As a kid, there was a certain magic to getting a new frame, or hell, even a new part. Especially when it was something that you KNEW was not only rad looking, but also built to last - it is a feeling I still get today. Any part I’ve purchased from S&M Bikes usually fits that bill, as they continue their tradition of hand-building frames, forks and bars in California for S&M, Fit, and Metal. Vital has a video tour of their operations led by Sean McKinney, shot in October by Bret Rohlfing. Always dig this kind of behind-the-scenes look into turning raw metal into rolling machines.
Related: FBM Shop Tour
Endless lines at Woodward. Photo from the Camp Woodward site.
The Penn State Daily Collegian has a recent article about the BMX pros who call the area around State College, PA home, so they have full-time access to the Woodward sports camp. The article features interviews with Jamie Bestwick and Chad Kagy and gives some good history on the camp, with insights from Woodward main man, Gary Ream.
Interesting to read all of their thoughts on the popularity of BMX, and how Woodward helps this progression.
Check out the full article: here
They also have a couple of slide shows with audio: here
Recently, I was on the hunt for a set of 3/8″ forks with 990 brake mounts for a new bike I’m working on. I was looking for options, and stumbled upon some SNAFU forks shown on the Sidewall Distribution site. I rang them up to see what they had in stock, and though they didn’t have any of the SNAFUs, they had some ‘07 Hoffman’s with the specs I was looking for. I ordered that and a Simple Copenhagen sprocket.
After about a week of awaiting the arrival of my shipment, and not seeing anything, I dropped Scott in their sales department an email, and he figured out the issue on their end, and apologized for the delay. He mentioned he’d be dropping something “special” in my shipment, and that I’d get it in a day or two. Sure enough, in two days, I had the forks and sprocket I paid for, PLUS a Hoffman “Broke Off” DVD and a set of Hoffman grips. Nice. So unexpected, and it really made up for the delay.
So, if you’re in the market for Hoffman, Simple, SNAFU, Props, Coalition or any of the other brands they distribute, I highly recommend checking out Sidewall’s Outlet store here: http://www.shopsidewalldistro.com/home.php They’ve got some amazing deals on close-outs, blems, and overstocks. Tell ‘em Jeremy from BMX Roots sent ya.
Oh, man, I’m drooling over this eye candy…
Knight Bike Co have released their vintage Pro-Neck style stems for all of you who want something truly different for your threadless headset bikes. Featuring an etched Curb Dogs Bulldog logo (courtesy of Maurice Meyer) in place of the old Tuf Neck tiger, and a nice array of classic colors, these would be perfect for a retro-fied modern bike, or even better, on a Knight Squareback - their 24″ throwback frame.
Get on over to Knight and check out their array of vintage-influenced parts, as well as their modern work. Note that George at Knight knows his BMX history - they were one of the primary sponsors of the Tuff Love art show last year.
Mayhem and Metal from SBC. Photo by Jeremy Schutte.
As planned, I got the Standard Stronger Than All video in the mail this week from Goodtimes, and I’ve watched it three times since. That’s three times through both DVDs. See, the first one is all about the Standard Army, section after section of their riders, both US and European, tearing it up both on their bikes and off. The footage is cut with archival military footage and some home-grown destruction. The second DVD has separate riding sections from 13 of the guys in the videos. Street, parks and mini-ramps are well-represented here, with a small bit of trail action.
The footage spans a number of years, and you see it in the various styles of riding throughout. Front brake tricks, no brakes, boosts, foot-jams, lip-tricks, rail grinds, giant gaps, flairs, ledge grinds, whips, manuals; they all come fast and with abandon. Guys like John Rodgers, Drew York and Bommel throw down the latest tricks, with massive lines and flow. Vets like Rob Ridge, Jaimy Spreitzer and Rick Moliterno show just how they’ve been getting it done for years. None of the riders featured here currently have podium spots on the X-Dew-Action Tours, nor are they necessarily the riders blogged about or with multi-page magazine interviews. They rip anyway, period. And, there are a number who will be the riders generating the chat on a message board near you, soon.
In these times of HD and exquisitely shot bmx videos, with the bar being raised everyday, there is a certain beauty in the rawness that Standard has delivered with Stronger Than All. Some of the night riding is lit with flares, a couple of the edits appear to be self-shot, and the DVD menu, or lack therof, makes me crazy. Yet what matters to me is that STA makes me want to put on my headphones, crank the Dead Kennedys, and ride like hell. This video is purely about riding and pushing what can be done on a 20-inch bmx. Make notes when watching it - this video will remind you of how much fun you should be having on your bike.
Get it for $19.95 plus shipping from Goodtimes, now, though I’m sure it will be available other places soon. Check out the following promo videos that Standard put out in 2006-07 teasing the release of STA.
Local Exposure Tour 4. In Arizona, 2007. Photo by Ryan Fudger.
Hot on the heels of Alan Cooke’s RV Check over on Vital, there’s news from Allan’s brother Aaron, about the 2008 Local Exposure Tour. You can help them pick the places they’re going to hit in April. Not too many other sports allow you such access and influence with the pros.
Check it out:
2008 will mark the 5th year that we take Local Exposure Tour (LET) on the road. We have some amazing things planned for the pros and the participants! We are looking for your support to determine where we take LET in 2008!
Email us at letusknowwhatsup@localexposuretour.com and speak up if you want us to come to your local park! Based on where we have traveled in the past, 2008 is going to either visit the North West (Southern CA, Oregon, Washington) or the North East (Greater New England area).
2007 was an amazing tour with the most pro riders we have ever had on the road at once and the biggest prize for amateur riders who participated in the tour. “The Golden Ticket” Champion Marcos Torres received flight and hotel for the first two stops of the AST Dew Tour Qualifiers and he is still enjoying a full year of product from most LET sponsors.
Local Exposure Tour is a creation of pro BMX rider Allan Cooke that puts some of the top pros in BMX Park, Street and Dirt on a RV for a road trip before the contest season begins at the end of April. The purpose of the trip is to have fun, but along the way discover some of the best in unknown amateur BMX riders and give them exposure from the BMX Magazines, sponsors web sites, Fuel TV and year end DVD that we produce. The pros will visit six bike parks in the duration of the tour and at each stop pick one rider that impressed them the most. At the end of the tour an overall champion will be chosen by the pro riders and a huge package of travel money and product sponsorship will be won! On top of all the goods the Champion will also be invited to attend the next years LET on the RV with all the pro riders.
Hit the LET website for videos, photos and more from previous years…www.localexposuretour.com
It has been eight years since Standard has released a team video, and based on everything I’ve heard as well as the preview video that has been on YouTube for a while, I have no reason to think that it will be anything less than outta control. I’ll have a full review as soon as the DVDs arrive and I dig into it.
Head over to the Goodtimes site to check out all of the details, and order one up by calling them direct. There’s also a sneak peek at some new SBC product on the site as well.
Craig “gOrk” Barette (Redline’s Marketing Director, and O/S BMXer), or krog, as he’s known on the Vintage BMX forums, just posted a link to a video of “Fish” Johnson doing a 2-mile long hang-5, a few years ago. The video is almost 6 minutes long, and in the youtube comments, Fish mentions that he was hitting 30-35 mph during this downhill run in Auburn, WA, which, after living in the Seattle area, I don’t doubt at all. Pretty rad to watch, as you can see the proverbial wind in his hair (or is that a jester hat?) as he hauls down the canyon road.
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