Saturday, November 30, 2013

Matthias Dandois at Opera


Matthias Dandois at Opera from jim mckay on Vimeo.

Jim had the opportunity to fly over to Paris and film Matthias with some new combos from Matthias. Great job Jim and thanks for sending this over to me.

Source: http://www.bmxfreestyler.com/2013/05/matthias-dandois-at-opera.html

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MOVING OUT OF HERE! New site: RiderInBlack.com

Hey Friends,

I'm going to be posting at a different site from here-on-out: www.riderinblack.com

I have my specific reasons, mostly because I like the interface much more than Blogger's. I will still retain my e-mail address of dion@dionridesbikes.com, but will moving over to dion@riderinblack.com as time moves on. Eventually, I will delete this blog entirely and will be at riderinblack.com only.

So, please give me some time to move my thoughts and words over to the new site. Thanks for reading!

-Dion

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2013/09/moving-out-of-here-new-site.html

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Jorge Rodriquez for Kink!

Source: http://www.kinkbmx.com/jorge-rodriquez-for-kink/

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When I'm dancing dirty

Like Patrick Swayze...




Thanks to Shad for exposing me to these guys. I'll never be the same.

Source: http://eugenebmx.blogspot.com/2011/04/when-im-dancing-dirty.html

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Happy 43rd Birthday James McGraw


James McGraw // 43 Years Young from Global Flat on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday to James McGraw! 43 and still rolling!

Source: http://www.bmxfreestyler.com/2013/04/happy-43rd-birthday-james-mcgraw.html

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The Josh Cox Interview (2nd time around)

This is Josh Cox interview from 2009… Unfortunately the site crashed a while ago, so I’ve only just had the chance to re-issue it. Cheers again Josh! - VS
Yo…�JOSH COX: Hey man VS: We could get this interview started now if you like? JOSH COX: ok man VS: Ok… Name, age, location? JOSH COX: Josh [...]

Source: http://www.valleysidedistro.com/wordpress/?p=913

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Julian Arteaga at the Jib Spot

Julian Arteaga at The Jib Spot – More BMX Videos It doesn’t take much to keep Julian Arteaga happy. Check him out putting in some time on a few ledges and a parking block! “Badass riding at a not-so-badass spot … Continue reading →
BMX - The Union.

Source: http://www.bmxunion.com/blog/daily/julian-arteaga-jib-spot/

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Mr. B's,Kink's "Squash It" video premeire FUN.


 Been a while since my last post.Will do more often starting today.Got some things coming.Anyways , check out Central Florida local John "Stoops" Killip getting jumped over by ... (I'm sorry I wish I knew the riders name,but your still RAD). Check it!!! 


Keep it Freestyle! 

-Vic

Source: http://www.bmxfreestyler.com/2013/05/mr-bs-kinkbikes-squash-it.html

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First Impressions - Stolen Saint 24" BMX Cruiser


"You're NOT going to sell or trade this bike, right?" says my wife after I just finished putting my new 24" BMX Cruiser together.

"NO way... I'm never making that mistake again." I answer.

The mistake I was referring to, was the dumb decision of trading my Eastern Traildigger 26" BMX Cruiser for a broken (not to my knowledge) Gary Fisher MTB. It's a decision I've been regretting for awhile, and since 2010 I've wanted my BMX Cruiser back - just haven't had the extra funds to buy a new one.

Well, after some research, leveraging some cash, and taking advantage of a sweet $30 off Dan's Comp coupon code, I opted for the Stolen Saint 24". 

The new-school 24" cruisers are definitely on the come up. Old guys a.k.a. former BMX'ers in their 30's and 40's are looking back at those fun times they had terrorizing the neighborhood on their 20" bikes. However, with older bodies with muscles and joints that don't move like they did in our teens, we're looking for a BMX bike that has a little more give, sits up a little taller and yet has that "freestyle" geometry found on 20" bikes. In other words, we want to shred without committing to a small wheel bike - and thus, the 24" BMX freestyle cruiser fits the need for Dad and his curb hops and endos. Although, a younger market is starting to catch on. And Dad isn't just sticking to endos.

