The Skyway cruiser

It was only a matter of time before Skyway started to make the rare 24" cruiser that was around in the 80s. This is is all new, with threadless forks, V-brake mounts and modern geometry. Made of 4130 chromoly, this is one sexy looking cruiser. Check out the website above for more details as this cruiser is a prototype. Skyway is back!

Supercross chromoly race forks

I have always said that there is an alternative to the fail-without-warning carbon-fibre forks that are so prevalent on BMX race bikes nowadays. Another one worth looking at are these Supercross BMX SLT forks. Unlike carbon fibre, these are made of chromoly so they will not snap without warning and are lighter than an equivalent carbon-fibre fork. I do not have a race BMX anymore but when I did, I was running the Odyssey Thermal 41 race forks that were strong as anything. If I had a race bike, I would get these.

Merry Christmas from Singapore BMX

We at Singapore BMX would like to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas and all the very best for the New Year 2012. Ride safe always!

Elevn Technologies chromoly BMX race forks

Forget about what you have heard about carbon-fibre forks being the lightest. There are chromoly forks out there which are lighter and more resilient than carbon fibre forks. Take Elevn Technologies for example. I have heard that it is the same people that make the Supercross BMX chromoly forks that make these forks. Supercross forks are another one that I will gladly recommend. So get these forks for piece of mind.

PK Ripper heaven

Came across this web-site the other day and I must say that the person who started it has almost everything there is to be about the Perry Kramer Ripper or better known as the PK Ripper. It has a a very apt name too, PK Ripper Heaven. Check out the website if you want to know all about the bike that changed the whole BMX industry.

Broken DK frame

Someone called my attention to this video because he knew that I used to ride a DK BMX bike in the past. Looks like this DK bike broke into three pieces at a racetrack in Australia. All I can say is: holy crap! I think back to the days when Robbie Miranda jumped ten cars on a DK Legend (the very same bike I used) and the frame was intact. DK seriously needs to look at this as it seems to be some kind of manufacturing defect

More carbon fibre breakage

I have warned people time and time again about the dangers of carbon fibre and how they can snap without warning. The picture above is proof positive and I have even seen with my own eyes how carbon fibre can let you down. If BMX racers nowadays say that the reason they use carbon fibre is because it is lighter, I can honestly say that there are slew of chromoly race forks in the market that are as light or even lighter than carbon fibre. The BMX race professionals use carbon fibre because they are sponsored riders. They can afford to change the fork after every race if need be. But how about the casual racer? Can he or she afford to change the fork after every race? Go figure.

Kuwahara 2012 or so it seems

I had to really do a double take when I saw this on BMXMuseum.com. Incidentally, this picture was taken from their site and they hold all copyrights. Kuwahara coming out with a new model? Well, all I can say is that it is a refreshing change. Interesting looking frame. I do not get the rationale of the "holes" in the frames though. And another surprising thing is that this one is set up with Profile Racing cranks. I thought all these new-school racers were strong advocates of aluminium cranks? Not too much info on the frames are available but there are some more pics available on the BMXMuseum.com site. Check it out!

Kuwahara Laserbars

Don't laugh. These bars may be more than 26 years old but I know of at least two riders that still use this bar to race modern races. The feel of this Laser Bar (what Kuwahara used to name their bars back in the day) is very comfortable and the pull-back is not too great. Sadly, you cannot get them anymore. What comes close to them would be an S&M Slam Bar, if you can still get them. These S&M bars, like the Laser Bar, have a width of 28" and a height of at least 8". I still have one of these laser bars on my Kuwahara but then again, my Kuwahara is just an exhibition piece now.

Rain or shine, the BMX race goes on

Check out this old photo from the Singapore BMX races in Tuas in the early to mid 80s. That is what I love about BMX back then. Rain or shine, wet weather or dry weather, water-logged or dry track, the race went on. That was the whole meaning of bicycle motocross, a rugged sport that made men out of boys. In a way, the wet conditions made the race more interesting and more fun. That is what I do not like about BMX today. If it rains, the race is put off. That ain't BMX. It seems that BMX racing all of a sudden is not as rugged as it used to be. I wonder if they can bring back those days when we rode and raced in all kinds of weather?

The BMX scene in Thailand

Check this out. It does not get any better than this. We went up for a BMX race to Malacca in 2000 and we were humbled. The kids were using bikes that people here would throw away and they were kicking our asses, racing on a track with huge jumps. The same can be seen in Thailand here. The never-say-die attitude and even the ladies are capable of jumps that most riders here would not even be able to pull off. You can see the rest of the pictures here. Be amazed!

The Mettle Games

I had an email from the organisers of the Mettle Games, wanting me to spread the word. But when I called up their number, I kept being transferred from one person to the next because none of them knew about the BMX segment. What gives guys? So finally, I hung up the phone and called a knowledgeable friend who is involved in it.

The BMX event is happening on the 2nd to 4th of December at the East Coast Skate Park. I had a look at the description of the BMX event on their webpage:

"Watch extreme racing bicycles go at it over a rough cross-country course that consists of jumps, obstacles, and turns. A battle of skill and stamina, riders will push the limits of physics and their leg-powered machines to a whole new level!"

Last I checked, that is a skatepark, not a cross-country course as they put it. So I take it that either these people do not know what BMX is about, or there really is a cross-country segment that will be conducted there. Interesting considering that the skatepark is all concrete and there is nary a cross-country patch there...

