The Big BMX

I was browsing the Internet for anything BMX related and I came across this. Yeah I know. Looks like a 26" BMX cruiser. In fact, it is a BMX cruiser, with a nice looptail to boot. It is being manufactured by a company in the UK and it is billed as "the ultimate single-speed city bike". Quite a bice ring to it considering the fcat that we seem to think along the same lines as well.

The specs are located below. Quite basic

Frame
Aluminium hard-tail frame with oval down-tube and 1-piece rear triangle including disc brake bosses and slotted dropouts.
Top tube length 670mm
Head tube angle 72°
Seat tube angle 72°
Chain stays 450mm
BB height 300mm
Colours Black/Red/White/Blue.

Fork
Cro-Mo Rigid for 26" wheel.

Gears
Single speed. 135mm cassette hub with s/s conversion. 3-piece cranks with single chain wheel. Sealed MTB type BB.

Pedal
BMX style metal parallelogram platforms.

Tyres
26" x 1.75 energy efficient all terrain tyre.

Brakes
Low maintenance V-brakes front and rear. Handlebar 5.5" rise BMX style handlebar with integral cross bar.

Wheel
26" black anodised alloy wheels.

Saddle
BMX type short and wide comfort seat.

Seat post 400mm single piece design.

Seat tube clamp
Allen-bolt type (not pictured).

Accessories
User Manual, Chainguard, Reflectors, Bell (not pictured)

According to their website, located at BigBMX.com, they say:

BMX's debut at the 2008 Beijing Olympics has amplified BMX appeal. 2012's Olympic audience will enjoy even more of the action taking place on home turf in London. This mounting resurgence in BMX popularity has spawned another variant of the bike: The Big BMX. The BMX has evolved to meet the needs of the people.

The Big BMX is around the same size as a mountain bike and without the complexity of gears or suspension, it is lightweight, affordable and reliable. These benefits will not be lost on regular cyclists familiar with modern cycle technology.

Thanks guys. That is what we have been saying all along.

Mailbag

Got an email from the Straits Times a couple of days back. Interesting questions were posed. here is the mail:

I am (name witheld) from the Straits Times, and am writing a story regarding the lack of BMX training grounds for competitive cyclists with YOG around the corner.

The lady asked some questions ad I was only happy to answer them. Looks like even the local media are hearing the grouses from the ground with regards to the lack of BMX facilities, racing-wise.

Keep sending us your emails!

Phil Wood passes away

Phil Wood, the legendary maker of bicycle hubs, passed away. I use his spokes on my wheels and they are of excellent quality. According to Bike Retailer in this report here, he passed away at the grand age of 83. Rest in peace Mr Wood. The BMX world will miss you

BAXTER, IA (BRAIN)—Phil Wood, the man responsible for sealed hubs and bottom brackets, died on March 14 at his daughter's home in Roseville, California. He was 83.

He started the Phil Wood Company in 1971 as primarily a hub maker, though he offered other components. He sold the business to Peter Enright and a group of investors in 1991.

“I feel so lucky to have talked with him about a week before he passed away, and he mentioned again that he was so lucky to sell the business when he did,” said Enright, Phil Wood Company’s president.

“We talked off and on over the years, usually to catch up on news about his friends in the bike business. But he was quite happy to return to the farm after selling the business to help raise his granddaughter,” Enright added.

Rally behind YOG, Singaporeans...right

I read this story here about the Government asking Singaporeans to rally behind the YOG. Now one has to ask themselves...what has the YOG done for us?

Back in 2003 when we asked for a BMX track to be built, the SSC did not even give us the time of day. Now with the YOG here, they are scrambling like mad to get the track done, with no Singaporean BMX racers that could have been _if_ the track had been ready way back when. Not only that, when we push and push for the track to be built, we are called "terrorists" by some people at the people at the top because of our relentless pushing and talking to the press

Getting through to the YOG people, do not get us started on that. Leaving messages for them to get backl to us and they do not even want to. It is like they are not interested in the whole Singapore BMX thing. Some people that come to mind are a certain Dominic who does not even want to return our calls.

So we ask again...why should we rally behind the YOG?

Singapore Sports Council have no answers

Received an email today from someone. At least I am not alone in finding out how secretive the SSC is. I know how this person feels because I myself encountered many brick walls when I was asking questions.

Hi

I saw your post about the BMX track being closed and I thought I would call the number to ask anyone there about the situation with regards to the BMX track. My son and some of his friends used to ride on that BMX track on a regular basis but now it is closed and totally levelled out. When I called the Singapore Sports Council, I was promised calls from some of their "media" folk but no call came, considering the fact that I left my number for them to call. I asked them how soon the BMX track will be up and why would it be closed till after the Youth Olympic Games I got no answer but the person that took my call was very helpful but only because she had no access to information.

It is almost as if the Singapore Sports Council or SSC do not want to answer questions or evade any questions asked.

My son and his friends do not have any other place to practice. That was the only BMX track, or rather, a resemblance of a BMX track and in land-scarce Singapore, we do not have much choice when it comes to places to ride in. From what I can read in your blog, they are being pretty cagey over this. So much for a professional sports body.

Well, there you have it. Yet another person upset about the lack of communication from the SSC. Keep sending in your mails!

Closed for so long?

I kind of suspected that something like this would happen and now here it the proof. I kind of suspected that they would put off this track upgrade till the last minute and not even let the local kids have a try at it. They could have done it a LONG time ago but the SSC and SACA chose to turn a deaf year to me and put it off till the last minute. I have been clamouring for a new track since 2003 and when do they do it? The year when the YOG is going to take place. So that means our locals cannot even have s tab at a race that is held in their country. Thank you very much guys. It just shows how much you have the BMXers in your thoughts. But then again, maybe one of the so-called "BMX consultants" (and boy are the numbers growing) out there told them it was for the best.