Sunday!, Stolen, Free Agent, Haro and others have stepped into the 24" BMX freestyle cruiser market. Subrosa and a few others are on their way. In the past, 24" cruisers were restricted to lightweight racing bikes that, quite frankly, would explode under a Clydesdale racer like me. But now, we have beefier options available that perform great on the street, park and trail.

I am racing XC next week in the local series, and I just started to feel a little burned out on training. I've been riding 100mi. a week and averaging 10,000' of climbing... so the thought of hitting the trails in lycra today just didn't seem fun. Plus, the season hasn't even started yet and I'm feeling this way - so I had to shake things up a bit. 

I decided to drive down to Santa Cruz, Ca. and hit my old spots on the new 24".


I'm not going to rehash the specs of the Stolen Saint 24"; they can be found HERE. I am, however, going to share my impressions coming from a 38 yr. old man who loves BMX down to my core.

Immediately, the Saint felt right. It just seemed to click perfectly. Bunny hopping felt good, nose wheelies felt good, my-sorry-excuses-for-manuals felt "good" and it just felt like a great riding bike. I could not feel the extra 4" of wheel on this bike - in fact, it really felt like I was riding a 20" bike. Stolen truly took the time to perfect the geometry, because at one point I forgot I was riding a cruiser altogether. In contrast to the Eastern Traildigger - I knew I was on a large cruiser atop the 26". Not this bike.

I haven't ridden BMX in awhile, so I just wanted to get my bunny hops back. I jumped some curbs, did some very small nose wheelie drops off curbs, and hopped up a ledge that was about 2ft. tall. Today's ride was 20 miles of ear-to-ear smiles. Santa Cruz was beautiful - 65� in the middle of January. 


Some of the issues I had with this bike became apparent at around mile 10. I attempted a hang-5 and the bars slipped. They actually slipped 3 times today. I jumped a curb, and I heard a CLANK! which appeared to be the stem and headset. The front hub came loose, and I had to re-grease and dial it in.  The Tektro rear brake needs to GO - it does not stop whatsoever which was a little nerve racking on West Cliff Dr. Forget about abubacas (I know you young guns can do them brakeless - but not this old fart). 

The Stolen Saint 24" is a value at +/- $400, but not without its issues. I believe the geometry and 7.5" bars match perfectly, and the stock parts seemed to do the job. Some components felt low budget (like the front hub) so I will need to dial those things in - especially that slipping stem - which I thought didn't exist in today's BMX world. However, components I can deal with... the soul of the bike is that awesome freestyle geometry.

I recommend the Stolen Saint 24" to anybody looking at getting into the 24"BMX Freestyle revolution. For more information about this bike and the variety of other cruisers available on the market, check out the experts at Cruiser Revolution.

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2013/01/first-impressions-stolen-saint-24-bmx.html

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Fly ? Coastin? ? Part 3

The final part of the Fly Bikes “Coastin’” video series… If you have seen the previous two, you already know this is one must see video you need to hit play on! Check it! “BMX is about discovery; getting out … Continue reading →
BMX - The Union.

Source: http://www.bmxunion.com/blog/daily/fly-coastin-part-3/

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Bears Bike Bmx 2010 Online Team Video

Erik Saunders over at VP-USA recently showed me this video of some of the VP test riders over the waters… Makes for good viewing, check it out!

Source: http://www.valleysidedistro.com/wordpress/?p=1107

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Adventures in BMX: BMX groms, saving a pill zombie's life and getting amped for OSBMXR...


I just don't get this kind of experience on my MTB. Maybe it's because I'm too busy chasing Strava segments. Anyway.

Sunday is my designated BMX day... and that's when I injure myself so much, it's actually relaxing to MTB. Currently I have random bruises, scrapes, and a kinked neck. I tell people this: the reason why I don't crash on my MTB is because I use all my crash tokens riding my BMX. It's true.


Whenever I ride, I always end up passing by BMX groms (little pre-teen kids) and they always check out what I'm riding, and wondering why a guy their Dad's age is scooting around on a 20" bike. I busted some manuals, 360 bunnyhops and a couple hang 5's and that got them clamoring up and asking a million questions. Here are the one's that made me LOL:


1) Do you know Ryan Nyquist? (because I ride a Haro in S. San Jose)
2) Can you bunnyhop over that? (pointing at a rail that was literally 4ft. high)
3) Can you barspin?
4) Can you flat 3?
5) How do you keep your balance like that?
6) Did you ride in the Dew Tour?
7) Do you have a son that rides BMX?
8) Why is your seat so high? (I have a WHOPPING 5" of seatpost showing)
9) Why do you have so many pegs? (4)
10) Why is your bike so quiet? (Freecoaster)
11) What's a freecoaster?
12) Why don't you have a better bike? (I love my Haro! LOL.)
13) Why do you have a front brake?
14) Can you jump these stairs?
15) When did you start riding? ("When I was your age")
16) etc.

