June BMX street edit

Flat tires?!

 Lately I've been getting a shit-ton of people coming in with flat tires and thinking that their bike shouldn't be getting flats. Really? Come on! Why do people think that just because they spent $400 on a bike that it shouldn't get flat tires. Bikes and flats go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly. BMX bikes are especially vulnerable to them because of the level of abuse a BMX bike sees, not to mention that most kids don't ever pump up their tires. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've had a kid come in with "something" wrong with their bike and I go to ride it and take a turn and wash out because they have like 35 psi in their tires. Simple science tells you that the harder something is the tougher it is to puncture. I tell parent after parent this same thing on literally a daily basis and yet they come back and say my son/daughter was just "riding" the bike and it "just" went flat. Tubes don't just go flat, they have to have someone riding the bike for them to flat out. Granted that maybe 1 in a box of 100 may actually be defective, but I'd say that 99% percent of flats are because you either cased on something (it's usually a curb) or ran over something with 40 psi in your tire or maybe a combination of both. I don't care what kind of bike you have or what you paid for it, bikes get flats! For real, no bike is flat proof.  Now there are definitely better tires that can help out with flats, ones with higher thread count and thicker rubber or higher psi rating....but make no mistake they will flat out too.
 Now I also have alot of older people that come in and say "back when I was younger my bike never got a flat" well I say a few things to that. One, rubber has changed alot over the years (gotten thinner and EPA standards have changed) rubber when you were a kid was more like a thick slate material as opposed to how it is today. Second is that when you were young you probably weren't launching yourself down 12 sets of stairs or jumping jumps with 25ft gaps. So you can not even compare the two.
 Last way that people get flats is by obviously running over something sharp, and not getting the cause out of the tire. I see alot of people come in and buy tube after tube, and then finally bring their bike in and they have a thorn, piece of wire, or glass in their tire and then think that there is automatically something wrong with the wheel. I couldn't even put a number on how many times I heard "There has to be something wrong with the wheel" and then I say no it's just a thorn in the tire that you may have never got out. A thorn? That little thing can cause a flat? Like I'm lying, like it's some kind of bike shop trick. Common sense people! I swear less and less people have it.
 One of my most favorite things that comes in is the people who put fix-a-flat in their tires and think that's gonna hold....really did you read the can? Or the people or buy slime tubes and think those are bomb-proof. "I bought a slime tube and still got a flat!" Idiot read the directions it says that you can still get a flat, you need to find the puncture and re-inflate. It also says that it won't seal anything bigger than a pin hole which is about 50% of all flats. Ah consumers, they never read anything.
 I have a few simple rules for anyone that rides a bike. 1 check your tires regularly for debris or wear 2 check your air pressure EVERY time you ride your bike and pump up your tire if it's low 3 Know when you hang up or case on something you very well may get a flat and it's not your bikes fault it's YOUR'S!

 With all my rambling I hope you get what I'm saying, for most of you...your probably like DUH. Good for those that said that. It's the ones that went ahhhh, that I'm addressing! Now get out there and pedal (and pump up your tires)

Table of the week

This weeks tables belong to Matt Horak, photo by Justin Luong

Rick MacDonald vs. internet sales

 Recently my long time friend Rick won a frame from some internet contest and not really needing it he decided to sell it. The following he wrote up to express his frustration:

Jeez, what is with you kids?

I recently won a frame that I don’t plan to ride. My daughters need back-to-school clothes so I figured I would sell the thing for some extra $$.
I posted it on facebook and craigslist at 1/3rd off retail (retail???? Haha TL) and also on a few online forums.

I have so far got 15 offers for parts trades, ipods, and many other scenarios that just weren’t the deal at all . One kid said “txt me the details”…My ads were well-written so there were no details to give him. He didn’t understand what I meant by that at all. Dude seemed real desperate to get it..he tried everything…except sending the money, and getting the frame.
"Buy me a bottom bracket too, and send it to my dad's work, I will get the $$ from his wallet and mail it to you when my buddy buys my ipod, then after I trade my rear wheel for some coilovers (??) you can mail the frame to me" I am in Australia and I won't pay shipping. How do I make a money order? How do I get cash into a paypal? Will you take 1/2 from my paypal and 1/2 from my mate's paypal after I fix his car, I think it just needs....." etc.

