90 East video

Just saw this was up. Love the 90 East dudes

Mike Rotondo

 Was just sitting around with Mike Rotondo and he recently came across this awesome old picture of himself from Skater Island. I also asked him to write a little something that goes along with it. This is what he wrote:

BMX is the raddest thing in the world.  Anyone that truly loves riding bikes and lives the lifestyle that comes along with it in my opinion has something most people never really will.  It’s a passion most people don’t really understand.  There is nothing you can compare it to it except for maybe skating or surfing or something along those lines.  You can be as creative or as stock as you want.  Nobody really gives a shit.  Sure people talk shit on styles and tricks but that’s just human nature.  Some people devote their lives to it and make millions of dollars.  Some people devote their lives to it and don’t make a fucking dime.  You can be totally awesome or completely fucking suck.  It doesn’t really matter as long as you’re having fun.  I fell off as I got older but I don’t think I’ll ever not love the feeling of occasionally cruising around hitting curbs and doing tables.  It’s something that will stick with you for the rest of your life regardless of where life takes you. Fucking enjoy my friends,  once bmx is in your blood you’re a lifer.

-Rotondo

More Profile Summer tour at DMBS

 My friend Vic Bettencourt from Circuit sent me over a few more pics that he took from the Profile tour that rolled through the shop the other day. These two are of Mark Mulville.

T&F NH/Maine trip

 So last Sunday we decided to pack up in Petey's jeep and head north to meet up with my old friends Johnny O. and Kyle. Johnny O and I had been trying to get this little trip together for the last few weeks and with everything getting in my way I had very little free time. But I decided that everything else had to wait this Sunday, so off we went. First stop was Hampton New Hampshire. From what I'm told this park has existed for awhile, but it's in a transformation stage from pre-fab to poured. Place is actually really fun and even with the existing pre-fab quarters it has an interesting set up. From there we headed more north to Portland Maine where we hit up the new park they just finished up there in the fall. This park was pretty fun although I kinda thought that the layout was kinda more designed for boards more than bikes, but I always like to cruise something new so we sessioned it for a bit. After the park we trekked it around the city of Portland to hit up a few of the street spots that Johnny and Kyle knew of. Overall a really fun day and always good to see old friends and share new experiences with the guys. Well enough of me blabbing, take a look at the pictures that JT Ahl shot from that day. The entire crew existed of Myself, JT, Burroughs, Kyle, Petey, and Johnny O.

old guy air

Petey

Kyle

JT Table

Burroughs turndown

Petey floating

Pysched on this one.....

Kyle turndown

Petey railride

Ouch

manmade kicker to wall

skatestops don't stop us Burroughs putting in work

haha best pic of the day

Petey fired this out after Burroughs worked his magic

Jamie Mauri Shadow edit

Awesome edit from one of the nicest dudes I've ever met. Jamie kills

Jamie Mauri - Boogie Oogie from Shadow Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Profile Summer tour at DMBS

Mulville kickout

 1 handed no foot can

No footed can

Tony Cordona 270 transfer

and again

Local Brandon Christie no hands

One more view of that transfer

 The Profile guys showed up at the shop today and I think it's fair to say everyone had fun. These are a few of the pics I snapped from their visit.

Bikes according to Gamache

 Justin Gamache is someone that over the last few years I've become good friends with. He and I talk about bikes quite a bit, and he's always up on his BMX news. Now anyone that knows him can tell you that the dude definitely has is own opinion on everything, so when I asked him to write something for the blog I knew I'd be getting something alittle bias. But to be honest with you I think I agree with him 100% on this one. So check it out in his own words:
 The problem with BMX today is that it has become too complicated. When BMX is kept simple it is in its best form. Adding a barspin to the end of every grind or rolling away from a triple tailwhip ball riding your top-tube is not what BMX is about. Watching someone like Mike Aitken or Chase Hawk be fluid and making riding look natural instead of forced is always more appealing to my eye. I say all of this knowing that I personally will never do a barspin into or out of any line, I will never do a single tailwhip (let alone three), and I will never be the guy at the skatepark airing out the highest. If trying to do more whips than the last guy is why you started riding and where you find enjoyment, then so be it.

I recently purchased a single-speed road bike, it has brought me back to the enjoyment of just pedaling around. Riding needs more of this, just pure, drama-free cranking. Before a license or owning a car, pedaling to the skatepark downtown was half the fun, now I find myself driving myself to the park or street spots and I am missing out on the basics.

Bringing me to my next point, originality. BMX has become too cookie-cutter. With new web-edits being pumped out every day, one would think that people would want to be more original and have their footage stand out or have people interested. Look at some of the legends of BMX: Mat Hoffman is the reason you are watching Big Air at the X-Games. Ruben Alcantara is the reason why every street rider is doing the stylish wallrides today. Those guys rode to the beat of their own drum, not trying to add that one more barspin or frontflip because of some trend.

To me it has always been about riding my own way and having as much fun with it as possible. I still do an x-up at least once a session, and always find myself pulling my brakes for a quick skid here and there. I like my bike as basic and clean as possible, only a straight cable and pegs on the left, but both of those have been taken on and off to keep it interesting. That’s what puts a smile on my face and that’s why I began to ride my bike, what I do on it no one can take away. What it boils down to is that BMX is supposed to be fun. By riding bikes, you don’t have to show up to practices or answer to coaches. You ride on your own time, at your comfort level, on what makes you the most satisfied. That’s why I always enjoyed just getting on my bike.

I snapped this picture of  Justin  2 years ago at FDR