The BMX scene down here in Almaden is literally nonexistent. These kids never seen flatland, or even a hop to fastplant. Their minds were filled with barspins and tailwhips. They loved it all. Then I realized, I may be able to inspire these kids to keep riding just by being an old man on a bike showing them how to do a few things.

Then I realized I'd be a fuggin' awesome BMX dad. THEN I realized, this is how BMX has survived over the years. This is why us old guys can't stop. There are generations ahead of us that need to be inspired. Anyway, I taught them how to to footjam tailwhips and got them thinking about wall rides. One kid even learned how to peg manual. My work was done... so I thought.

Then there was this chick:



So, I'm riding home (jazzed for a little Game of Thrones action) and I see this female stumbling across the parking lot with bare feet. Then she went up to a Ford Club Wagon and was trying to open it with a Scion key. Then she paused, got all wobbly, then tried some more. So I stopped her, and asked her some questions - then I asked her if I could try and I took her keys from her. She was so high, she didn't even resist. I told her to sit down and asked her if there was anybody she knew or family or friends that could come get her. No cell, no ID... she said her boyfriend jumped out of the car. I stayed with her and she was talking gibberish, talking about how "Jared cheated on her with a girl from Facebook" and "...you can be from Jupiter and align with the spirits. Then I asked if she was drinking and if she took some pills.

"I took some pills last night..."

"What about today?"

Dead stare. Like Walking Dead. PILL ZOMBIE!

So I called 911 and P-Marshall's doppelganger showed up and I took off.

Nobody was going to help this poor girl and God forbid the Club Wagon was actually her's and she went off driving, high on 'scrips.

BMX always provides weird adventures. I highly recommend you get one.

Old School BMX Reunion

All those who have been invited to OSBMXR 2013 and are attending are starting to post comments, pictures and videos. I am so friggin' amped to go, I haven't been this excited about BMX in a long time. I'm starting to feel really dialed with my Haro, and it's time to start going for things like fakie tree rides and 360's off things now. It's strange, because after getting back into BMX, I thought I was pretty much keeping it to flatland - but now that I have a do-it-all bike, I've found joy in street riding again. I forgot how decent I was at it, so the new bike has opened up new doors for me. 

Here's Maurice "Drob" Meyer (of the infamous Curb Dogs) and old school freestyler, Rick Allison, doing it right. I don't know neither Drob nor Rick outside of just a little back and forth on Facebook, but it looks like both freestyle icons are ready to roll. According to Rick's FaceBook posts, he is now here in California (SoCal). I remember him being a total showman - looks like nothing has changed! If you ever come up to NorCal, Rick, you got a crew to ride with.

Maurice "Drob" Meyer - hip transfer with a flattie

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2013/04/adventures-in-bmx-bmx-groms-saving-pill.html

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Friday, November 29, 2013

DIG ? 15 Second Friday: Kevin Porter

DIG dropped a new 15 Second Friday for us to enjoy. This time around we’ve got style for miles from the one and only Kevin Porter! Enjoy!
BMX - The Union.

Source: http://www.bmxunion.com/blog/daily/dig-15-second-friday-kevin-porter/

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Reflections on the Old School BMX Reunion (OSBMXR) at Woodward West - a FIRST TIMER Perspective

Now that I've had a week gone by, it's given me time to reflect on my time spent at the OSBMXR. Being a first timer, I wasn't sure what to expect; Steve Swope's itinerary helps some, but not all. I hope my report helps other first timers get a feel of what to expect and what to bring. Also, there's a little insight of how this event changed me.

Tehachapi, Ca.

