Scott Towne’s sorta bike check

31 08 2015

You might remember a post from a while back where we learned that Scott Towne was rollin’ on a Stolen 24.

Well, Scott’s been visiting the race track as of late, so he’s gone out and got himself a proper race rig.

His choice?

DK’s top-of-the-line Elite Cruiser (by way of Matt Bischoff).

scott towne race rig

A great bike, ready to race, “right out of the box”…as the bike industry is apt to say.

What caught my eye though, were the modifications he made to it.

Otherwise a stock bike, Scott says

[He] had to make a couple tweaks (daddy doesn’t do carbon forks) and of course, taller bars

A man after my own heart!

Traditional cruiser bars: who needs ’em?

And not “doing carbon forks”?

I’ve mused before over whether BMX should or should not reduce its carbon footprint. I have considered using carbon in the past but in the end have always stuck with chromoly.

Good old fashioned chromoly forks.

(Don’t call it a comeback…they’ve been serving us well for years).

Scott definitely has a sweet a ride with mods that I can only say are “cruiser revolution-approved.” (For further, evidence peep my race ride here, to see a similar set up…DK frame, cro-mo forks and big bars….we’re birds of a feather apparently…)

For more on Scott, check out his Tumbler and Instagram accounts for daily updates on his biking-related exploits/riding adventures.

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Are bash guards back?

28 08 2015

Here’s one for the “what goes around, comes around” file.

Bash guards.

They enjoyed a brief moment in the sun back in the day when Bully frames came with them welded on and when GTs offered them as an add-on accessory…because they believed “bolt on [was] better.”

bully

Heck, even Wade Nelson did a bit on them in Snakebite yesterday. Here’s an excerpt:

At the end of the 1980s, the BMX market had crashed, and was perhaps looking for the next gimmicky thing to sell more stuff. Suddenly it was of paramount importance that we have bashguards on our bikes.

And in an era before micro-gearing:

[O]ur giant sprockets…needed protection.

But about as abruptly as this “innovation” swept into the BMX marketplace, it was quickly ushered out.

Bashguards were already  a footnote before the giant sprockets they were designed to protect were replaced by micro-gears.

Now it looks like a company is trying to bring them back.

bmx-grind-guard

BMX Grind claims,

BMX has seen attempts at this in the past, but nothing designed specifically for modern day grinds and whips, and nothing that lets you grind like this!

Hmm…really?

To their credit, BMX Grind has put out a video to promote their product.

Not sure how game-changing those grinds are….

It probably does protect your sprocket…But how many riders are going to going to be willing to bolt on 1.3 pound guard to do it?  Sure, back in the day a heavy bike was a badge of honor, but today? Forget about it.

Then again, maybe I’m judging it too harshly.

Is the bashguard ready for a comeback? Let me know what you think.

(*I know this isn’t a cruiser topic per se, but as a “BMX Enthusiast” it’s something I still feel worth discussing.)





2016 Stolen Saint XLT & Zeke XLT unveiled

26 08 2015

For their 2016 lineup, Stolen Bikes have combined their “regular” and XLT versions of their popular cruisers (the 24″ Saint and 26″ Zeke) into one model, the “XLT.”

What does that mean for you?

The broad strokes are:

You will be getting a complete (in whichever size you choose) that is full chromoly, kitted out with all sealed parts (except pedals), 48-spline cranks and a Pivotal seat/seatpost combo. (Did you notice there’s 8″ bars on the Saint XLT?)

Let’s take a look at the 24″ first.

2016-ISO-SAINTXLT-GREEN

Saint XLT Geometry/Specs

  • Head Tube 74.5°
  • Seat Tube 71°
  • Top Tube 21.5″
  • Chain Stay 15″
  • BB height: 13.8″

Two colorways available

You can get the Saint XLT in Black or Matte Ammo Can Green.

The Black colorway comes with Limited Edition All Tan Joint Tires…that’s some freshness right there!

2016-ISO-SAINTXLT-BLACK

An added bonus?

Those All Tan 24 x 2.2 Limited Edition Stolen Joint tires will be available separately.  Don’t sleep on these though…Stolen is  only doing one run of these tires for the US market so get on these quick/fast/in-a-hurry.

24'JointTan

Next up, the 26″.

Zeke XLT Geometry/Specs

  • Head Tube 74.5°
  • Seat Tube 72°
  • Top Tube 22.25″
  • Chain Stay 16″
  • BB Height: 13.3″

Colorway

The Zeke comes in Chrome.

A nod to the old school, perhaps? Whatever the reason, I dig it.

2016-ISO-ZEKEXLT

Pretty nice completes, that’s for sure.

If building up a 24″ is more your thing…not to worry…Stolen is still offering their aftermarket Stolen Gold Frame & Fork.

Have a peek at their new catalog for that, along with their rather extensive range of parts.





Am I Evel?

25 08 2015

I can’t decide if it’s just an odd coincidence or some kind of cosmic convergence that led me to catch the Evel Knievel doc, Being Evel, on the same day as Drew Bezanson’s epic video edit, Uncontainable, was being released.

It was definitely inspiring to watch both on the same day.

being evel 2

Knievel, the prototypical action sports star — and inspiration to every kid that launched himself off a makeshift ramp — and Bezanson, a modern-day action sports star, breaking new ground yet again.

We all owe Evel a debt of gratitude for blazing a trail for all of us that followed him…inspiring us to “give it a go”…whether that meant working everything out ahead of time or just sending it and seeing if the landing will work out.