Oh well, these are event companies, not hard-core BMX enthusiasts so I suppose we can overlook this. However, it looks interesting for those who want to check it out

More emails coming in

Got a couple of emails today. The reason we print these emails is because we have some people who read them and get back to us, wondering how they can help. Wonderful way of communication and that is for sure

Hi There, 

I am writing from an event management company. Would like to enquire if your team is managing the BMX track? Do we need to get permission from your team to hold an event at the track? 

I look forward to your soonest reply. 

Thanks.

We replied to the sender with all the relevant information. Hopefully something comes out of it. And now to another one. This one is a bit unique. I wonder if the sender knows what BMX is and what it entails:

Dear Sir/Madam, 

I am (name withheld), a student from (name of school withheld).

I am writing to you as I am seeking for a BMX bikers to film for a 30 second advertisement. It will be a TVC for (company name withheld), however it is purely a school project with no funding from the brand itself.

I do not have any specific scenes in mind, but I would like it to be the bikers navigating a forest. I would also love to meet up with bikers during their training session to see the sport.

I am planning to shoot this on 30th November or 3/4 December. 

Do let me know if you have any enquiries. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon!

Cheers,

We the writer an email, letting the writer know what BMX is all about. We do this lots of times really, so we are used to it. We will be more than happy to help the writer out if the writer has anymore enquiries

An email from a Polish BMXer

I have said it before and i will say it again...we love getting mail. We got this recently so for those interested in meeting up with this BMXer from Poland, let me know

Dear BMX Friends,

My name is Iwo Kepka, I'm a street rider from Europe, Poland. I also work for a little Polish BMX print magazine

Right now I'm in Manila, Philippines enjoying my extended vacation. I think that spending time with BMX locals is the best way of exploring the country. It's much easier to talk and find common language and much faster to make new friends.

Unfortunately it's time to go back home soon. I have a flight to Europe from Kuala Lumpur on 30th of November. Having that in mind I thought maybe it's a chance to see yet another's country BMX scene. That's why I'm writing to you. I would like to take a plane from Manila to SG some days before my flight, spend some time in the city and than go to Malaysia/KL by bus or plane.

I'd like to ask if you know some riders in SG, who could show me around the city and its BMX scene? It would also be nice if someone could host me for a short time or help find cheap accommodation, since I'll be traveling with heavy luggage. No bike though. :(

I planning to come just before the flight, maybe on 26th, so it's about two days and one/two nights. I haven't booked the tickets from Manila yet, so it's still an open case.

I'm also thinking about seeing KL just before the flight to Europe, so I'll be probably leaving SG on 28th evening or so by bus or a plane to KL. Do you know anyone in KL who could help me in similar way? Thank you.

Please let me know if you think you can help or know anyone who can. That would be lovely. Thank you in advance.

I will be doing some article piece of the journey for the magazine for sure and I'd love to describe Singapore scene as well.

The aftermath of the national championships in Singapore

The BMX National Championships were held in Singapore on Saturday. Hopefully this will allow the Singapore Cycling Federation (SACA's new name) to choose someone to represent Singapore overseas in the SEA Games. It can be done and I will tell you why. A select few of us pushed with almighty odds to send riders to Australia in 2003. We succeeded. But when the medals did not come in, the powers that be decided to stop funding for BMX and only concentrate on road and mountainbike riding. The result of that was that our track got eroded and we had no funds to maintain it. It became un-rideable. Also, with no budget, we could not hold any races. That is partly the reason Singapore does not have any BMX riders now. The sins of the past will haunt the present and the Catch 22 situation will always be there till someone makes the grade. And after viewing video footage of the BMX National Championships here in Singapore, our riders have a long, long way to go. They do not have the speed and confidence. And it does not help that there are some out there who are exploiting the sport too, to make money out of it. Some have confessed to me and one even took some of the old-schoolers for a ride, literally. They know who they are and that is why we are wary of working with them.

Riders need more exposure to BMX riders from other countries. Many of us, the old-schoolers, have faced very talented overseas riders back then and have honed our skills. So is Singapore serious about sending riders to compete overseas? Then have more BMX competitions. Find riders who can and will ride and are disciplined. Our current crop of riders need to up their stakes. And the only way they can match their skills against the best is to have more competitions overseas or organise international meetups here. Other wise, it will just be a waste of time.

Why no Singapore BMX riders at the SEA Games?

I saw a posting on Facebook, and at the same time, I also came across this article here that the "Indonesia BMX Contingent Becomes Overall Winners" in the SEA Games. First of all, I would like to congratulate our Indonesian neighbours. They have a standard of riding and perseverance that is an absolute joy to behold. But what amazes me is that the Singapore Cycling Federation did not send even one single rider to the SEA Games. I wonder what the VP of BMX in SCF is doing. At least, as VP of BMX back then, we were able to send two riders up in 2003 to the then BMX Grand Nationals in Perth, Australia. 

I suppose it boils down to how often our boys race and where. So more races need to be held and more trips to BMX races overseas. The BMX committee of the Singapore Cycling Federation really needs to do something about this or all we are going to be is one small country with a first-class BMX track with no riders even competing in events like the SEA Games. Honestly? Its embarrassing.

Lost Nicolai bike

I really, really hate bike thieves. I have had my bike stolen a couple of times before and I swore that if I caught the bike thieves, I would roast them alive. I once caught a guy that stole my BMX back in 1983. I found out who the thief was and got the police involved. The thief got down on his knees and begged for mercy from my dad's friend, who was a police officer. Even though that was 28 years ago, I still feel the same way about scum of the earth like bike thieves. This bike above, a Nicolai, was stolen from the Tampines BMX track. If you come across it, please let me know by sending me an email at admin@osbmx.com Thanks.

