sportproduct

Old School for the Next School

Being somewhat fussy about these things—actually, about everything—I found looking for a bike for my then-soon-to-be-six-year-old son Leif to be less than fruitful. At my moment of despair, having seen numerous overbuilt and predictably ugly offerings from other mainstream BMX brands, I stumbled across SE Bikes’ 16” Lil’ Ripper. I owned both the PK Ripper and 24” Floval Flyer back in my BMX days, so I had to have it. I mean, he had to have it.

The bike’s big daddy, the PK Ripper, is the most legendary of BMX frames. Named after Perry Kramer, a famed pro BMX racer of the late-70s, the PK stood out with its aluminium construction, flat/oval (or “floval”) maintubes and looptail …read on

—Chris Noble, 18 October 2011

eventsport

SEASONAL IMPRESSION

It’s cross season in Nebraska—and everywhere else, I imagine—and contrary to popular marketing and myth, it doesn’t mean it’s time to glue tubulars, or drill dismounts, or hup hup some run-ups.

Cross season in Nebraska means I’m going to hit some hidden gravel, some dry grass, some rolly pine needles in an off-camber turn and my front wheel’s going to wash. And since I’ve gotten out of it nine times out of every ten, I’m going to pretend it’s not happening, hang on a little tighter, and hope for the lucky hook up.

Too much pressure, not enough rubber, or whatever the case, it’s cross season in Nebraska and that means I’m picking myself up off the ground, emptying my levers that …read on

—Kevin Wilkins, 30 September 2009

sportfilm

Stompin’ Who?

Vintage BMX has become all the rage—just search eBay for anything related to “Hutch BMX” or “Hutch Trickstar” and you’ll find your wallet running for the hills. BMX racing, which was influenced early on by motocross racing, was, in its heyday, a sport of outcasts and hooligans. Kids that wanted to go fast and break out of the mold. But these days BMX is touching pop-culture as countless 40-somethings are out to relive their youth with bike restorations, re-releases and exhibitions.

Stompin’ Stu, the newly released documentary from John Swarr and Mark Eaton, is the story of BMX racing legend “Stompin’” Stu Thomsen, who dominated in the early days of BMX racing and became one of …read on

—Jared Souney, 09 September 2009

peoplesport

RALLY UNPREPARED

There I was, sitting in the office, on my hundredth command-C, command-V when I receive an email from a friend. The strapline on the press release read “10,000 miles in a Skoda pickup from London to Mongolia.”
Dominic Yard, 25 and Thomas Donhou, 27 are raising money for Mercy Corps and The Christina Noble* Children’s Foundation by racing the 2009 Mongol Rally in a £350 Skoda—a vehicle which broke down during rush hour in Central London on the return journey from the car dealer in Devon.
The Mongol Rally travels through mountains, deserts and rivers through a plethora of countries, with satellite maps and GPS replaced with gaffer tape and a sense of adventure. When asked about the name …read on

—Johann Chan, 10 June 2009