How to make BMX racing big again

29 07 2011

If you spend any time at all on the BMX racing forums you’ll notice that inevitably, before long,  the subject of “How to grow BMX” will come up.  Another variation of this thread is “Why isn’t racing as popular as it was in the 80s?”

People will argue that you have to one thing or another…from doing presentations at local schools to embracing the whole Supercross track phenomenon.

The trouble is, none of things is doing much to grow the sport.  Yet time after time the same ideas keep getting trotted out.

The solution might be simpler than the collective BMX racing community thinks.

Get a friend hooked on BMX.

Wasn’t it Chris Moeller who said back in the early 90s that the way to make BMX grow was to build up a bike and give it to a friend? (Actually, I’m not 100% sure on this quote but the  research department is out on a patio somewhere right now enjoying a pint so let’s just go with it, ok?)

Matt Shelley got Malcolm hooked on BMX

Matt Shelley, from BMXActionOnline, employs a similar strategy. He chats up folks at the track, all the while with the agenda of getting them out racing.

Check out Matt’s latest success story:

 I met Malcolm at the Fresno Nationals last year. His kid races 13 challenger. We got to talking and he loves bikes, but never considered BMX until he saw us gray beards having so much fun. I dropped some science on him and figured he would do what he will with the advice.

Fast forward to the start of this season… there he is with a craigslist bike, a license, turning hot laps, and getting a ton of encouragement from his son. He admits to having a long way to go (his gates are horrid, natch), but through sheer force of early (and maximum) participation–He is currently leading the state series in 50-54 cruiser!

Nice going Matt (and Malcolm)!

Could it be that easy?

I think so.

I’ve had a few instances myself where friends and friends of friends have approaching me and inquired about getting a bike. Usually it starts with, “I see how much fun you’re having…”

So if you’re concerned about “growing the sport”…talk to your friends about BMX…and build them a bike if you have spare parts lying around.

Spread the word and get your friends out riding. Once you do that, this “growing the sport” business will take care of itself.


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Categories : goofiness, New School, Racing

Custom forks: now available from S&M

27 07 2011

After the success of their custom frame program, and more recently the introduction of custom handlebars, S&M has added another part to their custom lineup: forks.

Brake mounts, no brake mounts, different finishes, XLT and classic styles…you name it they’ve got you covered. (There’s even a 22″ version available…if you’re into that sort of thing.)

If the off-shelf options don’t work for you or if you have very specific needs or preferences…this is great news.

Check out the S&M Bikes site for more details.



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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Racing, Skatepark, Trails, Trails/Jumping

(Really) old guys who ride

22 07 2011

Spotted this on the Red Division blog: a post about the 61 & over Cruiser class!

Talk about inspiration…I’ve gotta hand it to these guys…I hope I’m still out there mixing it up and having fun on my BMX bike in my 60s.

Here’s a couple pics of the guys in the article.

Craig Page (61)

George Williams (63)

It kinda proves the old adage:

We don’t stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stop riding. 

Cheers to all the (really) old guys that ride…it’s awesome to see you guys on your bikes having fun and proving that the thrills and excitement of BMX never gets old.


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Categories : New School, Old School, Racing

4130 Subway Series set to hit Vegas

20 07 2011

This September, the 4130 Subway Series is going on the road and hitting Las Vegas. The ride is happening the same week Interbike is in town, on September 17.

With a who’s who of BMX and bicycle industry types in town, you never know who might show up.

And it’s Vegas.

This might get rowdy (in a good way).

The 4130 Subway Series is pure BMX. Believe it.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, shenanigans, Tomfoolery

Tested: 2011 SE Floval Flyer

12 07 2011

By Ed Vandermolen

The SE Floval Flyer has been around, in a variety of forms, since the early days of BMX. And despite its long legacy and being produced by one of the iconic brands in the industry, it’s not resting on its laurels. The 2011 version may just be the best incarnation of this classic bike yet.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

After checking out the wide variety of race completes this year, the Floval Flyer caught my eye. It appeared that SE had really stepped things up this year with the Floval Flyer (full specs here). The classic lines were still there but it was souped up with some great updates that resulted in a lighter overall weight than previous years, upgrades in components and better handling.

A test drive was in order. Or maybe a full-on test?

Yes, that was the ticket. So with high hopes, I contacted SE with my plan. Thankfully they were onside. With the assistance of Todd Lyons and Brett Downs I was able to get a hold of a Floval Flyer to test.

Rocks out of the box

Pulling the bike out of the box, the first thing you notice is the attention to detail. The white parts really pop against the new-for-2011 plutonium frame color. It comes complete with double-walled Alex rims paired with sealed hubs. The hollow axles and flush axle bolts are a nice touch too. Cro-mo 180mm 3-piece cranks, Landing Gear forks and nice front load stem round out the package. After assembling it and taking it for a quick spin around the block, I was already liking this bike…it handled great.
Track testing

However, the best place to test a bike like this was “in the field” at a BMX track. With the first Ontario ABA Provincial Qualifier just a week away, it was the perfect opportunity to see if the Floval Flyer had “the stuff”.  (Full disclosure: I did switch out the bars for a pair that was taller and wider, along with a slightly longer reach stem…I’m pretty tall and would probably do that with any new race bike…the rest of the bike was bone stock.)

When I parked the bike in the pits, people started stopping almost immediately to check it out. Most were stoked on the look of this bike. A number of impromptu test rides ensued, and almost every rider–many accustomed to big name race bikes like Intense and Redline–all dug the bike and how it handled.