We need a concrete track more than ever

I posted something on this very blog right here, praising the merits of a concrete track. That article was written before we got the million-dollar BMX track here in Tampines. There is history behind that track and its location. We got that location in Tampines because that was the only place that the Land Office here in Singapore could give us. That place is a big place and beggars could not be choosers so we built the track there. Unfortunately it is in the middle of a water-catchment area and as a result, that place gets pelted by rain very regularly. Costly repairs have to be done all the time. What we suggested was to have a concrete track, cover it with a thin layer of top-soil (for want of a better description) when big races are held. At least, the foundations are there and will not wash away with the rain. The problem is that no one wants to listen so more often than not, people have to be deployed to maintain it. I am not saying that there will be no maintenance if the track was made out of concrete, but it will lesson the maintenance needs, thus making it less expensive to upkeep. Unfortunately...our solution fell on deaf ears. Looks like there are monkeys still in charge now...

How the Dutch got their cycle paths

I have always had the notion that Europeans are a pragmatic lot when it comes to priorities. The Dutch are no different. Day and day out, we have this arguments with the powers-that-be to introduce cycling paths in Singapore and to curb the car population. This video will show how the Dutch did it.

Some tactics one can learn from BMX and how it used to be raced

BMX racing has come a long way from the sport that was around since the 70s. Back in the day when kids wanted to emulate their BMX heroes. What has happened to BMX racing? What is with the carbon components, the clipless pedals? BMX was supposed to be a fun sport. Now it has all gone technical. I and a few others pretty much know all there is about BMX, having been there and done that, from racing to gradual street riding with friends. Compare racing today with the clip above. The fundamentals of racing are there, with big berms and big jumps. Has BMX changed for the better, or for the worse? Remember the fundamentals before you answer and remember what BMX stands for: Bicycle Moto-Cross (X)

BMX race at Tampines BMX track

This is a screenshot of the website  of the private company running the race. In case you are wondering, no, we are not the organisers. Our primary aim is to showcase BMX news in Singapore and to keep you up to date with BMX happenings. But back in the day, we were organising races and we always bought insurance for the riders. Looks like this organiser is washing their hands of any injury that happens at the track. I wonder how parents will feel about this? This is after all a race and I have seen some serious accidents happen. It is always better to be safe than sorry. I sincerely hope nothing goes wrong but a note to the organiser, next time, for the $30 each person pays to race, spend $5 for insurance if anyone gets hurt.

And another thing. For the price they are paying, shouldn't they all should be getting a jersey, not just the first 30 sign-ups?

26" GT Pro Performer

I bet you guys never thought you would see the day when GT released a 26" version of their immensely popular Pro Performer, wouldn't you? Well, apparently, it does exist according to FatBMX and all I can say, let more join the bandwagon! Taller bars on this bike would be nice and it looks like this gonna rival the 26" Quadangle from SE Racing. Looks like cruisers are cool again!

Happy Deepavali to all Hindu riders out there

Emails!

We get very strange emails sometimes. Many of them ask us for sponsorship, some of them ask us to be bike trainers. I got this one today from a lady in an event company and had a phone call with her. Sometimes, I do not know if people really understand what BMX is about. After the phone call, this young lady got a bit of an education about BMX, which incidentally, stands for Bicycle Moto Cross (X)

Good Morning,

I am writing from an events company looking to engage instructors and sponsors for equipment for (some Government entity) Extreme Sports Programme.

The objective of the Extreme Sports programme is to drive youth participation in Extreme Sports and increase public awareness of Somerset Skate Park and East Coast Xtreme Skatepark. As part of the Extreme Sports Programme, a series of Sports Clinic will be held. There will be 10 clinics from covering the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced progressions.

Appreciate if you could advise on the rates of engaging instructors for the clinic and the possiblity of a sponsorship for the event.

Hope to hear from you soon! 

Well, she did hear from me and I gave her some advice. Will be giving some people a call to help with her queries.

Well there you go! Ride safe!

Old-school BMX meet-up at Bukit Batok on Saturday 29th October

One thing I love about BMX in Singapore is the old-school BMX meet-ups that happen every now and then. The next meet-up is going to be on the 29th of October and will be held at Bukit Batok. This post in our Singapore BMX forums gives more details about the meet-up. Anyone and everyone is welcome. At meet-ups like these, you will learn a lot about BMX, not only old-school but new school as well. Many have come to this gathering and with the amount of encyclopaedic knowledge available there, you might end up richer for it knowledge-wise. So come on down and join the old-schoolers of BMX in Singapore. Among us, we know almost everything there is to know about BMX

Race and practice at the track - commercial interests?

Some people have emailed me asking me why is the price to race in Singapore so expensive compared to what was it was before? Back then, I only charged ten dollars for adults and five dollars for kids. This was to keep it affordable and at the same time to get more people to come down and race. I might add that even with that low price, I managed to get trophies and medals made. In the race coming up on the 19th of November, adults are charged 30 dollars to race and kids 15 dollars. And to add insult to injury, the practice session on the 26th has adults and kids paying the same rate. I wonder if the Singapore Cycling Federation approved this on their principle, or the principle of the company who is running it, a company that I noticed is selling Kuwahara BMX bikes as well. So I would like to ask. Is it for the sport per se or is this so-called National Championships a commercial thing? Have the owners of this company actually raced BMX before or are they cashing in on the BMX trend? because if they really were doing it for the sport, the fees would be much lower and they would not charge for practice sessions. Keep those emails coming in folks!