Bezanson’s Uncontainable edit shows that legacy carries on…that we should always be testing the boundaries…like Evel showed us before, life is more than just existing, it’s meant to be lived.

Drew Bezansen performs a huge 360 Tail Whip during Red Bull Uncontainable in Truro, Canada on August 5th, 2015.

Haven’t see the videos yet?

Check ’em out below:

Uncontainable

Being Evel (to purchase)

Being Evel (trailer)

 





Are you ready for the Truth?

21 08 2015

I got the heads up recently about a small rider-owned company called Truth BMX Products.

Based out of Maryland, the company has been around for just under a year and is run by two brothers, Eric and Tony Spears.

In addition to a pretty wide assortment of components, the company has some pretty cool 24″ race frames in their product lineup (with 26″ versions planned in the coming months).

Truth Blue

The specs for the PRO 24 Main Event frame are:

  • Top tube: 21.5″
  • Chainstay: 15.35″
  • Head Angle: 73.5 degrees
  • Seat Angle: 70 degrees

A Pro XL 24 frame is also available with a 22″ top tube (all other specs the same as above).

Truth Blk

All the frames are made out of 6061-T6 Aluminum.

Watch for these to become available in the next few weeks.

Check out truthbmxproducts.com for more details about frame colors, their parts lineup and a bunch of other race-y stuff.





Update on that cool 24″ Lairdframe build

19 08 2015

You might recall, back in May, the eye-catching 24″ Lairdframe that I spotted over on BMX Museum.

With most of the customs coming out of Lairdframe’s highly regarded business being 20s, this new school 24 was definitely something that piqued my interest.

Well, the owner of this build, Jared Burak, just dropped me a line with an updated picture of his bike, after he made a few updates.

It looks great…a custom Lairdframe kitted out with good stuff from Tribute Bikes, Native Bikes, and Zodiac Engineering.

Lairdframe 24 update

Jared says Laird’s work is “highly recommended” and “quite affordable” when comparing it against the base prices at other custom frame-building companies (like S&M, Standard and FBM).

I have to say I’m pretty stoked on this build.

Fingers crossed we’ll see more new school 24s from Lairdframe in the future.





Sneak Peek: 2016 Skyway T/A 24″

12 08 2015

Just caught this sneak peek/spy shot over on the Planet BMX Facebook feed.

It’s the new 2016 version of the 24″ Skyway T/A XL frame & fork set, fresh from the paint shop.

2016 Skyway 24in TA

A noticeable (and much welcomed) change from the previous iteration is the introduction of an integrated headset.

Color choices are white and chrome.

Watch for these to become available in the next 6-8 weeks. (Visit Planet BMX if you want to get in on the pre-sale.)

Pic: Planet BMX





Sneak Peek: 2016 Redline Race Cruisers

6 08 2015

The Asset 24 isn’t the only cruiser that Redline has revealed from their 2016 line, they’ve also provided details on their race cruisers as well.

Kicking of their race lineup is the entry-level MX-24. It features a 6061 Aluminum frame with ovalized anti-flex stays, Chromoly 3-piece cranks and Tioga Power Block tires. Available in grey or blue. A nice option for a newbie or casual racer.

2016 Redline MX24 BLUNext up is the Proline 24. I think of this one as the workhouse of the lineup.  A straight-forward race machine that gets the job done. Light & strong but without the hefty price tag of flashier race machines.  It features a 6061-T-6 alloy frame, sealed hubs and 100% Chromoly butted and tapered race fork .  It’s hard to go wrong with this bike.

2016 Redline Proline 24Finally, the Flight Pro 24.  Redline’s top-of-the-line race machine. It features  a frame with Redline’s proprietary  formed R7 tubing, press-fit BB -86, and Redline convertible dropouts.  This is complemented by high-end components like BOX Pro Carbon forks, Redline Flight 120 instant cassette hub with 15mm through axle, and tubeless compatible Alienation Malice rims. Not to mention the Redline Flight AL hollow forged Cranks with a 24mm chromoly spindle. This rig is kitted out. Race-ready (at the highest level), right out of the box.

2016 Redline flight pro 24
Definitely a solid lineup for 2016. Where ever you find yourself on the race spectrum, Redline has a race-ready complete to meet your needs.




Sneak Peek: 2016 Redline Asset 24

4 08 2015

After surprising us last year with a bit of a stealthy debut, Redline has brought back their 24″ freestyle cruiser, the Asset 24, for 2016.

It’s nicely spec’d with a full cro-mo frame and some decent parts. It does look like some compromises were made in the components department — as can be expected in any complete — but nothing that would raise any immediate concerns when you wheel it out of the bike shop.

New for this year, is a gloss black paint job that fades to a matte black. This is offset by a nice looking pair of copper finish 3-piece cranks that add a little flair to the bike.

2016 Redline Asset24 BLKI would’ve liked to have seen a few more copper accents (say on the handlebar and/or the seatpost) but that’s an easy fix after you’ve been riding it for a while and decide to customize it to your particular tastes. (Check out the Redline site for the rest of the parts rundown.)

Geometry-wise, the Asset 24 boasts the following:

  • Top tube: 21.75″
  • Head Angle: 74.5 degrees
  • Seat Angle: 71 degrees
  • BB Height: 13″
  • Chain Stay: 15.5″

That geo puts it right in the ballpark of other heavy-hitters like the S&M ATF 24″.

All in all, a pretty solid package for $499.99 (US). I expect we’ll be seeing a lot more people rolling on these in the coming year.