FlatMode

West Coast Progression.

2012-01-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

Mario Saldaña has been working on cross footed hitchhikers for a while. He didn't just learn it separate, he learned it the hard way, backpacker to crossfooted hitchhiker. Congratulations Mario, anything is possible!

Here's some close up shots of the trick if you're interested in learning how to pivot your feet on the trick.

Pivot to Cross Footed HitchHiker. from FLATmode on Vimeo.

STREET SWEEPERS!

2012-01-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

The other day Ed laced me up with his new Sick Child Street Sweeper Pegs.

Order a pair right HERE!

The end of the big pegs...the smaller diameter pegs made much more difference than I thought. There is way more control!


No need for grip tape!

Studio City crew is all laced up!

I got control on the hands and the feet.

Jowii just learned no-handed hitchhikers! Must be the pegs......

BMX and Gangsta Chicks!

2012-01-20T22:56:00.000-08:00

Here's something to spice up your evening...

Phobiaklik X Backyard Studio from kayuhbmx on Vimeo.

Jonathon Beasley - New Combo.

2012-01-13T21:46:00.000-08:00

Jonathon innovates on the Gut Lever to create the "Camanche"! Check the full combo.

Fukuoka, Japan Scene Report

2012-01-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

By popular demand (Jowii-z's birthday), I have uploaded the Fukuoka, Japan scene video. It features Sakata Seiji, Hidekazu Kuga and more! Happy Birthday, Jowii!

Last session of 2011 in Vegas...Yoshida twins in LA!

2011-12-31T21:44:00.000-08:00

Last sessionof 2011 in Las Vegas went down today. A couple days ago I was driving down the street and spotted some dude with 4 pegs on a Zion frame. What do ya know, it's Louis! I haven't seen that dude for 2 years or so. So I hit up some other riders and Josh came out and we had a session.

We sessioned this court while some dude that looked like Kotaro Tanaka played tennis on the next court.

Josh still got it. Turbining away.

Louis had some new moves...dumping into turbine hitchhikers.

I'm still on spin mode for a bit...

This story I was lagging on, but Nao and Koh Yoshida (TWINS!!) from Yokohama, Japan visited LA!

This is Koh....

This is Nao...

AF THE NAYSAER, Anthony and I took these dudes to Ma Dang Sae, A cheap and really good all you can eat Korean BBQ. Koh handled the Grill!

Names forever etched out at a legendary LA flatland spot. Ralphs!

This spot is right across from the police station. We didn't see Eddie Murphy though...

I asked them what they like to eat. They said JUNK FOOD! Best junk food in town. In-n-out!

Koh trying to conceal his MJ glove on H.wood blvd! LOL!

Chinese Theater...

The day looked rainy early on, but the blue sky opened up and we had a good session!

Nao.

Koh.

In the Lab.

You know what it is....

I took them to Jin-ya for some noodles. There were stoked on the Yokohama style noodles. They noted that they were the same awesome quality as at home! Check their faces. They ain't lyin'!

Of course you can't come to LA and not eat a burrito. STOKED!

Merry bmX-mas

2011-12-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't been updating FlatMode, cuz I've been busy. But...since it's christmas, here's a update. Santa Ana Claus drops some skills on you....

Ding-a-ling Do from S&M Bikes on Vimeo.

1990 Berlin!!

2011-12-07T09:14:00.001-08:00

'Nuff said....

Mike Chua Launches BMXFLATLAND.NET

2011-12-04T08:29:00.001-08:00

Mike C. launched a blogsite, http://www.bmxflatland.net. It's a flatland website designed to hel beginners. So check it out. He just posted an interview of Mak Dandridge aka Rad Dad. I'm about to check it out right now!!

Catfish makes BMX look fun!

2011-12-02T10:46:00.001-08:00

Catfish makes BMX fun and free, the way it was meant to be!

Two important web edits and a new site.

2011-11-28T08:14:00.001-08:00

Two important edits. Just watch...

THROWBACK - Steve Mulder x MASTER BLASTER BMX FLATLAND edit 2011 from MASTER BLASTER PLANET on Vimeo.

New Ares Singapore website!

Las Vegas Sessions

2011-11-27T23:42:00.001-08:00

Sessioned at the roller hockey rink with Ace. He learned how to hold hang-5s this day and proceeded to celebrate that night!

Let me hit this seat grab hang-10 right swift like.

Just a solo session here in a martian like landscape.

One Love Jam Promo

2011-11-19T08:06:00.001-08:00

Come one come all to the One Love Jam 1/14/12 at Zuma Beach! Filmed and edited by Shayne K.

One Love Jam Promo from One Love BMX on Vimeo.

Keep it global.

2011-11-14T11:06:00.001-08:00

Life and times from the west coast and beyond....this time we are taking it from the west coast to the space coast. Check this time lapse from the international space station. Chill for a moment and remove your mind from the stress of the economic collapse and check the planet from this perspective.

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

OK, this dude is pretty dope!

2011-11-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

After watching edit after edit of mostly the same tricks and styles, this edit of a dude named Charles Paty got me a stoked.

Charles Paty - CountrySide from Romain Victor Films on Vimeo.

Gabe Kadmiri is holding it down in San Diego.

2011-11-06T12:42:00.000-08:00

Mixing it up at the spot behind the convention center. What! Whaaaaaaaaat!

Air Quality Check...

2011-11-03T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.....Studio City session a few days ago...is that a mountain over there? ....Welcome to LA!
Let's ride!

S&M bikes Halloween Saturday!

2011-10-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

This year Holloween fell on a weekend...well, almost...

There was a Holloween session at Ryan Russell's spot on the weekend.

Ed. N.

Claude H.

Jowii-Z

Ryan R.

When somebody leaves their Nisserari, riders get curious. LOL!

That finger bike has been in the sun so long the rim is warped...or does the bike come like that and you have to true the rim???

Afterwards we went to S&M bikes headquarters for their Halloween party and thrasher car street session. BMXer's "flip" a Beemer...

S&M Bikes Halloween Party Junker Car Destruction. from FLATmode on Vimeo.

Macho Man and some other wrestler dude, had a match on the roof!

Lalo putting the sick child to good use!

Lalo took over.

Jinkies! I found Velma!

Jem was truly outrageous!

The aftermath...

FLATmode!

1000 Oaks Fog Session.

2011-10-27T20:27:00.001-07:00

Bill and I rolled out to 1k Oaks and the fog rolled in!

Todd Carter met us at his spot. The fog got so heavy that the rider would fade out as he moved toward the other side of the court.

Todd.

Bill.

Bobby.

Hawaii - Random Things part 2.

2011-10-23T00:28:00.000-07:00

Pali Mountain vista point with tour guide Kala.

There were tons of these little spots around Oahu where you could swim in clean ocean water.

Yup....

Yo' boy, on duty, securing Hanauma Bay. All sorts of Ruckus was going down....LOL!

Just barely caught this xB-zee. the official flatland transport.

Here's an air quality comparison:

In picture one, (Los Angeles) a shot of the Hollywood hills from Studio City parking lot on a sunny evening. The hills are a few blocks away, but seem far 'cuz of the diffusion caused by smog.

In picture two, (Hawaii) Diamond Head, is farther away, but it looks like it must be a couple blocks. Crystal clear....

Lookin' for a new lab....

Hawaii - Random Things.

2011-10-22T22:51:00.001-07:00

Here are some random photos from Hawai'i.

Chillin' with Cuyler and Dennis. There's always someone to hang out with in Hawaii.

Here are some random signs I saw...

A lot of signs in Hawaii have Japanese subtitles.

You can't miss the restrooms at the Honolulu Airport.

The dude in this sushi restaurant's logo doesn't look very "genki" to me...

Don't believe the hype about super expensive food in Hawaii. Yo' boy, Don Quijote, got you covered. Same prices as the mainland. Yogurt was actually cheaper...

HNL (Honolulu International Airport)

On top of being a chill airport, Honolulu International has a huge garden area where you can chill out while waiting for your flight. LAX doesn't have anything like this when you wait for your next fight - I mean "flight!" LOL!

13 years difference....2011 and......

....1998.

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of Random things in Hawaii.....

Last Session in Oahu. Back to Makiki Courts!

2011-10-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

Quick combo from the last session at Makiki.

Mission to Wallows:

Loaded up the bikes in Kala's car and rolled out to find Wallows...

We found Wallows, but then water started pouring into the ditch so we had to peace out quick! Eeeow!

Back to the courts:
Last session at Makiki Courts.

Kala.

Dave.

Bobby.

I was really into checking out spots we don't have in Cali. Here's one called Zippy's.

Zippy's is all over Oahu!

Dave loaded up.

The teriyaki beef and rice was real good at the session.

I've been really busy since I got back, working and riding. The next post I'll show some other random stuff from the trip. Stay tuned....

Wild Wednesday on Oahu.

2011-10-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

While we wait for the courts to clear on Wednesday night, yo' boy, Romeo aka "Slippah Man," pulls off a decade in some flip flop sandals! Rocking some Haro master/freestyler old skool set up.

After the session, hit up Liliho Bakery for some malasadas. Dude....Apple malasadas are dope. You gotta try it.

Sunday Sessions on Oahu.

2011-10-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

BMX is alive in Hawaii on Sundays!
Session at Makiki Courts.

Kala came through for a session at Makiki courts.

The Makiki spot is tight.

Bike ride at The BikeFactory Shop.
Every Sunday evening there's a BMX ride around the Honolulu area.

Cuyler shows off his flatland skills behind the shop, prior to the bike ride.

One stop on the route.

You could chill here everyday if you lived here.

The sunsets on the ride and then we head out to Ewa (pronounced "Ever" without the "r") for the night session on the tennis courts.

Ewa Courts
If eva' make it out to Ewa, you got to chill with these dudes, the OG's of Hawaii flatland! Every sunday night...

Someone had a fully mint Haro Master built up. The bike looks sick. That chrome makes you wanna ride!

This dude, Romeo, an OG just came out for the first time. He got on the Master and is hooked. He'll be back to the courts soon with his own bike for sure.

Decade! Ale was fresh. Respect!

Kala with a forward rope.

Dave sets up this hang-5 in route to hang-nothing!

Aloha!

2011-10-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Riverside, this morning Honolulu. Aloha! West Coast and Beyond. FLATmode!

Morning in Honolulu.

Chillin' in this park while scoping riding spots in the vicinity.

Clean Ocean.

Blue Sky. Real Clouds. No Smog. No Chem Trails.....

Session at Makiki park later this afternoon....

A good session in Riverside.

2011-10-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Claude Hickman, recently moved to Riverside, CA. He invited me down for a session which resulted in capturing a new combo on video. The "Blindside", by Claude Hickman.

Here's a short combo for good measure.

Guess Who....

2011-09-29T23:33:00.001-07:00

Sick Throwback: Jay Jones and Sean Leslie.

2011-09-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

1989...

One Love Jam: 1/14/11 - Zuma Beach.

2011-09-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

One Love is organizing their annual jam.

Hisashi Edit.

2011-09-22T16:16:00.001-07:00

Hisashi didn't waste any time and made this edit of the session yesterday!

