And a some point, you probably sported a Play clothing sticker on your bike.
And if you went to contests, you probably made it out to at least one Play contest.
In my case, I’m guilty of all three.
Play (and its predecessor 2B Homecooked) along with Useless, represented a more carefree time in BMX…before all the Dew Tours and X-Games madness took hold.
When Hal Brindley and Leigh Ramsdell decided to pursue other things, a little bit of that era went with them.
Check them out back in the 1998 in this classic ad for Props:
A couple of goofballs to be sure, but it was so fun you couldn’t help but be stoked on it.
Now, it looks like Hal and Leigh are “getting the band back together” to start printing some of those iconic t-shirts again.
They’re setting up shop under the oldscool banner but it looks like all the old favorites are coming back.
Looking forward to replacing my long-gone, but dearly missed, “I love sweet corn” tee.
For more information on what Hal and Leigh are up to, check out oldscoolbmx.com
100,000 square feet of dirt pump track, dirt jump lines and foam pit. All inside a climate-controlled building.
Here’s artist’s rendering/promotional illustration of what it might look like.
This is pretty interesting development in a certain sense…while most bike parks have sprung up as a rider’s response to dealing with the cold (and snow, ice, etc.)…I’m guessing a certain part of the appeal to this park in Las Vegas will be beating the heat (hence the climate-controlled angle), especially in the summer.
Dealing with old man winter can really bring you down.
Unless you’re lucky enough to live in one of the sunshine states, have an indoor skatepark nearby (that allows bikes) or are down with practicing flatland maneuvers in parking garages, winter tends to force even the most rabid of bikers into a bit of forced hibernation.
And even if you have an indoor skatepark nearby, they’re often overrun by scooter kids, fruit booters and the like.
Thankfully in recent years, the indoor bike park concept has begun to take off. Usually with a “MTB” in the name, these parks have a little something for everyone…BMXers especially.
Let’s take a look at what some of these parks have going on.
Ray’s MTB
The original indoor bike park, Ray’s MTB is the one that all other bike parks are compared to….it’s basically the one that started it all. Created by Ray Petro as a way for him and his MTB buddies to escape Ohio’s cold winters it has grown to be an international destination for bikers from across the world. Tucked away in an old industrial building, it doesn’t look like much from the outside…but wow, is it ever fun inside. (Two locations: Cleveland & Milwaukee)
Joyride 150
Inspired at least partially by Ray’s MTB, some Canadian MTBers decided to put their own spin on the indoor bike concept and bring it over the border to a suburb just outside of Toronto, Ontario (Canada). Joyride 150 is also loads of fun and happens to be the closest one to Cruiser Revolution HQ so it’s also the one I happen to visit most often. Drew Bezanson filmed one of the craziest videos of 2012 here (and tends to hit the park on a semi-regular basis too) so you know this park has some fun stuff to ride. http://vimeo.com/33575654#at=0
Cranx
Located in Syracuse, NY, Cranx is another good bike park. A pumptrack, jumpline, and a recently completed wooden bowl are just some of the highlights. It hasn’t been open that long but things are constantly being updated and refined. You can read more about Cranx in the recent post Cranx: shreddin’ in Syracuse. Definitely a great place to check out.
The Lumberyard
The Lumberyard brings the indoor bike park concept to Portland, Oregon. Haven’t been to this one yet but I definitely like what I see. Jump lines, pump tracks, and skatepark-style stuff make this another good one to put on your list of parks to check out. An interesting thing that the Lumberyard has is a full-service restaurant. Being able to get some BBQ and a beer or two after a good session seems pretty awesome.
The world famous 4130 Subway Series ride celebrates its 3-year anniversary tonight.
The 4130 Subway Series is pure BMX and that’s been the secret of its success. Looking back at a CR post talking about it in 2010, nothing’s changed:
….cruising the neighborhood with friends.
Nothing quite replaces the joy of roaming the streets, hitting spots and feeling free as you roll along on your bike.
The 4130 Club has captured all those things in their monthly rides.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a street rider, a racer, old school or new school…all are welcome and the positive vibe is contagious.
(Randy Franklin and me (Ed) all smiles at the 4130 Sin City Ride).
That being said, I’m kicking myself for not being down there with the 4130 Chromies for what I’m sure will be an epic ride.
I’m sure even while I’m typing this, people are already doing the final checks on their bikes and making their way down to the meet-up spot in Hollywood.
The main man behind the 4130 ride,The Mayor of Hollywood will be rolling on his sweet twin top tube Tribute 24, complete with a custom 3-year anniversary plate from Crit. (As you can see, Morty the guard dog will ensure no one messes with it before the ride begins.)
So if you’re riding tonight, be safe and have fun.
If you’re not riding, start thinking about when you can attend a 4130 ride in the future. This a must-do for any BMXer!
Looks like he’s been rolling on a pre-production double-top tube Subrosa 24″ frame and Villicus fork.
Here’s a side-view pic of it in his shop:
And an advance look at some promotional material for it:
No word yet on geometry, specs or availability.
Subrosa has had some other 24s in their lineup in the past…like the Letum 24 and the Salvador. The Salvador was a bit of a disappointment to many…given its high-ten frame construction (check out For real, too much steel for more on this).
Has Subrosa stepped up their game this time? We’ll have to see.
Mike Leonard‘s been holding it down in Las Vegas for some time now.
