The guys at S&M have been busy lately, releasing a new batch of 24″ Dirt Bike frames to the public.
However, with this new batch they have switched things up a bit.
The frames now feature the O.G. Lowrider decal set (like the old 20″ Dirt Bikes sported for a time) and are available in black and green.
They look badass.
A while back we talked about DK’s foray into the mainstream with their entry-level line of bikes at Walmart.
Without a doubt, there was some controversy over whether or not this was a good idea.
Well, love it or hate it…it looks like DK Bicycles is continuing to build on its relationship with Walmart.
On a roadtrip to Ray’s MTB a week ago, we stopped in at a Walmart and I was shocked to stumble on to this…an aisle endcap stocked with DK parts and accessories.
While clearly not super high-end, I was pleasantly surprised that what was on offer was, for the most part, okay-quality (especially in light of what’s usually available at mass-market stores).
It actually kind of blows my mind a bit that you can now walk into a Walmart (in the U.S.) and pick up a DK Random Wrench.
Who would have thunk it?
I always find it interesting to see where Cruiser Revolution stickers will turn up.
I was especially amused to see one show up in this picture (found the other day on BMX Museum).
Turns out Rockabilly Jay from S&M put up his beloved custom 22″ TT 38 Special for sale on eBay and he used this promo picture to advertise it.
(Eagle-eyed readers will notice that this is the same bike we featured way back in 2010 on Cruiser Revolution.)
Before you ask, I’m not sure who the model/rider is…but I will say she has excellent taste in knee/shin protection.
Seat posts have been getting the shaft in the modern BMX era. In recent years, seat posts have disappeared nearly as fast as brakes on a new school street bike.
But is the tide starting to turn?
Here and there you will see someone rocking their seat posts proudly…still low by old school standards but higher than what’s been the norm (which for a long time has meant slammed).
Perhaps it’s time to take a poll and find out where you (and your seat post) stand on this issue.
Just before celebrating my birthday this past weekend I came across a great article that talks about riding when you’re getting older.
It was called Your Bike Doesn’t Know How Old You Are.
The article builds the case for that old saying that “you’re only as old as you feel”. While admitting that some decline in our athletic prowess is inevitable, how much is still very much open for debate. The author says,
…the central governor theory of fatigue…what you think and your mental attitude have as much bearing on your performance on any given day as the freshness of your legs. During my conversation with Dr. Tim Noakes, the theory’s greatest champion, he’d explained how “miles in the head” counted more than “miles in the legs” when it came to performance.
Granted this is a “roadie” example but I think you can extrapolate this bit of theory to performance on a BMX bike as well.
There’s no need to hang up the BMX bike because you’re getting older. Sure, it’s a good idea to avoid trying things that are over your head (and avoid landing on your head!) but BMX is something you can do well into your golden years.
Sure, you may have to deal with people giving you hard time for riding BMX when you should have — in their eyes — graduated to something more “appropriate”…but remember, you’re having more fun then they are. The article’s author sums it up best by saying:
Age isn’t something you need to fix, of course. But sometimes our attitude about it is. Don’t let either limit what you can do.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
One of my favorite riding pics...slicing through a high speed turn in the Don Valley
(Michael Moran behind the lens)
One of my best riding experiences this past year was riding Ray’s MTB bike park in Cleveland, Ohio.
To put it simply, Ray’s MTB rocks! So much to ride and a welcome relief to dealing with the colder riding months.
So what’s the story behind Ray’s?
A couple days ago I stumbled upon this video interview with Ray Petro (the Ray in Ray’s MTB) where he explains some of the back story of how Ray’s came to be. What I found most interesting is learning how the expansion to Milwaukee almost put Ray in the position of having to close the legendary bike park’s doors for good.
Great interview. Check it out.
Vodpod videos no longer available.Jon Faure boldly goes where no 40-something 24″ bike rider has gone before…the Woodward West MegaRamp!
It’s awesome to see Jon push his limits…although I still cringe every time I watch the crash section.
Back in November, pictures of the new InDust Cuatro 24 were making the rounds on the Internet.
Now it looks like some refinements have been made to the geometry.
Most notably a slacker head angle (presumably to make it more stable at high speeds when riding trails) and a lower seat tube.
Stout Bikes (the company manufacturing the frames) let the cat out of the bag with some spy photos on their website the other day.
These are looking really good. No word yet on when these will be released but I suspect it will be in limited quantities when they do.
Check out the InDust Facebook page or their webpage for all the latest developments.
BMXUnion posted a great interview today with Chris Moeller of S&M Bikes talking about his company’s recent foray into the manufacturing of 22″ frames, forks, wheels and tires.
According to Chris, the motivation to create the new line was simply due to friends nagging him to do it:
If my friends hadn’t been so persistent about it, it would never have happened. Once I had one built up I thought it was cool and I had fun riding it
Earlier in the interview, he also said:
The idea of a slightly larger, more stable trail bike for older guys coming off an extended break from BMX or larger riders coming off MTB’s made a lot of sense to me.
In terms of geometry, while still being fine-tuned, Chris said:
The geometry is about the same as a 20” but with a little more kicked back seat angle. The tires are 22” X 2.125” for now. It wasn’t too difficult scaling it to the larger wheels and we kicked the seat angle back for raising the seat up high to actually ride the bike. Since there are no preconceived TT lengths people are judging it by we didn’t have to worry about that. And if you go to the trails with the seat down it won’t make a difference anyway.
The release date for the 22″ Holmes (fitting name for it’s larger size, natch) is set for mid-summer along with a Revenge wheel-set and tire combo that will be sold separately.
Be sure to check out BMXUnion for more on S&M’s new 22″ gear and related musings from Chris Moeller.
Dan Closser airing out the S&M 22" prototype (Pic from BMXUnion)
For related discussion on the 22″ phenomenon, check out these earlier Cruiser Revolution posts:
I’ve seen a lot of great Sunday Model-C builds over the years but this has got to be one of the coolest!
Check out Chris Ehlbeck’s custom Rasta Model-C…this whip is badass!
cruiser revolution 