Meanwhile over at the DK booth

26 09 2013

The guys at DK Bicycles have also been busy updating their cruiser offerings for 2014 and that hard work was on display in their Interbike booth.

The Cygnus got a bit of an update in the geo department…with a slightly higher bottom bracket and longer top tube (I think) to bring it more in line with today’s modern freestyle cruisers.

DK Cygnus

A new 24″ model, called The Sprinter, has also been added to the lineup as their more affordable race-ready option. (This replaces the Sentry 24.)

DK Sprinter

Finally, for 2014 the Elite Series cruiser has been made better than ever (if you recall,the 2013 DK Elite Series Cruiser did not disappoint).  The Elite Series now comes fully loaded with Box and Promax components, including special edition X2 Carbon forks with 20mm hubs.  I’m not usually a fan of carbon forks but the Elite Series they had on display (albeit the 20″ version) looked super mean.

And because only the 20″ version was on display, I’ve dug around and found a picture of said 24 for your viewing pleasure through the magic of television…I mean, the internet.

14_ELITE_CRUISER2Update: Jesse Klein (from DK) came through with the high-res image above to replace the blurry one I had here originally.

Check out their new catalog for the rest of the  details, specs, etc. on the 2014 DK lineup.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Racing

Stolen Bikes steals the show

25 09 2013

The folks at Stolen Bikes had dropped a few teasers in the comments of the Countdown to Interbike post that they were going to have a lot of new cruiser stuff on display this year for Interbike. So, when I got to the show I was eager to check out their booth to see what the hype was about.

They weren’t kidding around.

But first, let’s take a look at their current lineup.

The mainstay in their lineup, the Saint,  is still holding strong for 2014 but now comes in a rad Matte Retro Red…

Stolen Saint Matte Retro Red

…and a Matte Gum color.

Stolen Saint Matte Gum front

Next up, the Saint XLT is also still in the lineup.  It’s available in a Basic Black with polished components….

Stolen Saint XLT Black

…and a super cool looking “Super Blue” version.

Stolen Saint XLT Super Blue

What’s new for this year?

Stolen has decided to get into the aftermarket end of the 24″ bike market.

In their booth, they had their new 24″ Gold frame & fork on display.

Available in Matte Black or Sandblasted Matte Raw, the frame features a 21.75″ top tube and the following specs:

  • 74.5 degree HT
  • 71 degree ST
  • 15″ CS
  • 13.8 ” BB height

Stolen24inch Gold Frame Fork

Stolen is also offering 24″ Rebellion wheels as an aftermarket option. Sealed hubs, female axles and available in a range of colors, these look like a great way to trick out your ride when it comes time to replace your wheels.

Stolen 24in Rebellion Wheels

But the 24″ parts goodness doesn’t stop there. Stolen is has also brought out some high-pressure (110 PSI) tires called Joint HP tires. They have a nice low profile design…and this is the part I love…they come in both a tan and white wall version!

Stolen Joint HP Tires tread

A new 26″ complete

Finally, Stolen’s new 26″ Freestyle cruiser called the Zeke made its debut at the show.  The frame has 100% chromoly tubes, a chromoly fork with a one-piece steerer, aftermarket MOB cranks, and a bunch of other good stuff.

Stolen Zeke front

It features a 22.5″ top tube and has the following specs:

  • 74.5 degree HT
  • 71 degree ST
  • 16.25″ CS
  • 12.5″ BB height

(Update: these specs are not final…they’re being tweaked before production. See the comments section for more details.)

Here’s a side profile:

26 Stolen Zeke

All in all, a great display of cruiser awesomeness from Stolen.  Super stoked to see them step up their commitment to the big wheels of BMX!


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Skatepark, street, Trails/Jumping

Interbike 2013: let the coverage begin

24 09 2013

The change in venue from the Sands to the Mandalay Bay wasn’t the only change afoot this year in regards to the annual Interbike tradeshow in Las Vegas.

This year brought out a new assortment of big wheel BMX bikes from companies that usually don’t put out a cruiser model.

First one that we’ll look at is the 26″ Fairdale Taj. Wrapped up in all its old school charm is a cro-mo bike that is meant for hopping curbs and popping wheelies. Despite being the name-sake of a big name freestyle legend, this bike is built for laid back fun and cruising the streets in style.

Fairdale Taj

Ride Magazine also has a video of Taj explaining the features of the 26″ Taj with Journey playing in the background to add a touch of class to the proceedings. Check that out on the Ride site.

Another notable is The Simpsons/Cult Duffman 24. We got the heads up about the Duffman 24 right before leaving for Interbike and it looked very nice up close. According to the Cult rep that I spoke to, these bikes are available right now…so if you’re interested, I suggest contacting your Cult dealer asap.

Cult Duffman 24

And in surprise move that I don’t think a lot of people saw coming…Felt debuted their 22″ wheel Catch 22 bike for 2014.

After looking at their 24″ Brink model and contemplating whether a redesign was in order, they opted to drop the Brink 24 from their lineup and put together a sub-$500 (US) complete 22″ bike.

Featuring a main-frame Cro-mo frame with a 22″ top tube (check out complete specs on the Felt site), it’s designed to let someone interested in trying out a 22″ bike to so without dropping the big bucks to build up a 22″ bike from another manufacturer (which tend to be more high-end offerings like the kits available from S&M).

Again, a bold move by Felt and one that adds further momentum to the growing 22″ wheel movement.