Always spreading the good word and reppin’ the 24″ at the skateparks, the trails and the 4130 Sin City Rides.
Mike’s also been on a bit of a tear lately…putting in some serious riding at Bootleg Canyon and Anthem Skatepark.
Sal Alvarado, a rad MTB rider in his own right, has been right there with him and has started to snap a few pictures along the way to document the action.
Here’s just a few of the good ones that have surfaced the past few days after a session at Anthem. I have a feeling there’s more to come of this stuff in 2013!
Busting on the big table at Anthem.
Hitting the twinkie hip*
*an alternate caption could be: Tail tap on the light pole to front wheel tap on the sun (kinda looks that way, don’t it?)
Throwing a little steez over the big table
For more on Mike, check out the Cruiser Revolution Facebook page for a pic of him airing out over Bootleg Canyon (December 23rd post).
Before we all head out to celebrate New Year’s Eve, let’s take a look at the top ten things that went down in 2012.
10. Skyway started off the year with news that they were releasing a 24″ version of their classic T/A frame and fork…but only in limited quantities. The frame & fork sold out in record time. Although there was some delay in getting it into customers hands, most will agree it was worth the wait.
8. The Gunslinger adjustable frame. This smaller company caught our attention this year with an innovative frame design that featured 3-position adjustable rear dropouts. Riders can tune the frame head angle and bottom bracket height to match their riding style.
6. Prophecy kept things interesting with news that they would be bringing a 24″ carbon frame to the market. (Perhaps more surprising was that Redline didn’t leverage what they had learned from Project 79 to make a 24″ version.)
6. DK parts at Wal-Mart. On a roadtrip to Ray’s MTB , I stopped in at a Walmart along the way and I was shocked to stumble on an aisle endcap stocked with DK parts and accessories. A little strange, but cool, that you can walk into a Walmart (in the U.S.) and pick up a DK Random Wrench.
5. After much anticipation, S&M unveiled its new Speedwagon race frame. Dropping the mono stay and putting the dropouts “on a diet.” They also got rid of the cable split cable stops and went with three guides. While sticking with the tried and true 38 Special geometry, they also introduced a 22″ top tube option, along with a sexy Trans Red finish.
4. MTB companies blurred the lines between MTB and BMX cruisers with offerings like the Transition Klunker and the DMR wrath. Will there be more convergence between the two disciplines in the future? My guess is yes but we’ll have to wait and see if the future bears that out.
2. There was more choice than ever this year to find a bike to match your build and riding style. Whether you wanted to step up from a 20″ to a 22″, ride a dialed 24″ complete, build a custom 26″, or even bust out on a 29″ Big Ripper. There were options to help you make that happen.
Not only do you get Buddy shredding (big beard, big bike, white helmet and red Vans) but also Vernon from Indust riding one of his 22 inchers and Hippie Josh who handled the majority of the filming (along with riding).
With head injuries making the news so often these days, both with big-name riders and everyday joes, wearing a helmet when you ride just makes a whole lot of sense.
But not all helmets are created the same.
Aaron Cooke from the Athlete Recovery Fund (ARF), along with Mike “Hucker” Clark, Chad Kerley and Brandon Dosch, recently went to a test facility and got a quick answer to the question, “how does a non-certified helmet hold up under an impact?”
The answer? Not well.
Wearing a CPSC-certified helmet could mean the difference between walking away from a crash and a very severe injury (maybe even death).
Check your head. Then check your helmet. If it’s not CPSC-certified, maybe it’s time to get a new lid.
Had a chance to ride Cranx Bike Park in Syracuse, New York a week and a half ago and came away smiling.
Built in the spirit of other indoor bike parks like Ray’s MTB and Joyride 150, it has a little something for everyone. From a pumptrack, to jump lines to skatepark/street setups to the newly opened bowl…you can amuse yourself for hours.
Which I did.
Showing up on an unseasonably warm day, the park wasn’t as busy as I suspected it might be at this time of year. But that didn’t take away from the fun of the session. Upon getting the usual paperwork handled (waivers, etc.) by Dale, I was told that Matt, one of the guys on staff there, would give me a tour and show me around.
Definitely a pleasant surprise….and definitely something more bike parks should do.
Matt was laid back and a great tour guide…giving tips on lines, pointing out “escape routes” (if you had to get out of harm’s way) and making sure I had a good feel for the park and what it had to offer.
This run in the bottom left of this group of photos was probably my favorite line in the place. Starting at an elevated part of the park it sent you down into a banked turn and than into another banked turn in the opposite direction with a couple small jumps thrown in for good measure. Once you get used to it and hit with a little speed it becomes superfun.
The wooden bowl was definitely a good time too.
Tons of stuff to ride for sure with many updates and refinements already in the planning stages. (An outdoor dirt jump area has already been roughed for example.)
In the event that you break a bike part or need something for your bike, there’s also a satellite store for local shop, Advance Cyclery (you can see a bit in the left side of the top photo) to help you out.
All in all, definitely a cool place to check out if you’re in the area.
Bonus tip: when you’re done riding and have built up a healthy appetite, check out Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in town. Billed as a “honky tonk rib joint” it is a must-see/stop if you’re into bar-b-que….sooo good!
Photo credit: all pics (except the top one) from Turndown’s photo album on the Cranx Facebook page
cruiser revolution 