Tehachapi is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Even as a MTB'er who explores the great South Bay Area, Ca. hills and forests, this place was magical. Woodward West is about 15-20 minutes outside of the small town, and everything you need for the weekend in terms of food and amenities can be found there - so if you forget your toothbrush or want to go dine out, it's just a short drive away. Nothing fancy, but whatever is there get's the job done. Since I don't eat fast food and I'm a vegetarian, my choices were limited, but I was able to "make do".


Woodward West sits at about 4000' above sea level, surrounded by mountains and green meadows. Wildlife has found its place there, as cottontail bunnies, deer and snakes wander about the Lodge at all times of the day. At night, the coyotes can be heard within earshot howling and barking, and bats flutter about as you drive to-and-from the Lodge and hangar as the sun sets.

If you stay at Hilltop - like I did - you will bunk with other OSBMXR attendees - so if you come with a group of friends, make sure you arrange to all room up. I went alone and had a great roommate - Dean Johnstone - a vert/park rider from Bristol, UK. The rooms are bare minimum, but have a bathroom with a shower. The beds are small bunk beds, and you will need to bring your own bedding, including a sheet to cover the basic foam cushion. Bring what you need for a weekend stay: a towel, soap, oral hygiene, etc. It is very much like camping as basic as it is.


The other rooms have one single bed, and if you get one of those, I would recommend you bring a cot or air mattress to sleep on if you have roommates. Honestly, I may bring an air mattress next year, even if I do get a bunk bed. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on!

If you have an RV, trailer or camper bed, sleep in there. Rooms are $20 a night, which is a great deal, but if you are self-sufficient, sleeping in the Lodge parking lot doesn't seem that bad. Then, bother one of your friends to use their shower in the morning.

Even if you are a brown boy like me, bring sunscreen. Especially if you are white. All the outdoor riding is in direct sunlight, and you definitely get burned. Also, hydrate as one should hydrate. I was so pumped to be there, I don't think I drank enough water at all.

I would also recommend bringing an ice chest full of goodies for the weekend. Food is essentially nonexistent there unless you want to drive into town. I did buy lunch and dinner tickets, but those meals were very small. I didn't even eat the dinner. If you are on a special diet like I am, I would highly recommend you bring your own stash of food. 

Bring all the tools and small parts you think you will need. I brought extra gyro and brake cables, tubes, extra brake pads and all the tools I would need "just in case". Last thing you need is to be in BMX heaven with a bike that's unrideable.

One last recommendation for a first timer is to arrive on FRIDAY if possible. I drove 5 hours from San Jose to Tehachapi, and if I didn't have all that adrenaline going, I probably would've dropped dead. I can rally as much as a man can, but that drive starting at 5am on Saturday morning simply SUCKED. I also missed a whole day of riding on Friday. I would've preferred to arrive there on Friday, get acclimated, and took my time. Saturday, I was up from 5am to 1am, and rode all day during that time. I don't know how I did it, but I was running on octane that day.

Riding Woodward West

Woodward West has about everything you would need as a BMX'er. There are about a half dozen parks, a dirt jump area, a flatland area (which I will get into in a bit) and, of course, MEGA RAMP. You must have full pads and a helmet to ride the park.

The hangar is filled with wood structures, including a big vert ramp, a handful of mini ramps, a foam pit and a resi-ramp. There is also a "street" area with benches, rails, platforms and a banked wall ride.

Outside, there are a few cement parks, a wood park and dirt jumps. Everything is ridable - sort of like the scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Everything is eatable".

The flatland area is one to contend with, however. It was small and slanted. It was ridable, but definitely not level. You find yourself going uphill in some areas and downhill in others. Some acclimation was necessary. Stuff I would normally pull, I just couldn't pull.

Mega Ramp was gnarly. I've never seen such a structure in my life - to a planter-box guy like myself, it was terrifying. Seeing the guys ride it was incredible and is something that you have to witness yourself to appreciate it - pictures do not do it justice, especially if guys are airing 15-20ft. above the coping. Adam Carolla would say, "This is why the terrorists hate us..."


The Vibe

In reality, a BMX'er doesn't have to travel far to ride. We all have our local spots, so while Woodward West is an amazing place to ride, we don't go there for that alone. The Vibe was so positive, so uplifting and gratifying, this is the reason why people travel from all over the country to attend this event. 

