Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

What with my recent house move & the fact that my job is 'seasonal' I've not had a great deal of time to post to the blog lately. So, I just wanted to post a little something to wish you a great festive period this year, hopefully Santa will bring you all those lovely BMX parts you have been wishing for ;-)

Seriously though, have a great one my friends!

I hope I get to catch up with some of you too...

Support Union & your Tea...

4down dist are giving away 200 Bicycle Union Tea coasters to the 1st 200 emailers. Got mine in the post today & very nice they are too ;-)

"all you have to do is put your name and address in the mail, and keep an eye out for the postman."

Go to it!

FlyBikes on your coffee table...

Fly have their book out in the shops & it's also available for download. Full of great riding shots, product pictures & some arty stuff, this would make a nice addition to your coffee table, prestige titles...

go have a look

1-Y-O-2-DAY!

Yo! the blog is one year old today so I thought I would say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed here over the past 12 months. It's been good, so here's to another year & please leave a comment or make a post of your own again soon...

cheers dudes!

10-Q: Ibbo...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

I remember meeting a guy called Nigel who lived in my street and he had a dk, shiny as fook and that was it I wanted one, just used to hack round as kids do skids n endos with the front brake all the way.

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

My first bmx was a firebird freestyler with red mags full white twin tt and sit bars, pegs welded to the forks and them wrap around bar things at the back and I remember the day I did a bunny hop on it smashed my shin to bits on the metal pedals and pissing with blood, but I didn’t give a toss I just pulled a bunny hop.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

Well when I get off my arse and ride I like to ride small stuff ya can play about on ramps walls even grit bins anything that’s got a line or looks cool to play with, road cone and some pallets that will do me, I just ride cuz I want to and as long as I’m having fun its good with me.

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

Ok
fire bird
Peugeot vitus with freds heads four 4pc bars (found in hedge in town)
diamond back aero,
next few were just frame swaps
homeless soulbro (was ians and rays before)
haro shredder delux (what a weapon)
homeless Mack (got robbed)
standard copy thing (all I could afford)
then I got a full build condor in chrome.
(think chafe has the frame still)
then
federal nation custom (what a bag of shite that frame was)
swapped frame for a khe dirty harry,
that got robbed too wink wink
(I want this bike so bad so it was what I got.)
Terrible one progression (why did I sell it)
then full flybikes1 pantera set up,
and now
t1 barcode (stick to what ya know best, not quite a progression but the next best thing)

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

Getting out of hand, pegs that cost £100 FUCK THAT! not in to all the light weight stuff I just ride the thing, if it rolls its good and if ya think about it ya got on ok in the old days with what was on offer so ill keep on it tar.

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

Well I’d just go for what I got now t1 barcode Joe rich sig, but with one of them new khe street coaster hubs on the rear, as I'm too poor to ever buy one myself.

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

Ufo gyro lasted about a month, and worked like a bag of shite, but god did that blue rim look sexy.

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

Well I’ll always look up to Ian and Ray, I’ll never forget seeing them both ride at the old red mini in s/b park WOW and now its like I’m one of the older riders out there. Kind of makes ya smile to think I did some thing and stuck at it with my life, I’ve seen so many faces come and go and those two are still going old oops I mean strong, sorry boys

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

Tail whip nosepicks I love that trick makes me weep..(Rob ridge rules)

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

Don’t ride just to look cool ride because you want to and enjoy every bit of it, you’ll have a blast and meet some very close friends, bit long I better have two number plates lmao

10-Q: Alex...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

I was 10 and my mate who I rode bikes with was 13. He told me about these "new" bikes from America that had wheels that were un-buckleable and they only had 5 spokes. I thought it strange. How could less spokes make the wheel stronger?

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

My first BMX was a blue and silver Ultra Burner for my 11 ^th birthday. It had blue flames up the seat tube, a big fat blue front tire and blue ally "V" bars. The guarantee from the Raleigh dealer was so good that I took the bike back every few weeks for new bars and pedals (cracked bars and collapsed pedals). They even rebuilt the back wheel for me once.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

I guess transition riding but only cos street takes more effort and strength. Tricks don't matter, just being on my bike is good enough. If you cycle to the park, you have already had a good session before you even get there!