New Visitor!

2011-09-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

We've had a lot of visitors this year in Los Angeles. A random rider, Hisashi Oomoto from Tokyo, Japan just showed up with no plan or purpose, so we sessioned.

Hisashi Oomoto.

Hollywood Steve re-surfaced for the session!

Me with a Soul Truck...

Behind the Edit: Viki rides at the Pyramids

2011-09-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

This has been a personal dream of mine and now Viki has done it. I always wanted to do some sort of flatland video section at the Pyramids in Egypt. After checking out this edit, I asked Viki some questions about his adventure to the Pyramids.

Viki Gomez BMX Flatland champion riding in fron of the Pyramids in Egypt!!! from PSYCHOSTUDIO on Vimeo.

FM: Why did you decide to go to Egypt?

Viki: I was invited to do a promotional tour with Red Bull in Egypt. I have a lot of good conexions world wide and I have my team mate called "Miguel Monzon" (Guelo) who is an amazing show rider! We perform and promote in unbelievable places and everyone knows that we are friendly, social and party hardy! hehe Red Bull attitude!

FM: Did you always have the plan to ride in front of the Pyramids?

Viki: I never thought about it and when we were there I didnt think it was possible until I saw the spot! It was not a perfect spot and it was so hard to pull tricks thats why the video has some of my easy combos.

FM: Who filmed you?

Viki: Guelo was with me! He filmed me! But also Red Bull had its own camera man who film and took nice photos!

FM: Did you have any problems with security?

Viki: Not at all! We just hide the bikes inside the Red Bull truck and we remove them from the truck to film in the spot. It was a memorable day!

FM: In the USA we get a lot of media that might say that it's dangerous. Looks like you were having fun out there. How was Egypt?

Viki: The media nowadays just want to scare the masses so they keep being masses and then they don't progress. Its 100% safe to go there. Everyone knows that the problem was solved in March already and now they have democracy, it's safe and the egyptians treat the foreigners the best! first of all because they are very nice and friendly people and second because the tourism is one of the biggest income for the country! So go to Egypt, have fun, learn some culture, go party and maybe if you are lucky you will find your love there!

Interbike!

2011-09-20T09:26:00.001-07:00

Yeah, Cru's my buddy!

Trifling Tour Video

2011-09-14T10:47:00.001-07:00

The west coast is still contributing to US flatland scene. A. Kha$h, aka Shayne K. just dropped the Trifling tour video -west coast to east coast and back. Check the trilogy!

The Flat Life with Matt Wilhelm

2011-09-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

This is the third and final part of our analysis of the state of flat. This is a follow-up interview after talking to pro rider Terry Adams and discussing pro competition with Effraim Catlow.

THE FLAT LIFE WITH MATT WILHELM

The first time I saw Matt Wilhelm was in 1994 at the Chicago B.S. comp. We were both in the beginner class. I could tell at the time, that this dude had special talent and bike control. He got first place at that comp and has since progressed to become a super pro in flatland bmx. He's competed around the world and is an X-games gold medalist. Although he graduated from the University, he has found a way to make a good living from flatland. While others moved on to desk jobs, he continues to push limits and have fun on his bike!

FM: You're a super pro and you also graduated from the University. That's a rare combination. Talk about where you went to school and what you were studying?

MATT: I originally wanted to be a music teacher and got a music scholarship to Millikin University, which has a great music program. I changed majors to Marketing but still minored in Music. I turned pro during my junior year and still graduated with almost straight A's despite traveling to a bunch of comps and events. Even during my senior year, after being in X Games I was still going to job fairs and looking for real jobs.

FM: What was your career plan if you didn't make it as a Pro Flatland rider?

MATT: I really didn't think it would be possible to make flatland a career. I was thinking about trying to work in the marketing department of a bike company, but realistically I was going to settle for pretty much whatever. During the spring semester of my senior year I won an X-trials competition. With my win/match money from one of my sponsors at the time I won $11,000 in one weekend. I decided to live off that money, and if it ever ran out I would have to get a real job.

FM: What was your parents’ perspective on the emphasis you put on flatland in your life at that time?

MATT: At that point I don't think they understood the potential, and I totally understand where they were coming from. I had just invested a huge chunk of time and money into a college education, and it didn't seem like I was using it. Once I started appearing on TV and in magazines more often they got it.

FM: Now what do they think?

MATT: They are obviously my hugest fans now and are very proud. I think they are more proud of the work I'm doing with kids than what I'm doing on the bike. I am too.

FM: What year did you turn pro?

MATT: I entered a smaller 2-hip Burning Bike in fall of 1999, but my first year of going to X Games and stuff was 2000.

FM: Hold on,Effraim at FlatMatters, is on the line, he has a question....When the going gets tough at contests, (semi finals, final battle) whats your natural reaction? Play safe or come out guns blazing?

MATT: It kind of depends. I'm really over the battle format as it currently stands. You get penalized more for going for it and rewarded more for consistency. Sometimes if you are battling someone good who always pulls their stuff you gotta go for it though.

FM: Have you ever worked a job that was non BMX related, If so, what was it?

MATT: Nope. Worked for 2 months at a bike shop when I was 19 and that's it. I always could do shows for local teams at fairs and festivals to make some side money.

FM: How did you end up doing school shows? Is it a full time business?

MATT: I never even considered doing shows at schools. I used to ride for a local team that would do fairs, auto shows, and some occasional school shows. After doing a few I realized it could be so much more if I developed some educational content around the tricks. I broke off and started doing my own thing. People don't book me because I'm a good rider. They book me because I'm a great speaker. I really feel that this is what I was born to do. I know a lot of riders want to do shows at schools, but it's tough to do it right. You have to ride on super slick floors (you can't slide out and scratch or gouge the floor or you're done). You have to be able to speak articulately as 50% of my show is talking without tricks. My show is 40 minutes so that means you have to hold the attention of a child for 20 minutes without having the luxury of your bike. It's hard to develop. I'm also lucky that I started this 7 years ago. With school funds drying up, it's a changing industry and I'm lucky to be established already.

FM: How many days a week do you do shows?

MATT: I do about 350 different events per year, and some have multiple shows. I would say about 450 total shows per year. I try to take the summer off from doing shows and there is always winter and spring breaks. During the school year I average about 10-15 shows per week.

FM: With so much of your days dedicated to doing shows, do you still do some recreational riding for fun, learning new tricks, etc.?

MATT: The first year I was really busy doing shows all the time it was so overwhelming and I barely rode for myself. Now that I have the formula figured out I can always ride at the warehouse at night. I'm constantly on the bike. I kind of treat the shows as a warm up or skills refresher and then ride for real at night. Plus I am now booking stuff in warmer climates during the winter, so that helps too.

FM: Just in case you thought it wasn't possible to stay progressive and do shows all the time, check this...

FM: As a pro rider, where does the largest percentage of your earnings come from, comps, shows, sponsor salaries?

MATT: About 90-95% of my income is from shows. Back in the X Games era it was more like 90% came from sponsors and comps, but it's a changing world. I love the fact that I'm my own boss and don't have to stress about contest placings to pay the bills like back in the day.

FM: Do you put a lot of emphasis on riding comps?

MATT: I ride in contests purely for my own satisfaction. When you've been riding for 20 years a little extra motivation isn't bad. I totally forgot there was money involved at one of them this year. I was just so into the riding.

FM: You were recently on America's Got Talent. What is your thought about the experience and its impact on flatland?

MATT: I absolute loved everything about performing on the show. I feel like it's kind of the pinnacle of my riding career. Plus I got to do something totally original and artistic by riding in the black lights, which has never been done. I'm not really sure what kind of impact appearing on America's Got Talent will have on flatland. I know that it can't be bad though. That show reaches so many people and a lot of kids to. I could totally see someone trying some tricks in their street after seeing it. Whether or not they stick with it is a whole different story.

FM: Where do you see things going in the “flatland eco-system” as a pro flatlander – sponsors, comps, demos, making a living, the internet, etc? Talk about whatever.

I don't even consider myself a pro rider because I can't make a living from being a pro. I consider myself more of an entertainer / motivational speaker because that is how I make my living. If I just had to rely on the traditional Pro BMX model of making a living I would be living on the street right now. Flatland is in such a weird place currently, and I just can't tell if it's growing or shrinking. There are more bike companies and more events than ever before. However the turnout is super low at events and I'm not sure how many bikes are being sold. When freestyle was "Dead" in 1992 it seemed like there were still a ton of riders, but just no events taking place. I just don't see enough new blood coming in. It's sad that there aren't any new pro's coming up. I also think the level of riding is lower than it was back in the day. It seems like people are doing a few harder tricks, but they aren't multidimensional like before. They just do one genre of tricks and even that seems limited. Newer riders are skipping the basics and going straight for the turbines and spinning tricks. I'm all about the spinning, but you always need that foundation of tricks. That's a whole different topic though. Don't get me wrong I love flatland, the community, and the people involved. I just wish more people would come out and support the events.

FM: What's in store for the future of Matt Wilhelm?

MATT: I'm obviously going to continue to ride because that is what I do and who I am. I'm sure I'll do tons of shows, but I see myself competing less. I like how the flatland community is close and you know pretty much everybody at the comps and jams, so I still want to hit up some jams for sure. I think I would just rather push myself in the direction of new video tricks than consistency at contests. My doorbell literally just rang, and three kids who are in 4th grade just asked for my autograph. They saw me on America's Got Talent and followed my car home. They were already asking how to do tricks, so maybe we will see some new blood in flatland after all.

FM: If people want a Matt Wilhelm demo, how can they book a performance?

MATT: http://www.probikeshows.com is where all the info is at. My calendar is completely booked until 2012 but I have lots of openings from January on.

FM: If you want to learn how to ride flatland. Matt produced this video so you can go from Zero to Hero!

Beyond the Future - Full length Video.

2011-09-06T00:35:00.000-07:00

World Premiere of "Beyond the Future" tomorrow.

2011-09-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

Watch it at :
http://www.diversiontv.com/DiversionTvPages/Users/Video/BMX%20Flatland/Beyond-the-Future/560.aspx

Church of Pedro.

2011-09-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

Pedro Melo, a very creative rider. I knew he had no grips, but now he has no bar ends as well. Check some fresh styles in this very well edited segment by Jim Newrick.

Church of Pedro from jim newrick on Vimeo.

Flatlanders in Brazil hold a Jam for Chase!

2011-09-02T14:12:00.001-07:00

It's the 25th of September, at Ibiripuera Park. Starting mid day.

Chase Gouin needs help.

2011-09-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

Friends,

This letter is to inform you of Chase Gouin’s battle against illness and his current health condition. On December 12, 2009, Chase woke up with a severe headache and was feeling ill. For the next fifteen months he saw more than twenty different Doctors and Specialists who did every kind of traditional test and scan that they believed to be relevant and yet they found nothing that they could diagnose. At one point during that time, Chase decided to move out of his basement apartment and discovered what appeared to be mold in two locations in his bedroom, one being in the wall merely three feet from the head of his bed. Petri dish lab results confirmed three types of mold that are known to be pathogenic to humans under conditions like the ones he was living in (i.e. an old building basement with poor ventilation).