Felt 22

Coming up:

Updates on Stolen Bikes, DK Bicycles, and a whole lot more.


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Categories : Uncategorized

The Simpsons/CULT Duffman Cruiser

12 09 2013

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.

Duff Cruiser

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.

Duffman Cult Cruiser

For the complete interview with Robbie Morales speaking on the new Duffman Cruiser, swing on over to DEFGRIP.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Tomfoolery

Subrosa DTT dawn patrol

11 09 2013

Wayne Keller dropped us a line a few days back that simply said:

7:19 am Friday, dawn patrol…

I guess he figured the picture he attached would do all the talking.

2013-09-06 dawn patrol Subrosa DTT cruiser wayne kellerLooks like he’s pretty comfortable on that Subrosa DTT TTWOFOUR he’s being rolling on for a while.

To see more of Wayne’s riding pics and zany antics, check out his blog at http://carrot-bag.blogspot.com/.


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Categories : Freestyle, New School, Skatepark

Countdown to Interbike

5 09 2013

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?

Hometown Hotties and Cruiser Revolution

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!)

Chris Fox and Ed 4130 Sin Series

…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.


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Categories : New products, New School, Old School, Racing, shenanigans, street, Tomfoolery

Sneak Peek: 2014 We The People Atlas 24

28 08 2013

After a two-year hiatus, We The People has brought back a 24-inch into its lineup (for 2014).

Going by the name, “The Atlas”, We The People’s new 24″ is a bit of a departure from the 2011 Avenger.

Whereas the 2011 edition sported geometry similar to the Sunday Model-C (high bottom bracket,  shorter top tube), the 2014 edition is reminiscent of the specs/geometry found on the Liquid Feedback frame (moderately high bottom bracket, longer top tube).

WTP Atlas 24

Here’s what we know so far (spec-wise)

Head Angle: 74 degrees

Seat Angle: 72 degrees

Top tube: 22″

Chain stay:  14.6″

Bottom bracket height: 12.7″

Standover height: 9.7″

Handlebars: 7.5″ X 28.2″

atlas 24

The frame is full 4130 cro-mo with removable pivots/guides and integrated chain tensioners.

The fork is a Salt Plus (Magic 24) that features Sanko tubing, CNC steerer and investment cast drops.

Hoping to get a closer look at this at Interbike.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Skatepark, Trails, Trails/Jumping

Big wheel bonanza in September BMX Plus

22 08 2013

On again and off again, running hot and cold on cruisers, it’s an ongoing theme with BMX Plus magazine.

One minute they’re showing some love for cruisers, the next they’re running a cover story called “Cruising into Oblivion: The Death of the 24“.

The BMX world’s longest running magazine can be a cruel mistress.

It’s enough to make a grown man cry.

Now in the latest issue (September), it looks like Plus is trying to kickstart the love affair again.

With a coverline that calls September “The Big Issue” and “Race and Freestyle Cruisers put to the test” getting top billing you just know something’s up.

BMX Plus Big IssueInside the magazine, they have–be still my heart–a freestyle cruiser shootout!

Granted, we suggested that they do this way back in 2010 but it’s nice to see it finally happening.

The DK Cygnus, the Sunday Model-C and Stolen Saint are all reviewed, complete with some pretty good riding shots.

BMX Plus Freestyle Cruiser ShootoutOn the race side of things, Plus takes the Redline Proline 24 out for a test drive.   A solid review with, again, some good riding shots.

BMX Plus Redline Proline Test

To cap things off and round out the big wheel bonanza, there is a DK ad on the backcover, featuring its Sentry 24.

24in DK Sentry adWill this renewed love for the cruiser last this time?

I guess we’ll have to watch the newstand to find out.


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Racing, Skatepark, street, Trails, Trails/Jumping

Sneak Peek: 2014 Sunday Model-C

17 08 2013

Sunday teamed up with Defgrip yesterday to preview the 2014 lineup of Sunday Bikes.

The ground-breaking Model-C is still in the lineup and looks better than ever.

Take a sneak peek of what’s in store from Sunday in 2014.

2014 Sunday Model-C completeAnd here’s a closer look at some of the components.

2014 Model-C complete closeups

Nice looking complete.

(No word yet on when the 2014 model will be made available.)


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Categories : Freestyle, New products, New School, Skatepark, street, Trails, Trails/Jumping

The SE PK Ripper gets supersized

14 08 2013

Todd Lyons has been busy.

With all the cool new rides for 2014 that he has been showing sneak peeks of …it’s sometimes hard to keep up.

This one definitely caught our attention though.

It’s the classic SE PK Ripper, supersized.

2014 SE 26 PKRIPPER completeA mix of old school and new school (with a pronounced lean toward the old school), this 26-inch PK Ripper features Floval tubing,  a looptail rear end and diamond dropouts.

2014 SE 26 PK RIPPER looptail

Top it off with a polished frame, classic SE blue components and…wait for it…Oakley B-1B grips in a custom SE colorway(!)

2014 SE 26 PK RIPPER headtube. jpgAn eye-catcher for sure!

Looking forward to checking this one out up close at Interbike.

Here’s the specs:

TOP TUBE, ACTUAL 22.2″
SEAT TUBE 15″
SEAT TUBE ANGLE 73°
HEAD TUBE ANGLE 71°
CHAINSTAY 17.4″
WHEELBASE 42″
BOTTOM BRACKET HEIGHT 11.8″
SEAT POST DIAMETER 27.2mm

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Categories : New products, Old School, Racing

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