Seconds away from transferring to the main aboard the Floval Flyer (pic by Nicky Pearson)

The bike rides bigger than you might think based on the 21.25″ top tube. I grabbed a friend’s  Redline Flight 24 with a 21.7″ top tube for a comparision sake and the rider area felt very similar. The Floval Flyer has a slightly steeper seat angle than other bikes in its class, so when you’re out of the seat it feels similar.

Out on the track is where it really…uh…flys.

People were commenting throughout the day how smooth I looked on the bike. It felt great. Everything stayed straight and true, it was confidence inspiring.

As mentioned earlier, the Floval Flyer has dropped some weight this year–and it was noticeable–it’s not that far off from pricier race bikes with carbon forks. In addition to the light weight, the bike comes complete with 1.75 Tioga Powerblock tires (front and back)..a further indication that this is a serious race machine. I usually run a slightly wider tire in the front for stability but the way the Powerblocks hugged the corner I’m not so sure anymore…their low rolling resistance also made them feel extra speedy.

SE really did a great job on this bike. If you’re taller guy, you’ll probably want to go with taller/wider bars (and perhaps a slightly longer reach stem) but that’s about the extent of the changes you would need to make. If you’re a weight weenie, a couple of easy upgrades can take this already light bike to an even higher level of light-weight race readiness. In terms of race-ready completes, this bike is hard to beat…all you need to get out on the race track is a number plate. And wouldn’t you know it, SE has thought of this too, and included one with the bike.


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Categories : New products, New School, Old School, Racing

If you’re going to San Francisco…

7 07 2011

If you’re going to be in San Francisco area next week…be sure to check out the second annual Golden Gate Bridge (GGB) Ride!

Organized by Trent Brocker, it’s going down July 16, starting off at the Clocktower (aka Ferry Building) at 11am.

Join Trent Brocker for the 2nd annual Golden Gate Bridge Ride

And it looks like it’s going to be a blast! There will be giveaway prizes for best endo, longest manual and longest bunnyhop.

Bring your A Game for the endo contest though…Trent has mad bar endo skills (see above) and will be tough to beat!

Contact Trent at chfrcka@yahoo.com for all the particulars.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, shenanigans, street, Tomfoolery

Born in the USA

4 07 2011

It’s the 4th of July. In the U.S., that means a celebration of all things American.

On a day like today, even if you’re not American and celebrating Independence Day, you have to respect the companies that are still making a go of it in terms of manufacturing things in North America. And not just making a go of it, but putting out high quality products that are sought out by riders of every stripe.

Not taking anything away from those companies that design products in North America and have them manufactured elsewhere…in many ways, it’s often the better option for doing things.  But you have to respect those companies that choose to take the often harder road of keeping it all in house from start to finish.

You know the big names: S&M, Standard, FBM…their quality speaks for itself…and the smaller companies like Snap and Immortis that are garnering a reputation for themselves  through the pride they take in the craftsmanship of their products. You can find a pretty good listing of these companies on americanmadebmx.com.

So if you’re out celebrating today, raise a glass to the fine folks working hard, day after day, to produce American-made BMX products. Cheers guys!


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Old School, Skatepark, Trails, Trails/Jumping

Serious flatland moves on a 24″

28 06 2011

The dynamic flatland duo of Joe Cicman and Danny Sirkin are back with a followup to the first edition of TwoFourFlat (that we featured here last month).

And holy Martin Aparijo!  A grip ride 20 seconds in is just the start of the flatland trickery and antics in this great clip.

Check it out.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School

Go with the flow

24 06 2011

Spotted this pic on the Liquid Bikes Facebook page and had to post it.

It had the caption, “Check out Cullen flowing like…Liquid.”

Park looks so fun.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Skatepark

Father knows best

17 06 2011

As a kid working on my bike I leaned heavy on the know-how of my Dad.

At the time, I didn’t think much about the lessons I was learning as he showed me how to fix my bike but they went far beyond simply tuning up my bike.

The stickers tell the story: Dad's bike wrenching goes way back

Thinking back I took away a lot from those times. Here’s some of the things I learned:

Take it easy, don’t force it: Impatience and hasty actions can leave you sorry in the end–be it with a cross-threaded bolt, a stripped axle or  a strained friendship. Think before you do things.

Show some respect: Dad had everything in its place, so he could find it when he needed it. Throwing a wrench in the wrong drawer would not only make him mad but also inevitably be the wrench I needed the next time I was in the workshop (and one I couldn’t find because I was so careless  before).

Don’t be afraid to get a  little help when you need it: As a scrawny kid I sometimes had a tough time budging tight allen bolts. To help me out my dad went to work and got a pipe made up that would neatly fit over an allen key to give me more leverage. He called it “The persuader”. If I had tough bolt to loosen, I called in the persuader.

Sometimes you have to improvise: Grabbing something from the junk drawer to make a shim or creating a make-shift solution out of some old parts was something that Dad was always ready to do. Figuring it out was half the fun, “Wait a minute, this might work…”

It’s not about the bike: All that time we spent in that workshop was about a lot more than just patching tubes or replacing broken parts. We weren’t just building bikes, we were building a shared experience that meant more than I think we both realized at the time. A lot of good times and good memories.

Thanks Dad, for showing me the way.

(For more on my Dad, check out The best coach/mechanic I could ask for)


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Old School, Racing

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