He soon began to suspect that his illness might have been caused by the prolonged close proximity and breathing in of mold spores. A Naturopathic Doctor ordered an advanced DNA based stool sample analysis that he sent to a high tech lab in Georgia. The results confirmed much more and worse than he expected. Results showed the highest possible concentration rating of yeast/fungal overgrowth throughout his body; in the cells, tissues, and bloodstream. A parasite was also found, that may be from the numerous mosquito bites he received one night on an island in Panama in November, 2008. The yeast/fungi and parasite consume most of his fat soluble vitamins which causes a mal absorption disease. The constant and relentless symptoms that Chase has been suffering with include a toxic feeling headache, a cracking kind of facial pressure/pain, numerous sinus issues, tearing goopy eyes, chronic fatigue/weakness, debilitating lethargy, and others. These kinds of infestations can and have resulted in cognitive impairment, memory loss, lack of concentration and disorientation. The immune system also becomes severely weakened and goes into a hyper defense mode which causes multiple environmental chemical sensitivities along with food allergies and devastating reactions to many typically harmless substances that have had him bed ridden for days and even weeks at a time.

The suffering he has endured along with the apathy, denial, and lies he has encountered in the health care system have put him in a desperate situation in which he is racing to find real answers and a cure. Ninety five percent of what he has discovered has been through his own research while enduring the host of symptoms listed above, he barely props himself up at the computer, makes phone calls and writes letters, all of which are only possibly due to the minor relief provided by taking prescription pain killers and sedatives. He has been on a restricted diet of no yeast or sugar, as well as a custom protocol of anti-fungal and anti-parasitic supplements. For over a year now he has lived in a new apartment with all laminate flooring (can't have carpeting), with an expensive air purifier, all natural household cleaning products, spotless living quarters, and he must bring a medical mask with him everywhere he goes. Nothing has yet changed or improved his health in any way.

He thought it was good news when he got the diagnosis five months ago, but it turns out that most modern western Doctors are not educated in the types of diseases Chase is dealing with. Because of this they are actually known as "the quiet epidemics". Even an infectious disease Specialist was not familiar with the lab results or methodology used, and she did not accept his plus four fungal overgrowth rating. She ordered blood tests unrelated to evidence he presented to her and ordered him to do three more inferior culture based stool tests which he had already done and which failed to detect what is there. He even printed out information from the Metametrix lab and submitted it to the I.D. Specialist in an attempt to inform her. It has been a struggle trying to convince and educate the Doctors so that they can help him. Many of these encounters have left him feeling that such efforts have been utterly futile and that the health system is severely broken.

The pain medication he is on is interfering with the metabolizing of the food he eats and supplements he takes which renders them ineffective but, he needs the meds simply to function and to continue the mission to save his own life. Besides that, the side effects and withdrawal symptoms of the pain meds makes it difficult to decipher the real pain from the symptoms of his disease, so it is difficult to determine if he is making any progress.

What he needs to do is find what's called an integrated Medical Doctor who knows about these diseases and how to treat them aggressively and successfully, which may require heavy duty intravenous medications. He is currently in debt due to all the medical costs not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan and unable to effectively pursue a solution to his condition. He cannot even try to ride or exercise because if he does in this weakened state his symptoms become ten times worse. For a high-level professional athlete known for his aggressive and intense riding style, not being able to ride or be active at all for the past fifteen months has taken a serious toll on his physical fitness and emotional well-being. In the face of these extreme obstacles Chase is holding out hope that he may find some real help soon to eradicate these insidious infections, and get back to the love of his life...riding.

Chase has brought so much to the world of flatland and BMX in general. He has inspired many and he has been dedicated to pushing his own limits of potential. He has also been encouraging and helped others to do and be their best. More than that, he has been a true friend and a genuine person. He has been a flatland icon for many years, helping flatland to stay alive in its lowest points. Now I am sincerely asking you to help Chase stay alive through what is no doubt his lowest point. With your help, Chase can continue to pursue the additional medical attention he needs to try and conquer his debilitating condition. The Athlete Recovery Fund has agreed to financially assist Chase towards his cause, but he cannot depend on that as the only source for help, so that is why we need your help. We ask that you please donate to Chase’s recovery fund today. Please give anything that you can so that we can help to get Chase to return to good health and hopefully one day he will be able to get back on his bike and be that amazing rider we all know him to be.

Donations may be sent via paypal to the following address: chasegouinrecoveryfund@gmail.com
Chase’s close personal friend Ryan Quinn has set up the paypal account on Chase’s behalf since Chase doesn’t have a credit card. So don’t be alarmed if Ryan’s name shows up on your paypal receipt. All of your donations are going directly to supporting Chase’s recovery mission.

Sincerely,

Brandon Fenton

Flatland Festival in Brazil.

2011-09-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

Whether it's worldwide or local, I'm a bring it you on Flatmode...
Your boy, Nene, had a flatland festival at his house in Brazil.

Two OGs in the house, Draculão and Leonardo Claro!

Learn more about Brazil here.

East Coast Homie, Jody Temple!

2011-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

If one dude was busting out this summer, it was Jody Temple. Check the skills in this edit. A true OG fo' life!

Chad Johnston on the S&M Pro Team!

2011-08-31T00:34:00.000-07:00

Chad Johnston is now on the S&M Pro team. Check the video and mini-interview to follow!

Chad Johnston - Welcome from S&M Bikes on Vimeo.

FM:How long have you been working with S&M and how did the opportunity to be on the pro team come about?

Chad:Since around 2008. McKinney has been talking to me about it for a long time before that though. I was flowed an LAF, then a LTF. I filmed some stuff on that bike and then we started talking about a signature frame then the Pro team promotion followed.

FM: Do you have to enter contests again now that you're on the pro team?

Chad: Nah, contests aren’t mandatory. As it is in flatland now if you want to get noticed you have to compete, even if it’s not your thing. Stoked to be with a crew that doesn’t put anything on contests. It will be good when more realize that they’re only a small part of the BMX lifestyle.

FM: Are there any other flatlanders on the pro team and/or flow team?

Chad: Not on the Pro team, there are a few guys on the Flow team and a few others getting some parts flow.

FM: What kind of projects have you been working on with S&M that flatlanders should know about?

Chad: The frame, bars and stem are currently in production. We’re working on a few different sizes and details but other than that, just riding now. Maybe more parts down the road.

FM: How's your shop, Neighborhood BMX, going? Plug your info so we know where to go if we are in the LBC!

Chad: It’s going good. I’ve been focusing on riding now that the shop has gotten a little more dialed. I just do the accounting/book work from home and go into the shop a few times each month.

The shop address is 2319 e7th St. Long Beach, Ca. 90804

AF THE NAYSAYER - BMX Musician

2011-08-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

AF THE NAYSAYER is a BMX rider and musician. A lot of the videos you watch have music that is made by him. From Terry Adams' videos to Props Videos, to Diversion videos, AF THE NAYSAYER (aka Amahl Abdul-Khaliq) is dropping tracks. Be sure to check for his new album, 'An Agglomeration of Thoughts" and the next Diversion video, "Beyond the Future."

Pro Comps. Too much Drama? What's Going On? (part 4 of 4)

2011-08-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

Dane Beardsley takes first at the final stop of the AM flat circuit, 2011. The largest flatland circuit in the USA!

Part 4!
Yesterday we left off talking about moving from a "comps + sponsors" way of thinking to a "shows + sponsors" for making it as a pro rider and how to organize ourselves to be able to handle TV appearances and commercials.

Bobby: All that needs to be discussed with the riders and input given from different people's experience.

Effraim: Seems like you agree bobby we are at an all time low

Bobby: hmmmm....depends on what aspect you are talking about...

Effraim: Contests, lack of structure.

Bobby: I think we were at an all time low right after x-games dropped us and before the first Voodoo jam. At least now flatlanders are still trying to do something for flatland, organizing flatland jams and events. That stuff wasn't going on as much as during x-games era.

Effraim: The positives are the amount of blogs, websites popping up, motvating riders daily. The x games was just a paycheck.
There was no judging system that i knew of in place. "Why did i get that score?" You know what i mean? People need to get a reality check and work for the long term. Not the short term pay check.

Bobby: Yes. I think there are a lot of possibilities, but we will have to think differently and experiment with new things, not just go through the same motions over and over again, expecting a different result. I don't think judging is appropriate for pro riders. They need the freedom to create their own tricks and flow. They need to create and ride without worrying about doing things that the judges will like. Just like Martti does in his web edits.

Effraim: I always remember Steve Mulder...How on earth did i ever beat that guy? The guy was a machine, one of the best riders, but because he had one hit tricks and i had combos, I'd place higher What was harder? His tricks for me.
No system in place for judges to go "wait a minute?"

Bobby: See what I mean... let Mulder do what he does and let Big E do what Big E does. No need for judging. You guys have created different albums. You guys can do more good working together than battling against each other these days.

Effraim: I see what your saying..hahaha! i like that. Well right now my album would be called "Less is More."

Bobby Carter: Nice!

Effraim: Hence the clips not edits.. Its to the point.

Bobby: Right. Understood.

Effraim: What were you saying about martti? We got side tracked there?

Bobby: He's achieving what I call "pure flatland." He's doing what he wants to do on his bike free of judgement.

Effraim: Yes, hes a purist, he's one of a dying breed you might say. He hasn't given up the fight.

Bobby: Or maybe the first of new breed that has yet to be born?

Effraim: We'll he's one of a kind, that's for sure. He's a role model in so many ways. Look how he broke up that fight at fise. He could have walked away. I know he wanted to. I wanted to also.

Bobby: I wasn't there, so I didn't see the altercation...

Effraim: I'm just saying hes a role model.

Bobby: Word.

Effraim: He didn't have to do that. He inspires....Intrikat video parts, his contest training methods inspired a new generation (terry, justin for example)...junglerider...groundtactics....He's active.

Bobby: The Intrikat years...That was a sweet era. Now let's see what's in store for the next era.

Effraim: He brought video tricks to the contests. So it can be done. If you want it?
Do you want it? How much do you want it?

Bobby: Do I want what?

Effraim: I'm just saying in general..if you want something, make it happen, nothings impossible.

Bobby: Yes, somethings happen, maybe not in the way you first envisioned them, but they happen.

Effraim: Exactly, someone's interpretation..there's room for so much in flatland.

Bobby: I think that people want flatland to grow, but I don't think that's going to happen through pro comps...probably more likely through shows, demos, jams, commercials, TV appearances etc., web blogs, etc.

Effraim: Sure everyone does. Just needs a central point to flow out of.

Terry Adams handling business on MTV Singapore.

Bobby: And on the underground, the tricks are just going to keep getting harder. People are going to keep riding, that's not going to stop. Money or no money riders will find a way to ride...

Effraim: Of course they always have. No different than when i started.

