Spring Brake Ride Las Vegas

7 02 2014

Like something out of the cult movie, The Warriors, two of America’s biggest BMX “gangs” are getting together this April for what promises to be an epic ride.

The L.A.-based 4130 Subway Series crew are making their way up to Las Vegas to meet up with their brothers in pedal arms, The 4130 Sin Series crew.

It all goes down last weekend of April and the Las Vegas Strip is going to be chock-a-block in BMXers.

Check out this video of the first time the Subway Series made their way up to Vegas in 2011. I was lucky enough to join in on that ride and let me tell you it was awesome!

If you’re in the area, you don’t want to miss this.

 

 


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4 years strong: The 4130 Subway Series

11 01 2014

Based in Southern California but known around the world, The 4130 Subway Series hits the 4-year mark this weekend with what promises to be an epic ride.

4 years strong 4130 subway series

With every year the ride gets bigger and better, so if you’re anywhere in SoCal this weekend, you better drop what you’re doing and get down with the 4130 crew because this ride is pure BMX.

Even the post-ride celebration is worthy of mention…held at the Pig’N Whistle in Hollywood…riders get special “parking” for their bikes. When you roll 4130, you’re VIP!

Looking forward to seeing all the photos and videos from Saturday night.

Respect to the 4130 crew.

Have a great ride!


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The Gonz rides in NYC on a Sunday 24″

9 01 2014

Mark Gonzales.

A pioneer of modern-day street skating, sought-after artist and speaker, one hell of a character and still widely influential to this day…Mark “The Gonz” Gonzales is a legend in the skate world.

What’s he up to these days?

Still skating…but…and this where things get interesting…he’s now riding a Sunday Wave-C as he takes on the streets of SoHo.

Check out this video posted over at Vice (along with a short interview).


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Top ten of 2013

31 12 2013

As the sun goes down on 2013, let’s take a look at some of the most notable cruiser news items of the past year.

10. “Duffman man says…oh yeah!”…in one of the most surprising collaborations in recent memory, CULT teamed up with the Simpsons to put out the The Simpsons/CULT Duffman Cruiser.

9. The 22 inch wheel continued to show legs…S&M rolled out a 22” version of its popular ATF frame (in addition to a new 24” option) and FELT introduced a 22” entry-level complete.

8. Don’t call it a comeback…but then again maybe you should…We the People returned to the 24” scene with the trails-y Atlas 24. Subrosa also came back with the DTT TTWOFOUR frame. Liquid Bikes debuted a new american-made Feedback V2 frame.

(Wayne Keller testing the Subrosa DTT TTWO FOUR frame)

7. The tanwall tire also made an impressive return…showing up on completes from We The People and Free Agent, in addition to an aftermarket tire from Stolen. Hopefully this trend will continue in 2014 with more aftermarket options.

6. BMX Plus put the spotlight on cruisers is a big way in their September issue.

5. Still alive at five. Cruiser Revolution hit the 5-year mark. So stoked to still be going strong after all these years!

4. Austin, Texas might just be the cruiser capital of North America. After visiting in the spring, I can confirm the rumors are true…Austin is definitely a place where cruiser is king.

3. Sunday continued to spread the word about new school 24s. Whether its Bobby Parker promoting #TwoFourTuesday, or Sunday featuring 24” riders in their FB feed, Sunday was reppin’.

2. Stolen Bikes’ strong showing at Interbike…with a solid lineup of completes, frames, aftermarket parts and the debut of a 26” model…Stolen showed everyone that they mean business when it comes to cruisers.

1. And just like in 2012, some of the best moments of 2013 were captured in video. Whether it was the “BMX vs. MX” Gundars Osis edit, Brandon Brown’s race edit, Peter Ulbrich bowl riding on a Big Ripper, or the technical wizardy of Joe Cicman and Danny Sarkin flatlanding on Sunday Wave-Cs…there were some great edits to get stoked on.

Happy New Year!


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Categories : Flatlan, Freestyle, New products, New School, Old School, Racing, Skatepark, street, Tomfoolery, Trails, Trails/Jumping

More rippin’ on the Big Ripper

30 12 2013

Peter “Pdog” Ulbrich last caught our attention when he dropped a web edit featuring him bowl riding on a Big Ripper.

Well, he’s back again and taking his Big Ripper to the street, the track, the skatepark and just about everywhere else.

pdog freestyles his 29er

If you think a 29er is just for jumping curbs and cruising, this edit will change your mind.


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Liquid releases Feedback V2 frame

9 12 2013

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.

Liquid Feedback V2 frame

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.

Liquid Bikes website

Stoked to see Liquid back on the scene with some fresh gear.


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Still alive at five

13 11 2013

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.

zeronine 5

Thanks for rolling with me for all these years.

Cheers everybody.