I got to meet nearly all the freestylers I grew up idolizing. Not only meet them, but ride with them. If I could travel back in time to a 14 yr. old version of me and tell myself that in 24 years, I would be hanging out with Martin Aparijo - my little brain would've exploded. Standing on top of the vert ramp while Mat Hoffman and Dennis McCoy floated above my head was incredible.

Meeting guys like Jose Yanez and seeing him - in his mid-50's - still rock a backflip like he did in the movie "Rad" was mind-blowing. Speaking of "Rad" - sitting in a theater while Eddie Fiola and Martin Aparijo gave us the inside scoop of the filming and production was very entertaining. 

Vans showed up and brought 200 pairs of free shoes and a pile of free t-shirts. Others brought swag and gave it out; thanks to Primo for the hat and shirt! Special shout out to the Curb Dogs, as well. Thank you, Maurice Meyer for the shirt and being so welcoming to the NorCal crew.

The weekend was capped off with a party at the Lodge. Drinks, food, socializing and an EPIC flatland jam. My edit below says it all.

L to R: Jorge Luzuriaga, Rick Allison, Martin Aparijo, Brian Gavagan, Dave Nourie, James McGraw, Eddie Fiola and Todd Carter. Photo: Steve Peralta

The Take-A-Way

Going to this event changed me. 

Being away from technology, TV and without a constant bombardment of negativity, politics, etc. gave me time to reflect what is important to me and what is not. It made me appreciate what I have and what I'm striving for. It even set into place for me what my career means to me and what it does not mean to me. It helped me identify who I am and what I love. It put into perspective why people act the way they do - both in positive and negative ways.

I love riding. I despise racing and alpha-male dominant inspired scowl-face competition. This event put into focus why I ride - why I got into BMX and why it has called me back. I can now confidently turn away from the cross-country MTB testosterone pissing matches with a smile. That no longer matters to me. With all respect to those that race, I can see how it can fuel some. To me, however, it destroyed my passion in a major way.

I know to some, that's a lot of mumbo-jumbo, but I needed something like this to inspire me again. I was getting burned out on MTB'ing, and training for racing really was the nail in the coffin. In fact, if it wasn't for this event putting it all back into focus, I was finding it harder and harder to unhang that MTB everyday to ride, because "training" was eating away at my passion and my riding soul.

I gleefully ate my race fees and dropped out of racing Sea Otter this past weekend, and I couldn't have been more satisfied by doing so. I woke up at 7:30am (sleeping in for me) and had pancakes instead.

BMX offers freedom. The ability to be creative; to do a trick, or simply roll down the street. To me, the restrictive nature of pumping away at personal records and Strava leaderboards was really eating away at the very core of why I ride. Thankfully, 300 fellow BMX'ers helped me get my passion back.

While this event re-surged my passion for MTB'ing, I also found that BMX has no limitations for me. I discovered that I am only limited to the restrictions my mind sets. I don't have to box myself in with a title such as "flatlander" or "park rider".

As my roommate, Dean, said, "It's all BMX."



More pictures can be found by "wired" on BMXMuseum's site HERE and HERE.

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2013/04/reflections-on-old-school-bmx-reunion.html

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TIRES! Reviews of Four Budget Friendly Forte' Brand Tires from Performance Bike

Again, I have to apologize for not keeping up with my blog. This used to be a place for me to post pictures and give ride reports, but with the advent of Instagram, I've pretty much left my picture posting for there. If you want to follow me, please look me up as "dionridesbikes" - I totally appreciate the follows and especially the comments.

Today I'm going to give you a long overdue review of the Performance brand "Forte'" tires: The Dartmoor, Pisgah, Tsali and Metro. With the exception of the Metro, I've used these in a variety of situations, from racing Sea Otter to pavement use to my local trail jaunts. The Metro is a recent addition, so I'm going to offer my first ride impressions.

Performance Bike re-brands components and accessories under the Forte' name, but from speaking with the employees from the local shop, they say the source of these parts are from a variety of major manufacturers (Kenda was mentioned as being a manufacturer of many of their tires). All of these tires are under $20, which is a great value during these rough economic times.

The Dartmoor


I was initially turned on to the Dartmoor for it's tread pattern. When I was looking at a tire to be used as a rear for Sea Otter, I liked the idea of a fast rolling rear with low treads that would handle well on a hard-packed XC course. Looking closer at the tread pattern, it resembles the Schwalbe Furious Fred tire, claimed by Schwalbe to be the fastest rolling tire they offer; however, the Dartmoor is just 1/5 of the price of a Furious Fred. Unfortunately, after test riding the Sea Otter course, I swapped this out for the Tsali, which are reviewed furthered down.