Bobby: But for those who are inclined to putting in the effort to develop flatland, I think we have to experiment and think outside the "box" of pro-comps. I think there is a great opportunity for creativity at the moment for flatland companies. The web edits are a very efficient way for companies to let the world know what their company stands for and what they are about. A 4 minute web edit allows the world to focus on your brand and riders. Since comps are not covered very much in the magazines, there is the opportunity for flatlanders to come up with stories, link lifestyle with sport, and create interesting articles that magazines can print. This type of article can engage people much better than a contest report.

Effraim: So what are the solutions Bobby? Perhaps a independent panel to look at contest formats and see which format riders would like the best, I mean who decided almost every contest would be a battle? Who decides where each event will be in the World Circuit? Who decides there will be 4 rounds?
There's room for so much more, 2 run formats, 3 min runs, (i.e, Masters), its a big deal if you win the Masters. that contest in the past would attract big crowds and a lot of riders, 59 one year for example. I remember that one year at the Worlds in Koln, Martti kicked all our asses hard, he brought the house down, that was one of the loudest crowds for flatland I've ever heard, without a drop of showmanship. There's other things like more recently Rad dad's Hitchhiker juggler contest, it kind of judges itself, its fun, it will no doubt bring people out of the woodwork to get involved and have a crack at that.

Bobby: Well, I don't have any solutions for the contests. That's the problem with contests...In my opinion they aren't the solution. Back in the day it was a different era. It was the main place in which we could exchange information with a bunch of other riders. It was a platform to show new tricks. Magazines covered these events extensively. Now we have the web edits to show new tricks and facebook to exchange information. Also, nobody will agree to one format. Deep crew will come up with their format for their comp, but then KOG will have a different set up, and yet Battle at the bricks another format, Jomo Pro will do their thing and so on.... Every time a formula is suggested, some organizer or some riders or both will throw a fit. If people want do comps, that's cool, they can do each pro comp as they see fit, but I don't see pro comps as the major component for the development of flatland anymore. That's just my opinion...

Bobby: Basically, pro flatland comps are like scrimmage games. It's for our own enjoyment within flatland, but it doesn't have the same impact as back in the day in terms of developing flatland. Except in specific situations like the Masters or Circle of Balance, they are not efficient at getting pro riders paid, nor are they efficient for brands to get their message across, and they are not efficient at engaging the pros with the rest of the riders. Jams are very efficient at letting AMs interact with Pros and see the products first hand. Web edits are very efficient at getting a brand's messaging across. They also allow riders to show their hardest tricks! Commercials, shows, corporate demos, flatland schools, and the sponsors one could get from these forms of exposure, could get pros paid while building the flatland community at the same time.

Well...that's the end of conversation Effraim and I had over a facebook chat. I hope you learned something. I hope you can share something with us. Thanks for reading. Keep riding! Keep experimenting! Keep enjoying flatland! Keep flatland FREEstyle!

Pro Comps. Too much Drama? What's Going On? (part 3 of 4)

2011-08-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

Is this the magic formula for judging and making pro comps work?

Part 3 of 4
We left off yesterday talking about the two realms of flatland. The first pure riding for yourself. The second, "how do you make a living from flatland, if possible?"

Effraim: Riders are now openly bitching out the judges at every contest, its like the online forum went live to the contest. We need to get organized, have credibility, systems in place, if you are going to bitch, do it privately, not on a stage for all to see. Majority of times judges are there as volunteers. I mean you've been there Bobby, honestly, when was the last time you left a contest more stoked than when you arrived there?

Bobby: Seems to me that trying to judge flatland or apply some sort of standard formula doesn't work. Flatland is supposed to be free. I say let it be free and without judgement. Let the riders ride.

Effraim: So you can't have a contest? Equal prize money? Someone always wants a winner? You didn't answer bobby, when was the last time you left a contest more stoked than when you arrived there?

Bobby: It's been 8 years and only about 2 times, the first Voodoo Jam and World Classic...the other times I honestly was quite exhausted afterward and then bummed about the complaining. There is no formula that will work to judge flatland. No matter which way you approach it, there will be always be a huge flaw. I could go into it more, but look at it this way, the point of being a pro is to bring original and difficult tricks. In the theoretical situation where everyone pulled a flawless run of all original and difficult tricks, would everyone tie for first? At that point, you would have to choose a winner based off of what you "like", not on objective technical points. Although the chances of this happening is very small, we are still approaching that point. Especially as riders are getting more and more dialed in their routines. It's going to be negative drama every time....and you're volunteering to jump into it as a judge. Each year, negativity seems to get worse. There is no formula that will work without stifling the creativity of the riders. Look at the way they judge artistic cycling. The riders can only do certain tricks from their official trick book and each one has difficulty assigned and a proper way to execute it. You can't bust out some new trick and surprise everyone because they don't have an objective way to judge the new trick.

Effraim: Exactly and you're one of the positive dudes, I know. To me their needs to be a system in place where riders can voice their opinions, but do it in the right way this has been going on a while now.

Bobby: Well, most pros want to or are trying to somehow build a living out of flatland. The traditional way is comps + sponsors.

Effraim: Flatland is just static, the riding progresses at home but not at the contest.

Bobby: It usually works in other sports, but I think that flatland is a special situation...

Effraim: Look at Martti and what hes doing. Its beautiful! He's inspiring everyone in some way.

Bobby: Yes. We'll get to Martti in a second. heh heh!

Effraim: We need a governing body in place to deal with all these issues, share it between riders. At the moment, theres no money, so its a question of time.

Bobby: We don't sell tons of product...but I can name a handful of riders that make a living from doing shows, essentially selling flatland as entertainment. We got paid to do that Adidas commercial with Snoop. We didn't need to practice 5 in a row for that, we needed to know how to handle the situation with the production companies. But the industry doesn't focus on that. They focus on comps. Commercials and TV appearances have the potential to put BMX out there way more than a comp.

Kelloggs Frosted Flakes - BMX Freestyle from Sparks on Vimeo.

This frosted flakes commercial probably paid more to the riders than a pro comp and if it was broadcasted, has way more reach than comp coverage.

Effraim: Eddie Fiola came to Southsea on the GT World Tour back when i started. Curb dogs.

Bobby: I'm thinking the main strategy to help flatland grow and for pros to make a living is shows + sponsors. Look at Terry Adams...Sponsored athlete + demos all over the place. He's making a living from flatland...

Effraim: Its the riders holding onto the comps.

Bobby: The riders need to hold on to shows + sponsors. If it is even possible, the governing body should be helping to get shows that get riders paid. Seems as though the companies should be getting their riders out there doing demos, attending jams, and creating cool media that helps bring flatland to the riders and anyone else interested in viewing.

Effraim: If they want a living, yeah. Yes, that's good idea.

Bobby: The governing body, if one could even be assembled, should be going out and being a source of information for riders as well as sponsors.

Effraim: Exactly. Set up between a bunch of riders that love the sport for what it is, no vested interest.

Bobby: It should let riders know how to handle commercials, tv shows etc. That seems the best bet to me. Not comps.

Effraim: Make it happen, B!

Effraim: You have lot of good ideas, your ideally located.

Bobby: I'll try to do what I can, but it should be a global movement.

Effraim: As you say make your dreams a reality. Has to start somewhere. Basic structure. what are you trying to do? How do implement these ideas? How does it grow?
What is minimum fee for a show? All things that can be put in place...

Stay tuned for Part 4 tomorrow!

Pro Comps. Too much Drama? What's Going On? (part 2 of 4)

2011-08-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, in part 1, we spoke about the business cycle of a pro comp and why some comps seemed to work in 2004. We left off thinking about what are the best aspects of a pro comp......

Part 2 of 4
Effraim: Good question. The best thing I can think of right now, is that everyone can see these events at least within 2-3 days after the contest worldwide. And on some occasions, live feed.

Bobby: Well aside from quick broadcasting, which is really just a function of the internet, what do you think is the best thing that pro comps have to offer flatland?

Effraim: To be honest I'm struggling.

Bobby: Haha!

Effraim: What do you think?

Bobby: I think it's a way to bring everyone together in person. At the Worlds or the Masters it's good to be represented with the rest of BMX.

Effraim: Right. But that's no different than a jam, or the x games 8 years ago...

Bobby: For someone on a team, I suppose they can tell a sponsor, their "ranking" on the circuit. To a lesser degree some people are actually competitive and like to "win" and this is a way to let that out. I think the jam is better suited for allowing people to mix it up. Ams can ride all day with Pros and riders have a lot of time exchange information.

Effraim: Yes, the ranking is good. In some ways, but as the sport has changed, majority of sponsors don't care what you placed at a contest. Look at the rest of BMX. Some of the biggest names, Chase Hawk, Aaron Ross, etc are not contest machines. And they are selling product.

Bobby: So it's an interesting predicament we are in...

Effraim: Yes it is...

Bobby: Flatland doesn't have enough riders to sell heaps of product. There's no surplus of money to really re-invest into the sport.

Effraim: Like LL Cool J said "at the crossroads, crossroads"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfKmKM-aM3A

Bobby: Flatland companies don't have the money to support their own pro events. We have to rely on outside money year after year....

Effraim: No we can't, and the contests are alienating more and more riders each time. People are staying home, enjoying their riding in the purest form which ultimately is what its all about anyway...

Bobby: Hmmmmm....It seems like the battle format and other features of the comps are set in place to get the crowd excited.

Effraim: Yes they were originally, but I don't see that it went down like that in the end.

Bobby: World Classic in Japan was really an experiment to prove the format of a big flatland TV show format.

Effraim: When I look back at some of the great runs of all time, the crowd was louder in a two run format 3 min run format. Way louder and now its a show. Certain riders do things to hype the crowd which you know. Its a become a show, and fake to some degree, i'm not into that, its far removed from everyday riding, majority of street riding friends think flat contests are gay...thats their perception.

Bobby: I'm thinking instead of concentrating on pro comps, in the professional realm, riders should be concentrating on selling flatland as entertainment. Comps are really just a rider on rider battle for honor as there is very little money to be won. However, if you had a Pro-level comp with no money, my guess, is that not many pros will show up. So that means the pro riders are chasing money to a certain extent.

Flatring 2006, "competition as a performance" ...

Bobby: Instead of trying to make a comp into a show, just straight up make flatland entertainment. Demos, school shows, commercials, tv shows, events, etc. Don't even worry about trying to beat the next pro in a battle, worry about how to get the next show contract or tv placement, that's the real battle. Get paid through that avenue instead of training for a comp where there is little exposure and little money. As a pro, you could go out and make a thousand dollars doing a set of shows, as opposed to $150 at a comp where you got 6th place and spent months training for it. Drop your hardest tricks in the videos to hype up what few riders are out there to buy your sponsor's product and go meet the riders at the jams.

Effraim: Flatland is about the individual, pushing yourself that's what its always been for me anyway. That may be different for each rider also what you haven't mentioned is one of the changes.

Bobby: There are two realms. First is pure riding for yourself. The second is, "how do you make a living from riding, if possible?"

Stay tuned for Part 3 tomorrow!

Pro Comps. Too much Drama? What's Going On? (part 1 of 4)

2011-08-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

The following private conversation was sparked after Effraim made a post on FlatMatters about the Fise comp in France a while back. Since this conversation, another altercation arose in the US. Although it's fun to meet up and ride with friends at comps, there's a lot more to it, especially for a pro rider, the organizers of the event, as well as the flatland community as a whole. Effraim and I decided to make our conversation public and invite others to listen in.

