When did BMX become less about the riding and more about haircuts and the clothes? What happened to originality of it all? Is no one an individual? And when did the weight of your bike become more important than riding it? While I don't really know the answers to any of these questions, I will tell you my thoughts on each subject. Whether you want it or not...that's not my concern.
I'm gonna address them in the order I laid out.
First is the "fashion":Last time I checked we were riding bikes not modeling, and for that matter wouldn't fashion in that sense be considered "gay" by most dudes? But none the less whatever the pros are doing and wearing always has an impact on the youth. If Eddie Cleveland is wearing Lotek shoes then kids buy them (he is just an example and I have nothing against him whatsoever), or if whatever pro has his hair a certain way or dresses a particular way then kids gotta mimick that person. I thought we started riding to be different? Maybe it's just my old school way of thinking? Maybe I've lost touch with what's considered "cool",but damn it can't someone just do something different? I myself like to go away from what the crowd is doing not to be difficult, just to be my own person. I could care less how much your shoes were or what brand your jeans are. They are just clothes and don't have any effect on the way you ride your bike...and if you think they do you are very mistaken.I guess there will always be trends and trend setters and what I'm trying to say is that I try to follow neither. I say just do what you want regardless of what people think. I guess the old adage is true some people are born followers and some are born leaders...which are you? I think I got all three of the questions in my little rant there...hahaha. All I'm saying is ride your bike because you wanna not cause it's cool or trendy, and there is no dress code.
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| yours truly at age 15 on my 35+ pound Bully |
Next up is weight...I don't know how many times a day I'm asked how much something bike related weighs, but really does a couple of ounces make any kind of a difference in performance? I think not! Ya don't get me wrong I like the advancements BMX bikes have made. Having been around for most of the history of the sport I would never go back to smashing bearings into frames and having to fabricate parts just out of no one making shit that was strong enough or just plain didn't exist. Thank the BMX gods for 1'1/8 steerer tubes, integrated headsets, press fit bottom brackets, cassette hubs..etc. But to buy parts based on weight alone is foolish. If your gonna buy a rim and you look at one and it's 1lb.6oz. and another that's 12oz. do you think they are the same strength? Probably not. But if you want the lightest one, then aren't you sacrificing weight for strength? Then kids will shit talk stuff if they break it. What happened to the days of companys wanting to make quality parts that wouldn't break and they could stand behind? I guess some of em are out for the cash? Riding the wave of money currently flooding the industry, but what happens when it's all gone? Where will they be...probably on a beach somewhere spending all the money you made them by buying their shitty "lighter than everyone elses" bike parts. Not even connected to industry. Buy and support companys that support BMX, not fly by nights that are in it cause it's popular. Half the companys that exist right now won't when the interest is gone, the ones who do and put money back into it are the ones that are in it for the right reasons. I'll admit that I too was guilty of buying stuff based on weight, but that was because growing up we were forced to ride 35+ pound bikes. So when the "light thing" first started I wanted to see how light I could make my bike. But after awhile I realized that I was afraid to "ride" my bike because it might break something. Fuck that! Why spend all this money on shit that can't hold up? Waste! Light bikes don't equal strong bikes. I understand dudes that wanna lighten their bikes up but do it with some tact. Don't buy shit just because it's the lightest, buy it cause it's quality. Even if it means having a bike that weighs a few more ounces.
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