S&M ATF cruiser grows up

1 02 2023

One of the more popular aftermarket 24″ BMX frames is getting a big brother.

The S&M Instagram let the news drop earlier this week that a 26″ S&M ATF frame was on the way.

In the aforementioned Instagram post, S&M also asked for input on the new frame, specifically what colorways did people want? Taking a “wisdom of crowds” approach, S&M promised that the most popular color suggestions, based on number of comments, would make their way into the production models. (A cool trans orange prototype was shown as an example, see screen grabs.)

Sprinkled in the comments were multiple requests for a disc brake version of the frame…it’ll be interesting to see if that upgrade makes it into production!

Pretty cool, in any event.

I’ve said it before, 26 inch cruisers are having a moment.

Actually, I said that years ago. 26 inch cruisers are showing so much momentum, it’s basically a movement now.

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

Brad Pitt gets Rad

7 08 2022

Rad movie references pop up from time to time. Television shows from The Simpsons to Daniel Tosh have all referenced the 80s classic BMX movie.

However, it was a bit of a surprise to see Hollywood heavyweight Brad Pitt get in on the action.

In a recent segment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Brad Pitt sat down with Jimmy Fallon for a conversation about his new film, Bullet Train. A film that Fallon describes as “pretty rad”.

It doesn’t take long before Brad Pitt gets suited up to perform some rad maneuvers….all while “Send me an Angel” plays in the background….in an unexpected but funny homage to the Rad bicycle boogie/dance scene.

Word on the street is that Montana Ricky is the stunt double for this. Not sure if that’s true but kinda cool if it is. What a cool opportunity for any BMX dude (or dudette)!

Pretty rad all around.

Kinda dig that they used the #RADPITT hashtag…in the Rad movie font too….so there’s no mistake in what they are referencing.

Check out the Fallon segment if you haven’t seen it yet….and maybe check out “Bullet Train”….it looks like a fun movie too.


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Categories : Flatland, Freestyle, goofiness, Old School, Rad, street

Haro Freestyler 40th anniversary ride out

4 05 2022

If you’re in California in early July, this might be the event to check out!

John Buultjens is organizing a ride out with none other than the OG freestyler himself, Bob Haro!

It’s all being done in support, and celebration of, the 40th anniversary of the Haro Freestyler.

They’ll be giving away a 26″ Haro Freestyler after the ride, along with a bunch of other prizes (plenty of Haro swag, I would imagine). The Lost Abbey brewery is also aboard for the post-ride beverages and East Coast Pizza will be providing the post-ride carb replenishment.

Sounds like a good time if you can make it!


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Categories : Freestyle, Old School, street, Uncategorized

Big Wheels, Big Fun

17 03 2021

Dan’s Comp recently dropped a video profiling the 26″ Stolen Zeke. The backstory is that the rider/employee featured (Michael Barrow) wanted a bigger bike to assist with his rehab for a broken foot/ankle.

The bike he chose was the Stolen Zeke. His thinking was the bigger wheels, geometry and more comfortable ride would get him back in BMX shape in no time.

As his ankle got stronger, he began jumping curbs and then riding the 26″ Zeke more aggressively. He soon discovered that what he thought would be a “fun toy” to rehabilitate his ankle was much more. He didn’t realize just how much fun he would have riding a 26″ freestyle-oriented cruiser could be.

In the intro, he touches on the bikelife movement, how versatile a 26″ is for commuting and store runs (while dropping manuals in the middle of the video) but then soon starts putting the Zeke through its paces in the streets, skatepark…you name it.

He even adds pegs to get some grind action in and the Zeke does not miss a beat. You can do some “serious riding” on this bike but the result is still smiles and fun.

Just goes to show, don’t judge a bike by it’s wheel size.

When it comes to BMX, you can have a seriously good time whatever size wheel you ride on.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Skatepark, street

Dyno delivers with the Pro Compe 24

29 09 2020

Selling out almost immediately when it hit shops this summer, the Dyno Pro Compe 24 is just what the doctor (and Dyno fans like myself) have ordered.

When Dyno made a comeback as a 29incher last year I was stoked but also a bit bummed that it wasn’t available as a 24.

Of course, as we reported then, there was rumors already afoot that if the 29″ version proved popular that a 24″ incarnation would follow. I was cautiously optimistic that it would happen…but like a scorned lover I had been burned by big promises from bike companies before and I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high.

Turns out, GT/Dyno were true to their word and the 24″ version of the Dyno did appear this year. And what a 24″ Dyno it is!

It harkens back to the year of our Lord, Lord Voelker. Inspired by the year 1987 when Voelker turned pro on Dyno and carved a path through the freestyle scene with big burly tricks and street moves that still inspire today.

It hits all the right style points too and it’s complemented by all the modern touches that make it a capable shredder for 24″ riders today.

Spec-wise, you can tell this 24″ is ready for more than cruising the beach:

  • Head tube angle:  74.5 degrees
  • Seat tube angle:    71 degrees
  • Top tube length:    22″
  • Chain stay length: 15.6″
  • Bottom Bracket:    13.92″

With that being said, I’m curious why GT wouldn’t have spec’ed it out with a slightly shorter chainstay. (To compare, the Stolen Saint 24 comes in at 15″ and the Sunday Model C shorter still).

Onto the looks department,  the classic 80s look is in full force: Pretzel bars, Power Series cranks, Dyno forks and Mallet stem. Heck, there’s even a Dyno pad set and pegs thrown in for good measure.

Of course, no bike worthy of the Lord would be nothing less than full 4130 Cro-mo, which this bike is.