Matthias Dandois ripping it up to first place at Ninjaspin in Monaco.

A Brief history...
Flatland was kicked out of the X-games after 2003. Since 2004, riders have come together to re-sculpt flatland competition into what it is today. A long list of flatland competitions have come and gone. Some are still going strong, like KOG in japan. Instead of concentrating on the specifics of aforementioned altercations, this conversation is an evaluation of pro comps as a whole and their benefit to the flatland community. There are 4 parts to the conversation. So before haters start popping off at the keyboard, know that this conversation is to help us really evaluate the overall direction that we are taking flatland through pro competition. There are many perspectives on this subject here are just two.....

Part 1 of 4
OK, so we are talking about comps and how they have shaped the current state of flatland.

Bobby: Well, I was thinking about Matthias and contests etc., today. Pretty much his style of riding is great for comp riding. Since the whole pro aspect of the sport revolves around the comps, it seems as though riders tend to ride like him. He becomes the "poster child" of flatland as someone commented on your Flatmatters blog. I think that's a natural thing considering the circumstances.

Effraim: Yes we have reached a standard of what everyone thinks a flatland contests should be, tiny area, which of course suits the style of riding you mention from Matthias, and he is a rolemodel, so riders naturally look up to him. There is room for other style contests, that cater for more riders like Alexis Desolneux, Sebastian Grubinger, variety is one of the many things that makes flatland great! It becomes static if we have go around in circles literally...

Bobby: Along with riders gravitating toward one style, it also seems as though comps are so much about consistency, that most people do their safe tricks in the comp. Which further decreases the variety of tricks thrown down in the comps. Seems to me, since the new tricks are thrown down in web edits, the comps are no longer serving the purpose of "a platform to show the newest tricks."

Effraim: At the moment everyone is holding back for lil bit of prize money.

Bobby: Yeah, there's a lot of work going into organizing the comps, trying to get some sponsors for the events, training to be consistent for comps, and there really is very little money to be won. If you get 3rd or lower, you probably lost money traveling to the comp. Only a few pros get their expenses taken care of by sponsors.

Effraim: Well that's because its been a gradual decline since flatland went out of the x games, it had a few points where we built up again, for example, the red bull circle of balances were great for flatland. And what are we really selling Bobby? Pros aren't buying the bikes for the most part, its the AMs that buy the bikes.

Bobby: Flatland isn't selling much....It's not like a comp goes down and another 500 more completes are sold. There's not enough riders to sell to.

Effraim: Exactly! Contests, like or not, are gone and forgotten a day later. We live in a disposable culture, spit in, spit out, onto the next fix.

Bobby: Most mags aren't even covering the comps. You're lucky if you get a picture on a website or a trick among a bunch of other riders in a web edit. It's also difficult for flatland to support its own pro comps. We always have to look outside the industry for financing, even 8 years after the x-games.

Effraim: Part of the problem is we have lacked credibility. There's still no organization in flatland that represents the riders and their concerns. Sorry to bring up skateboarding, but again it comes up...

Bobby: yup.

Effraim: Imagine we are still in the x games. We have an organizing body looking after and catering for the riders needs and demands, judging structure in place...We would still be in the x games. We didnt have anything [back then] we had Mat Hoffman and Steve Swope helping out, but we pissed them off with the similar kind of bickering and bitching that happens still after every contest, and in some cases at the contest. They don't need the grief. They were only trying to help.

Bobby: I suppose that's true to an extent, but then again they dropped a lot sports along with flatland.

Effraim: Well of course, yes. That's obvious now, but at least we would have an organizing body in place that was looking after the riders. We had nothing and went back to square one...which is kinda where truthfully we are at now.

Bobby: I think flatland, by it's very nature, can't be confined. When we try to confine it to a certain system, negativity erupts...

Effraim Catlow: That's one of the beauties of this artform whats better a Picasso painting or Vincent Van Gogh? What you can do is have judges accountable for their scores.

Bobby: OK, well, I will say one thing is different. Through voodoo, kog, cob, etc. riders had the opportunity to create events and formats that showed flatland in a more exciting way. The first Voodoo jam was like the old movie "Bloodsport"! And at the time, it was a great event for US flatland.

Effraim: Why did that first Voodoo work? I guarantee the riders were pushing it

Bobby: I think at that time, it was the first effort in the U.S. to come together as a community to make something happen!

Effraim: And what you said about new tricks dropping online, Justin Miller was dropping hammers in the comp nothing gets riders more psyched than new tricks and styles.

Bobby: Well, for one, you-tube hadn't blown up like it is now. It was just starting, so his tricks weren't out there. Secondly, the three man battle at the end didn't count off for touches, just what you pulled counted. So the riders were more free to go for hard tricks.

Effraim: Exactly, so the format was less restrictive. Flatland was allowed to blossom which is great. Now its so conservative.

Bobby: Yes, in that moment the riders were let off the "consistency" leash for a bit.

Effraim: Why not keep it like that? If you knew that format was existing at the next contest, you'd have your "contest" combos and some extras in the bag.

Bobby: True. True. Others have put up the argument that when you have that format, non riding spectators see that no one is pulling that much stuff and everyone is crashing, so they loose interest. But I think there's a bigger issue at hand with comps...besides the riding, how much does each comp really help grow the sport? How much return on investment is there in Pro comps? With most other sports, a comp goes down and the companies are selling a lot of product afterward - especially if their rider wins. I don't see that happening in flatland. Instead of participation and attendance increasing year after year with more new riders, it seemed to decrease.

Effraim: You are only taking about Pros, its the Ams buying the bikes

Bobby: Yes. Let me re-phrase that...with most other sports a pro comp goes down and the companies are selling A LOT of product to amateurs and fans - especially if their pro team rider wins. I don't see that happening in flatland.

Effraim: Look at the reasons why jams are blowing up right now. Look at this weekend just gone by, the flatmatters jam in London. I was teaching one of the locals at the TGM what happens in a turbine and once i pointed out the technique, he was way better instantly. If that were a contest, I don't think that scenerio would have come up. The more people riding the more people breaking parts, basically.

Bobby: In my opinion, I think the scenario you just described is light years better at building the sport than a pro-comp.

Effraim: Yes, it is and honestly it hurts me to say that. I grew up on contests, but at same time...

Bobby: That was a different era, though.

Effraim: I never had much advice given to me. I've always rode on my own and had to figure stuff out. The sport can grow if we "pro riders" give back to the ams. I teach a few kids flatland at the skatepark every so often. I call it bike control to them.

Bobby Carter: That being said, I do think that AM comps are a good thing.

Rad Dad sweeping up the Vet class at Texas Flatland Round up.

Effraim: Yes, why are they a good thing? It's more accessible, money is not required (as in prize money), ams seem to appreciate the contest more also.

Bobby: I think it gives some structure and something for ams to practice for as they increase their skills and get some techniques down. Also, since you don't have to worry about prize money, it's less burden on the organizers. Just about every company can donate product. It's an event that can be fully supported by flatland companies.

Effraim: Thats true. or a trophy...

Bobby: And for the companies, you want an AM, your customer, to get stoked on your product.

Effraim: When I was a kid it was only a trophy, bike parts are forgotten a week down the road. A trophy is forever.

Bobby: True, but why not have both??

Effraim: Of course...There's also the fact that people like to belong to something.

Bobby: Going back to pro comps, what do you think is the best thing about pro-comps in 2011, 8 years after we got dropped from the x-games?

Stay Tuned for part 2 tomorrow!

Beyond the Future - Coming Soon!

2011-08-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

The next full length video from Diversion is coming September 6, 2011.

Watch the full length video here: http://www.diversiontv.com/DiversionTvPages/Users/Video/BMX%20Flatland/Beyond-the-Future/560.aspx

Flatland Peru!

2011-08-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Check Toño and the other riders in Peru!

DJ Mike C. in tha house!

2011-08-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

Most flatlanders live a dual life. Off the courts, you're likely to find a flatlander just about anywhere. When Mike Chua showed up on the flatland scene, he said he was into DJing, but I didn't know how deep into the turntable game he went until I found this clip. Two legendary DJs battle it out for ITF supremecy! Check it!

FM: Sup, Mike! Where and when is the battle in the video taking place?

MC: What up Bobby. That was an ITF (International Turntablist Federation) battle, the U.S. Finals for 1999. ITF turned out to be kind of like the ABA of DJ battles: nowadays in basketball, there is just the NBA. But back in the day, the two major leagues were the NBA and the ABA. Likewise, in DJing the two big worldwide battles at the time were the ITF and DMC, and nowadays I think it’s just the DMC.

The way those ITF battles worked is that they had an East Coast prelim battle and a West Coast prelim battle. The top four DJs from each coast qualified for the U.S. Finals, which was held in San Francisco and is the battle in that video. I placed fourth in the West Coast battle, and then second in the U.S. Finals.

FM: So for 1999 you were crowned the 2nd best DJ in the USA for the ITF?

MC: It just means I placed second in that particular battle. Just like in flatland contests, there are plenty of people who don’t enter a particular contest who might have placed higher. And also like in flatland contests, this stuff is all art and all subjective. That’s just how the placings went on that particular day.

FM: Were you with a crew? If so, what were they about?

MC: Yeah I was part of a DJ crew called Top Rawmen. It was me and DJs Nando, Yeroc, Nomad, Coy, and Jay Slim, plus Kidragon and Omega. We were pretty much just a bunch of young kids who were friends and were all into DJing. I grew up with Yeroc and Nomad in Sacramento, and then we linked up with all the others after we moved down to SoCal for college. Some of us in the crew ended up winning or placing high in some major battles during our era, which was more than I would have known to expect for me and my friends just goofing off on some turntables.

FM: Did you guy also get it jumping on the party scene or did you stay strictly to technical DJing?

MC: I did do some club/party DJing, but the artsy technical DJing (turntablism) is what I was really passionate about at that time. In comparing it to other kinds of DJing, I think it’s a lot like painting: there’s the more workmanlike kind of painter who paints houses and walls and such; and then there’s the Van Gogh type who does something totally abstract and kind of unnecessary, but that could potentially make you say “wow.” Obviously the first type of painter is more practical and useful; whereas the other type is more likely to end up crazy and broke and cutting off his own ear, haha. So likewise, it would be way more practical to be the kind of DJ that plays music for people at various events, but I just found scratch artistry more interesting. However – just like the two kinds of painters – they are both valuable skills, and you could be good at one or the other or both. I’d like to think I was capable of both.

FM: I saw this poster online as well. Its a picture of you and DJ Nando. Talk about this release.

DJ Nando (L) and DJ Mike C. (R)

MC: Wow, you must’ve done some serious online digging, haha.

FM: Google, baby!

MC: This is the cover of a mixtape that I put out with my boy Nando back in 2000. We’re both really opinionated types, so we couldn’t truly “collaborate” on a project; we each had to have our own side of the tape, something you don’t experience with the CD or mp3 mixtapes that came later on. This tape was pretty much a collection of the ‘90s-era hip-hop that we both grew up on, all mixed together with our scratching stuff. We got a good response on it from people at the time; I’ll send you a link to an mp3 copy one of these days so you can check it out.