Identiti race BMX bikes to debut at Cycle Show

by Mark Sutton from Bicycle Business

Ison Distribution has told BikeBiz of plans to debut an Identiti BMX race frameset called the Krisis MX, devleoped alongside UK Pro rider Martin Ogden.

Borrowing experience gained from its time in the four-cross market, Identiti have created a 7075 alloy, tripple-butted top and down tubed race machine with stiff Twin Box chainstays for strong gate launches.

Taper Lock Dropouts are specced which have a 1.5 degree tapered thickness, and special washers are used which also have a matching 1.5 degree taper to keep parallel faces. Effectively, if the axle were to try to pull forwards.. the washer and the dropout act together to become thicker, so effectively tightening the axle nuts;- hence nothing slips forwards. This negates the need for chain tensioners.

The Krisis MX will be available in four sizes: Pro, Pro XL, Pro XXL and Cruiser and in Red, Fluro Yellow, Blue and Black (anodised). The frame will come with a superlight Genetic Syngenic seatpost and an Identiti QR seatclamp.

More here: http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/identiti-race-bmx-bikes-to-debut-at-cycle-show/011912
 

BMX perfection

There was a trainer from New Zealand here in Singapore last week, giving BMX lessons and pointers to the riders. I think that is a step in the right direction, however, there are caveats. In order to perfect your BMX style, you need to be more disciplined. Tips and tricks can only help you so much. You also need to practice what you have learnt. And not only that, you need to build up your fitness. If you do not do that, all the tips and tricks you learnt will come down to nothing. Back in the day, we used to train by running up stairs in the HDB flats, all the way to the top story and running down again. We had no access to gyms and such. We just rode everywhere we went and took the stairs instead of taking the elevators. We excelled in track and field and once, I even tried to pace my friend who was riding a racer while I was riding my BMX!

BMX. All I can say is that you get out of it what you put into it. If you want to win, you have to strive and pay your dues. Don't just settle for second best...settle for the best.

A thought-provoking email

Got this in the mail today. I publish letters that we get most of the time and I thought that this ranks up there with the best of the...a kind of shot-in-the-arm when it comes to reminding people what BMX is about. To the person who sent it in, thank you sir!

Problem of many PPL related with BMX is that They even dont understand and translate acronym BMX. BMX is not bike, but definition of sport. Bicycle Motocross is absolutely understandable definition that this motocross on bikes... and no matter on which bikes. Main is principle. But 20"is just most suitable for riding on contemporary BMX tracks. In reality - MTB 4X also is BMX. Its just traditions inside "Mountine Bike" sport. You see that unlike BMX - MTB means kind of bicycle.

ABD / Avanti BMX bikes

I saw this bike at at a bikeshop in Sin Ming yesterday. Looks like there is yet another source of BMX bikes! Their main selling item is this ABD or Avanti BMX Division hailing from New Zealand. Looks like you get a pretty good bike for the money. However, I have reservations about the front wheel, which appears to be radial-laced. I wonder why they chose it to be radial-laced instead of cross-laced. If they say it is to shave weight, that argument does not hold water as the weight saved is fairly insignificant. The hubs look like G-Sport copies, and from what I can see, sport sealed bearings. I did not have a good look at the cranks but they look like Truvativs to me, fairly common on race-bikes nowadays. I am happy to see that they at least have a traditional chromoly steel fork instead of a carbon-fibre fork. Ultimately, looks like a great bike except for that front wheel.

Melaka BMX race on 30th July cancelled

It seems that the race that was scheduled to to take place in Melaka on the 30th of July has been postponed till further notice according to Ronizam Ismail. You can mail him ronizam1976@yahoo.com to find out more.

A heartening BMX email

As I have said before, we get emails on a very regular basis on Singapore BMX. But this email stands out among all that we have received so far...it really makes you think. I salute this guy:

I just discovered your website today and was very impressed (and got quite emotional too) only after reading a bit of it.

I am currently abroad, and have been for many years now, and still think of the good old days when I was riding my BMX during school holidays. Like you said in your "Why BMX?" post on September 3, 2007 04:48 PM (GMT); I don't have an easy answer to that too, and it wasn't even about the E.T. film (although I'll give my right arm for an E.T. Kuwahara) too. I watch it way after I fell in love with BMX.

Anyways, your post really resonated with me. Back in January 2008, when my father-in-law visited us and we started hitting all the MTB stores around here where I am at, 'cos he was thinking of buying one back to his home country, I kept gravitating to a Specialized BMX at the corner of the store while he browsed the MTB part. The sales guy caught on to that came over and started a spiel about it till my wife asked why I would be riding such a kid's bike. That question made perfect sense to me. Why BMX?

I was talking to a co-worker of mine who rode a Motobecane road bike with an assorted group of recreational riders and I was telling him that it sounded interesting and that I would like join in when I got a bike. And then we got into a discussion about the bike that I would get. I told him that I had some experience with road bikes during my JC days when I personally held a Colnago frame in only one arm and lifted it from a perpendicular position to a parallel one with the ground. It was SGD6,000 back in 1986 just for the frame alone. But a road bike of such quality would get all beat up by the road itself. So a MTB would be more practical and be able to take more punishment. Right? But. But. But it's not a BMX.