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

1- 1982 - Ultra Burner

2- 1983 - Diamond Back Silver Streak

3- 1984 - 84 Haro Sport (I've just bought one of these, should be here next week)

4- 1990 - Bully Bashguard

5- 1991 - S&M Dirtbike, Black

6- 1993 - S&M Dirtbike, Purple

7- 1994 - S&M Dirtbike, Black

8- 1997 - S&M Dirtbike NG, Black

9- 1997 – S&M 24" challenger

10- 1998 - S&M Dirtbike, OS, Red

11- 1999 - S&M Challenger, Blue

12- 2000 - S&M Kris Bennet, Black

13- 2002 – S&M PBR, Raw

11 (again) - 2003 - S&M Challenger, Blue (same bike rebuilt)

14- 2006 – S&M LAF

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

I can't really comment as I am well out of any BMX goings on and not part of the industry at all. I think if you have been around long enough to see a fashions come and go, and then come back, you always look at it differently, whether its tight jeans & 80s rock or its light weight bike parts and bright paint jobs.

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

There is nothing I want / need really. Maybe a ramp park in Oxford (does that count as a bike part?

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

Probably the 1" S&Ms I have been buying over the last few years. Oh well, at least its not Hutch or VDC I have a passion for!

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

Any and all of the riders who kept things going over the 90s and spend many hours travelling across the country (and world) to ride very poor ramps.

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

Probably a proper lookback or turndown. I'm not bothered about tricks but you'd think I could do those 2 by now!

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

Id recreate the one I made in 1991 (see pic below). At a time when there there was 1 BMXer to every 10 Skaters.

Alex/Table/Somewhere

cheers Alex

Roll on 20s Blog...

This guy has a blog which reports from NYC & Brooklyn banks & is a good read. Good foto's (check the links below) so go spend some time there...

Table

Another Table

10-Q: Chaz...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

I'd ridden mountain bikes riding trails for a few years, but there is just no motivation in terms of other riders, video parts, etc (at least at that time). As soon as i rode trails on my 100 Stone Macneil Miron (at Woburn Sands) my mind was changed forever, it felt sooo much better. Never looked back.

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

My first bike was a Dyno Compe but never really rode it. The proper one was a Miron OG weighed a tonne, but was a treat. Seventies wheels, Reagle Beagles, Pitchforks, Primo Rod, GT cranks, the lot mate. Fondest memory, maybe riding this giant nipple thing in Leam with Nck n Charlie, or many street rides with Maza, Beefy, Minter, n those boys.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

Trails. Wish uni was that easy! I don't see it changing for a long time either! Although i have a huge passion for old school concrete too. At the mo, I just love going really fast, riding oposite way and manualing. Just hitting oposite hips fast and high feels soo good. Don't really do many tricks any more.

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

I've had 6 different frames including the Dyno. And many many different parts along with them. Currently a Freebird, which apparently convinced Doyle to ride a Kink upon seeing me ride mine.

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

I don't really pay much attention, except i think it's very trendy orientated. Not to say I don't follow some, but i tink some are worth it and others are just money making PR activities to convince the kids they need.

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

Probably a 21 250L Standard or an FBM Deployer, both are amazing. Just get some light but strong bits, and some of the new chrome Slam xlt's!

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

Maybe skinny fit jeans, haha?! Probably an obscene amount of seats, seem to have a fetish for seats!

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

The Fortes, James Brookes, Scott Edgeworth, Lima, all the Uk trail builders (Epsom, Winchester, Colehill, Kiddy, Woburn, etc!), Chase Hawk nowadays, but mainly UK trail riders. Poll from Kidlington trails defo since day one. Just love the flow of trails, just going really high and fast and style. I'd much rather see simple stuff cliccckkkkkked than the big new tricks. Nice table any day!

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

Probably 3 turndowns (see Doyle, Brookes, Kye Forte, Edgeworth, Chase's one on Empire DVD) for good examples. Such a good trick when done proper good.

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

Probably 'Real riders are drunk' or '4get park. 4ever trails.' Yeh that's a rad one. That last one. Dialled.