All in all, I’m pretty stoked on this 24″ Dyno.

Now we just need to see more stock in the stores, maybe a new colorway or two and……maybe, just maybe, a full blown modern-day edit of Voelker shredding one of these in his classic Voelker fashion.  GT/Dyno….let’s make this happen!


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, Old School, Skatepark, street

Shredding on the 29″ Dyno

3 02 2020

One of the coolest stories of 2019 was GT bringing out a 29″ Dyno tribute bike for freestyle legend Dave Voelker.

As a big Dave Voelker fan and also being big into Dyno’s back in the day, it was great to see Dave getting the recognition he deserved…as well as seeing one of my favorite old school bikes reborn as a cruiser.

Of course, the Dave Voelker promo video was awesome too!

Thankfully, a couple more videos have been released of the 29″ Dyno in action.

Like this one below of flatland legend Gabe Weed putting the big wheeled tribute bike (with some custom touches) through an absolute flatland shred session.

And more recently, none other than “The Lord” himself, Dave Voelker, busting out a big fakie wall ride like it’s a Meet in the Street contest in 1987 or something.

So much radness.


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Categories : Flatland, Freestyle, New products, Old School, street

Harvester podcast with Wade Nelson

9 01 2020

Harvester BMX has jumped into the whole podcast thing…and their first episode is with none other than Canadian BMX impresario and rider, Wade Nelson.

Wade’s roots in BMX go way back (in both Canada and US) and the podcast touches on a lot of the cool stories from Wade’s past, including the early Hoffman BS comps, the first X-games, working for Brian Scura and the west coast BMX scene.

Even yours truly gets a mention when the topic turns to zines (at around the 35 minute mark).

For those that don’t know I used to produce a zine  in the early to mid 90s called Mob zine.

It was awfully nice of Wade to give the shoutout (Thanks Wade!)

What didn’t make it into the podcast were some fun stories I recall from my encounters with Wade.

One is the time that Wade managed to get the opportunity to answer the “letters to the editor” section of Ride Magazine. Keep in mind, this was in the early days of Ride and let’s say the typical letter was less than genteel in those days. Wade handled that assignment with ease though. I still remember our chat about it about it up on the deck of the ramp at the Boucherville Quebec Play contest (in ’95, I think).

More recently, in a previous Toronto stint, Wade had suggested we grab some food before a Sunday session at the Wallace Emerson skatepark. I wasn’t sure how that would work as Wade is a hardcore vegan….and well, I believe eggs are an essential part of a Sunday breakfast. Somehow, Wade found a vegan/vegetarian place that served eggs and off we went. That day ended with me driving Wade to the hospital….because even though Wade was (and still is) a big proponent of wearing a helmet while riding…he hadn’t quite embraced the same passion for wearing knee pads. As Murphy’s Law would support that would mean Wade would mistime a bar-spinny type maneuver and find his knee making a quick and unintended impact with the concrete surface of the Wallace Emerson park.

Wade’s got a lot more stories to tell though…and the Harvester podcast captures a pretty good collection of them.

Check it out.


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Categories : Flatland, Freestyle, New School, Old School, Rad, shenanigans, Skatepark, street

Basketball stars’ custom cruisers

23 10 2019

The NBA Basketball season kicked off this week and Shad Johnson (of Goods BMX and Snakebite BMX fame) commemorated the occasion by posting a couple of one-off cruiser projects he did for Kevin Durant and Lebron James.

According to Shad,

KD’s was [done] during his time on the Thunder and Lebron’s was while he was still with the Cavs. 

For the eagle-eyed, you can see Kevin’s is sporting some cool low-key graphics too.

Lebron’s cruiser (pretty sure it’s one of those old Macneil Bikes 26ers) was photographed pre-decal installation.

Pretty cool.

Now I’m kinda curious if there are other stealth shredders lurking in the NBA. (Wonder if Shad has any intell…hint, hint Shad)


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, street

The Lord has risen – video edit incoming

31 07 2019

Early this year we learned that Dyno was making a comeback as a 29er ….and not only that, said 29er was going to be a Dave Voelker signature model.

Hot damn, one of my favorite riders from bitd back in the limelight and this time…on big wheels.

And now, Dave’s back with a new edit….and it’s so good!

It starts off with some classic footage of Dave going BIG….it’s almost like a highlight real from his biggest BMX hits. From there it segues into some superfun big wheel shenanigans…complete with the classic Voelker footplant.

Check it out:

It’s good to see Lord Voelker back.

The Lord has risen….Praise the Lord!


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

Rolling with the Toronto Rad Ride

22 07 2019

Today I got together with over 200 Old School heads and BMX enthusiasts for a fun ride along Toronto’s waterfront.

This was my first time attending the Toronto Old School Rad Ride event and dang, I’m glad I got a chance to make it out.

In the past the Rad Ride fell on the same weekend as one of the bigger Provincial/State races in Ontario so I, along with a lot of local racers, ended up missing it. Thankfully, this year the stars aligned and there wasn’t any big races scheduled so a bunch of us race-y types got to partake in the festivities. (That’s my buddy Damir from Milton BMX)

Not only did the race schedules do us right but Mother Nature did as well. It was a picture perfect summer day. From what I heard it was a record turnout too so that’s pretty awesome.

Check out all the bikes, so many cool rides!

 

 


It was also a great chance to catch up with a lot of old friends along with putting  a face to the name of online friends and acquaintances.

A good day out for sure!


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Categories : Flatland, Freestyle, Old School, Racing, street

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