As suspected, the Dartmoor handles well for the hard-packed situations where the ground is stable; loose pebbles and such will render this tire useless. It rolls fast, and does well at low tire pressures, such as 25PSI. With raised knobs on the side, it corners surprisingly well, but only when the loose gravel is nonexistent. The folding bead version comes in at a wonderfully light 524g (claimed weight), so you weight-weenies out there can sleep well at night.

Currently, these tires are on my vintage KHS Montana Pro. Since I baby my vintage ride a bit, I stick to fire roads and these tires work extremely well for those days on the dirty hills. For anything aggressive, such as all-mountain riding, I would recommend looking for something else. They roll fast with the compromise of no knobby traction.

For a commuter or adventure tire, I would highly recommend this as a choice to consider. For dirt paths and exploration, the Dartmoor offers a great alternative to pavement-specific tires that are difficult to navigate through the dirty stuff.

The Pisgah


I have chosen the Pisgah as a front tire on my On-One 456 Single Speed. It rolls great for a front tire and traction is very good. Coming hard into corners is done with confidence and it is wearing quite well given the conditions have been dry and scratchy; I ride pavement to the trails which probably wears them a bit faster. I have run this tire as low as 23PSI without any pinch flats; claimed weight is at 740g. For a 26 X 2.3 tire, I don't think 740g is too much of a weight disadvantage.

As a rear, I think I would choose something else unless the conditions warrant a heavier knobbied tire. The larger knobs are somewhat resistant to faster rolling, but they are ramped to offer some roll-ability.

The Tsali


For Sea Otter, I ran these both front and back. I am now using this as a rear on my SingleSpeed, and, unfortunately, it has worn very fast. The tread pattern reminds me of an off-road/dirt bike trials tire: knobby enough for some traction, but low, ramped tread for speed. I have mounted these ghetto tubeless without issue, and with inner tubes, I've gone down to lower air pressures without issue.

I like how fast this tire rolls, but the compromise of wear is bothersome. I would love this tread pattern in a compound that lasted a bit longer.

The Metro



I recently installed the 700X35c versions of these tires on a set of 29'er wheels and squeezed onto my Leader 510H frame (26'er frame). My first impressions of these tires have been positive: great feeling compound, light at 430g, rolls fast, comfy, and supple. These are a much better tire than the cheap hybrid tires I had on before. They provide a much better cushion than my previous tires, but roll much better.

I look forward to seeing how well these wear over time. I would recommend these for touring and commuting.



I wanted to offer my impression of these tires in case you had your doubts. These are simply re-branded tires from an array of major manufacturers, and I have trusted them on my local jaunts and even my modest stint at the Sea Otter Classic.

If you are looking for sub-$20 tires that provide great performance, the value of the Forte' line will be hard to beat.

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2012/09/tires-reviews-of-four-budget-friendly.html

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Chepstow Bowl Jam

The Chepstow Bowl Jam is always good times, pop down and have a good time! I know it’s the highlight of Baz’s year so you better be there.


Related posts:Finally Chepstow bowl Finally got round to going to a couple of...Chepstow Bowl jam 2007 Guess it’s that time of year, sun has shown...Trails video [...]

Related posts:

  1. Finally Chepstow bowl Finally got round to going to a couple of...
  2. Chepstow Bowl jam 2007 Guess it’s that time of year, sun has shown...
  3. Trails video and Chepstow jam The Cheptstow jam is upon us so I guess...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blewbmx-news/~3/NqcR23E_k58/

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Ramblings: Disconnecting from the forums | BMX State of Mind | New Dropper Post

Disconnecting

I recently did myself a favor and logged off MTBR and other forums completely. While these forums provide great info, insight, advice, etc. they also provide a big distraction from work and responsibilities. Admittedly, I had a problem with them (MTBR in particular) - I'd get sucked into conversations, get into internet "flame wars" (I know - it's very stupid), I'd get "trolled"... and the very reason why I joined these forums was fading away into obscurity.

