Lightning bolts: key to a great BMX logo

8 09 2011

BMX legend Taj Mihelich, put together a cool article (that’s making the rounds today) for Complex magazine called The 50 greatest BMX Logos.

It’s a great read.  A funny thing you’ll notice, and one that Taj notes in the writeups for each logo, is how prevalent the lightning bolt is in BMX logos. It shows up time and time again. In the Zap Pad writeup, he says:

There is definitely some connection between lightning and BMX. You can find lightning bolts on all kinds of BMX imagery. I think that maybe the very bones of BMX, chromoly steel, can only be created by a direct lightning strike.

For me, the Elina lightning bolt seat is the most iconic of the BMX lightning bolts.  Those old school Elina seats are pure BMX.


Like I said earlier, it’s a great read.

For old schoolers, it’s like a trip down memory lane.

For new schoolers, it’s an opportunity to see (and maybe laugh at) what passed for cool back in the day.

Check it out.





Forget Dr. Phil, build a pumptrack!

6 09 2011

Back in February, we discussed Can a pumptrack save your marriage?

But what happens when your marriage is…how do I put this delicately?…on the rocks?

Well, if you’re like Jon Maglio and already have a simple pumptrack in your backyard, you get digging! Breaking out the shovel and getting his pumptrack super dialed with more flow and obstacles was Jon’s preferred form of therapy.

Just check out this video. Judging by the smile on his face at the end, this form of therapy was more effective than anything Dr. Phil could’ve recommended.





Specialized grassroots rider rips on P24

31 08 2011

Check out this Austin local on the Specialized grassroots team tearing things up on a Specialized P24!

Quality footage of 9th Street and some other good stuff.  Not 100% sure on the name but I believe it’s Thomas Williams. (Can any of you Austin locals confirm?)

Enjoy!

Vodpod videos no longer available.




Model C gets coverage in Complex mag

16 08 2011

An interview that Sunday Bikes’ Jim Cielencki did recently with Complex magazine has just come out.  And while the intent of the article was to talk about  the 2011 Model-C Pro, Jim also took the opportunity to talk about the history of the Model-C, the geometry and the different models available in the Sunday lineup (including the Wave-C).

Explaining how he convinces people to give the Model-C a try, Jim says:

I feel like a drug dealer, because when someone goes ‘oh, there’s the 24,’ I put it in their hands and they ride it, and most people have judged it and they’ve discounted it or have a negative opinion of it, but they ride it and they understand. Because there’s never been anything like this. They don’t have anything to go off of. They get on and they go ‘Oh, OK, I get it’.

Great to see some mainstream coverage of what’s going on in the world of 24″ BMX. Check it out here.

(Bonus info: The interview was done by Russ Bengtson, the guy behind the hugely entertaining, but now defunct, SPRFLS blog.)





Bobby Parker’s Colorado trip highlights

12 08 2011

Bobby Parker and the Sunday crew recently made  a trip up to Colorado  to hit the plethora of concrete parks available in the state. While there, they managed to hill bomb Mt. Evans (which is supposed to feature the highest paved road in North America) and shoot some great footage.

Andrew Brady was able to capture some of the radness that went down with his camera and Bobby was cool enough to send some of the photos along. He also included a writeup for each one to give you a look into what went on “behind the scenes” for each photo.

So without further ado, here’s some highlights from Bobby Parker’s Colorado trip in his own words:

One-footed table at Boulder skatepark.  This place is wild!  Big hips everywhere that went all ways and angles.  For some reason I started getting the feel for opposite tables on my Model C a while ago on some long sessions at the Walnut Creek Pump Track….For me it seems like opposite carves/airs and opposite tables work better on the 24″.  It is debatable on what specifically makes these things happen…something else that’s awesome that cruisers bring to the table (oh yeah….pun intended).  The hip at the Boulder park just started feeling really good that way and I had never really toyed with one-footed tables before so I let a few fly. – Bobby

No hander at Valmont Bike Park. Lets just say I still have a reminder of Valmont on me right now…in the form of road rash and a sprained ankle.  We rolled into the parking lot about 30 minutes before it was too dark to ride but still managed to ride for about 45….I was trying to get in as many laps as I could so when I saw a few of the Sunday guys take some cranks into the XL line I jumped right behind.

