Ride the lightning

31 03 2023

Is your ride missing a little zip? Or maybe what it really needs is a little more zap.

Oh zap!

Indeed, BMX today, in general, needs more zap.

What in God’s green earth am I talking about, you say? Well, I’m talking about the veritable lightning in a bottle that the iconic Zap Pads brought to an 80s-era BMX bike.

If you were a kid in the golden years of BMX and tore out pages of the mighty BMX Action magazine to hang on your wall….well, you probably had one or two Zap Pad ads featuring a steely-eyed, all business Greg Hill staring back at you with his Zap Pad adorned GT (and later years a GHP).

Yes, you too young grommet. You could be like “The Businessman” Greg Hill and be as fast as lightning out on the track.

Or least look good trying.

Some of that Zap Pad magic…that lightning in a bottle, or should I say pad set, recently starting re-aappearing on retro-fab completes like the SE OM Flyer.

Later, the Fit CR-29, would also sport that familiar Zap Pad-esque lighting bolt as well.

Pretty flashy, huh?

So flashy you would think they would be offered as an after market padset, right?

Surprisingly, they were only sold as part of the bike…not separately.

What a letdown!

But like a bolt of lightning…..

One day I came across a post with a picture of the City Grounds X SE Bikes Collab Big Ripper.

Like the OM Flyer and Fit CR29, it too sported a Zap Pad-like pad set.

When I posted a comment saying to the effect, “Sigh, I wish these pads were offered separately”….I was shocked to see a reply moments later, saying yes, yes, these pads are actually available separately.

Hot damn!

It didn’t take long for more my order for the SE Bikes SE X CG Padset to go in!

Couldn’t be more stoked to get ahold of these.

I’ll finally be able to ride the lightning!





Wall Street Journal writes piece on wheelies

5 05 2017

If you’ve keep up on your social media these past few days, you’ve probably already seen it…the Wall Street Journal wrote an article covering BMX, “Bike Life” and Wheelies in a piece called, “The BMX Bikes Getting Teens Back on Two Wheels — or One”.

SE Big Rippers and rrdblocks get a lot of play, as well as some commentary from Todd Lyons.

Apparently SE Bikes  (and BMX bikes in general) are seeing a sales spike over the last couple years.

That’s definitely good news! I don’t know if it’s “go-go 80s good” but it bodes well for our little piece of the cycling universe.

In other, semi-related news this week, SE also dropped some sneak peeks of the 3(!) colorways of the new 2018 So Cal Flyer.

I gotta say, I’m kinda digging the middle one…it has that Mike Buff/BMX Action trick team vibe that really takes me down memory lane.

I’m not so sure about the Killer Bees/Stryper colorway…but yellow and gold ano are definitely retro-fabulous, so I’m sure they will still get a segment of the old school heads with that version.

The blue one? Classic. Hard to go wrong there.

All in all, a good week for SE and “mainstream” coverage of BMX in general.

Hopefully, we’ll see more of this.





Rockin’ and Rippin’

10 08 2016

Travis Barker is currently out on tour with his band, Blink-182.

And what do you think he’s been doing between all the rock shows and travel?

He’s been shredding on a SE Public Enemy Big Ripper!

Travis Barker cruiser tour

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Travis Barker on a Big Ripper…in fact, Travis even collaborated with SE on a collab Big Ripper a couple years back.

Good to see he’s keeping the shred sessions going…even when he’s on tour!

 

Travis (and Blink-182) have a new album out too…you can check it out here.





Gary Turner unveils 29″ cruiser

30 06 2016

Gary Turner has caught our attention yet again with another new project.

This time it’s a limited-edition 29″ cruiser.

Hand built out of 4130 chromoly and chrome plated by Bush polishing (the way Gary has done it since the 70s) this is a nice looking frame & fork.

Gary Turner 29er sideThe limited edition series are numbered 29-01 up to 29-100 as Gary did with their retro 26″ cruiser (which is now sold out).

Gary Turner 29er forkNice attention to detail throughout.

Gary Turner 29er rear viewGary mentioned in a Facebook post that several people had asked him about a 29″ cruiser which ultimately prompted him to do the limited run.

It got me to wondering, now that 26″ cruisers have a experienced a recent surge in popularity…is a renaissance in 29″ cruisers next?

