-filled backrooms of the BMX industry about how long this technology has been in the works.

No one knows for sure.

But this undated photo clearly shows the unnamed rider piloting an early-90s model Haro.  It also highlights how far the technology has come–in the present day — as the cloak of invisibility, in this iteration, clearly can’t quite cover the rider’s 100% cotton riding attire.

Where will we “see” the invisible rider next?

Again, no one knows for sure.

But it may be sooner than we think.

Check out this photo that ABC News confirms was taken from their special doppler radar satellite orbiting Chula Vista, California this weekend. Satellite coordinates indicate it was taken just outside the Olympic Training Center.

The plot thickens.

It’s beginning to look that way.

Heck, when you have a big name like Olympic contender Mike Day saying things like, “always good to have a chromoly fork…and not have a road bike fork on your 20 inch” (when he’s being interviewed about GT’s 2012 lineup) then you know things are starting to shift.

On the Bodogs Race Report, in a post called Chromoly is the new carbon fiber, the writer talks about his own experiences with the different types of forks that are currently available:

Speaking only from experience I have personally witnessed no less than half a dozen cases where carbon fiber has failed, two cases where aluminum has failed (Both at the welds) and no cases where chromoly has failed.

He also sees a move back to chromoly in response to what he’s observed out at the track:

The new trend has returned to the beginning. Parts companies are building affordable chromoly forks that are stiffer and lighter than the most expensive carbon fiber forks on the market.

These same companies are also starting to play up the benefits of chromoly in their marketing. In a recent ad in Pull Magazine, CLIQ/Haro compared the chromoly Cliq fork to the Sinz carbon fiber fork.  At half the price, no rider weight limit and (as an added blow) a lighter weight overall it’s hard to argue that carbon fiber is a better choice. The ad finishes with the tagline,“Does any of this make sense to you, cause we’re still confused.”

Clever.  With more and more people getting the sense that they’ve been sold a bill of goods with carbon fiber forks, I think we’ll continue to see people voting with their wallets and going with the tried and true benefits of lightweight chromoly forks.

4130…It’s good to see you back at the race track, my old friend.

]]> http://cruiserrevolution.com/2012/03/28/chromoly-dont-call-it-a-comeback/feed/ 1 cruiserrevolution http://cruiserrevolution.com/2012/03/23/eric-rupe-retirement-isnt-an-option/ http://cruiserrevolution.com/2012/03/23/eric-rupe-retirement-isnt-an-option/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 05:08:12 +0000 cruiserrevolution http://cruiserrevolution.com/?p=6382 ]]> After a successful Pro racing career in the 80s, Eric Rupe “retired” due to the dissatisfaction he felt with his long-time sponsor, Mongoose and what they were offering him to renew his contract.

But apparently “retirement” wouldn’t take. Eleven months after officially retiring he was back on the national scene competing. And he hasn’t stopped since.

Currently terrorizing the older cruiser class ranks, Rupe can always be counted on to be a tough competitor every time he hits the track. With more than 30 years experience under his belt, you can bet he’s got more moves than anybody else out there.

Respect to “Big Daddy” Eric Rupe…still in the mix long after all these years.

Lots of great stuff in here, spanning Mongoose’s colorful 40-year history, everything from the origins of the Motomag, their early race team, the scooter phenomenon and McGoo’s tenure as the team manager/marketing manager (and the reasons behind his abrupt departure). I was especially stoked to see a segment on Jeff Kosmala and his signature KOS Kruiser–which Mongoose re-issued last year–and their collective impact on the cruiser class of that era.

Another great documentary from Mark Eaton. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Bonus info: Have you seen Mark Eaton’s section in Wheelies? It’s a perfect mix of flat and street. I must have watched that section a thousand times when that video was released. Check it out here.