30 or so texts later I finally tell the kid “Dude, if you don’t have the money to buy it, or parts to build it up as offered, you ARE NOT ready for a new frame! Think about what you are saying!! Go ride or something, clear your head!!” He was just so hung up on a “new bike” he wasn’t even thinking clearly..it was sort of troubling.
I have been young (a long time ago), and I was switching bikes more often than I should have when it gets to the point where people are doing completely nonsensical things…take a step back and get a grip on what or why you are even doing this! Wow!


I still have the frame and I would be willing to go as low as $150 if buyer has the cash. I will now require a picture of actual said cash sent to me before I even think about it. Yes, it's that bad out there! That's 1/2 of the price and the bike is totally new. I am seriously worried about this generation when they can’t recognize a good deal, follow the rules of the deal, and just pay attention! Damn!

T&F Vineyard Trip

 

  I was on the Martha's Vineyard on Sunday with family, and after cruising by the park over there and seeing it empty I decided that we needed to get over there sooner than later.So I came home and texted a few people and we decided that Wednesday was the day. And with this hurricane coming up the coast it might be a few days before anyone gets to ride anything. So the crew that consisted of JT,Steve Burroughs, Josh King, Kyle Amidon, Johnny O, and myself headed for the island. From the get go I knew the day was gonna be fun because everyone was pumped for the park, and a few of the guys had never even been to the vineyard so it was like a whole other experience for them. We barely caught the 9am ferry.....like literally. Then once your over there it's a bit of a ride to the actual park from the ferry, but we all took it in stride. The following are the pictures that JT, Burroughs, and myself took from that day. If you haven't been to this park.......GET OVER THERE!

Pulling out of port

Burroughs

The ferry was packed

The park is amazing

Kyle turndown

another angle of Kyle

Josh euro

Kyle

Cool younger guy we met named Ry

one foot

Kyle can can footplant

JT stylin

Josh King table

Table transfer

Josh rip stickin around the park

weirdest thing I,ve ever icepicked

and Fufed

Josh was airing it

Burroughs making his legs go numb

JT bar humpin!

Johnny O x-up

Josh one footed table

Burroughs tire grab

exhausted

chillin for lunch

JT transfer

Johnny O manual

Kyle lawnmower

Seafood!

Convinced a girl to take our pic....good crew!

.

Petey Pabs

Just launched over adams truck in easton and as we are leaving a cop pulls in and crashes into a curb and blows his tire". Petey sent me over this picture that I pretty psyched on. The above quote was from his facebook page describing the event. Dude's been killin lately.

Bikes according to Moe V2

I'm gonna keep this intro short and just say that this is Moe Lopes second installment of what he thinks about BMX. Here goes:
In my last rant I talked about the aspect of riding,this is the second aspect that I've put way too much thought into. The bikes themselves. We all know there are a ton of different brands but what ones are into it for the $$$$ and what ones are into it to bring a smile to your face?
Let's look at the construction of the frames and components. Most companies claim their bike has this or that but can the average person tell the difference? This is what I call the Tommy boy theory where you can shit in a box and put a warranty on it and people will eat it up! Makes you feel safe and happy, my bike will never break cause it's made from Taiwanese cro mo!!(Bullshit) whatever it's made of some one is gonna bend,break,dent or tweak their bike or the parts, it's inevitable. You look at all the manufacturers and what ones actually put r&d into their products and I don't mean strapping it to a machine for 72hrs! I mean getting some proper people riding their product and pushing it till it breaks or comes close. No machine is gonna simulate the kid that ghost rides his bike down a set of steps or falls from 12ft after a failed a jump at the local trails.
The materials are another debate that I won't dig into because most people have no clue what their bikes are made of but I will say I'm pretty disappointed at the fact that most bikes are made over seas!!! Ok so this is a pitch at the economic downfall of the country but cro mo from china and from the U.S.- pretty much the same, only difference is some one over there is getting paid $1 and hr to build a frame,where a quality craftsman over here is gonna make way more. I know production costs are cheaper but for me I'd rather drive 3hrs to see the finished product than get on a plane to go somewhere I don't know the food language or city! I don't like to name drop but I've seen 1st hand when spooky cycles was pumping out frames and forks and there was a lot of pride if you rode one of their bikes, to see the pure enjoyment and enthusiasm they had when you told them their bike was rad or it rode smooth was quite a pleasure. Guess what I'm trying to say is there needs to be more of that!!

