Pack it up, pack it in, let me begin

3 08 2009

If you’ve just made the switch from 20″  to 24″ bikes, you may be in for a little surprise when you get ready for your first roadtrip. The car that you could pretty much throw your 20″ into, suddenly become inhospitable for your 24″.  And unlike a mountain bike, a 24″ BMX bike doesn’t have a quick release to quickly take off the front wheel.  Solution? Always, keep a socket wrench and an allen key around and take off your front wheel and seat/seatpost the old-fashioned way.

model-c in van

Jim from Sunday Bikes was probably saying a few choice words here as he tried to get his Model-C in this van.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School

First look at We The People Avenue 24″

22 07 2009

We The People have just unveiled their 2010 line of bikes and they’ve really stepped things up with the new WTP Avenue 24″. This bike is a beauty. If you’ve read some of my past posts, you know that I’m a  fan of gold anodized parts and big handlebars. The Avenue 24″ has both. Not only that, the colours and the graphics make this one of the best-looking completes out there (although it does remind me of the Sunday Olive Green Model-C).  Set to land in stores in September, I can’t wait to check out one of these up close.

wtp Avenue 24"


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, street, Trails/Jumping

Kicking it old school…or just kicking ass?

15 07 2009

I don’t think words can describe how stoked I am on this video.  If you remember the Haro team back in its heyday, you know how great that team was. So many awesome memories…It’s great to see these guys back in action.

I know I may have said that something else was possibly the best thing on YouTube, but right now this one takes the top spot for me.


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Categories : Freestyle, Old School, Tomfoolery

Underestimated – best thing on YouTube?

2 07 2009

In the last little while BMX has gotten pretty cliquey….you’re either a street rider or a flatland rider, freestyler or racer, someone with a seatpost or someone with a pivotal-thingie built into the frame. Not only that, you’ve also got blogs and forums seemingly dedicated to slamming  new products  produced  by rider-owned  companies (not that some don’t deserve it).  It kind of makes me long for the days when riders dabbled a bit in every element of riding, and whenever you saw another rider you felt that instant connection…because you both rode…and it didn’t matter what or how.

It’s enough to bum you out…unless you come across something like this:


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, Racing, Trails/Jumping

Are my handlebars big enough?

26 06 2009

Like most men, I wonder if my handlebars are big enough…are they wide enough to provide maximum riding pleasure? Are they tall enough to attract attention from the ladies? It’s been something I’ve been struggling with a lot lately…I thought these might be the answer but I wasn’t sure. Now I see that even those might not be enough. Paul de Groot’s recent Sunday Model-C bike check is making me realize what I thought was big…really isn’t that big at all. Paul has gone ahead and slapped some Solid Roseanne Bars on his bike…we’re talking a 9″ rise and 32″ wide. I try to console myself and say that handlebar size doesn’t matter…but late at night…I wonder if that’s really true.

Paul de Groot's Model-C

Paul de Groot's Model-C


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Categories : Freestyle, goofiness

Andy, Lew and Spike exposed

29 05 2009

If you were a BMX kid in the 80s and 90s, Freestylin’ magazine was your bible.  Before that it was BMX Action magazine.  Put out by Wizard publications they set the standard for BMX magazines everywhere. Regretfully, by the early 90s they were no more.  There’s some debate about caused the demise of these great magazines…you can google a bit and find out the theories.

Recently, with a lot of hype, the limited-edition Freestylin’ book was released by the original editorial team of Andy, Lew and Spike.  It was an attempt to capture those early, heady days when freestyle bmx came into its own.  It’s a pretty good look back from what I’ve seen.  But it didn’t capture everything. Steve Emig, a former staffer, seems to have had his experience there glossed over..well, actually left out of the book completely.  Feeling miffed, he decided to post some of stuff that was left out of the book….and it’s some of the funniest, most addictive BMX-related writing you’ll find on the web. Topics range from Windy’s Boobs to riding with Craig Grasso.  This is like the True Hollywood Stories of Wizard Publications. You have to check freestylinmagtales out.


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Categories : Freestyle, shenanigans, Tomfoolery

Up, Up and Away premiere was fun

19 05 2009

Checked out the Sunday Up, Up and Away premiere last Friday at Core…for a fairly small place they really managed to pack in a lot of people for the event. The vibe was pretty chill and everyone seemed pretty eager to see the new vid. I have to say I’m pretty stoked on it. Standouts for me have to be the Aaron Ross section, and of course, all  the great footage of Jim C. on the Model-C.     24″ bikes finally get their due in a progressive BMX video!

Up, Up and Away Core flyer

If you didn’t get a chance to attend one of the premieres, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy and check it out. From start to finish, it’s non-stop awesome riding…this is definitely one of the best videos out there right now.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School

Carhartt & We The People team up again

18 05 2009

Once again, Carhartt has teamed up with We The People to create a cool, retro-inspired BMX cruiser.

This limited edition 2009 model has a Chrome-Moly frame, Sky Tuff wheels, 3-piece crank and if I’m not mistaken, a leather (?) pad set.  This bike will turn heads for sure…

carhartt-bmx-cruiser-2009-540x398


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School

You do double peg stalls like a girl

5 05 2009

Remember in grade school, if you threw a baseball funny, they would say, “you throw like a girl”. Now apply this line of thinking to BMX, specifically this vid of Natalie Wade demonstrating  how to do double peg stalls. She’s funny (in a good way) and can do some nice peg stalls. Considering how squirrely some of the kids at the local park are, learning how to double peg stall like a girl (like Natalie) would be a step in the right direction.

Here’s another one that gives you the 411 on disasters…and apparently the importance of a good grooming and a hearty breakfast.

And who is this Natalie Wade? She’s  married to some guy named Morgan Wade…word on the street says he’s no slouch on a bike either.


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Categories : Freestyle, goofiness, New School

Taking it back to the old school

29 04 2009

With all the hype recently about custom bikes/frames/parts, it’s easy to forget the simple, DIY ways to customize your bike. Paint, some new parts and stickers can go a long way to personalize your bike or make an old bike look like new. In some cases, it can even make a new school bike look old school. Take this Haro Nyquist Backtrail 24; some carefully chosen parts, paint and stickers make it feel like we’ve stepped back into the mid-80s. You can almost imagine Rich Sigur dropping into the Pipeline on this.

24haroretro004


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, Uncategorized

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