Done and done....

I never knew just how big a decision it was to buy a new bike.

But while I was sitting there with the money in hand, the great specter of the responsible parent inevitably seeped into my mind's eye.

All the stuff that I bought was over $500 bucks.
that's $500 that I could put towards a dryer or a computer or a little getaway with the Mrs. or anything that a "responsible" adult might do.

But instead, I bought a bike.

If you'll remember my last post, I was having a problem deciding between the Sunday and Fit cruisers. It was a pretty big dilemma. So big, that I decided to buy a 20" bike instead.

OK, my reason for choosing was a bit more rational.
About a week ago, I took my boy's whip out for a ride just to get a little fresh air and exercise.
I hadn't ridden a 20" in a while, so it took a little getting used to.

But it was fun. It was fun and refreshing and not as impossible as I would have suspected.
In fact it was so much fun that it put 20" bikes back in the realm of purchase possibility for me.

Needless to say, the research began anew.
Which were the best?
Which of the best could I afford?
Of those I could afford, which had the greatest value? (Now this is more than just expense and quality. As I'm not the best rider nor do I plan on riding professionally, I didn't need the top o'the line signature model.)


This decision was easier to make than the cruiser dilemma.
I bought a Sunday Funday Ex Complete.
It was the right size for a big 'un like me, plus it was loaded with a bunch of quality Odsy parts.
Best of all, the going price let me invest the remainder of my $$$ into other necessities like a lock cable, 4 pegs and some well-needed shin guards. And I still had some $ left over. So I went to the Sunday site and picked up a couple T-Shirts. (DOMINGO!)

Overall, a good use of my cash. The economist in me is proud.
Now all I've got to do is wait with baited breath while my baby makes her way to me via shipping.

Yeah, I had to buy my stuff from Dan's. What can I say? Free shipping is a big lure and none of the stores around here sell Sundays.

So the deed is done.
Now it's up to me to make the most of the riding time I've got left.

Gnar.

The Battle of the BMX Cruisers...

To Sunday or not to Sunday?
That is the question.

Since the first day I started this blog, I knew I would be buying a bicycle to officially get me back into the game.

Now it's been eight long months and I've finally got the money to lay down on a new bike.
The problem is, I can't decide which one to get.

This is a bit of a bummer concerning that over $550 is riding on this decision.
(No pun intended.)

Well, I've decided to weigh the pros and cons evenly in order to make an informed decision.

First off, my height and size demand that I get a cruiser. I'm just way too big and my knees always feel like they're going to smack the handlebars.

Now in the cruiser category, I want a quality ride with tip-top parts. I mean, if I'm going to drop the money, I may as well get the good stuff no?

So I've whittled my selection down to these two magnificent pieces of equipment:

They're both great rides, with their own share of pros and cons...



The 2010 Sunday Model C Complete.





PRO: Raised Bottom Bracket (13", I believe.)
PRO: 8 different Odyssey parts (A big one since I'm a huge ODSY fan.)
PRO: 8" rise handlebar. Great for big guys and it keeps the 20" feel.
PRO: Sundays are a rare breed around these parts! (See CONS.)

CON: 21.25" Top Tube. (I really wish they'd have gone with the 21.75" size.)
CON: 28.43 lbs. (She's a hoss!)
CON: Retail $569.95 (Right at the tippy-top of my budget. I may not even be able to afford taxes on this thing.)
CON: Sundays are a rare breed around these parts. My bike shop will have to special order it exclusively from the Full Factory distributors. (SLC is Fit country; no doubt about it.)








The 2010 Fit CR24 Complete.





PRO: Easily Available! I could buy this sucker tomorrow if I wanted.
PRO: Retail $549.99 (Twenty bucks I can blow on a Fit T-shirt!)
PRO: 25.5 lbs. (That's as light as some of the 20" whips out there.)
PRO: Replacement parts easily available. (Like that sick Rasta-color stem. Maybe I'll save up for that.)

CON: Traditional cruiser geometry. (I really like the Sunday concept behind the raised bottom bracket.)
CON: Short handlebars. (6" rise. Eww.)
CON: TEKTRO U-brake. (I've heard horror stories about these suckers. I prefer Odyssey parts anyhow.)
CON: 21.25" Top Tube. (OK. I guess this con is a push.)

Shoot, most of the cruisers in SLC are Fits. Market exclusivity really cuts down on individualism.
But there are the pros and cons.

Now the real question always boils down to money and weight.
I've got to ask myself:
Is the Sunday frame and Odyssey parts worth the extra three pounds and 20-30 bucks?

Points to ponder.
You know, I think I'll take this post to the RIDE-BMX forums to see what the BMX masses think!

Here goes nothing...

Dew Tour '09 Highlights...

