While this isn’t cruiser news, I have to share the Justen Soule-filmed highlights video from the Toronto BMX Jam.
The Toronto BMX Jam is one of my favorite events of the year and the 2014 did not disappoint. The jam not only showcases some awesome riding, it’s a great opportunity for the BMX community to get together and have a good time.
But seriously, check out the bangers in this clip…especially the one at the end. Wow.
It’s been a couple days and I’m still riding the high from another great Toronto BMX Jam.
An annual tradition for me (and many other riders), it’s become amongst other things: a chance to catch up with old friends, meet new ones, shop for deals on parts (it’s partnered with the Toronto International Bicycle Show) and….oh yeah…check out some awesome riding.
Despite local favorite, Drew Bezanson, being unable to ride due to injury sustained earlier in the week riding Joyride 150, there was still a whole field of riders just killing it all week long (as you can see from the video).
Joe Cicman of TwoFourFlat fame was also in the house riding in the flatland comp (on his 20″). We had a chance to chat briefly and it sounds like the next installment of the TwoFourFlat series is going to be one worth waiting for! Can’t wait.
And even though weather was freezing over the weekend, the Toronto BMX Jam also means that spring is just around the corner and that always seems to be the icing on the cake. The weather forecast is already calling for warmer temps by the end of the week.
Good times.
This winter has been unrelenting in terms of storms, cold temps and all around crappy conditions.
BMXers in the northeast have been hit particularly hard by this nasty weather and are collectively just about ready to say good riddance to old man winter.
Thankfully, this weekend brings two big events that will put a spring in the step of BMXers of just about every stripe in the northeast.
The first is the annual Toronto BMX Jam. The unofficial kickoff to the contest season and an excuse for BMXers to get a bit of a BMX party going on, the Toronto BMX Jam is a contest that gets people’s stoke factor to go off the charts. Set up as part of the Toronto International Bicycle show (kind of like a mini-Interbike), it features the Toronto BMX Jam, a flatland contest, indoor racing (mostly MTB these days) and a jumping competition.
The riding is unbelievable, the crowd is loud and chances are that you’ll run into riding buddies you haven’t seen for ages. So much fun. I’ll be there Saturday and Sunday and if you have the chance I hope you will too…this is one of the most fun BMX events of the year.
Did I mention the riding is unbelievable? Check out this clip from the finals last year.
The second big event is at Ray’s MTB Cleveland.
This coming weekend they will be hosting 3 (really) big names in BMX: Rick Moliterno, Harry Leary and Stu Thomsen.
That’s almost BMX royalty right there!
If you’re a BMX nerd like me, you know those guys have some stories to tell. Much respect for those dudes.
So if winter has got you down, these events might be the cure for what ails you. Check ’em out if you get a chance.
If you’re on Facebook and you’re interested in some (almost) daily 24″ news and BMX-related shenanigans, you should definitely check out (and ‘like’) the Cruiser Revolution Facebook page.
In addition to links to current posts, you’ll also find reader bike photos (don’t forget to post your own), cool videos, and other assorted fun stuff.
It’s just another way to get your fix of 24″ BMX news and information.
Putting the "Face" in Facebook
What you may have missed
It was loud, crazy and over the top.
This weekend’s Toronto BMX Jam was one for the record books. Qualifying was crazy and had many shaking their heads wondering what the next day’s Finals would bring.
A couple of serious crashes started the Pro Finals and threatened to put a damper on the whole day. Thankfully, after a short break in the action the momentum of the contest picked up again. Then it was one banger after another. The crowd got back into it and things got insane.
Riders were going off but none more so then Drew Bezanson. Dedicating his final trick to his injured friends, he blew the lid of the Better Living Centre in Toronto with a crazy icepick/feeble stall. Just nuts!
Check out the video.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Time to gas up the car, get a bus ticket or hop on a plane because it’s going to be non-stop BMX in Toronto this weekend. The Toronto International Bicycle Show is here and it includes a flatland contest, an old school indoor BMX race and the Toronto BMX Jam.
But is it really worth going?
Just check out this clip from last year’s Toronto BMX Jam to get an indication of what goes down at this annual event.
Or maybe check out this video of Drew Bezanson that’s being blowing up the internet for the last day or two. If this is what he does for a video clip…imagine what he’s going to throw down in the contest.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
If you were a BMX kid in the 80s you probably remember the old school style of indoor racing with concrete floors, wooden jumps and smooth stadium tires.
Nowadays if you’re lucky enough to have an indoor track to race at, you’re racing in dirt. Vintage BMX actually featured a thread on this topic recently and it seems that a lot of people remember the old school races and are hankering for them again. It certainly brought back memories for me…my first race was an old school indoor race like that.
But those days are long gone, right?
Maybe not!
Turns out Brent Smith, the guy behind the super fun Orangeville race series, does an annual race at the Toronto International Bicycle show. This year the organizers asked if he could do it again but this time without dirt. So Brent reached into his bag of tricks and decided to go way back and kick it old school! Flat turns, concrete floors and wooden jumps…this is going to be a total blast from the past. Clips aren’t going to help you here!
If you’re within driving distance of Toronto (March 5-7) you should make a point of making it out anyway ..not only is there wall-to-wall bicycle vendors but there’s a freestyle contest and flatland contest going on as well.
For more details on the race, check out the Facebook group, Toronto Bike Show MTB and BMX race and jump comps.
Legends Tinker Juarez and Jeff Kosmala tearing up an indoor track back in the day.
You might think that I would be a little disappointed after going to the Toronto bicyle show with a whole laundry list of things to buy and coming away with almost none of it…but you would be wrong my friend. Maybe it’s because my quest for the elusive gold anodized valve caps was realized this weekend. Yes, I’m now the proud owner of a sweet pair of vintage gold anodized valve caps. Wade Nelson, upon hearing of my quest, walked over and up and gave me the valve caps right off his bike…whatta guy.
The Toronto BMX Jam contest was, as usual, off the hook crazy (do the kids still say that?). I originally planned to check out some racing and flatland too but the freestyle stuff was just to strong a draw. Freestyle is just so ridiculous now…and I mean that in a good way.
Sitting there in the bleachers watching some crazy riding go down, the Iron Maiden blasting and surrounded by a bunch of old friends trading BMX stories (and a new pair of gold valve caps) it seemed that all was right with the world.
This weekend, March 13-15, is one of the biggest events on the BMX calendar for Southern Ontario. It’s the Toronto International bicycle show and there is wall-to-wall BMX stuff to check out or ride in. There’s the Toronto BMX Jam, a flatland comp/demo, racing (cruiser class, anyone?) and BMX videos being premiered Saturday night at the Cadillac Lounge. If you’re within driving distance of Toronto, this is not an event to miss.
I’ll be there, checking out all the action on Saturday and Sunday. If you’re lucky, you may even get one of the new cruiser revolution stickers. They look a lot like this:
cruiser revolution 