A MTB just doesn't give me thrill like a BMX would. So I was asking him if I could ride a BMX with them and he said sure but it would be hard riding that's all. True, I thought, BMX is not really meant for travelling long distances; but it'll go any where you wanted to go and a lot more manageable than a MTB. Maybe that's why BMX.

Well, whatever the reason it may be, it still comes down to me wishing that I own a Redline (yeah, I'll give both my arms AND the Kuwahara for one. It may be due to the fact that there was a store in Bras Basah Complex that displayed the Kuwahara there for about $400 and the Redline for $600 and change. And also 'cos there was this guy in my class that had it. And I never did obviously) or a Hutch (that's only later on 'cos there was this dude who told me that Hutch made great racing ones). Regardless, maybe there'll be a time in my life whereby I have a little more cash and I would indulge get me a little of my youth back.

That reminds me, how come you are riding a Haro? When did you get it?

Thanks for reading my rambling and having your great website.

Regards,

Another race in Melaka

Yep. Our neighbours across the Causeway are staging yet another race according to Ronizam. Here are the details:

We have race organised by Promote Sdn Bhd, a BMX race
Fixie (wheelie,sprint & slow bike)
MTB on BMX track...
Venue : BMX track, Taman Botanikal Melaka
Date : 30 Jul 2011.
SATURDAY......!!!! yepp...saturday...
from 8 am till evening....(BMX race will start at 12.00pm)


Ronizam can be contacted at ronizam1976@yahoo.com

Pics of the BMX race in Melaka

Ronizam did not disappoint us and took lots of pictures of the race. looks like Malaysia has a thriving BMX race scene! As it can be seen, it is not the bike but the rider. Kudos to our northern neighbours!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150247029239911.339498.254443264910

BMX race in Malaysia on the 3rd of July

Our Malaysian brethren are having a race soon. The details are as follows:


MNCF BMX League, Circuit #1
Venue :Taman Botanikal, Ayer Keruh Melaka
Date : 3rd July 2011
Category : Men Elite (19 & above)
: Men Junior (18 & below)
: Women Open

Contact Person: Ronizam Ismail
email: ronizam1976@yahoo.com

Emails!

We get lots of emails, asking us for sponsorship, bikes, tips and tricks, racing lessons and occasionally, interviews. This is one of them:

Hi there, I'm (name witheld), a freelance journalist for (name of magazine with-held), a local magazine that can be found in Popular & other leading bookstores. I would like to get quotes & in-depth info on the BMX scene locally. It will be like an email interview, Q&A format. In any case, it would be beneficial to your site and the scene as free publicity & exposure is given. Do let me know soonest and I'll email you the questions. Thank you!

Well, did the best we could and answered the gentleman's questions. Also gave him some pics of the races. Now I can count one more person in Singapore who knows a thing or two about BMX!

Hi. I'm a beginner in cycling , just started learning it not long ago. I am very interested in BMX , can you recommend me some shops in Singapore that sells good BMX as I do not have much knowledge about BMX. 

Did the same thing that some other riders asked for an answered this gentleman's questions

We got this one and we tried to help the user who sent it to us. Unfortunately, we do not know of any paraplegic BMXers so I told them I could not help. But I give kudos to this person for giving paraplegic athletes a chance to shine

I am (name with-held) from (company name with-held). We are the producers of (name of program with-held). I came across your forum site in my search for talents, for a reality television programme. The reason I am writing to you is because one of the episodes requires sports enthusiasts who may highly likely be members of your forum. I am specifically looking for paraplegic sports enthusiasts, who will be part of a scenario that has to do with adventure sports. I cannot reveal too much about the programme, but will do so when potential talents come down for auditions at our office space.

Here's basically what we are looking at;

- 5 paraplegic sports enthusiasts (male/female) who have a knack for acting (you do not have to be a professional but have to possess a natural talent when put in reality-based situations) and have a love for adventure sports or sports in general. The talents will be part of a scenario, where they would participate in an activity. Rest assured, all safety precautions and standards will be adhered to by professionals and us.

Shortlisted talents would most definitely be given scripts and there would be rehearsals so everything can be ironed out prior to filming day. There will only be a requirement for 1 day of filming.

I hope the above is sufficient information for the time-being. I look forward to your reply. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any queries.

Sorry we could not help there but you know we will when we can. Well, that is about it! More updates coming up soon when we get them!

BMX race on the 19th of June

Had some people SMS'ing us and emailing us that the race was delayed for some time while some timing system was being put up. One guy even SMSed me about not being able to escape an ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) gantry at the BMX track! Well, that is the way BMX is run these days. The most important thing is that everyone had fun. To tell you the truth, it would have been better if the track was wet....more action!

Bicycle Helmets Recalled by Bell Sports Due to Head Injury Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Full-face bicycle helmets

Units: About 31,100 in the United States, and about 2,500 in Canada

Importer: Bell Sports, of Scotts Valley, Calif.

Hazard: The plastic buckle that connects the chin straps can fail, causing the helmet to come off the wearer's head. This poses a head injury hazard to riders in the event of a fall.

Incidents: The firm has received one report of a buckle failing during an accident, resulting in an injury that required stitches below the wearer's eye.

Description: This recall involves Bell Exodus full-face helmets with a plastic buckle on the chinstrap and model and part numbers listed below. The helmets have an angled visor and were sold in youth size. The model and part number can be found on a removable sticker located on the side of the helmet.

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml11/11235.html

RUSH 3 series at Tampines BMX track

Here are the event details:

19 June 2011 - 14:00hrs - 17:00hrs

Registration opens now @ $10/head. Forms available at park office.