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Categories : Flatland, Freestyle, goofiness, New products, New School, Old School, Racing, shenanigans, Skatepark, street, Tomfoolery, Trails, Trails/Jumping

Sin Series ride: finishing on a high note

27 09 2013

Just as I had suspected, the annual Friday night ride with the 4130 Sin Series crew was one of the highlights of Interbike week.

Catching up with old friends, making new ones and going for an exhilarating ride through the streets of Las Vegas is something that never fails to put a smile on my face.

4130 Sin Series selfieWith Mike Leonard on the whistle (that’s him in the extreme closeup above) we took off from the Fremont Street area, up to the Las Vegas Sign and then onto a final run through the neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip.

4130 Vegas SignGotta love the “We are the champions” pose of Patrick Thomas in this photo (in front, bike in the air)…it just shows the stoke factor of these events.

So much fun.

Thanks for having me along for the ride guys.

(Pics: Mike Leonard)


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Stolen Bikes steals the show

25 09 2013

The folks at Stolen Bikes had dropped a few teasers in the comments of the Countdown to Interbike post that they were going to have a lot of new cruiser stuff on display this year for Interbike. So, when I got to the show I was eager to check out their booth to see what the hype was about.

They weren’t kidding around.

But first, let’s take a look at their current lineup.

The mainstay in their lineup, the Saint,  is still holding strong for 2014 but now comes in a rad Matte Retro Red…

Stolen Saint Matte Retro Red

…and a Matte Gum color.

Stolen Saint Matte Gum front

Next up, the Saint XLT is also still in the lineup.  It’s available in a Basic Black with polished components….

Stolen Saint XLT Black

…and a super cool looking “Super Blue” version.

Stolen Saint XLT Super Blue

What’s new for this year?

Stolen has decided to get into the aftermarket end of the 24″ bike market.

In their booth, they had their new 24″ Gold frame & fork on display.

Available in Matte Black or Sandblasted Matte Raw, the frame features a 21.75″ top tube and the following specs:

  • 74.5 degree HT
  • 71 degree ST
  • 15″ CS
  • 13.8 ” BB height

Stolen24inch Gold Frame Fork

Stolen is also offering 24″ Rebellion wheels as an aftermarket option. Sealed hubs, female axles and available in a range of colors, these look like a great way to trick out your ride when it comes time to replace your wheels.

Stolen 24in Rebellion Wheels

But the 24″ parts goodness doesn’t stop there. Stolen is has also brought out some high-pressure (110 PSI) tires called Joint HP tires. They have a nice low profile design…and this is the part I love…they come in both a tan and white wall version!

Stolen Joint HP Tires tread

A new 26″ complete

Finally, Stolen’s new 26″ Freestyle cruiser called the Zeke made its debut at the show.  The frame has 100% chromoly tubes, a chromoly fork with a one-piece steerer, aftermarket MOB cranks, and a bunch of other good stuff.

Stolen Zeke front

It features a 22.5″ top tube and has the following specs:

  • 74.5 degree HT
  • 71 degree ST
  • 16.25″ CS
  • 12.5″ BB height

(Update: these specs are not final…they’re being tweaked before production. See the comments section for more details.)

Here’s a side profile:

26 Stolen Zeke

All in all, a great display of cruiser awesomeness from Stolen.  Super stoked to see them step up their commitment to the big wheels of BMX!


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Countdown to Interbike

5 09 2013

It’s September and that means,  in addition to the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song, “September” constantly playing in my head, the bicycle industry’s annual show ‘n’ tell called Interbike is just mere weeks away.

Like in years past, I’ll be cruising the aisles of Interbike checking out what’s new and happening in cruisers and bigger-wheeled BMX bikes.

Last year, some new complete bikes debuted that really caught my attention.

Bikes like the Stolen Saint XLT

and the DK Elite Series Cruiser really stood out.

But walking the tradeshow floor is only part of the comprehensive investigation this hard-working BMX journalist will be providing.

In 2012, I went out and pounded the pavement to see if I could find the information that you just couldn’t find in the kiosks at the show.

That desire to get the inside story took me to one of the pools on the Strip where Maxim magazine’s Hometown Hotties were holding court.

It was there that I heard that the 2013 models would be bigger in the front and have tighter back ends.

Who knew you would learn about chain-stay length at a Vegas Pool?

Hometown Hotties and Cruiser Revolution

Of course, it’s  important to get the local perspective on things.

And there is no better place to do that than at the annual 4130 Sin Series ride (scheduled to go down on the Friday of Interbike Week this year).

Rolling with good peeps, like Vegas locals Mike Leonard and Chris Fox (pictured below with me (Ed) after the ride…thanks again for lending me a bike Chris!)

Chris Fox and Ed 4130 Sin Series

…and catching up with out-of-town visitors like Randy Franklin, this is the event that brings it all home.

Even though I’m excited to see what the bike industry has cooked up for 2014, it’s important to remember that bike riding is still all about getting together with your friends and having fun…and that’s what the 4130 Sin Series ride is all about.

Looking forward to some good times in Vegas.


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