Next thing I know my tire doesn’t quite make it to the end of the log ride and I get sent. A little bit of blood never hurt anyone, I guess.

As I go back to the van to straighten out my bars (and dust myself off) Andrew went to go set up his flashes on the last jump to take a picture of one of the Sunday guys.  The team guy ends up calling it quits on account of it starting to get dark.  The mosquitos were the size of battleships out there and I knew Brady was being feasted upon.  I told him I would try something for his efforts of setting up all of his flash stands.  This is what we came up with.  – Bobby

Sounds like an awesome trip. In his email, Bobby said there was so many awesome places to ride that they didn’t even put a dent in all the skateparks Denver had to offer. Looks like Colorado is going to be getting a lot more visitors in the near future if people start getting wind of what’s available there.





Jon Faure still firing at age 47

3 08 2011

In a time when many 47-year olds are content to ride nothing more than their couch or a golf cart, Jon Faure (who just turned 47 today) continues to push his limits.

Recently taking on Woodward West’s Mega Ramp and walking away smiling, you know this self-professed Old Guy Who Rides still has that fire inside for riding.

Jon Faure, 47 years young

Jon seems to embody the philosophy that I think most of share, regardless of what side of 47 we’re on, when it comes to riding:

We may be old enough to know better, but still young enough to do it anyway (mostly ’cause it’s so damn fun!)

Happy birthday Jon, looking forward to seeing more radness in the future!





Custom forks: now available from S&M

27 07 2011

After the success of their custom frame program, and more recently the introduction of custom handlebars, S&M has added another part to their custom lineup: forks.

Brake mounts, no brake mounts, different finishes, XLT and classic styles…you name it they’ve got you covered. (There’s even a 22″ version available…if you’re into that sort of thing.)

If the off-shelf options don’t work for you or if you have very specific needs or preferences…this is great news.

Check out the S&M Bikes site for more details.






Born in the USA

4 07 2011

It’s the 4th of July. In the U.S., that means a celebration of all things American.

On a day like today, even if you’re not American and celebrating Independence Day, you have to respect the companies that are still making a go of it in terms of manufacturing things in North America. And not just making a go of it, but putting out high quality products that are sought out by riders of every stripe.

Not taking anything away from those companies that design products in North America and have them manufactured elsewhere…in many ways, it’s often the better option for doing things.  But you have to respect those companies that choose to take the often harder road of keeping it all in house from start to finish.

You know the big names: S&M, Standard, FBM…their quality speaks for itself…and the smaller companies like Snap and Immortis that are garnering a reputation for themselves  through the pride they take in the craftsmanship of their products. You can find a pretty good listing of these companies on americanmadebmx.com.

So if you’re out celebrating today, raise a glass to the fine folks working hard, day after day, to produce American-made BMX products. Cheers guys!





Skyway 24″ Tuff Wheels are back

23 06 2011

After  25 years, Skyway is once again rolling out 24″ Tuff Wheels from their Redding, California factory.

The catch is that it’s a limited run of just 100 sets.

They will be available in black, white, red and blue (25 sets of each color) and feature original NOS alloy flange hubs that have been locked away at Skyway for 25 years.

Personally, I find the black mag/skinwall tire look totally badass. If I had the room in my stable for an old school 24″ cruiser, I’d be all over these.  Take a look at this vintage BMX Action pic of Richie Anderson battling Greg Hill…those wheels just look mean.

For more details on these wheels and information on how to order them, contact planetbmx.com.





Sunday puts more umph into their bars

14 06 2011

If you’re a fan of Sunday’s 24umph bars (like I am) but want to add a smidge more height to your front end, you’re in luck. The new Sunday 24umph XL bars are now available!

You might remember the teaser photo back in February on the Sunday site. Back then, Jim C. said they made bunnyhops easier and let him pop into nose wheelies better. Could they do the same for you?

The specs:

  • 7.75″ rise
  • 28″ wide
  • 12 degrees backsweep
  • 4 degrees upsweep

For now, they’re only available in black. A vapor blue version will follow in a couple of months.