I know it's been a while since the Dew Tour came to SLC, but I thought it necessary to show y'all what a great time it was. I was lucky enough to go on Friday with my kid. That meant the crowds were minimal, the riders were friendly and the seats were awesome!

Check it out...


The main gate into the venue was pretty cool.
This was where everyone lined up to get inside.








Here's a shot of the Outdoor Festival.
What did I tell ya? Nobody around!








Finally, it was time to get to the Park prelims.
But walking by these made me wish I had a time machine...








The park venue was incredible.
Ramp engineers really know how to make the most of a tight spot.








As do the riders.

Double tailwhip...







Toothpick grind over the "Rainbow Rail"...









360 over the gap.









Daniel Dhers put on a great show. It's no wonder he dominated the Park Competition.










Enjoy the videos!

Meeting the Vans Team

Live2Ride was at Fashion Place Mall this past Tuesday getting to know the awesome members of the Vans BMX Team.







They were a real good batch of guys who were eager to talk about their love for BMX and what it takes to push your riding to the next level.









Best of all, they were super laid-back and enjoyed joking around, posing for pictures and making the scene.








And let's not forget all the free swag that comes along with these events.





Special thanks to Vans for images 1, 3 and 4.

Be sure to cheer them on at this weekend's Dew Tour competition!

Guthrie Skate Park (7-30-09)

Guthrie Skate Park is attached to Butler Park in Cottonwood Heights.

It's medium-sized in comparison to most parks in the SLC system.
Great for beginners and intermediates.



I got lucky enough to show up on the day slotted by the city for BMX use.

Sadly, there were only four riders plying their trade amidst a sea of skateboarders. A trend I see more and more these days.

They were a younger bunch of guys. But what they lacked in skill they made up for in motivation and hospitality.

My thanks to the Guthrie Locals.


Adam was the first rider I managed to snap a shot of.










Here's another shot of him coming out of his line.
Good form. Smooth exit.








Not to be outdone, Spencer pulled some decent air out of the bowl exit himself.








And then followed it up with this exit off the bowl hump line.
Nicely done.











Then there was Josh.
Josh & I were having a run of bad luck in that every time I'd set up for a shot, his trick would never quite go the way he had hoped.










Eighth time's a charm, eh Josh?
Nice gap over the corner hip.








The final rider I had the pleasure of shooting was Dalton.
Small in voice and stature, this didn't stop him from hopping some pretty big gaps in the park.





In fact, the consistency of his performance prompted me to shoot a small vid of his bowl exit.
Dalt's ready to start working on x-ups and barspins. Best of luck.


Well, those are the highlights of my visit to Guthrie.
A big thanks to the locals for the tricks and the small talk.
If I ever make my way to CH again, I'll be sure to look y'all up.

Keep Riding.

So what's with the blog?

Right.
My plans for this blog are pretty informal.

As often as I can, I'm going to travel to the different skate parks, ditches and trails of SLC and photograph/film local BMX riders in action (regardless of skill level). Then I'm going to bring my little digital camera home and post them up here on the web. Nice and easy.

In addition, I'll make brief announcements about upcoming events and maybe even comment on the scene once in a while.

That's really about it.

Before I forget...

I understand that posting people's visages up on the Internet can be a tricky proposition even when snapping shots on public property.
I say, better safe than sorry. I will never...EVER post an image online without the expressed consent of the person in the photo. Cross my heart, etc, etc.

Also, I encourage my readers to send me images that they capture during their BMX sessions. I might not post them all. But if there are any good ones, you'll see them here!

Finally, I'm pretty sure a lot of the people I photograph at local parks may very well be under age. As such, I invite any (understandably) suspicious parents to email me about who I am and what this is all about.

That being said, let's get this party started.

Dropping In...

Every good blog needs an intro right?
Well, here it goes.




I love BMX.
I've loved it since the day I took the training wheels off my small-fry K-Mart special.
I loved it the first time my buddies and I built a rickety plywood kicker to jump traffic cones.
I loved it the first time I foot-planted a fire hydrant.
And I still loved it the day I locked my crappy old Diamondback up for the last time to join the Army.

As the years passed, life "happened" and Fate slowly pulled me away from the passion I had held so dear in my youth. Yet my love for BMX has never faded. Even today, I still look for trick lines whenever I walk past an open urban space. I still find myself walking into bicycle stores to look at the latest frames and buy the occasional sticker. And I still smile to myself at the sight of wallride marks and a well-ground rail.

So are these the signs of a responsible adult figure?
Who knows. Sadly, only those closest to me can really judge the whole of my life to decide whether I really have "grown up" or not.

But I can say with absolute certainty that BMX was more than just a youthful phase for me.
Like it or not, it's in my blood...even if I can't barspin over a spine.
And while Fate may one day steer me back to my very own whip, I still feel the need to be a part of the sport, to watch it shine and to contribute to its longevity.

Hence the blog.