Redline Flight Pro 24: fast out of the box

31 03 2009

I was checking out a BMX racing forum recently and someone asked the question, “What’s the best race cruiser for the money?” There were some strong opinions but the cruiser that seemed to pop up, over and over again, was the Redline Flight Pro 24.  Redline has  a long history in BMX and those years of experience show in this bike.  People seem pretty stoked on how comfortable this bike is to ride and how well it’s spec’d out. A couple of guys had them at the recent Orangeville indoor race series and it looked like they were running them bone stock…and that didn’t seem to slow them down one bit.

redline_flight_pro24

George Goodall‘s seemingly non-stop domination of his cruiser class on the Redline Flight Pro 24 also seems to indicate that this bike is no joke in the speed department.





Jim C. on the Model-C: video edit

29 03 2009

This video edit on the Sunday bikes site does a great job of showing  the Model-C and the plus 4 cruiser parts, going over all the unique design features of the bike and the thinking behind them.  More importantly it shows what this cruiser can do at the skatepark and in the streets. This is as much an ad for modern-day 24″ riding as it is for the Model-C. 
Check it out.






Big & tall Sunday 24umph bars

25 03 2009

It’s probably due to growing up near Buffalo, NY that I somehow have  a Buffalo TV station’s  commercial from the ’80s in my head whenever I read something about Sunday’s plus 4 parts. The  commercial featured a variety of Buffalo residents saying with fake glee, “We’re 4 Buffalo!”

Fortunately, the only connection that this cheesy TV commercial and Sunday bikes have in common is the city of Buffalo. Case in point, the new Sunday 24umph bars. Channel 4 in Buffalo has little to recommend it, but these handlebars are definitely worth checking out.

If you’ve been looking for a tall, wide cruiser handlebar (like I have), these could be just the ticket. You’re not going to find many cruiser bars with even a 6.5″ rise, much less  the 7.25″ rise that  these have. Believe me, I’ve been looking! They’re 28″ wide too. Created with the 41-thermal process  made famous by Odyssey they should be as tough as nails. I’d been looking at other handlebars but these are starting to look very appealing now that I know their dimensions…I have to admit I’ve already started to envision the silver ones on my bike…





Don’t mess with Rick Moliterno

19 03 2009

Rick Moliterno might be some kind of crime-fighting superhero by night in addition to his already full plate with Standard Bykes, Goodtimes Superstore, and still killing it on his bike.

According to this news story, a local kid had just been in Rick’s shop, Goodtimes, and had gone across the street to grab a sandwich at Wendy’s. The kid did not lock his bike up and it was promptly stolen by some 14-year deliquent. Rick’s girlfriend saw the theft go down and told Rick. Rick put on his shoes, grabbed his bike and gave chase.  Keep in mind that at this point the thief has a two-block head start and Rick is 30 years his senior. In most cases, that would mean that bike was long gone.  But not when you have a BMX legend giving chase. Rick got the bike back and gave the kid some advice I’m sure he’s not going to forget:

“Don’t steal bikes, especially BMX bikes.”

Seriously, I’m beginning to wonder if Rick might be Batman.

In somewhat related news, I’m pretty stoked on this Standard 125R cruiser I stumbled upon on flickr:

standard-125r-custom-paint

Drawing on the frame and then clear coating it, the sweet green bars and forks…this is a nice bike.





Toronto Bicycle Show did not disappoint

16 03 2009

You might think that I would be a little disappointed after going to the Toronto bicyle show with a whole laundry list of things to buy and coming  away with almost none of it…but you would be wrong my friend. Maybe it’s because my quest for the elusive gold anodized valve caps was realized this weekend.  Yes, I’m now the proud owner of a sweet pair of vintage gold anodized valve caps. Wade Nelson, upon hearing of my quest, walked over and up and gave me the valve caps right off his bike…whatta guy.

The Toronto BMX Jam contest was, as usual, off the hook crazy (do the kids still say that?). I originally planned to check out some racing and flatland too but the freestyle stuff was just to strong a draw. Freestyle is just so ridiculous now…and I mean that in a good way.

Sitting there in the bleachers watching some crazy riding go down, the Iron Maiden blasting and surrounded by a bunch of old friends trading BMX stories (and a new pair of gold valve caps) it seemed that all was right with the world.





BMXers descend on Toronto Bicycle Show

12 03 2009

This weekend, March 13-15, is one of the biggest events on the BMX calendar for Southern Ontario.  It’s the Toronto International bicycle show and there is wall-to-wall BMX stuff to check out or ride in. There’s the Toronto BMX Jam, a flatland comp/demo, racing (cruiser class, anyone?) and BMX videos being premiered Saturday night at the Cadillac Lounge. If you’re within driving distance of Toronto, this is not an event to miss.

I’ll be there, checking out all the action on Saturday and Sunday. If you’re lucky, you may even get one of the new cruiser revolution stickers. They look a lot like this:

crdc





24″ news from Ride, Sunday & Odyssey

9 03 2009

I guess you can call this your weekend wrap post.

Ride BMX ran a bike check and mini-interview with Jim C. from Sunday Bikes on Friday. There are some great shots of the Model-C and Jim does a good job of explaining the differences between riding a 20″ and a 24″ bike in the interview.  I’m pretty stoked to see that the 24umph bars featured in the bike check were 28″ wide…I’m looking for a pair of wide cruiser bars, so if they’re in the 6.5″ height range…well, let’s just say my interest is piqued.

In other Sunday Bikes news, the new trailer for Up, Up and Away is out…with the Model-C making an appearance in the end. Nice.  Karl Poynter is also leaving the Sunday team but not before getting a few runs on the ol’ cruiser (as you can see in the picture below). Abubaca!

karl_abubaca-500x334

Odyssey also has some pics floating around the interweb of the new 24″ hazard lite rims and 24 inch Aitken tire samples.

And that’s about it for today. Till next time…play safe and keep the rubber side down.





I love gold…

5 03 2009

Gold anodized parts that is.

Maybe  it’s because gold seems to be the only thing not tanking in today’s economy or maybe it’s because what’s old is new again…I dunno…but I’m really feeling gold components again. And I’m not the only one. Freestyle legend Taj Mihelich seems to have been feeling the gold vibe for some time now…he’s been rocking gold rims on a number of his past bikes….his current Giant setup being no exception.

I think what got me thinking about/missing gold components is the  ’08 We The People Unified 24″.

wtp-unified_08

The mix of old and new school on this bike really work for me. Unfortunately, WTP has decided to go with a blue and white combo for ’09.

Perhaps, gold components represent something deeper.  They do if we can trust a BMX academic like Wade Nelson.  When asked by Momentum magazine, “What are the virtues of golden spoke nipples?”  Wade simply responded, “Gold anodized spoke nipples are truth.”

gold-valve-cap

Truer words were never spoken. Now where can I get a pair of those sweet vintage gold anodized valve caps he’s got on his bike?