11. PS www.blewbmx.com for regular updates from me, along with 2 guys from Oxford area, one living in Cardiff for uni too. It's sweet. Add it to your favourites.


cheers Chaz

10-Q: Sboy...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

I first saw BMX on a halfords advert in a magazine, it looked so cool, motocross on bikes, we were into Junior Kickstart in a big way anyway, so BMX was a godsend. After that we used to go to halfords and drool over their very limited range of bmx components and accessories. It was when I saw Bob Haro riding at the NEC on tele, doing a show that I got fully hooked. The film ET helped too.

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

The first bike I had was a MT Racing Silver Fox, it was a taiwanese built complete bike, I think it cost my dad £129, which was probably alot of money in 1983. My fondest memory of it was how wicked it looked, all shining and the spokes glinting in the sunlight. The next best memory of it was when I snapped the frame jumping the big doubles at Drayton BMX track, I felt really proud that I'd snapped a frame.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

I've always loved dirt jumping and street riding the most. They seem the most pure to me. Ramps are cool too i suppose. My best trick at the moment IS riding, just being on it. I dont really do tricks anymore.

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

prob about 7 or so. Loved each and everyone of them!

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

I'm not in the scene enough to know what state its in. I hope its in a healthy state and good mates arent becoming enemies cos its turned into a money thing for them.

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

If money was no object I'd build a massive skatepark. 24" Light Blue Floval Flyer, flite cranks, gold araya 7xs, hutch beartraps, SE powerwing bars, elina lightning bolt seat, comp 3s, A'ME tri's, and not a Dia Compe MX1000!!

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

Burger King.

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

Vic Murphy and the Dirt Bros, Matt Hoffman, James Shepherd and Ruben Castillo, Lee inSultimier, Taj, Joe Rich, Ruben Alac, Jerry Galley of course, Union lot, Lemsip, You.

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

540 tyre tap, turn down, alley oop 50-50

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

"Lets get her man"

Sunil/Fastplant/Playstation London

cheers Sunil

10-Q: Bob Khol...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

We had grown tired of ' stool mx ' at Drayton school.

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

MMmmmmmmm pretty sure it was a chrome DP !! freestyler , and the memory would have to be putting it on two chairs so i could elevate it above the ground pretending to ride it , as it was all finished bar 2 black skyway wheels.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

Favourite type of riding is flatland. Favourite trick is anything dialled really. Although the triple decade 99.99% was as near to the' Hall of Fame' as i have been.

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

Dp freestyler , reynolds531 ?, TRM ( on loan) , Bully , The legendary ' Big Daddy' , Hoffman EP, Dividual, KGB pysconnecta and Pysconnexion. So 9 i guess. But just round that up to ten cause i know i missed something.

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

Industry! We have way more choice than we did back then. Its just everyone needs to sell their product more than anyone else.

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

Done it mate, The Ti project this year was pretty much the bike that i wanted to build and was equally functional.

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

A black reynolds frame from Trinders bike shop. lightweight tubing , it was wrecked in 10 minutes.

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

Definately plywood hoods for me , cause thats the direction my riding went in.

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

Still want to ride a cliffhanger some day , i reckon 100 hours of practise may be enough to roll it for 1 ft. 200 hours = 2ft...........you get the jist.

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

No , it would say, ' Wilmaroraraman' radical cyclo dude' in a sort of backfired way.......:-)

cheers BK

10-Q: Ray Smith...

1. What was the catalyst for you getting involved in BMX?

Seeing Ian ride the old Banbury mini ramp not knowing there were still riders out there..

2. What was your first BMX bike & what is your fondest memory of that bike?

tuff one coz I had an old huffy usa import in about 1991 but I didn't ride it in the true sense of riding, first bike that I really used for "riding" was a 1995 diamond back venom. memory, hacking down the oxford road for a feeble grind on a ledge, hooking the rear peg under the wall to full on bar thrust, bending the 10mm axle fully into a hook, then going round Ian's and asking if he could fix it.

3. What is your favourite type of riding & your favourite trick at the moment?

tech mini ramp/spine/volcano. any tech trick that involves rotation.

4. How many BMX bikes have you owned since you started riding?

ummm bout 15 I think??

5. What do you think of the current state of the BMX industry?

love the technology, hate the fashion (tailwhip,tailwhip,turndown etc...)

6. If money was no object, what bike/frame/part would you go out & buy today?

eastern grim reaper titanium..

7. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever wasted your money on relating to BMX?

a chrome flybikes mosca/odyssey/RNC bike..

8. What riders have been a source of inspiration in your riding & why?

all who are different and do there own thing, ie: Kevin Porter, Matt Hoffman, Ruben etc..

9. If you could learn any trick what would that trick be?

to keep a smile on my face EVERY time I rode.

10. If you had to put on a Haro type 1 number plate on your bike with a message on it what would it say? (ie:- ‘trix R 4 kidz’)

"00".. no body expects nothing from nothing.

Ray/Banbury/tyre tap-pedal-tyre tap-opposite pedal-270 in!

Cheers Ray

subblogs 10-Q

It seems that questionnaires are so chic in the BMX industry at the moment, you cant read a mag or BMX related website without someone getting grilled about their favourite myspace site or what they had for breakfast. The problem is that a lot of the time, those Q’s are nothing to do with BMX?! Surely the whole reason you respect & are interested in a BMX rider is because they ride a BMX? Personally, I’m not the slightest bit interested in what food a rider likes to eat or what their pet dogs favourite toy is, fuck that shit… In an attempt to redress the balance (& jump on the band-wagon), I give you ‘subblogs 10-Q’ which I have randomly emailed to our members to answer. I hope this will give some insight into why we ride & other BMX related topics...

scrumdiddlyumptious...

I wonder if Ralph will hand the company over to the winner!?

my stable ..

seeing as all three are now vitally how I want them I thought i'd share them with'ya in all there glory...

each one gets riden at least twice aweek if not more..

top to bottom

street killer (gets ridden the most at the mo)

park bike..

flat bike..

Yooooooooooooo. Just a bit bored so thought I'd post up some exciting news from Bournemouth. So whats been going on I hear you ask...so I started back at uni this week, although I can't be fucked its quite good to get the old brain ticking again after a long time of riding lots n partying hard! Plus got some dope options this year, which might actualy get a bit more interesting...

Been riding a fair old bit the past 2 weeks, had some real good sessions at the new concrete park, and at good old Slades Farm. Been riding with the 5710 clothing lot a fair bit, real motivating riding with a group of guys who are ridculous and so diverse in they're riding. From pegless trail flow and style, to brakeless street ridiculousness, to shit like whip - ice - 27o in on 1/4's! Its like spectating at Backyard every other session pretty much, and makes you wana ride harder all the time.

Gave the old bike a lick of paint this morning, looks quite dope i thought, something new, might give the frame a dabble some time too.
















Go to www.bmxonline.com and check out a crash of the day vid from a coupla weeks back of a rider in a pool in dorste England or something like that. Thats me old mate Goggles, hes a ruler and has been off for 3 months, came riding first time back the other day which was real cool. heres a random pic of him not loving the camera, hes got the scar on his arm from 9 operations in 5 days! Mental crash, and then go contemplate how much you want me to take you to the pool shown in that vid! Oh yeh aparently Ash is in the new ride airing that pool for some more cheeky footage but I haven't seen Ride? So peep that.
















Right I'm done talking for now, so I'll try n add some more updates some time with good pics. Plus I'm trying to sort out a little photography/randomness site of me own so I'll keep that fresh if it happens. Heres a few random pics for your viewing pleasure... First off we've got Ollie Gun aka Dangerous Dave Dileward aka dave Gunshot with a banging opo moto over a real good box at a park we discovered a few miles away with some good hips.




















Secondly here is me mate Goth Luke from Croydon sending a dialled T down at his local, this guys rad, and loooooooooose as that. Thats lots of o's. This was from a trip we took there for a few days early summer, during June.





















Heres one of Olly under his Dave Gunshot alias, cos this tables like BOOOOOM! Down the Farm some time in summer.
















And finally, a great example of a rad dude I almost definetely would never know were it not for bikes that are to small. Greg is a ruler on and off the bike, one of my favourite people in the world ever. 6 months in Scotland is a bit rubbish but hes a commited man these days. definetely guna be missed hard by all. Greg rules - fact. Here he twists his signature amazing X up, he does them the best ever. Banbury box, taken Seotember 11, never forget.





















