Sometimes the right color just gives a bike a little something extra…like Liquid’s Bubblegum Blue frame.
This bike just looks super cool.
But it’s not just a good-looking bike, it’s got a roomy front end with modern geometry that’s built for serious riding (if the pictures and videos featuring Liquid’s Jeremy Combs are any indication).
I think we’ll be hearing a lot more from (and about) Liquid Bikes in 2010.
“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Mark Twain
Despite showing love for the cruiser in recent issues, BMX Plus! seems to have now sounded the death knell for the cruiser in their April 2010 issue in an article called Cruising into Oblivion: The Death of the 24.
It’s actually kind of amusing however when you take a look at this sensationalist article in relation to the rest of the magazine. For instance, Redline has again seen fit to place a two-page ad for a cruiser in the magazine. And this time it is their top-of-the-line Flight Pro 24! I’m going to go out on a limb and say there must be some kind of market for 24s to justify that kind of advertising.
And in their mailbag section, a reader writes in about racing Cruiser for two years, “…One thing led to another, and now I race a 24-inch Haro…”.
Are big ads and actual reader feedback not clear enough signs for Plus! that cruisers are alive and well?
Guys like Danny Caluag, Barry Nobles and George Goodall (who is featured prominently in the Redline ad) are also keeping excitement alive in the National race scene.
And completely ignored by the article is the explosion in popularity of modern trails/park 24s…which I don’t have to convince you of, if you’re a regular visitor to this site.
The death of the 24?
Hardly.
We’re just getting started.
Found this vid recently while poking around on vimeo.
It looks like Jason G has got the right idea when it comes to doing yard work.
Check out his sweet backyard pumptrack.
I teased you a while back with a great video from Jeremy Combs riding a prototype of his new Liquid frame.
Well, now it’s time to take a closer look.
I have to say I’m pretty excited about this new frame…1) because it was obviously designed by someone that knows his way around a bike and 2) because it offers a long top tube and short chain stays (a combo that seemed a long time in coming).
Check out these specs from the liquid-dirt site:
TT: 22″ and 22.25″
BB: 12.7″
CS: 14.25″
HA: 74
SA: 72
ST: 9.15″ center to center
Weight: 5 lbs 3 oz
They’re also 4130 Sanko Chromoly and feature removable brake mounts and routing.
Colors available are: flat black, pearl plum grey, and limited edition flat bubblegum blue.
And if you’re a fan of 24″ dirt jumping (and really, aren’t we all?) you should really check out liquid-dirt for great dirt jumping photos like the one below:
Flipping through the latest edition of BMX Plus! recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find a two-page ad for the Redline Proline 24.
So many companies give short shrift to 24s in their ads, it’s nice to see Redline step up and recognize that cruiser riders want to see “their” bikes in the BMX mags too. For Redline to do so in a two-page spread makes me respect them even more.
What’s more, I love that they chose the Proline 24 over the Flight 24 for the ad. While the Flight 24 is certainly a sought after bike for the hardcore race crowd (with factory Answer Scythe forks, etc.) the Proline 24 is a simple, well-spec’d bike that works: Chromo forks, Redline Flight cranks…everything you need to win races or ride trails…nothing too fancy, but nothing that needs replacing either.
Even though I’m kind of surprised it wasn’t offered in red, or that cool bronze-y gold of last year, I find that this blue version is growing on me. Great job, Redline.
Respect.
I came across this article on BMX cruisers in Oregon Cycling awhile back and I think it really captures why cruisers are so fun and why more and more people are getting into 24″ bikes.
The writer, Tom Baldinger, talking about his “secret agenda”:
My agenda is naturally, more cruiser riders on the streets, the race tracks, the skate parks, etc! I love to see other people on them, because I know what fun they are!
Why to get a 24″ instead of another type of bike:
If your budget is limited, and you are looking for a bike that is easy to maintain, can be ridden hard, and will provide more entertainment than should be legal, I would highly suggest a 24-inch wheel BMX cruiser.
How a bicycle is more than just “transportation”:
…if a bike ride is more to you than a utilitarian passage from point A to point B, if you are prone to explore alleys, jump off curbs or look for embankments, cruisers are a great option.