FM: How long were you in the DJ game?

MC: I first got into DJing in 1993, during high school. I was into the battle scene from ’96 until 2001 or so, and then I got into production and did songs for some local hip-hop acts until about 2005. One of the groups I used to produce for, called Far East Movement, actually went on to become huge in the music scene and made some of the most popular songs of the last few years; so it’s neat to be able to say that I made songs with them too back in the day.

FM: Can we hear any of the tracks you produced for Far East Movement online?

MC: Yeah, here is a music video for the song “Western” which we recorded in 2004 or so.

FM: Why did you not continue to pursue more in the music scene?

MC: I think in the end, I just felt I was putting more into it than it was giving me back: not only in terms of time and resources, but also in enjoyment. There were other hobbies and things that I got into – such as flatland – and I found that I preferred to spend my time and energy doing other things besides music, even if that meant I had to start from zero trying something new.
I could picture myself getting back into it someday, especially if it tied into my current interests somehow. Maybe I could DJ at BMX events someday; but not at ones like Hollywood Jam, where it might just start raining on us or we could get kicked out for no good reason, haha.

FM: You'll probably be too busy riding at the jam too! haha!

FM: I noticed you were jugging a lot of words together in addition to beats. Did you have a special style or some thing that stood out in your skill set?

MC: I don’t know if I had anything that stood out; I just tried to have a well-rounded set of skills. Turntablist skills are generally categorized as scratching (manipulating the sound on only one turntable), or juggling (splicing back and forth between both tables). So I tried to get down with both styles. The words and disses and stuff aren’t what anyone would consider “pure” turntablism or musical skill, but they’re appropriate for a setting like a hip-hop battle, which is what this was. You might think of it as kind of like those emcee battle scenes in the movie “8 Mile,” but with turntables and records instead of mics.

FM: Do you still have any of your tables and equipment?

MC: Most def. Ask my wife, that stuff takes up way too much space in our house, haha. I don’t mess with them much these days; but every now and then I’ll get the itch and be on them heavy for like a week, and then I won’t touch them again for months. If I had all the time and energy in the world, I’d certainly get back into it. But being things as they are, when I have free time I end up doing other stuff instead, like hanging out with friends, playing ball, lifting weights, or riding the bike.

From the tables to the beach, Mike's got you covered!

It’s funny because flatland is what I was into before I got interested in DJing: I had an ’87 Dyno Pro Compe Team Model way back when. But I think one thing that got me more into music at the time is that if I were to mess up during DJing, it would sound bad and I’d look stupid. But if I mess up trying a trick on the bike, I might actually get hurt! So getting back into flatland during these last few years is like coming around full circle for me in a way.
One thing the two have in common is that you’re taking something that was meant to be used a certain way, but you’re flipping it in a creative and skillful way to end up with something else. So who knows, maybe ten years from now I’ll be really into making sculptures with food or something, haha.

Nice Flatland Filmmaking!

2011-08-15T15:17:00.001-07:00

Keelin' reppin' that LA hat at the end. You know you can spell Flatland without the LA! haha!

Ahmed Rolls Out for Nor-Cal.

2011-08-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ahmed Johnson, one of the most progressive riders in the So-Cal scene has moved up North to pursue his Biological Wildlife Studies. Sad to see him leave the LA flatland sessions, but happy to see him pushing forward with his life and taking advantage of new opportunities! Sky's the limit! We'll check you on the flipside, Ahmed! Photos by Toño and Richard.

Rider on a mission!

Loaded up with the bike and necessities!

Power to da people! Ridaz!!!

America's Got Talent -BMX Flatland

2011-08-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Things are heating up on the west coast! America has voted! Not one, but two flatland performances have been advancing on the show, "America's Got Talent." Both Matt Wilhelm and James McGraw have put together stage acts and they are proving that people like flatland when packaged properly. Matt Wilhelm's first auditioning you-tube video got the most votes out of any of the other performances and just last night, America voted again to push Matt forward. James McGraw's Yellow Stunt team has the wild card and will perform again next Tuesday. I've been up in the audience and the crowd reaction at the studio is crazy when they see flatland.

Flatlanders innovate web technology.

2011-08-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

You know how we do here on FlatMode. We like to link the riding with lifestyle and let you know what's up on the west coast and beyond. Today I'm going to introduce you to Alex Capacelatro (aka, Alex Capz).

A. Capz rolls a hitchhiker while contemplating social network algorithms.

Alex came out from back east to attend UCLA, now that he's graduated, he's working on his own internet startup company called Hypho's. A tech blog called Pinglio interviewed Alex about his new social networking innovations....check out the link below.

http://www.pinglio.com/2011/08/hyphos-a-social-network-dedicated-to-bringing-like-minded-people-together/

The mastermind group!

Yo' boy, Fred, is smiling. I hear he's pretty chill...

Diversion TV Cinema Pick: Madrid Sessions.

2011-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

“This is the original solo video released by the world class flatland BMX rider, Viki Gomez, in 2004. Most of the filiming is done at his local riding spots in Spain. Watch Viki throw down his most original material in this psychedelic, flatland audio/visual presentation!”

The State of Flat Part 1: How to Make it in the Flatland Game.

2011-08-02T16:41:00.001-07:00

The title sounds like a book and perhaps it should be written. A lot of people say it's impossible to make a living as a pro flatlander. One rider who's consistently proving this statement wrong is Terry Adams. How does he do it? How did he get to the top? Was it luck?

....Welcome to part 1 of a series of flatland "examinations," where we will discuss the positives and negatives of the flatland game. The purpose of these interviews is to evaluate what works and what doesn't work in flatland and think about new paths to take in the future. There is no one correct answer or one correct path to success. Look, listen, and learn...then make your path!

Terry Adams is one of my best friends. I've seen him rise up from a small country town with no sponsors to be an international ambassador of flatland bmx and Red Bull athlete. Always on his hustle, Terry's found a way to make a living as a pro flatlander. If you're out there struggling or just want to know what steps to take to do something with your riding career, check it out...

FM: So how long have you been making a living as a pro flatlander?

TA: After I won my first Pro contest in 2002. I quit my job at the local bike shop. 1st place was $3,500 and that was way more than I had in the bank at that time. So I thought to myself, Why work? After that contest I started picking up sponsors that wanted to support me financially. That's pretty much the story in a nut shell.

FM: As far as picking up sponsors, did it happen automatically or did you have to go out and get them?

TA: Some Of the sponsors I really pushed for and some kind of fell in place. After I realized it was possible to keep companies stoked on me through all the media coverage, I really started pursuing that side of things.

FM: In today’s market, how much do you have to hustle to get new sponsors, if at all?

TA: You really need to show you them you are getting out there. I send out my travel schedule all the way back from 2007, my online coverage , # of twitters followers, face book friends, and even my blog updates to show them how much I am getting out there on a monthly basis, Then its up to them to see if I am a fit for their company.

FM: What advice would you give to riders who are achieving a high level of riding, but are just now trying to develop their “professional career” and get sponsored?

TA: Representing a brand is much more than being a great rider. You need to be a likable guy that is willing to put in the extra work to build a good relationship with the company. Something as simple as bringing extra shirts to pass out, keeping fresh stickers on your bike, and even keeping the companies up-to-date are all things that make a true professional. The list goes on, and on, and on.....

Always promoting...free Raising Canes shirts everybody!

FM: One time you had to go to work in the paper mill. Talk about that for moment. Why did you have to get a job?

TA: At that time the company that was supporting me financially had stopped paying me. I sent them an e-mail after 1 week of working at that "paper mill" and said "Please re-consider your decision because I really want to pursue BMX as my job or I am going to go back to school." They believed me and supported me for many years after that. I am very thankful to have had the support from all my sponsors through my career.

Terry Adams going back to school......

FM: Where does the majority of your money come from? Shows, contests, sponsor salaries?

TA: Its pretty much split between all that. I try to do as much as I can to keep everything in motion.

Not only does Terry clock dollars, he also clocks Euros with Matt Wilhelm (on right)...

FM: Out of the split which one holds the biggest percentage for you?

TA:Every year it's different. Thanks to Red Bull, I do a ton of extra appearances every year so that really helps out a lot.

A flatland demo can be done just about anywhere. +1 for flat!

FM: Seems like being a successful pro flatlander takes more than just being able to do hard tricks. Are some other skills/tasks are involved?

TA: Keeping this life going is much more than learning new tricks and taking some wins at the contest. My year is spent keeping my sponsors updated, Coming up with different ways to promote them, traveling for appearances, helping with product design, and of course keeping my body in shape.

FM: When you say keeping your sponsors updated, what does that entail?

TA: I email them on a weekly basis with all my updated travel schedules, media links, and ideas so they know I am out there working. I feel like its my job to keep them up to date on what I have going on.

FM: You say you have to come up with different ways to promote your sponsors. What sort of things have you come up with to promote them?

TA: I have came up with crazy video ideas, bike give aways, twitter contest, doing my own movie, coming up with wild photo shoot ideas, Crazy TV appearances, and even showing up at different events to showcase my skills. All I constantly do is try to think up new ways to keep my self in front the media outlets. There's so many ways to shoot a video or photo so its rad to bring something original to the table. I really enjoy this part about being a professional rider.

Here's an example of a promotional video.

Terry Adams Hobby Lobby from Brock Gomez on Vimeo.

FM: How do contests play a role in your career as a pro flatlander?

TA: It pushes me to stay on top of my game. In some cases some of my sponsors are monitoring my contest placing. Of-course that's not all they are looking at but it's awesome to go there and do well. In return it creates online coverage, tv coverage, and print coverage that gets passed around to all the BMX media outlets. So to say they play an important role would be an understatement.

FM: After winning the Jomo Pro (first stop of the flatland world circuit) and given the importance of contests in your career, you will not be at the next round of the Flatland World Circuit in Singapore, why did you choose not to attend all the stops?

TA: I set some career goals at the beginning of the year and in the contest section of the goals I wanted to win 3 contest for 2011. After I hit that number I really became focused on other goals I needed to accomplish. The # 1 reason I am not hitting those final events is I have a 1 month college tour for Red Bull going on so my energy & focus will definitely not be contest training during those dates.

FM: You are sponsored by companies that have BMX flatland specific products as well as companies that have no direct connection with BMX or flatland. Talk about how products that have no direct connection with BMX flatland factor into the mix.

TA: Not all the companies I ride for produce BMX products. Red Bull, Raising Canes Chicken Fingers, and Pro Skins performance bands are companies that have nothing to do with flatland. In my eyes, as long as the athlete/rider can get the sport in the media enough to show impressions for that company. It does not matter how big or small "flatland" is, if you put it in front of enough eye balls, it becomes a very marketable thing.

Chicken and Flatland.... you know what it is!

FM: If other riders out there want to think about getting sponsors that are outside of BMX, how would you advise to initially approach these companies?

TA:You can present them with a proposal of what your asking for & what you can do for them. I always make sure they realize I can be huge asset to their company with all the tours, events, and media coverage I produce in a 12 month period.