Also, I'd get real upset over stuff in these forums, and feel real stupid for letting this stuff bother me. I'd ask myself "Why?" - most of these people are strangers, anonymous people behind screen names... so why was I getting sucked into these types of conversations?

I have lurked in to get some info on my new Jek, but that's about it. I still did not log-in.

While I enjoyed the local banter, I am over the trolling and flaming. I feel better - like I eliminated negative people in my life. Fuckin' first world problems...

I know, it's very silly. A grown man shouldn't be pondering this BS, but a grown man shouldn't be doing tricks on a BMX bike by most peoples standards. 

BMX State of Mind

More silliness.

I've turned this thing into my mantra. I believe it was The Come Up that originally came up with this, and I've owned it since. 

I love this saying. For the past 22-some-odd years after quitting BMX, I feel like I've been searching for "me". Meaning, I've looked into motorcycles, fixed gear bikes, MTB'ing, trials riding, road riding, etc. but I've never felt "me" doing these things. Like, "...yeah, that's fun... but not quite."

It was real bad in my mid-20's: I remember feeling "bored" and out-of-sorts... like something was missing. I was super depressed, in fact, I've battled with depression for many years - always yearning to feel "right".

There is something about freestyle BMX riding that has made me feel whole again. Like, a complete person, and I can't pinpoint what it is about riding that 20" bike that makes me feel this way. It could be the care-free creativity that comes with it; or possibly the freedom to be able to do anything your mind can come up with. The level of riding we see today shows there are no boundaries. It could be that it is completely void of mano-a-mano competition - those alpha-male pissing contests that runs rampant in XC MTB'ing and even worse in road bike riding. Maybe BMX satisfies my self-diagnosed AAHDD.

Whatever BMX does to stimulate that little grey organ rattling around in my skull - it does it. I don't quite find that in MTB'ing. While I love MTB'ing, it does not do what BMX does for me on a cognitive level.

So, I've adopted "BMX State of Mind" as a silly saying and have applied it in all facets of my life, from my marriage to my profession. To me, it says to live life without boundaries. To - in a figurative way - "grab your bike and walk out the front door". To live life creatively. To appreciate even the smallest positive effort, because in that effort, if built upon, will turn into huge things later. Doing positive things repetitively becomes internalized and becomes a habit that you can teach others. To congratulate people on things that would normally go unnoticed. To learn from young and old. To squash the bullshit and negativity by ignoring it. To push boundaries and make your own rules about life. To not think outside the box, but to not even have a "box". This, to me, is living life in the "BMX State of Mind".

BMX'ers turn simple, everyday things, into all-day sessions. Empty parking lots, a curb, a set of stairs... even a garage floor. You don't need anything but the earth, gravity and your bike to make magic happen. Making use of the environment and evolving with it. Rolling with what has been provided and building upon it. I have chosen this attitude to permeate everything I do. 

A note to my fellow Old-Schoolers: I know we like to bask in our former glory. I am equally as guilty. I know we like to hang on to tricks we did 25-30 years ago and still do them - there is nothing wrong with that. However, we should grow; evolve. We should watch and learn from the younger riders and ask questions. Get pointers. Try stuff we never did "back in the good ol' days" because either we were too scared to do it or it hadn't been invented yet. My riding is rapidly progressing simply because I'm looking at BMX with fresh eyes. I want to update my efforts, and not be stuck in 1991 for the rest of my riding life.

Here are some pics from the weekend. Learning from the younger riders and being inspired is helping me evolve as a rider.




New Dropper Post

Hey, 100mm X-Fusion HiLo for $140 off FeeBay, brand new? I couldn't pass it up. Now, just waiting for that damn firm fork spring to arrive. 

Source: http://www.dionridesbikes.com/2013/05/ramblings-disconnecting-from-forums-bmx.html

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Video Game: ?etchNride? (By Wesley Luyten)

Belgian BMX racer�Wesley Luyten (of bmxaction.net/feelbmx.com�fame!), has�in recent years turned his focus to computer game programming. His latest project is “etchNrider”, simple concept, you draw your�course, then you ride it! Brilliant!It looks as if you’re only really limited by your own creativity, and perhaps your drawing skills -�I’ll say it again Brilliant! And it’s obviously�got [...]

Source: http://www.valleysidedistro.com/wordpress/?p=1083

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