Participants need to be certified before signing up for the race.

Certification dates are Wed 5pm & Weekends 3pm onwards.
You are required to wear your helmet, gloves, elbow guards or long sleeve, knee guards or long pants and of course $30 for the certification fee. 

Haro 124

Used to be that once apon a time, you only had good stuff from Haro. My Backtrail X24 is proof of that...4130 chromoly frame and relatively good componentry, even though I managed to turn the stock wheels to dust. I soon replaced them with Atomlabs and they have been the wheel of choice ever since and are still running strong. But I digress

Check out this new bike from Haro. Looks like they are going the hi-tensile steel route, and still want to charge US$370 (RRP) for this. These are the specs:

Now who in their right minds will pay that amount of money for hi-tensile frame when there are other manufacturers selling chromoly versions for about the same price? Check out Haro's page here

Frame	Hi-Ten 24 inch frame with MID BB - 21.7" TT.
Fork	1 1/8" Threadless w/crmo steer tube
Grips	Haro Stitch Grips
Handle Bar	Hi-Ten- 5.25" rise
Cranks	3 pc. tubular Crmo 175mm w/sealed MID BB
Gearing	39/16 freewheel.
Tires	Kenda K-Rad 24x1.95 Front and Rear
Hubset	36H Alloy shell 3/8" Frt / 14mm Rear
Rims	36H Alloy single wall
Seat/Seatpost	Haro Slim seat w/Steel Post
Pedals	Haro "Recycled" plastic pedal
Rotor	Straight Cable
Pegs	1 pair

A BMX'er at the Ride Of Silence

Yup, that is my bike. I was at the Ride Of Silence Singapore and was the only BMX'er there, riding a Haro Backtrail X24. The Ride Of Silence is a ride done every year to honour those cyclists that have been injured or even killed in road accidents. I was made a sweeper marshal and that is just what I did...sweep and make sure no one was left behind. Saw some rather harrowing escapes with some pretty stupid drivers in Singapore who refused to give way and some buses that almost knocked down a cyclist. But these were just a minority. A majority of drivers recognised our ride and were patient to the cause. Do you think I enjoyed this? Hell yeah! The road is to be shared by all! So join the Ride Of Silence next year if you can

Looking for BMX bikes

This is a question that we get asked all the time, be it emails or even telephone calls. We are still collating a list of good bicycle shops that sell affordable BMX bikes to those that want to jump on the BMX bandwagon. So, if you are a shop-owner, or are selling your BMX bike, give us an email at admin@osbmx.com or you can put it up on our forums located here.

Remember, most of these enquiries are from school kids so they may not have loads of money. The last thing we need are BMX bikes priced out of range for these youngsters, or their parents They may never know the experience of BMX if they are not given a chance.

Thanks all!

20mm thru-axle for BMX?

I came across this picture in this site named SelectiveBMX.com but I have heard about the rumblings in the underground for some time. Looks like the BMX word is taking another cue from the mountain-bike world with 20mm thru-axles. Check out the bike above from Speed. It has been said that this will make for an overall stiffer ride. But waitaminute...aren't all our axles thru-axles? I know the axles on my bike are. I am not to familiar with cassette hubs so I cannot comment. All I know is, if any of you guy just shelled out big bucks for Crupis, Chris King's or even Shimano DXR hubs, if you want to use this technology, get ready to thrash your frame and hubs. Well, it is too early to tell yet but I can tell you one thing...they might have to do a mite bit more convincing before the BMX world takes it on.

Happy Vesak Day to all

We at Singapore BMX would like to wish all our Buddhist friends a very Happy Vesak Day

A cheap and good helmet for BMX

I was asked a few times, via emails and posts in the forums, about a good helmet to get for BMX. A good one would be a good full-faced helmet but unfortunately, full-faced helmets are a bit on the expensive side. There are very few shops selling good full-faced helmets for BMX but you can get some at quite good prices in the Jalan Besar area of Singapore. That is where I got mine some time ago and it is still a great helmet to use. It cost me less than a $100 but it is a motorcycle helmet and is therefore tougher than your run-of-the-mill BMX helmet. Remember, safety first. Ride safe!

Letters

We get mails on a regular basis here at Singapore BMX. Here are some of them. As always, we always reply to the emails we get:

Hi.

I'm looking for BMX lesson in Singapore. Our company have a promoting Extreme Sports project and we need to provide a series of BMX programme for beginner, intermediate and advance. It will be hold as a series of 4- week courses that are conducted once every two month. The venue may be Somerset Skatepark or East Coast Extreme Park. The requirement of the courses are attached. Kindly send me information includes the pricing, duration of class, class size and number of instructor by this Wednesday. Feel free to call me at (insert number here)  if you have any questions or need more information.
 
We called her and sent her an email. Apparently, its for freestyle and we concentrate mostly on racing. We also gave the lady a few leads.

We had an unusual email a week ago and it goes like this:

Hey,

I came across your site just moments ago and i thought that you guys might be able to help me with it. I'm currently looking for light blue colored tires, i have tried (names of shops here) but none of them actually knows of any information that i can get it from. Hope that you guys might be able to help.


Well my friend, sorry but getting tires of that colour are kinda difficult. If anyone out there knows how to get the tires that this gentleman wants, kindly send us an email and I will forward it to him

That is about all for today, email-wise! Ride safe!

Kuwahara KZ-01??