FM: Do you have a resume or a set of materials on hand?

TA: I always present them with my upcoming travel schedule , updated career highlights, and past travel/events from the past 3 or 4 years. My goal is to show them I have been on the move for many years and have no intention of slowing down.

FM: Are you a member of any agencies that will get you auditions for commercials?

TA: Yes, I have a sports agency that I work with. They are great because they have the connections to other companies outside BMX.

"I got goals to accomplish....." A hustler's job is never done.

FM: Getting sponsored and making a full living in flatland doesn’t happen overnight, in fact it’s an ongoing process that never stops. I know you have a “goal” system that you use to keep progressing. Explain how you set your goals, how often you set new goals, and what happens if you don’t achieve a specific goal.

TA: At the beginning of every year I set a list goals for my riding. In that list I set a bunch of goals for contest, media coverage, TV appearances, and even tricks. At the end of the year I go over those goals and see how much I accomplished. I know it sounds a little crazy, but doing this has helped me achieve a ton of things. If I come up a bit short on some of the goals I set, I simply re evaluate the the situation and make "an action plan" to get it done the following year.

FM:How often do you look at your list of goals for the year?

TA: Any time I have some downtime. I will look them over to see whats up. Also I always tend to put a goals in there that I know I can I accomplish. That way I can get motivated along the way..

FM: Word!

If you would like to know more about the life and times of Terry Adams check out his full length documentary below.

Five-O BMXer's

2011-08-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

F.O.B. (aka Five-O BMX'ers) just dropped this photo of me online! Five-O stands for "50." Hawai'i is the 50th state, hence "Hawai'i Five-O." The year was 1998, Honolulu, Hawai'i. The island of Oahu. I'll be back soon!

Bobby K. Carter - Forward Death Truck. Photo by Kala Yasuda.

Adam Kun rolls through Hollywood.

2011-07-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Adam Kun is in Los Angeles and goes back home to Hungary tomorrow. As the previous post states, there was a session today at NoHo park.

Before the session I took him to Hollywood Sign, Sunset strip, and Beverly hills.

At the "El Pollo Loco," Adam learns that Americans eat too much as the portions of food served in the US is unbelievable.

Noho Park Session

The session.

Toño.

Bo.

Adam.

Ahmed.

Adam.

JoWii-Z!

More photos from Toño

A happy rider....

Can't leave L.A. without some tacos...

Loc'd up!

Eye'd up!

Today was a good day.

Session Announcement: North Hollywood Park, Sunday July, 31 @3PM

2011-07-29T18:39:00.000-07:00

There will be an official session at North Hollywood Park on July 31, 2011 at 3pm. Adam Kun will be out there. Be there or don't be there. We will be on the Chandler side parkinglot behind the skatepark. The address is for the front entrance.

11455 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

View Larger Map

Minimal Riots! Magic Wednesdays with Diva DJ Egypt

2011-07-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

While riots broke out down the street from the lab on Hollywood Blvd., I was downtown, cool, attending Magic Wednesdays at Vertigos club. Diva DJ Egypt was spinning Minimal Tech - All vinyl, not CDs. You can check the set below. Minimal tech sounds kind of like music you expect to hear in the Ares DVDs or in the classic "Sleep Walker" or "Viva Asia" videos!

Diva DJ Egypt

Listen to her DJ set at Magic here.
http://www.mixcrate.com/mix/66325/DiVA-DJ-EGYPT-MAGIC

Viva Asia video from Japan!

The Riots in question....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/28/kaskade-hollywood-block-party-turns_n_911642.html

Toño Marrache Bio

2011-07-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Toño Marrache is one of the best riders in all of Peru! He's spending some time with his family and the riders of LA. Meet Toño!

Flatlander,Thong C. Ngoer, Rallies for Public Safety.

2011-07-27T01:02:00.000-07:00

Thong C. Ngoer keeps it gangster and rallies for cross walk public safety in his hood. Check him out, representing on the evening news! "It's like a race, from the green light..."- T.Ngoer

kOG's Yesiree!

2011-07-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

We got some OG's Yesiree...The OG flatland wrecking crew from Japan circa 1999 at the K.O.G. comp. Many of the tricks and techniques you are be practicing right now were shaped and molded by this crew.

(Left to Right) Akira Okamura, Takashi Ito, Hiroya Morizaki, York Uno, Ryoji Yamamoto. (Photo from Dig-it!)

Here is the rare and classic 2002 Official KOG video in its entirety.

Find more free flatland full length videos here.

One Love Trifling Tour Finale - Newport Beach Session

2011-07-25T08:30:00.001-07:00

One Love BMX's coast to coast flatland tour came to an finale, back in California at Newport Beach. The crew, D.Wright, A. Kha$h, and T. Marrache, arrived at the spot in good spirits. About 14 riders and one crazy rollerskate dude sessioned on the beach! Yo, we out here!

Day 9 from One Love BMX on Vimeo.

One Love Tour - Final Stop Newport Beach.

2011-07-22T19:53:00.001-07:00

Yo, calling all riders around L.A. The One Love "Trifling Tour" will land at Newport Beach on Sunday Afternoon.

Newport Beach (13th street & bike path) Sunday, July 24 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This is what the spot looks like. Be there or don't!

What is Spike Jonez up to?

2011-07-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonez was a pioneer in the BMX world of photography back in Freestylin' days. Check out what he's up to recently.

One of the dopest photographers in BMX history.

Have You Seen Him?

2011-07-20T22:13:00.001-07:00

I was just at Garage Pizza and saw this on the napkin holder. Anyone know who this is??

Mark Eaton once stated that this was part of the inspiration for making flatland videos. The year is 1987....

AF THE NAYSAYER MIX

2011-07-18T14:34:00.000-07:00

AF THE NAYSAYER is at it again with his boy, Luke! Check the track in this edit.

AF THE NAYSAYER X LUKE ST JOHN @ The Brec park from jon rogers on Vimeo.

Free Full Length Videos.

2011-07-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Diversion TV is now free. The site has officially switched over to an ad supported model. Which means you can watch all the videos in the library without paying. The filmmakers get paid from the advertising revenue. So please support the filmmakers and watch their videos on Diversion TV. You no longer need to upload pirate copies to bootleg websites. Check out the full library of flatland videos here.

Snakes on a Riding Spot!

2011-07-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

When you're up in the Hollywood Hills, you never know what animals you might run into, wild animals, tame animals, party animals... Ahmed and I went up to the Hills for a session and a snake dropped in on us. Luckily, Ahmed is a professional animal wrangler - L.A.'s Steve Irwin, if you will. He identified the snake and safely transported it back to a safe home.

The snake:
Name: (Pituophis catenifer) or the Pacific Gopher snake

Venomous: Non venomous, but it's main defenses are biting, constriction, and musking (basically crapping).

Where they hang: They are active by day and are found in mainy habitats like woodlands, deserts, chaparral, looking for rodents and other small vertebrates.

Ahmed made this video of our session with our serpent friend....

"Deja Vu" Full Length Video!

2011-07-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

“Deja Vu” is Simon O'Brien's second solo film. Simon O'Brien the final flatland X-games gold medal winner from Australia shows his true skills in this second release!

Diversion TV is the best place for Flatland Cinema...for free. Check out more Flatland films here.

Trifling Tour Begins!

2011-07-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

(L to R) D. Wright, Toño M., and A. Kha$h came through LA to pick up the BMX goods to scatter across the nation. Look out for the Trifling Tour in your hood! Check http://www.onelovebmx.com for more tour updates!

Flatlanders in Space? Art Thomason Debriefs us...

2011-07-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

There was a Shuttle Launch yesterday at Cape Canaveral in FL. Yo' boy, Art Thomason, works for NASA, so I caught up with him to find out what flatlanders are doing in outer space....

FM: Hi Art! Did you work on today's launch?

AT: Hi Bobby. My role for this mission is to tell to the crew how to repair the Shuttle if there is any damage to the tiles that protect them from the heat if entry. Hopefully, I won't be busy for this mission. We should know how the tile looks in a couple of days.

Some dude Art helped to space walk.

FM: Cool. Can the tiles get damaged on the way out of the atmosphere?

AT: Yes, the main cause of tile damage is foam that comes off of the big orange fuel tank when the shuttle is still in the atmosphere. Tile is pretty fragile; you can poke a hole in it with your finger because it is not very dense. There is damage on every mission, but most of the time it is small. There have been a few times when the damage was large and in a bad place. We had to start working on plans for a repair, but in the end analysis showed the damage would pass without a repair.

FM: Wow. What is it made of that it can be so fragile and still protect? Does it protect against radiation too?

AT: It is made of silica (glass), but there is lots of empty space in it to dissipate the heat. It protects against heat only. When you pick one up, it is so light that it feels like it is made of Styrofoam.

A.T. handling business!

FM: Do you fill it in or are there some spare tiles?....Just in case I need to repair my tiles before re-entry....

AT: Each tile is unique, so no spares. We either fill it in or cover it with a big plate that screws into the good tiles. The second one is only for large damage. Hope your tiles are doing well.

FM: Haha! yeah! I was watching this video about the last night launch today. You have pretty much the dream job. Do you work with Satellite launches too?

AT: Cool video. Watching it now.I only deal with human space flight and specifically space walks. I was the space walk lead for the STS-130 mission (last night launch). I didn't realize it was the last night launch until now.

FM: So are these your co-workers in the video?

AT: I only know the astronauts from the video. We don't have too much interaction with the people that process the Shuttles because they are in FL and we are in TX. I have met a few of them, but none from the video. We need to be in Houston for the launch because the second after the shuttle takes off, we are in control. You don't want to get stuck in FL and not make it back to support from Houston.

National Flatland Space Administration - Space Walkin'!

FM: Are you at mission control right now?

AT: I am at home right now. We take shifts at mission control. Here is a press brief I did for my last flight.

WORD!

Check the New Issue of RideBMX!

2011-07-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Yo, I got a full page pic in the latest issue of RideBMX! Thanks to one of the tightest BMX photographers in the game, Kai Kuusisto!

Happy 4th of July...

2011-07-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

Toño gets rad in front of a fountain that looks like a mini H-bomb.

Forget about Santa Monica or Marina Del Rey...this year FLATmode went straight to the hood. Reppin' in Huntington Park, world war three erupted on Richard's street. All the neighbors were lightin' the place up. Mortars, shells, missles...you name it....every block was lit! The neighbors rolled up like "We got some Disneyland type $h!t! This one's for you!" BOOM~~~! As they set off some M-80s in the street on our behalf. All the car alarms start going off...Richard's dad is shootin' off Roman Candles...Dominos pizza man almost gets blown up....chaos! Hahaha! Check the video and the picts below!

Let's get it started!

Rockets in the background. You'd think we were at Cape Canaveral...

Those little bottle rockets you got ain't ready for this 100 shot of saturn missles!

5-0 didn't sweat the hood all night...

The aftermath of our arsenal.

Photos by Toño and Bobby.

Fireworks in the Hood. from FLATmode on Vimeo.

