As if you need any more incentive to head to Ray’s MTB…now Sunday Bikes has a Model-C DEMO bike for you to try while you’re there.
A great idea on Sunday’s part and one I hope they extend to Joyride 150 as well.
In other Sunday news, their second shipment of Sunday completes has come in. If you missed your chance to pick up the Model-C complete last time, better get to your local shop pronto.
Vince Smith can-can on Model-C DEMO bike at Ray’s MTB (Korey Kryder pic from the Sunday site).
If being the boss of a BMX company isn’t cool enough, Mike Wong over at Dialled Bikes ups the coolness quotient just a bit more by designing a sweet looking custom cruiser for his own personal ride.
I spotted this on Fastlane BMX magazine’s website recently and was pretty stoked on it. Not only does it have a nice old school Mongoose-style zinc plated finish but there’s a bunch of other things going on with this bike that make it unique and customized to Mike’s tastes.
It’s made with 853 Reynolds Cro-Moly, extra thin tubing and a slacker than “normal” head angle.
Why did he go with a slacker head angle?
According to Mike (in his Fastlane interview) it’s because today’s geometry is getting too twitchy:
…with tracks getting faster, jumps getting steeper and berms getting slicker, I actually think they are taking geometry in the wrong direction.
Therefore, on my frame, I’ve made the head angle one degree slacker than the production cruisers (71 degrees instead of 72), which actually makes it feel more stable over jumps and in turns. I may even go another degree slacker for the next iteration. *
While there are no plans to incorporate this slacker head angle into Dialed Bikes production models, Mike is going to continue to ride/race it to see how it performs. This is pretty big departure from current geometry, so it’s interesting to see Mike stepping up and experimenting with something new.
For more on Dialed Bikes, check out their website. To learn more about Fastlane BMX magazine (which, if you’re into racing, is a must) click here.
*(italics mine)
Brakeless riding is prevalent in just about every area of freestyle bmx these days….especially street riding. While definitely not as widespread in the 24″ scene, it is starting to creep in.
High-profile guys like Jim Bauer have been riding their 24s brakeless for a while now and more and more cruiser builds are showing up without brakes.
Brakeless advocates argue that going without brakes makes them better riders: smoother and more committed to making the trick rather than braking at the last minute.
Do you agree?
Is brakeless better for 24″ freestyle riding?
Is riding brakeless the secret to Jim Bauer‘s style?
In case you missed the big news this weekend, Jay Miron has sold Macneil Bikes and Ten Pack Distribution to his business partners, Darcy Saccucci and Jamie Macintosh. He’s also shut down the Metro Jam events. He’s walking away from BMX.
What can you say in a situation like this?
It seems too soon but you can’t knock the guy…he’s accomplished so many things and done so much for the BMX community.
Jay, thanks for the memories…and the 540 whips.
Vodpod videos no longer available.more about “Jay Miron Macneil DVD“, posted with vodpod
Well, here’s an awesome incentive to race the Redline Cup series this year:
The chance to win one of 70 one-of-a-kind limited edition frames from Redline!
According to Redline:
While it is up to each track operator’s discretion on how they will be given away, the custom black & gold Flight frames will likely be raffled off to one lucky winner during the RL Cup race – with proceeds being used to fund improvements for each BMX track.
The colors are inspired by both the 1966 Shelby Hertz Mustang Fastback and the Gold Cup series of the ’80s. They come in two sizes: Expert XL and Pro Cruiser (pictured).
In addition to the custom black and gold colors, you also get the 2010 Redline Cup logo clear-coated on each side of the top tube.
These cool frames are going to be collectors items, so good luck to everyone following the Redline Cup series. If you’re lucky/fast enough to score one you’ll definitely have one of the coolest looking rides at the track.
These days it seems like everyone has a little bit of a “weight-weenie” in them. It’s a far cry from the mid 90s when it seemed that all that mattered was strength (at least in the freestyle world), weight be damned.
For me, as long as things aren’t taken too far–like obsessively drilling out parts or sacrificing durability for a few grams–I’m all for saving weight wherever you can. When looking to save weight, conventional wisdom says that reducing rotating weight is most important as it makes the most impact on performance…think wheels, tires, cranks, etc.
This stuff has been on my mind lately because I’ve seen a few cruiser builds recently with foldable KHE Mac 2s on them.
From what I’ve read about them they do make a big difference weight-wise: shaving a minimum of 200 grams per tire (in some cases a lot more) making a noticeable impact on how a bike rides. The tread is supposed to be nice too for park and other freestyle applications.
The downsides?
Cost for one. These babies are pricey. Depending on where you buy, they can be double the price of a regular tire.
Another is durability. Some reviews suggest that these tires are more prone to punctures and the sidewalls don’t hold up. Other reviews say these concerns are overblown (pardon the pun) and that they hold up just fine as long as they are inflated to the recommend PSI.
Are they worth it?
I’m undecided.
But I would love to hear from anyone that has used these tires before. Are they worth the price?
…to make a big bike look small.
Check out this picture that I borrowed from S&M’s Facebook feed. A custom 23.5″ TT 38 Special made for a guy named Tiny.
He’s so big, his whip looks like it could be a 16″ pit bike standing next to him.
It was loud, crazy and over the top.
This weekend’s Toronto BMX Jam was one for the record books. Qualifying was crazy and had many shaking their heads wondering what the next day’s Finals would bring.
A couple of serious crashes started the Pro Finals and threatened to put a damper on the whole day. Thankfully, after a short break in the action the momentum of the contest picked up again. Then it was one banger after another. The crowd got back into it and things got insane.
Riders were going off but none more so then Drew Bezanson. Dedicating his final trick to his injured friends, he blew the lid of the Better Living Centre in Toronto with a crazy icepick/feeble stall. Just nuts!
Check out the video.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Time to gas up the car, get a bus ticket or hop on a plane because it’s going to be non-stop BMX in Toronto this weekend. The Toronto International Bicycle Show is here and it includes a flatland contest, an old school indoor BMX race and the Toronto BMX Jam.
But is it really worth going?
Just check out this clip from last year’s Toronto BMX Jam to get an indication of what goes down at this annual event.
Or maybe check out this video of Drew Bezanson that’s being blowing up the internet for the last day or two. If this is what he does for a video clip…imagine what he’s going to throw down in the contest.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Sometimes the right color just gives a bike a little something extra…like Liquid’s Bubblegum Blue frame.
This bike just looks super cool.
But it’s not just a good-looking bike, it’s got a roomy front end with modern geometry that’s built for serious riding (if the pictures and videos featuring Liquid’s Jeremy Combs are any indication).
I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from (and about) Liquid Bikes in 2010.
cruiser revolution 