  So this leaves the debate open. When you're flipping through a magazine and on every other page there's an add for a new frame or sick new stem with holes milled into it think about what I've said. $$$ or fun is the question because I'm pretty sure the stem with the holes all over it to make it lighter is gonna be a piece of crap!! Light bikes are only good for racing we did the same tricks 10 years ago on 42lbs standards or S&M's!  This isn't rocket science the same gussets that were on my standard lengthy are popping up on some of the newer bikes, hmmm funny how the trends go round and round and would anyone notice these things? No cause we're sold on purple grips and pretty rims. I'm not on a quest to throw companies under the bus but the ones that are in it to make you smile are the ones that are gonna be around for a long time. Take your bike and go ride.

Table of the week

This weeks table is of Don Pavelka, shot and send to me by Tony Vecca over at TYRANT. I think anyone will agree it's sick!

Bio: Dana Kelble

When I asked for some contributors Justin Gamache answered the call, he has been consistently coming up with material for T&F for the last few weeks. So I decided he could write the intro to the next bio. Thanks to Justin and Dana....enjoy!-TL
Since the beginning of Tables & Fables, Tony has gotten insight from some of the older guys who have been around the BMX block and have served their time on a bike. As a younger dude, I wanted to switch directions for a minute and pick the brain of a younger rider on some of his thoughts on BMX and what it is to him.

This quick Bio is on an up and coming rider that has know BMX his whole life, having two older brothers that also ride. I have had the pleasure of knowing him since he was a little guy and watching his riding progress incredibly over the years. His positive attitude towards riding is contagious, making him a guy I always enjoy a good session with. I have grown up riding with him and hope to have plenty more memories. He is a true shredder, from his infamous No-Footer-Landers when he was younger to flairs today, I present to you...Dana Kelble.
Justin H. Gamache
To me riding is more than just a hobby. I see it as a stress reliever and a way of bonding with friends. When I grew up, our neighborhood crew had alot of phases like skateboarding, scootering, and riding bikes but riding stuck. Growing up with a large family, I hung out with my two brothers mostly and as phases changed we all stuck with them. I've been riding all my life but been doing it seriously for about three years and plan to keep going for a while to come. Starting out in Middleboro Massachusetts gave me motivation to be creative with my riding because there isn't much of a skatepark. Some of the guys and I started building some stuff at a foundation that soon became the middleboro ghetto spot. Way back in the day we also had some trails behind our house and across the street behind my neighbors house. The trails in my back yard were where the "no footer lander" was originated. While trying no footers at a young age, I couldn't get my feet back to the pedals sometimes and sure enough I'd land no footed. (Justin Gamache has always appreciated the no footer landers). Recently (summer of 2011), me and my brothers stayed in Arizona for about two months, and the riding atmosphere is a little different from Massachusetts. The locals in middleboro have all been friends of mine for a long time for the most part and in Arizona I met a few kids that were very similar but the parks in Arizona are a huge step up from the parks in Massachusetts. I'm not too much of a street rider due to the lack of spots in Middleboro but during our Arizona trip we hit some pretty rad set ups such as drainage ditches and plenty of spots in Tucson. One of my favorite places in Middleboro to ride is Brandon Christie's trails. One of my favorite riding stories has to be learning backflips. Rolling in I was pretty scared but knew I had to commit but when I was upside down let go and slammed pretty hard to my head. With my adrenaline rushing I rolled in and did it second try. That was the one of my favorite nights in my riding career.

Big 3 @ Middleboro

Flair 

This was TOTW awhile back

No hands at Jwalls

Roof droppin

Ooops

Jay Wilson welcome to the Shadow team

Jay spent the last few Summer's in Boston and I got to ride with him a few times. Nicest dude and just kills everything!

Jay Wilson - Welcome to the Family from Shadow Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Closed skateparks

