37-year old racer Bryan Oblad passed away from an apparent heart attack this past weekend following his 36-40 cruiser main event at Rad Canyon BMX in Utah.
I didn’t know Bryan personally but reading about him today made me wish I did. A fixture in his local BMX scene, he was a family man with daughters who raced, a strong competitor and a big fan of SE bikes and vintage BMX. The outpouring of support and prayers on forums like VintageBMX.com show how much of an impact he made on his friends, family and fellow riders. Steve Spencer’s write-up about Bryan is especially touching.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Oblad family.
I had grand plans of posting this look back at 2009 on new year’s day..but a bunch of friends were heading down to Joyride 150 for a session so I opted to go riding instead. I figured you would understand.
What happened in 2009?
Let’s take a look at 10 things that made an impact on the 24″ BMX scene in 2009…
10. More choice, more parts Not only are more 24s available, more companies are stepping up with more parts like wheels, tires, etc. Being able to get decent-sized handlebars is nice too.
9. Custom frames Want to have a frame made to order? Companies like FBM and S&M made things easier and more affordable than ever this year
7. Bike shops Even in era when online retailers seem to dominate, a well-stocked shop with knowledgeable owners and staff is something that just can’t be beat. If you have one nearby, consider yourself lucky.
6. Racing I started racing again in winter 08/09 (after giving it up as teenager) and I was surprised at how much fun I had. Tracks are a lot better now than back in the day and the scene more chill.
5. UK bike mags It seems like all the best mags are coming out of the UK now. The fact that Fastlane runs cruiser bike checks is pretty cool too.
2. Anything a 20″ can do… Today’s 24s can handle it all… it doesn’t matter if it’s the trails, track, park or flatland…a 24 can take care of business.
1. The Sunday Model-C This bike was everywhere this year…from the updated 24″ geometry to riders on Model-Cs taking things to the next level…Sunday shook things up in a big way this year.
What does 2010 have in store? I can’t wait to find out…
Freestyle legend, artist, entrepreneur…Bob Haro is known (and respected) for his achievements in so many areas. One thing that I think a lot of people may forget though, are the iconic cartoon drawings he used to do (mostly for BMX Action magazine). They were so distinctive and really captured the vibe and feeling of BMX at the time. I can’t help but smile when I see one.
That’s why I’m so stoked to see this image that Bob recently posted of a drawing he did for (former sponsor) Oakley back in the ’80s for their Christmas card.
Here’s Bob’s story behind it:
In the spirit of the season – here’s a drawing I found from 1981 that I did for a little company back then called Oakley. Founder and sponsor of mine Jim Jannard asked me to make their company Christmas card and this is what I came up with. Unfortunately this design was rejected since Santa had a pipe in hand – the next iteration he held an Oakley grip.
Who knew that things would be so politically correct even back then?
Anyways, a great picture and a funny story….but also a perfect way to segue into the real point of this post…that is, to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Way back in November we did a feature on long-time cruiser revolution reader Bam’s custom FBM cruiser. FBM dubbed it the Cu Cu cruiser and it featured the following dimensions:
Head Tube: 75 degrees
Seat Tube: 70 degrees
Top Tube: 22″
Chain Stay: 15″
BB Height: 14″
Standover: 6″
Back then, all we had were pictures of the frame and fork but Bam recently sent some photos over of it all built up and I think you’ll agree, the bike looks great.
Eastern Bikes does a lot to support his local scene so Bam decided to “represent” and run as many Eastern parts as he could (Eastern bars, 23t sprocket, pedals, headset, seat, post, and stem.)
Other notables: Profile cranks, Primo grips, brakes, lever; KHE 14mm hubs and chain: Odyssey tires, cable, tensioner and rims.
I came across this article on BMX cruisers in Oregon Cycling awhile back and I think it really captures why cruisers are so fun and why more and more people are getting into 24″ bikes.
The writer, Tom Baldinger, talking about his “secret agenda”:
My agenda is naturally, more cruiser riders on the streets, the race tracks, the skate parks, etc! I love to see other people on them, because I know what fun they are!
Why to get a 24″ instead of another type of bike:
If your budget is limited, and you are looking for a bike that is easy to maintain, can be ridden hard, and will provide more entertainment than should be legal, I would highly suggest a 24-inch wheel BMX cruiser.
How a bicycle is more than just “transportation”:
…if a bike ride is more to you than a utilitarian passage from point A to point B, if you are prone to explore alleys, jump off curbs or look for embankments, cruisers are a great option.