And finally, because (and I think this is a little tongue-in-cheek) riding a cruiser makes you a bit of a renegade:
Perhaps the best reason to ride a cruiser is the renegade factor. Mountain bikers chuckle, 20-inch wheel BMX riders scoff, road bikers are bewildered. Cruisers have a kitsch factor that’s hard to beat, they are super practical. Try one out, you’ll be surprised at the amount of saddle time it sees and I guarantee the ride will put a smile on your face.
Here’s hoping that 2010 will see even more renegades giving cruisers a try….
When you get an unseasonably warm day in the fall, I don’t think there’s a rider out there that doesn’t immediately think, “I have to go ride.” This past weekend seemed more like summer than fall and the local trails were packed with people taking advantage of the weather. People were in a good mood…maybe feeling like Mother Nature was making amends for the rainy summer we had. The vibe was mellow and the smiles came easy…but I guess that’s what a little sunshine can do for you.
(Pic: Jon Faure)
Jon Faure probably doesn’t have to worry too much about squeezing as much riding as he can in before winter hits (he lives in California) but does that really matter? Everyone loves a good jumping picture, right? This one’s from ridemonkey.com.
Maybe it’s just me but everytime I see FBM, I think of the lyrics to KMFDM’s “Light“. But I digress…
FBM posted another custom cruiser frame build on their site and this time it is long-time Cruiser Revolution reader Bam’s custom frame.
Check out the specs:
Head Tube: 75 degrees
Seat Tube: 70 degrees
Top Tube: 22″
Chain Stay: 15″
BB Height: 14″
Standover: 6″
If you look closely, you’ll notice some very distinctive forks on this setup…there’s an extra 2″ on the fork leg. A definite nod to old school Bottema forks.
The process
Bam had been shopping around for a custom builder but found most of his options were too expensive or too limited in geometry options. He decided to give FBM a call, although I think he was a little apprehensive given John Paul Roger’s recent comments about cruisers in an article in DIG magazine (he called them goofy, etc.) Despite his initial concerns, FBM was on board with the build.
Bam said:
The FBM plan gives you an online form to check the available options, they offer to do anything you want, then some discussion, send them half of the money, then they send you a drawing to approve. The price includes shipping and it didn’t cost extra for a 24″ model. They send photos of the process as it happens.
According to Bam, FBM’s custom prices are some of the best/lowest out there. He took the time to check out a bunch of different builders, so I believe him.
Can’t wait to see this all built up.
ESPN just posted a great interview with Jim C. from Sunday Bikes talking about their new line of complete bikes. There’s some good stuff about the Model-C, including details about the components and pricing:
The 24″ Model-C complete retails for about $550 and comes with a full chromoly frame, fork and bars. There’s eight different Odyssey parts including V3 cassette hub, Aitken 24-inch tires and EVO II brakes amongst others. The best part is it carries over the same proven geometry of the Model-C frame, fork and bars.
He also talks about why Sunday decided to go with a complete 24:
We decided to do the 24-inch complete because people mostly believed the geometry worked, but they weren’t willing to spend the money to find out. A shop could now let someone try it out, see that it works and be able to afford it without spending too much money.
Probably the best/funniest part of the interview is this part:
Riders have it good today. They could be getting an orange GT with curved toptube and three-spoke mags like we did back in the ’90s. No wonder why kids started skateboarding back then, the learning curve on one of those was terrible.
No word yet on what the top tube length will be on the Model-C complete, but more info is supposed to be on the way next week. I guess I’ll continue to keep my fingers crossed that it will be the 21.75″ size.
We’ve been seeing some unseasonably warm temps in these parts recently and its making me even more antsy for spring. It’s warm enough for riding but with the snow melting and salt on the roads…it’s a sloppy mess. Still, sneaking a few minutes out of the office got me thinking about hot summer days and fun times at the trails.
The warm snap will be short lived though…they’re already calling for snow on the weekend. I console myself by remembering that both the Toronto International Bicycle Show and the Supercross are just one month away…
*Don’t ask me who the guy in the pic is…stumbled across it on the internet somewhere a while back…nice tuck jump though.
cruiser revolution 