Came across this on the Kuwahara BMX website and I had to do a double-take...what in the heck is this? Is Kuwahara getting into the retro thing as well? Sure looks like it but the cranks, well, couldn't they have chosen something something else? Some hollow chromoly units? Not asking for a Redline 401 or anything like that but they could have least done something more. And from what I can see, that looks like a fake Suntour pro-sized stem. But other than that, looks like a step in the right direction. It will never be like the Kuwahara's of yester-year but it looks kinda cool in a retro way.

If I bought this, first thing into the trash would be stem, followed by the brakes. Replace the stem with either an NOS Suntour stem and at least an NOS Dia-Compe 1000 caliper. Cranks would also be replaced with at least a pair of Redline Flights. Only then it will look like Clint Miller's bike of old. Hey, if you wanna keep it retro, go all the way!

Can we race BMX in the rain?

I am starting to think that racing BMX now is a sport for wusses. Used to be that rain or shine, the race went on. As a matter of fact, racing in the rain was more exciting because one would have to use more skill to race in wet conditions. Imagine, brake not working on wet rims, people getting stuck in puddles and being overtaken by others.

The reason I am musing about this is because there was a race in Singapore today and they were all praying for it not to rain. Yes, I am all for fair skies and dry tracks but this is BMX...in case anyone forgets, it stands for Bicycle Motocross, where rain or shine, the race goes on. Maybe that is part of the reason why I do not want to race anymore. Back in the day, on rainy days, we just tightened our brakes and some of us ran coaster brakes to make sure we stopped on a dime. I remember roosting over some riders who were not used to riding in the rain. It was fun!

Oh well. So much for memories. I wonder if they will ever have races like that again.

Old School Gathering 28th May 2011, Venue : Bukit Batok Skatepark

It has been some time since we last had a gathering for the old-school BMX brethren. The upcoming one will be in two weeks time at the Bukit Batok skatepark. Time we bring our bikes down to chill with fellow old-schoolers about BMX from back in the day. The details can be found in our forum located here. 

Dear fellow BMXers,

Kindly be informed that there is a gathering for biking and "talk talk" on Saturday 28th May 2011.

Dinner cum "talk talk time" @ Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 (S)650177 coffeshop - 6.30pm to about 7.30pm.

Then to the BUKIT BATOK SKATEPARK
@ Blk 175 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 (S)650175.

Long time never meet up , so let's catch up again .

Time to polish those beauties and bring them down .

Got no bike also can , just bring yourself down for "talk talk" session .

Looking forward to your presence there.

Helmets required at XG Asia BMX StreetHelmets required at XG Asia BMX Street

Helmets are now required for pro BMX riders in the BMX Street category at the 2011 Kia X Games Asia in Shanghai, China. 

Formerly recommended but not mandatory, the new helmet ruling comes following a head injury suffered by Fit Bike Co. pro Van Homan at X Games 16 in Los Angeles, Calif. last August. Homan fell backwards off his bike during Street practice and suffered a fractured skull and bruising and bleeding on his skull. He was hospitalized for several days and out of commission for close to three months.

According to X Games Director of Sports and Competition Tim Reed, the decision did not come hastily. "After each X Games, we evaluate every aspect of the event including the safety of the athletes and courses. As part of the evaluation we recognized that the speed and size of the tricks that were being executed during the street competition warranted helmets. In collaboration with our BMX sport organizer, Mat Hoffman, we made the decision to require helmets for those athletes who participate in BMX Street. With this decision we look forward to supporting the growth and the safe progression of BMX street in the years ahead."

Many BMX pros seemed unfazed by the decision.

More here: http://sports.espn.go.com/action/xgames/news/story?id=6450021

Emails

We get lots of emails and most of them are replied to, with advice given sometimes. We got this one fairly recently:

Good day and I hope this email finds you well. This is (name withheld) and I writing to you from (company name withheld); we're a local production house and we are currently working on a 'daredevil' video and would like to feature a BMX biker perform high level trick in an urban environment, i.e. along the pavements, stairs etc. As a gauge, I'm looking for someone who can and dares to cycle down a long flight of stairs. But this is just a gauge and I'd love to explore other options. I'd be elated if you can introduce or recommend anyone you might find suitable! I'm looking to shoot this video by the end of this month. Thank you very much for your time!

We answered this query and gave the person some advice as to who to contact and at the same time, informed that person of the differences between BMX racing and BMX freestyle. I think they had a bit of a BMX education!

We also had a letter from this gentleman. I thank you sir, for the kind words!

I just ran across your blog, nice work. You guys seem to know what you're talking about. Could you recommend some bike shops in Singapore that sell BMX bikes?  I'm having a hard time finding a place that sells more than mountain bikes and I figured you guys would know of a few reputable shops I could check out.

Thanks,
 

Well, able to help him we did. gave him a link to some good bike shops. Hope he managed to find a good bike!

So remember, keep those emails coming in! Always willing to help you with any BMX advice!

'Approved by UCI' stickering program divides opinions

Looks like the the UCI is coming up with this new "Approved for UCI" thingy according to this article I just read here. What do you guys think? Do you think it will be introduced to BMX frames as well? I do not know but looking at some of the ridiculous things being passed by UCI nowadays, it just might be...

Haro Race Lite 2011

I have always liked Haro Bikes. Since day one, they have been churning out quality bikes at affordable prices and they last a long time. My Backtrail X24 cruiser is proof of that. And it is still with me after all these years and still riding great.

Which brings me to the topic of this new bike by Haro, called the Race Lite. All I can say is, nice colours. The specs of the bike are as follows.

