Now I’ve seen everything.
The last time we caught up with Peter Ulbrich he was shredding a race track in a decidedly non racer-like manner (see This is where things go off the chain).
Now he’s back for a little skatepark/bowl riding on a 29″ wheel SE Big Ripper.
Yes, you read that right.
An SE Big Ripper.
With 29″ wheels.
Oh Man….
Flatland fiends rejoice!
Joe Cicman sent a note about a week ago with news that another installment of the video series, TwoFourFlat was being filmed and would be released very soon.
Joe teams up with Danny Sirkin again in this fifth installment, for what promises to be another must-see video.
Looking forward to this!
(Check out the trailer below.)
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.
Thanks for rolling with me for all these years.
Cheers everybody.
BMX racing needs a breath of fresh air and I think events like the upcoming Helltrack event being held at The Lumberyard bike park might be just the way to do that.
What is the Helltrack event you ask?
Well, according to the Helltrack website, it’s:
…a multi-lap obstacle race with 7 riders going head to head that combines indoor and outdoor features, a cereal bowl, pallets, bikes, beer, jumps, UCI Bro Barriers, Carnage, good times, and …race classes for everyone and for all types of bikes.
Sounds pretty freaking awesome to me!
A welcome departure from the standard, far-to-serious-for-its-own-good atmosphere that most big races have.
And unlike a UCI event, you probably wouldn’t be looked down if you raced in jeans (See: Cru Jones: the UCI doesn’t like your type).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6rFtjAQsVI
Now, we just need to get an event at all the big indoor bike parks (like Ray’s MTB, Joyride 150, etc.) so more people can take part in the tomfoolery.
Can’t wait to see the video highlights of this event.
The movie Rad, a cult classic for BMXers of all stripes, was way ahead of it’s time in some ways.
(Watching the story of the small-town kid with dreams of racing in the big race is a rite of passage for most riders.)
Sure, the racing depicted was a bit wack but that sorta added to the movie’s charm.
Now looking back, it’s interesting to see how prophetic it was.
The giant start hill of Helltrack looks like it might have been the inspiration for the big starting hills of today’s SX tracks.
Mongoose bikes were “going to be in every department store across the nation” (can’t remember the exact line)….which seemed ridiculous at the time but now ,of course, you can visit any Wal-Mart and pick up a Mongoose bicycle.
And the way the big corporate interests would try to stamp down the energetic upstart/hometown kid, Cru Jones, from making a go of it.
Who could forget, Cru, the rider in the hockey helmet and jeans (before the big final, when he finally gets some proper racing duds) practicing and then racing against the “factory hot-shots”.
Now it seems like the UCI is ready to pull a similar move on riders that have the audacity to show up for a race in jeans.
According to the new UCI rule book:
The following items are not permitted for BMX pants:
– One piece skin suits
– Tight fitted pants that needs to be stretched in order to cover
the legs
– Lycra pants
– Track and Field pants /jogging pants
– Road/Track cycling pants
– Denim / Jeans
It just seems like a step too far.
Jeans have been part of the “first race day” uniform of just about every BMX racer (minus the hockey helmet) since the sport began.
Is nothing sacred anymore?
Back in 2012, Gundars Osis dropped one of the better race videos in recent memory. (See Gundars Osis takes a hot lap.)
Tightly edited and filmed at a fairly technical track by Kaspars Garda, it just made you want to grab the bike and take a few hot laps yourself.
Well, the two guys have teamed up again to put out another great video.
This time, Gundars Osis (riding his BMX cruiser) pits himself against Matiss Karro (riding a motocross bike) on a BMX track.
Will Gundars be able to hold his own vs. the MX rider?
Check out the video to find out.
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.
With 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.
Gotta 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)
In one of the coolest collaboration projects ever, CULT has teamed up with The Simpsons to create the 24″ Duffman cruiser!
According to CULT’s Robbie Morales, in an interview in DEFGRIP, the project got its start at the AGENDA TRADESHOW in Long Beach (California). Robbie says:
Santa Cruz skateboards had just finished a board collab with THE SIMPSONS, and their people were walking the show. They noticed Adam L. Roye in our booth rocking a SIMPSONS shirt and they really liked CULT and the aesthetic of the brand. They politely asked if we were interested in doing a bike collab and we graciously agreed. Adam and the rest of our crew are big fans of the show, so it was natural to work together.
There’s going to be a limited number of these completes available. In terms of details on the bike itself, Robbie says:
This bike is made from 6061 T-6 aluminum to keep the weight down and provide a stable, responsive ride. The spec is dialed and with the DUFFMAN logos it looks awesome. Definitely a bike you can thrash on or just cruise to the bar.
No details yet on geometry and other specs but we’ll let you know if (or when) they become available.
For the complete interview with Robbie Morales speaking on the new Duffman Cruiser, swing on over to DEFGRIP.
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?
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!)
…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.
I dunno, things have been far too busy these past few days–between the day job and other things–it’s starting to harsh my vibe.
It’s supposed to be the lazy, hazy days of summer after all, right?
Time to mellow things out.
This Stolen BMX video always puts me in a chill mood.
Sean Morr and JJ Anderwald cruising around Venice Beach, just jibbing and pulling a few tricks.
I need a session like this.
How ’bout you?
See ya at the beach.
(JJ Anderwald cruising Venice Beach)
cruiser revolution 