 Something was brought to my attention today. The fact that the local skatepark in Hanson Ma recently closed. Now anyone that knows me, knows that I really don't care for that park just for the fact that it's a prefab park. But that doesn't mean that I don't care if the park is closed or not. If I care for the park or not is irrelevant, the point of this is that the park is closed because the police say that there are a bunch of kids are going there doing drugs. So why close the skatepark on the kids that go there and use the park for what it was designed for. Sounds to me like they need to govern the park alittle better. Maybe get out of their cruiser once and awhile and march their fat asses down the hill and maybe spend a few minutes patrolling the park once and awhile? Or maybe try and get some concerned parents to volunteer their time? I'm sure that the town has other expenses, but why not reach out to the community and ask for help. I'm sure that some of the parents or even the older guys that go there would volunteer instead of having the park closed. Also seems to me that the kids that use the park might wanna say something to the people that are there doing stupid shit. Sad fact is that this park is one of a small handful of parks in our area that are somewhat decent. Another fact is that a lot of people use this park because of it's size. This is especially crucial because if the town of Hanson closes it's park because of problems, it makes the town of Pembroke (next town over) think twice about building a park in their town. Thinking that the same group of kids will go there and do the same thing. Not wanting to deal with the same problems.
 As of right now I'm not really sure what course of action can be taken, but some people I know are looking into getting the park reopened with a new set of rules. There might be some kind of  protest there in the near future. I'll keep you posted on the details. Anyone with any ideas please email tablesnfables@gmail.com...thanks

Table of the week

 This weeks table belongs to Mark Mulville I shot this a few weeks ago at their DMBS shop stop on the Summer tour.

Let's make one thing perfectly clear

Let me make one thing crystal fuckin clear. This is a blog for fun, and to celebrate my love for bikes. I reserve the right to say and do anything I want on here, I mean isn't that what the internet is all about? It gave everyone with a connection a voice? If you are offended by anything that I post on here I apologize, but last I checked  this was America and we have the freedom the state what's on our mind. Ya alot of what I post on here should be noted as tongue in cheek. I started this out of boredom and to document the riding of my friends, myself, and anyone else I thought was interesting or deserved a little notice. Just because I bitch once and awhile about things doesn't mean that I hate or don't respect them. It takes energy to write some of the stuff on here, and some of the things written are just based out of my own personal frustration (might just be someone or something pissed me off and I need to get it off my chest that day). I'm not trying to change the world here, nor do I expect too. I'm trying to have fun and share what I've learned over the 25+ years of riding. If you take it as advice...thank you...if you take it as an insult....sorry.
 I should also note that if any of you actually know me, what I write on here doesn't always reflect who I actually am. My bias opinions are my own, and I in now way what to push anything down everyone's throat. Now let's all get out there and ride.....and get along!

Bikes according to Moe

 I've been asking my friends that if they wanted to write anything for the blog I would post it up and I got a few people working on some stuff they wanted to say about bikes. The first was last week with Justin Gamache and now we got my friend Moe Lopes, you may remember him from riding for the right reason's articles I did back in the early Spring. He is gonna break his up into three parts I'll be posting them as I get them from him. Before you read what he had to write just know that Moe, like myself has been around since the very early days of BMX which means he's seen alot of things (trends) come and go. I respect his opinion, and with that said I'll leave the rest up to him:

Moe grinding in New Bedford

Lately I've been thinking a lot about riding and where it came from and where it's at now. I've broken it into three sections that have their own pros and cons. Not to say I'm bashing anyone or their style or why they ride is up to debate because I'm too old to care what you think of me! This is somewhat a summary of my thoughts on some of the aspects of riding.
First there is the riding aspect. I fail to understand how kids or older guys can tailwhip,barspin, or flip the hell out a park or street course but they can't manual!!! Really... So there's no more bike control just huck and hope for the best!!! After watching the Xgames I came away pretty disappointed to say the least. Every run(excluding Chase Hawk) had someone spinning wildly to wow the crowd and all I could think was am I watching a circus!! No originality or flow,just back and forth monster trucking everywhere. No one saw that chase was boosting just as high as everyone else but because he wasn't  doing 3whips or flair whips so people could care less,prime example is some one like Dave Osato back in the day that did 270 toothpicks to barpin out and people didn't even clap!! So basically a flip got more applause than that(a trick at the time that was more technical).  My perspective is that the Xgames have ruined BMX, the soccer mom mentality is in full effect and parents are grooming kids to be the next super spin master. I remember watching an old Powell video and Steve caballero had a part called the perfect line and basically all he did was link grinds and lip tricks together into one continuous run. I thought that was the raddest thing and if I could do a run like that on a bike I'd be psyched!!!  Apparently that's not good enough anymore, don't get me wrong I love progression and I do have a few favorite riders that are pretty amazing . I'm just think the true aspect of riding has been lost and a lot of the new breed have no clue why they ride, not to say some don't cause I see the ones that appreciate it for what it is. We all got into this for the same reason. Self accomplishment,freedom (no coaches!!) and most of all FUN!! Go ride your bike!