I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty stoked to see Liquid Bikes back in the game with the release of the Feedback V2 frame.
To remind everyone but how well Liquid frames handle in the dirt, Liquid’s Jeremy Combs posted some old footage of himself riding the Koala Trails on a prototype Liquid Feedback frame.
So rad.
Now I’ve seen everything.
The last time we caught up with Peter Ulbrich he was shredding a race track in a decidedly non racer-like manner (see This is where things go off the chain).
Now he’s back for a little skatepark/bowl riding on a 29″ wheel SE Big Ripper.
Yes, you read that right.
An SE Big Ripper.
With 29″ wheels.
Oh Man….
After a bit of a hiatus, Liquid Bikes has returned to the 24″ BMX scene with an updated version of its super popular Feedback frame.
Dubbed the Feedback V2, this frame is now being made in the USA by Solid BMX. It maintains the same proven geometry, but is lighter, stiffer and perhaps even cooler than the previous incarnation, in that it now features custom laser-cut bridges between the stays.
According to Liquid, the Feedback V2,
features newly designed chain stays that improve tire/sprocket clearance and stiffen the rear end compared to the previous version – all while keeping one of the shortest chain stay lengths in the 24″ market.
That’s in addition to some of the longest top-tube size options available: take your pick of a 22″ or 22.3″ top tube. Perfect for the taller rider…which, let’s face it, makes up a lion share of the 24″ BMX demographic.
Color choices for the Feedback V2 are Root Beer (trans-brown), Raw with clear coat and Satin Black.
Specs: Top Tube: 22″ or 22.3″
Bottom Bracket height: 12.7″
Chain Stay: 14.25″
Head Angle: 74 degrees
Seat Angle: 72 degrees
Other notables:
30 tooth max sprocket clearance
2.3″ rear tire clearance
Double butted top and down tubes
Externally butted seat tube
Custom laser cut seat stay and chain stay bridges
Non-removable u-brake mounts
Weight: 5 lbs
Check out liquid-bikes.com, which has also undergone a bit of a refresh, for the rest of the particulars.
Stoked to see Liquid back on the scene with some fresh gear.
With three of the main guys in contention for the #1 Cruiser title racing in the same age group you know that will be the class to watch this Grands weekend.
These three guys are the big guns of the 41-45 Cruiser class: Shan Hatfield, Shawn DiPrete and Dave Archibald.
You could say it’s going to be the clash of the titans.
Shan Hatfield is leading on the scoreboard but dealing with a wrist injury sustained at UCI World Championships in New Zealand.
DiPrete and Archibald are within striking distance so you know they have eyes on the prize.
Will Hatfield be able to hold them off?
Or will something crazy happen and one of the riders from the other age groups take it?
I’m looking forward to finding out!
TwoFourFlat 5 dropped over the weekend, and even though it’s been almost a year since #4, it has definitely been worth the wait!
The TwoFourFlat videos, perennial favorites around here, are produced by Joe Cicman and Danny Sirkin and showcase super dialed flatland riding on 24″ (and sometimes bigger) wheeled bikes.
This time they’re rolling on Sunday Wave-Cs and have made what I think is their best video to date. Tightly edited, with awesome flatland riding and a perfect background track to tie it all together, this edit is a definite “must-see”.
And, as a bit of bonus, Joe and Danny round the video off with clips of solid riding by some friends and a good outtakes section as well.
Check it.
Flatland fiends rejoice!
Joe Cicman sent a note about a week ago with news that another installment of the video series, TwoFourFlat was being filmed and would be released very soon.
Joe teams up with Danny Sirkin again in this fifth installment, for what promises to be another must-see video.
Looking forward to this!
(Check out the trailer below.)
Wow, hard to believe that this little blog is still going strong after 5 great years!
So cool to think back to how the cruiser scene (and this site) has developed over the years…whether it’s the new bikes or new cruiser-specific aftermarket parts…the growing numbers of people switching over to big-wheeled BMXs…former riders “getting back on the horse” after following CR for a while…the great (and often funny) comments, discussions and messages…it’s all pretty awesome.
Thanks for rolling with me for all these years.
Cheers everybody.
BMX racing needs a breath of fresh air and I think events like the upcoming Helltrack event being held at The Lumberyard bike park might be just the way to do that.
What is the Helltrack event you ask?
Well, according to the Helltrack website, it’s:
…a multi-lap obstacle race with 7 riders going head to head that combines indoor and outdoor features, a cereal bowl, pallets, bikes, beer, jumps, UCI Bro Barriers, Carnage, good times, and …race classes for everyone and for all types of bikes.
Sounds pretty freaking awesome to me!
A welcome departure from the standard, far-to-serious-for-its-own-good atmosphere that most big races have.
And unlike a UCI event, you probably wouldn’t be looked down if you raced in jeans (See: Cru Jones: the UCI doesn’t like your type).
Now, we just need to get an event at all the big indoor bike parks (like Ray’s MTB, Joyride 150, etc.) so more people can take part in the tomfoolery.
Can’t wait to see the video highlights of this event.
Solid Bikes posted a picture a couple of days ago that had some people buzzing about whether or not they were producing a 22″ frame.
Turns out the frame in the picture was none other than the Solid Bikes-produced prototype of the new 24″ Liquid Bikes frame.
I’ve been looking forward to getting a closer look at this frame ever since I heard that a new Liquid frame was on the way.
Hopefully this means that we are getting real close to this frame becoming available to the public.
For more early pics of the Liquid prototype frame, check out this previous post from back in June.
And if you’re wondering if this frame can hold up to some serious riding…check out this clip of the trails that Liquid Bikes owner, Jeremy Combs regularly rides at (and a few quick clips of the new frame in action).
The movie Rad, a cult classic for BMXers of all stripes, was way ahead of it’s time in some ways.
(Watching the story of the small-town kid with dreams of racing in the big race is a rite of passage for most riders.)
Sure, the racing depicted was a bit wack but that sorta added to the movie’s charm.
Now looking back, it’s interesting to see how prophetic it was.
The giant start hill of Helltrack looks like it might have been the inspiration for the big starting hills of today’s SX tracks.
Mongoose bikes were “going to be in every department store across the nation” (can’t remember the exact line)….which seemed ridiculous at the time but now ,of course, you can visit any Wal-Mart and pick up a Mongoose bicycle.
And the way the big corporate interests would try to stamp down the energetic upstart/hometown kid, Cru Jones, from making a go of it.
Who could forget, Cru, the rider in the hockey helmet and jeans (before the big final, when he finally gets some proper racing duds) practicing and then racing against the “factory hot-shots”.
Now it seems like the UCI is ready to pull a similar move on riders that have the audacity to show up for a race in jeans.
According to the new UCI rule book:
The following items are not permitted for BMX pants:
– One piece skin suits
– Tight fitted pants that needs to be stretched in order to cover
the legs
– Lycra pants
– Track and Field pants /jogging pants
– Road/Track cycling pants
– Denim / Jeans
It just seems like a step too far.
Jeans have been part of the “first race day” uniform of just about every BMX racer (minus the hockey helmet) since the sport began.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
cruiser revolution 