There are number of signs this might already be happening.

FBM has wheeled out a custom 29″ cruiser (A 29″ FBM cruiser…who would’ve thunk it?)

Todd Lyons has shown you can get rad in the dirt on a 29er.

Peter “Pdog” Ulbrich has taken his 29er to the street, the track, the skatepark and just about everywhere else in an edit from a couple years back.

Heck, Pdog has even released an edit that is almost exclusively bowlriding on a 29″ SE Big Ripper.

Maybe 29″ cruisers are about to have their moment too.

It’s funny to think that this “retro” cruiser might just be on the front end of a new trend in the cruiser scene.

I’m going to keep my eye out to see if more 29″ cruisers start popping up from other companies…

(All pics: Gary Turner BMX)





Big Ripper getting a big-time launch party

10 07 2014

A bike launch party hosted by a rock star?

This might be a first.

The SE Big Ripper is getting the rock star treatment.

But when you’re the biggest cruiser in the SE fleet, maybe a big-time event is what you need.

As you might recall, we first talked about SE’s collaboration with Travis Barker back in January. It was a special project called the TB x Famous Stars and Straps Big Ripper bike.

Barker’s no stranger to BMX, or to riding SE Bikes, as he was known to roll on an SE Big Ripper prior to this project.

Now Travis is ready to give it a proper launch at Brooklyn Projects (on Melrose Avenue) in Los Angeles on July 12th.

Big Ripper release party

The event promises a meet and greet with Travis Barker himself, limited edition tees (only available at the event) and a bike giveaway. I’m sure The Wildman, Todd Lyons, will also be in the house which should also liven up things.

Sounds like a good time to me. Check it out if you’re in the area.





SE collaborates with Travis Barker

17 01 2014

SE Bikes is teaming up with drummer Travis Barker to put out a special project, the 2015 TB x Famous Stars and Straps Big Ripper bike.  Famous Stars and Straps  is a clothing and accessory line created by Barker.

SE Bikes X FAMOUS STARS AND STRAPS X Travis BarkerBarker is no stranger to BMX, or to riding SE bikes, as we learned last year (Travis Barker rolls on a SE Big Ripper).

Nice to see him get involved with a project like this.

2015 SE TB Famous Stars and Straps Big RipperLooks pretty cool.

Available this summer.





More rippin’ on the Big Ripper

30 12 2013

Peter “Pdog” Ulbrich last caught our attention when he dropped a web edit featuring him bowl riding on a Big Ripper.

Well, he’s back again and taking his Big Ripper to the street, the track, the skatepark and just about everywhere else.

pdog freestyles his 29er

If you think a 29er is just for jumping curbs and cruising, this edit will change your mind.





Bowl riding on a Big Ripper

10 12 2013

Now I’ve seen everything.

The last time we caught up with Peter Ulbrich he was shredding a race track in a decidedly non racer-like manner (see This is where things go off the chain).

Now he’s back for a little skatepark/bowl riding on a 29″ wheel SE Big Ripper.

Yes, you read that right.

An SE Big Ripper.

With 29″ wheels.

Oh Man….





SE Big Ripper: not just for cruisin’

29 06 2013

A BMX bike rolling on 29″ wheels might not strike you as one suitable for shredding on….

Wheelies? Sure.

Kickouts off of curb cuts? Why not.

Shredding dirt jumps? Probably not….right?

Well, it looks like Todd Lyons might have some other ideas about that.

Big Ripper trails Todd Lyons

Check out these shots of Todd kicking out the jams at the dirt jumps aboard the SE Big Ripper. (They’ve been circulating around the internet for the past couple days and definitely caught my attention.)

Big Ripper flatty Todd LyonsWho knew that you could shred like this on the Big Ripper?

And imagine the speed you could carry on these big wheels too.

Radness.

 





Travis Barker rolls on a SE Big Ripper

11 02 2013

Rollingstone.com just posted a behind-the-scenes article about how Travis Barker prepped for his Grammy’s performance last night.

Part of that prep involved going for a bike ride with his kids aboard his SE Big Ripper!

His kids are also budding BMXers…if you squint you can see a PK Ripper and Bronco in the background.

Travis Barker & the Big Ripper on Rollingstone.com

Word on the street is that Travis used to race BMX (back in the day) and has always had a soft spot for the PK Ripper.