Trick of the Month: Juggler

2011-07-01T12:41:00.001-07:00

This one is for the Metal heads!

Trick of the Month: Juggler from FLATmode on Vimeo.

Construction Work.

2011-06-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Bill Freeman getting work done at Studio City.

Photo by: Toño

AF THE NAYSAYER on stage!

2011-06-27T08:39:00.001-07:00

The A.M. - AF The Naysayer x Luke St. John from tyler russell on Vimeo.

Flatland in Ghana, Africa.

2011-06-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

Bikelordz : Stunts and Styles from Accra, Ghana from Bikelordz on Vimeo.

Street Swarm Video by Vegas Mike and D. Wright!

2011-06-25T22:47:00.001-07:00

L.A. Street Swarm 2011 from One Love BMX on Vimeo.

AF THE NAYSAYER Album!

2011-06-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

AF THE NAYSAYER drops a lotta tracks in a lotta BMX videos you've seen and enjoyed. Now he's about drop the album! Check it!

Los Angeles Street Swarm!

2011-06-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

Yo, this is the rawest BMX events out there. I'm a flatlander, and I showed up to this event to represent. Street Swarm represents the core of BMX . I'm not sure why I didn't see anyone from the big Media Companies here. I also didn't see much attendance of Pros attending that live in the area. I guess everybody's too busy makin' money from corporate BMX comps to represent the roots of this culture....I mean, it's scenarios like Street Swarm that make BMX cool! It's the core BMX attitude, the freedom, it's what gets people into BMX.

Anyway, I captured some cellie photos of what went down at the lastest edition of Street Swarm.

BMXer's are swarmin'! Hear those freewheels buzzing!

Eric Hough designated the route through downtown LA and we hit up all the spots along the way. Take these foo'z to tha railz, Hough!

Two crazy foo'z hit this rail. LA Convention Center.

This foo' pulled it! Yeaaah!!!

Mike Robbins from Innertwine was filmin'

This didn't end well....ssssssss!

Eric Hough got hops! 50/50 stall to some back wheel, front wheel disco on top, then hop back down.

When security rolled up, we all rolled out! On to the next spot!

Now, who's gonna hit this....

He did! I missed the trick though, cellie photo delay...doh!

When this guy rolled up, everyone made fun of him....poor security. He wasn't trained to handle the Swarm!

We swarmed Macy's!

Security radioed for back up. When no one came to help, they sat back and pulled out their iPhones and started filming the action!

Hey, whaddya know, Bill Freeman was reppin' out there.

Last stop on the route! Product toss! Free parts! Free Parts!

A stoked organizer!

Game Over. Play again next time, playah!

Happy First Day of Summer!

2011-06-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

Da Regal!

The earlier years' models were more pimp, but somebody was flossin'!

The Regal Beagle!

What ever happened to your boy, Larry??

New Flatland Site from Australia.

2011-06-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.bmxflatlandaustralia.com
Everything you ever wanted to know about the flatland scene in Oz!

You wanna ride? We ride!

2011-06-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday Zuma Beach session.

Mike's got turbine megaspins!

I'm working on getting this into a tight circle!

Todd is hitting the AM circuit and is 2nd in overall points! Watch out!

An inspiration for a whole new generation! There's no "I" in flatland....

Tight minis parked at the supermarket! First time I ever saw the cargo-mini!

Todd has massive OG skills. A yabba-dabba-doo! Two footed backyard!

You wanna ride? We ride....hit us up!

Da swap meet!

2011-06-17T11:39:00.001-07:00

Down near Richard's place is the "swap meet", as he calls it. You can get all sorts of deals on all kinds of merchandise. We were in search of the elusive Nankai Bearings.

We found a bike shop that had the bearing size for $1 each!

The have all sorts of embroidery and t-shirt making shops at the swap meet. The Los Angeles female motto on display...

Richard is a self-proclaimed Pizza Connoisseur. Here he is with some Cousianos pizza and the bearings!

A car smashed through "Midnight Ridazz" bike ride!

2011-06-16T11:38:00.001-07:00

This is pretty crazy since a number of friends participate in this ride.
Story at LA Times http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/06/car-smashes-into-cyclists-in-baldwin-hills-area-one-critically-injured.html

Warning: Tight Street Video.

2011-06-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

I felt that this video encompassed more than just tricks on a bike, but also the attitude of having fun with your life. This attitude is something that you can apply even when you're off your bike...

ALONE - 8 Days of Hate from Sean Pointing on Vimeo.

Snoop Dogg meets flatland....

2011-06-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Ahmed, Toño, and I did an Adidas commercial featuring Snoop Dogg. The set was up in the Malibu hills near the Zuma Beach riding spot. They were trying to capture the essence of a Southern Cali backyard beach house party.

We arrived on set, in full Nike gear, around 12:30pm! Hahaha!
Toño had his "cellie walkie talkie" to Peru in full effect!

Ahmed -"Where's the session at??"

Getting ready for a hilarious day...I told them on the phone we wear Nike! They had the wardrobe department in full effect, ready to get us draped in Adidas gear!

The house in the hills was tight. They had a pretty sick mini-ramp at the house and we sessioned the flat bottom.

Bobby.

Toño.

Ahmed.

Camera man.

They made this in-ground trampoline into a foam pit. A couple street riders jumped into it.

After the ramp and foam pit session, Snoop arrived. Here he is, rolling up on Ahmed for the pool scene....

Gettin' paid!

Toño in a good position. He ain't mad...

Now you know them flatlanders are the sheezy fo reezy!

Snoop doin' what he do best!

At night, outside Snoop's trailer...We were all set up to get a proper portrait shot with Snoop and the flatland riders, but then the assistant director told us he needed us for the night party scene.
Maaaaaaaannnn, always somethin'!!!!!

Snoop ended up coming back out during the night party scene and started freestylin' for us. It was pretty tight. I wanted to take more photos, but their cameras were rolling and we needed to act like we were at a party.

Here's what Toño had to say about the event.

FM: Did you ever think you would be on set with Snoop Dogg?
Toño: No never in my life hahaha!

FM: Do people listen to Snoop in Peru?
Toño: Yes, they do! A lot of people...

FM :Oh yeah? That's tight. How were the girls on set?
Toño: I only like 2 girls there. Hahaha! The girl of afro hair and the other girl with the white dress.

FM: Do you wear Adidas?
Toño: I did but now no...
FM: Hahaha!

FM: Did you jump in that foam pit?
Toño: Yesssss...... it was super cool, but not with my bike just me alone jajajaja!

FM: Sounds like you had fun!
Toño: yeaahh!!

FM: How has your visit to America been so far?
Toño: Really good ... the people are very amazing, the riders too!... it so cool. I like LA!

FM: Those girls were pretty hot!
Toño: Yeeeahhh! I like that too!.. and want one hahahaha!

So ends another episizzle of FlatMode!

Our boy, Chris McDonald, another skater on set, took this photo.

The Private Retreat.

2011-06-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

This is a spot up in the hills somewhere...it's pretty dope. Doesn't even look like Los Angeles...

Ahmed.

Bobby.

It's A-OK!

2011-06-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Colony is up to something good.

Session at Ben Snowden's spot.

2011-06-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

I went to Ben Snowden's place the other day. He paved a 25 by 25 square in his backyard for flatland. Ryan Russel and I sessioned the flatland pad next to the ramps.

Ryan can ride the ramps too! He was busting out!

Big Daddy's Nisserari was parked out front!

Events! Events!

2011-06-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

4130 Ride! Ahmed gets sick for the fixies.

John Ing Graduates! Now that school is out, I hope to see him at the sessions!

Lord Lalo eyeing that drank at J. Ing's graduation party.

The 90s!!

2011-06-03T21:21:00.001-07:00

What 1990's BMX video featured Fu-Schnickens?

Energy Drink Talk with Chance!

2011-06-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Chance is the chancellor of energy drinks at Studio City parkinglot. He's probably in his chancellary, mulling over the latest energy drink released this week as you read this.

FM: I know you get a bunch of energy drinks. When did you start gettin' energy drinks?

Chance: Probably about 3 years ago when a bunch of them starting comin' out, beyond the redbulls and the monsters. So after a while I just decided to try the new ones. Every week I'll try a new one.

FM: One a week or something?

Chance: Yeah one a week, sometimes I'll cheat and have two....'cuz you know...

FM: Uh-huh...

FM: Are you keepin' track of all this? What's the best one?

Chance: That's a tough question...There's one called Cutting Edge. It's sort of a Monster knock off....it comes in a quad sized can. It's only a dollar and it's like you get 4 energy drinks in one can for a full session of riding!

FM: Do you think it helps your riding?

Chance: Ummm...

FM: Do you get all jittery?

Chance: It keeps me from getting all burnt out, I guess. It's not magic or anything, but at least I won't be with no energy at all.

FM:Where do you get them?

Chance: I like Big-lots they have a rotating selection of new drinks. Sometimes 99cent store is good. If I walk in there and see somethin' I've never seen before, I'M ON IT!

FM:What happened with that Bob Marley one?

Chance: Oh, that's the one that made me mellow. People were bitchin' at me at work, so I came home and drank one to chill out. I didn't want to think about all that stuff...

There's a Quagmire energy drink, the character from the Family Guy.

FM:What was that other one, Judge Wapner...?
Chance: Yeah, I got that one at Rocket Fizz! They have every drink over there or they will have it!

FM:Are you going to start a blog about energy drinks?
Chance: I might want to do a shoot out. Make a chart showing everything from graphics to the vitamins and stuff.

FM: How many drinks have you tried? Just estimate.
Chance: Ah....sheeesh... about 50 so far. It's hard to say. I didn't count.

Chance: The other day I had a headache. I don't know if it was energy drink related, but you know it might be like caffine, when you stop doing it, you might get a headache. So maybe I should just cool it for the rest of the week.

FM: So would you consider energy drinks drugs?
....yeah.......yeah... a benign one though...
You might have to take an asprin if you quit the caffeine.

How to build a bike.

2011-05-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

This makes building bikes look like fun!

Ninja Secrets!!!

2011-05-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

Pivot to Cross Footed HitchHiker. from FLATmode on Vimeo.

When regular footed backpackers aren't cuttin' it, you may have to pivot and use the cross footed attack! A few people have asked me about this flatland ninja technique, so I've attempted to illustrate it with the video above. At first you may think that logically, you need to shift one foot to the heel and the other foot to the toe before the pivot. If you do this, you'll find that the feet will pivot and slide off pegs. Since flatland will always be somewhat of a mystery, you only need to "slightly" shift your feet to the heel and toe...and I mean real slightly.... The more important point is to move your feet to the edge of the pegs. Once again if you go too much to the outside of the peg, it won't work, but you need to move both feet to the outside so that when you pivot, your heel or toe won't hit the spokes.

Now this is hardcore.

2011-05-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

I found this on facebook. Erin D. is one of the most hardcore riders out there. She's gotta get a session in before her wedding ceremony!

Project Dirty Official Music Video.

2011-05-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Ben's band, Project Dirty, just dropped their new video. Ben is in the back making the beats. They don't show him much until the end. That's his hand on the video still image though! Check it!