Frame	7005 Alloy w/fully internal head tube - 21" TT
Fork	Sinz Stealth Carbon 1-1/8" Threadless
Grips	SINZ Sticky Grips
Handle Bar	Full Crmo 8" rise
Cranks	"2-pc Alloy 175mm, Euro Sealed Bearing external cartrige BB"
Gearing	39/14 Cassette cog
Tires	Intense Micro Knobby 2 20x2.125 F/20x1.75 R
Hubset	36H Alloy Shell sealed bearing / Cassette rear
Rims	Alienation 36H Deviant DW Frt/36H Runaway DW Rear
Seat/Seatpost	Haro plastic Pivotal seat w/Pivotal post
Pedals	Haro DX Alloy
Rotor	N/A
Pegs	N/A

Looks like that they are going the Kuwahara way (new-school, not old-school) of using Deviant as their main supplier of rims. What I would replace is the SINZ carbon fork and get a Supercross fork that is WAY stronger and weighs about the same. As for cranks, well, everyone seems to be gearing (pun not intended) towards aluminium cranks nowadays. I would personally change the cranks to Promo Powerbites. But all in all, it looks a pretty killer bike...but it is not a thrasher. So much for those days when one could do some nifty tricks, even with a race-bike. For me? I would rather wait for the SE Racing PK-Ripper looptail that is about to be released. But I am rather torn as I do love Haro.

Kuwahara Laserlite 2011

Came across this new bike from Kuwahara...the LaserLite 2011. Wow. The colours. I do not know who is the designer at Kuwahara who chose the colours for this bike but I can tell you one one thing, it sure ain't making it. Colours aside, it comes with some pretty decent componentry that will satisfy most new-schoolers now...FUNN cranks and Alienation rims, Tioga tires and well, from what I hear, a pretty expensive price. Well, there are lots of other bikes out there that can get you more bang for your buck. I personally would give it a miss though.

New PK Ripper looptail for 2011

This may be old news for some but I can tell you that I am stoked to see this. Imagine, the looptail PK Ripper with, check this out, genuine Oakley B1-B grips! Plus it is finished in a lovely baby-blue! All I can say is, if you are wondering what you can give me on my birthday, wonder no more. This thing is sweet!

More emails

We get emails on a daily basis and we answer most of them. Lots of these emails are from people who are not sure about BMX, how to get started or just want some info on what kind of bike to get. We had one recently in our mailbox:

Hey sorry to bother you, I came across your blog when I was searching for BMX Bikes in Singapore. I'm really interested in starting BMX riding, maybe not racing yet but hopefully to start from street. Any idea which shops that you would recommend a beginner to go to? Really appreciate your time reading this. Thanks!

Sure mate. The fundamentals of riding are very important. If you do not handle it well, a 20" BMX bike can be squirreley. In any case, we got back to him via email and gave him some shop names that he could try to get a decent bike.

I'm just 14. Very interested in bmx. Living in east area. Anyone can teach me? Please. I really want to learn it. I see it as a very good sports. Hope that there's someone willing to teach me. :l I've been asking alot of people. But no one responded. Hope you really can find someone to teach me. Reply asap please. Thank you   

Well mate, the first thing is that you need to get accustomed to the bike you are riding, presumably a BMX. Once you are in tune with your bike and know what it is capable of, you can bring it to the next level. Let us get the track up and running and we will be only too glad to help

Well, that is the mail sorted out today. Happy riding!

SSC, SACA, Singapore Cycling Federation, SSF and the bullshit

The old-school BMX gathering was great. We had the usual regulars turning out but the company is all that it is all about...meeting of old friends and exchanging nuggets of information from back in the day, even sharing of stories old and new. Camaraderie...that is BMX for you!

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about our sorry state of BMX here in Singapore. SACA just put up a notice on their web-page to say that one must be certified to run race on the Singapore BMX track. Now, I wonder who was the one that came up with this ridiculous suggestion. Certified? What if some people want to ride the track to try it out? It is roll-able and nice to ride. SSC and SACA, what you have done is effectively KILL BMX again. Who in their right minds will pay $30 to get freaking "certified"? And while we are at that, what give you guys the right to say that we as BMX riders, who have been doing it for years, need to be certified?

We re-started the BMX sport in Singapore to get youth off the street...to get them to channel their energy into the healthy sport of BMX racing. Now look at this bullshit. Who in their right mind will pay $30 to get certified to ride the track? Honestly, whoever is in charge has once again made Singapore the laughing stock as far as BMX has concerned.

We here at Singapore BMX distance ourselves from what SSC and SACA has planned as far as this "certification" is concerned. We do not want this and we did not suggest it, in case anyone is wondering. The screenshots of the web-page where these new rules are, are provided below

First Old-School BMX gathering for 2011

Hi all. Just a heads up. There will be an old-school BMX gathering at the Bukit Batok Skatepark on the 8th of January 2011. First of all, there will be dinner cum "talk talk time" @ Blk 177 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 (S)650177 coffeshop from 6.30pm to about 7.30pm. After that, we will adjourn to the Bukit Batok Skatepark at Blk 175 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 (S)650175. You should be able to find the address in Google Maps. The posts in the Singapore BMX Forums is located here. See you there!

Singapore BMX in 2011

It is the New Year so we would like to wish one and all a very happy 2011. Hopefully, this year, we get to see if we can use that BMX track that was slated for the YOG. It seems that the track is quite badly eroded so there may need to be some works done to it to make sure that it is ride-able and safe. We will be posting some new stuff here about the track when we get news so stay tuned.