And finally, because (and I think this is a little tongue-in-cheek) riding a cruiser makes you a bit of a renegade:
Perhaps the best reason to ride a cruiser is the renegade factor. Mountain bikers chuckle, 20-inch wheel BMX riders scoff, road bikers are bewildered. Cruisers have a kitsch factor that’s hard to beat, they are super practical. Try one out, you’ll be surprised at the amount of saddle time it sees and I guarantee the ride will put a smile on your face.
Here’s hoping that 2010 will see even more renegades giving cruisers a try….
With Todd Lyons leading the charge, SE Bikes has managed to bridge the distance between old school and new school…offering bikes that appeal to the rider looking to relive his youth to the young rider just getting into BMX. They’ve also hooked up with some cool companies to put out limited-edition bikes that are definitely some of the coolest looking bikes out there.
You’d think that with so much on his plate as SE’s brand manager (and so many years in the sport), the guy would become jaded or burnt out. But that’s not the case. When you take a look at his posts and his riding shots, you can tell he feels like a kid in a candy store…because he might just have the best job in BMX.
Finally had a chance to see Stompin’ Stu, The Story of BMX Legend Stu Thomsen DVD last night and I have to say I’m stoked. I got into BMX back in ’80s when the the rivalry between Stu and Greg Hill was at its peak. BMX racing was huge at the time and Stu was larger than life.
But he was more than an awesome racer…he was a great dirt jumper that also rode skatepark sections that intimidated people like Bob Haro.
The DVD lets you relive some of the epic battles he had on the track and also see how he battled and overcame prostate cancer. This is guy that can still turn up at the NBL Grand Nationals and kick ass in the 50-54 cruiser class. And this is not some low-to-the ground racer, Stu still likes to jump!
You should totally check out this DVD.
The extras with Linn Kastan (founder of Redline Bicycles) talking about how parts were developed are the icing on the cake.
Maybe I’m in a reflective mood today but I was thinking about We the People and how they’ve been putting out some great 24″ completes over the years.
2007 Unified
Their first 24″ bike (I think)…black with a grey fade paint job. It featured nods to the past, like a National Pro style frame gusset and looptail rear stays but the ride is every bit the modern cruiser. I’m still riding one of these today (albeit with a few mods). Great bike.
2008 Unified
Similar to the 2007 model, WTP steps it up with gold components to give it even more of a classic old school feel. Essentially the same geometry. I really like the look of this bike (but I’m a sucker for gold components).
2009 Avenue
Big departure from the classic black and gold look. The gusset is gone and it drops some weight. Geometry still pretty similar. Some compromises in parts–like steel bars–but still a lot of bike for the money.
2010 Avenue
The bottom bracket gets raised, the bars get taller and the gold components return. WTP joins Sunday, Fit and others with updated geometry aimed at providing a 20″ freestyle feel to a 24″ bike. This model may tempt a few people contemplating buying a Sunday Model-C complete (given that Sunday’s looking at a spring release).
Limited edition models
We the People has also done some limited edition bikes for companies such as Carhartt. These are are really cool…lots of retro-styling combined with new school technology.
Walking down Spadina avenue in downtown Toronto I was absentmindedly checking out store windows when I saw something that made me do a double take. There it was, parked in the corner of some random hipster sneaker store, a 26″ looptail PK Ripper! The bike is half-white and half-black…not sure if this was done as some sort of social commentary but it is definitely distinctive!
The bike is a collaboration between SE and The Hundreds streetwear clothing company. Not a bike to use for hard-core thrashing but for sheer retro-awesome coolness it is off the charts! With only 300 made, this is one to hang on your wall and make your friends jealous.
I’ve been geeking out for the past day or so over all the BMX coverage from interbike. There’s way too much to cover in a single post but suffice it to say there is a lot of stuff to check out (check out Vital BMX or bmxfeed for the full scoop).
Another interesting thing to come out of interbike…Macneil is switching to 7/8″ (22.2 mm) seat tubes on their bikes. For those of you that started riding after the mid 90s, that means a change back to the size that used to be standard on most BMX bikes. I guess that sort of thing is inevitable with more and more companies going to smaller tubing and so many people running their seats slammed. As someone that still runs a bit of seatpost I’m not sure if I’m all that stoked on this latest development. Of course, Russ at SPRFLS has a lot more to say on this.
cruiser revolution 