If you've read to here, your nuts! Hope everyones good, miss you boys and girls more than words could say, road trips down, sort it (cough...RAY!....cough)! Take care everyone, n I'll try n get some more pics up some time. Peace out. xxxxx

BK's latest ride...

So agent K gets yet another bike! After hooking up with the KGB guys in Singapore this year, Bob came home with a suitcase full of their latest stuff.

I was responsible for most of this build & completed it last night, all went together without any issues & looks nice & clean with just a front brake set-up.

Spec:

Frame: KGB Psyconexion internal/Euro, 18.6”
Forks: KGB Space, 10mm, AD lugs
Stem: KGB Trap with gyro plate
Headset: Kink internal
Bars: KGB Sarvet
Bar ends: Inertia, aluminium
Grips: KGB Rhythm
Front lever: Odyssey modulever
Front cable: Nokon
Front brake: Odyssey Evolver
Seat: Odyssey 99'er
Seat post: Odyssey Intac
Seat clamp: Profile slim jim
Cranks: Profile, 160mm. Ti Chainring bolt
Crank spindle: Profile Ti, 19mm
BB: Diamondback, euro, 19mm
Sprocket: KGB Trilogy 26t
Chain: KMC Superlite cool
Pedals: Ares 88
Front tyre: KHE Lamello Skinwall (Tyre pressure =105 lbs)
Front rim: Araya Super 7X, 48h, Odyssey rim tape
Front spokes: DT Swiss
Front hub: Proper Magnalite, 10mm, 48h
Front pegs: Bizhouse Escalator
Rear tyre: KHE Lamello Skinwall (Tyre pressure =105 lbs)
Rear rim: Araya Super 7X, 48h, Odyssey rim tape
Rear spokes: DT Swiss
Rear hub: KHE Geisha street freecoaster, 10mm stubs, 48h, 11t
Rear pegs: Bizhouse Escalator

Mods:

Custom red anodised Geisha freecoaster

in my mind this is way over due.. Ian ripping it this week, he did a gap out of the double coping spine to nose pic on the volcano and it looked amazing.... nice one Ian & good work on the pic's Josh b........

random bordom...

Did someone manage a sneaky session inside
the cargo hold of Thunderbird 2??



Could be...

midweek - park - session...

Dear diary

Managed to sneak an hour of riding in after work on Wednesday, pretty glad I did too, as staring out of my (broken) office window today, the rain is relentless…

Having not ridden for a week or so I was chomping at the bit to get back to the park for some BMX. Ray is usually in attendance & today was no exception so it was all systems go for a good time. I couldn’t get my Canadians going at all so my plan to try to learn them over the spine was put on hold for now, Ray was doing his ‘hard-enough-to-say-let-alone-do’ tricks with the usual boundless energy! 360 to pedal pick to 270 out… nice one. I made some olde-skool stuff which is always fun & almost got 270 to smith on the 7’ – next time… Craig was about but sans BMX!?

All in all, a good little mission accomplished.

kevin porter

yeah so kp has meant to have a frame and parts in the work's...leaked
by me..

Could it be true...

Morning

Saturday PM & the crew are at BK's, just the usual, hook up & talk BMX whilst the rain falls...

Well one of Bob's (many) project bikes is coming together & of course I got to play wheel-smith & build his new wheel-set. I have built quite a few wheels now & I wanted to share with you, the web site that I found to be a great resource on the art of wheel building.

Sheldon Brown's web page has all you need to know about wheel builds, it's not BMX specific but it has some great nfo. You can be lacing those hoops up in no time! More than anything, I get a great sense of accomplishment by doing the job myself.

inter bike 2006

ok so here we have some leaked stuff from inter bike

sunday frame with ribbed (for your pleasure) down tube.

odyssey vandero II.

odyssey sprocket with guard.

colony levers.

odyssey new forks with no welded dropout.

I will post up some more stuff as I get it
more stuff here.. http://www.f-bmx.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6501

were in the army now, wohuhoe were in the ar........

hey so I thought i'd show you my street bike
it is my old park bike with a jacked up seat, peg's and no brakes...

josh

nearly all the riding picture's that I post are from our good friend Josh belcher,
Josh is always on hand to take footage and picture's,
often not riding himself so as he's able not to miss anything.....
thanks for your dediction Josh please keep up the good work