News

Sunday is down under! Here is a bike check of Sunday rider Daniel Johnson from Australia. The bike check can be found on focalpointbmx.com. The site’s cool, I’m a fan of the puddle jump desktop photo. Click the photo to see the bike check in larger format.

Sorry for the lack of updates this week, its been a busy time for me. The photo on the left is of Kurt Rasmusson’s new Second Wave Black Magic frame built up. We received a production sample and Kurt built it up. Looks real good, I like it with the blue bars and forks.

As for frame news, the Ian Schwartz frames might still be available if you hurry. There’s a good chance a few more might come available in the next two weeks. Also look for a small batch in a month or so including a new color!

Second Waves look like they will be available at your shop by the end of the month! In fact you will be able to get the full kits at that time too! Forks and bars in all the colors will be available by the end of May!

Ontario’s own and Sunday flow shredder, Lee Dennis is getting into the entrepreneurial spirit by opening a BMX shop called Life Cycle. After the demise of his local shop Checker’s, Lee and friends took it all into their own hands and decided to open a shop of their own. Look for the Niagara Falls/Ontario peninsula scene to blow up even more! Heard filming for FU2 has begun!

Congratulations to Aaron Ross for getting a bronze medal at last weekend’s X Games in Brazil! This bring’s his medal count up to 2 silvers and 1 bronze. That sounds very Olympic right? Go over to the EXPN site and try to figure out what else went on. Wish I would’ve watched it live, but I totally forgot. Garrett Reynolds won and Sean Sexton got second. Looking at the results, this would’ve been fun to watch because the finals were filled with a lot of my favorite riders.

Good news! The Ian Schwartz frames are now on their way to distributors. Your local shop can call SBS, QBP or Blackout to place an order. If you’re interested in this frame, don’t wait! Our first delivery was smaller than the initial order that was placed.

Now here’s my chance to remind you of the features:

– Proven hollow dropouts with a new shape and integrated chain tensioners.
– Double butted top tube and proven New Wave down tube.
– Tapered and butted chain and seat stays.
– Gusset and down tube welding style creates one of the strongest front ends ever.
– Head tube and Mid BB are machined after welding for a precision bearing fit.
– Angle cable guides and brake bosses for better cable alignment.
– Slimmed-down one-piece wishbone design is lighter AND stronger.
– 41-Thermal processed throughout.
– Black Magic rustproof coating inside and out.
– And of course, the integrated Pivotal seat mount (yes, it’s lighter than adding a post and clamp to a regular frame).

Dimensions:
HT Angle 74.5 ST Angle 71 Rear End Length 13.75″ BB Height 11.75″

Ian’s frame is currently being offered in white and Black Magic (the first time we’ve offered a model without traditional paint). Like all frames, the weight varies based on the size, finish and braking options. The range for this shipment starts with the 20.5” brakeless Black Magic coming in at 4.9 lbs. and ends with the 21” white with brake mounts at 5.1 lbs. The “average” frame weight for “all” sizes and options is right at 5 lbs. This is roughly 3/4 of a pound lighter than last year’s frame without sacrificing on strength and durability. You can also count the additional weight savings offered by using the integrated seat mount, IF you’re keeping track. And finally, for those of you that like Ian’s frame but don’t want to run a slammed Pivotal, the first shipment of the all-new Second Wave frames should be available in mid to late May in blue, gray and Black Magic. Thanks for reading!

Flow rider Jake Seeley has an interview over on BMXUnion. The intro says it all about Jake, I’ve been a fan for quite awhile and I’m really stoked he’s on Sunday!

Hey if you are around Athens GA this weekend then check out the Athens Twilight Jam on Saturday. Athens has an awesome scene with an amazing college to ride. Street and flatland are on the menu for the contest. I can guarantee a fun time!

Flow rider Steven Kennedy built up one of the first Ian frames. Here it is shown in white with brick side out. Steven sent this other photo of him that I really liked so look here for it!

Aaron Ross and Kurt Rasmusson are currently sweating profusely in Arizona on Roadfools 16. Look for a bunch of updates by Jeff Z on BMXonline.

Aaron’s roommate and photographer Devon Hutchins also built up a new Ian frame. This one is also shown brick side out, but is in Black Magic. Devon’s also a great photographer so go check out his site at www.devonhutchins.com

Karl Poynter went to JOMO Pro last weekend and now he’s in New Mexico filming for the Shadow video.

Ian Schwartz is filming for Lotek in San Francisco at the present time. He made it out there from Ohio by taking a good old fashion train. He said he went through some river valley in the Rockies that is only accessible by train. It followed the river for about 65 miles. That sounds like an awesome trip and he said it only cost $186 each way. Wild. Speaking of Ian frames, the time has come, they will ship to distributors early next week.

Your’s truly got ankle surgery on Monday, so I’m been dealing with that all week. Is it possible to actually like crutches? Any idea how I can rig a cup holder to my crutch to carry around my drinks? I should have a walking cast on by the middle of next week, so that will help. Three weeks after that. Is anyone going to see Lucero in Buffalo tonight?

Here’s Ian Schwartz’s throwaway web edit, courtesy of Defgrip. Ian’s riding style is very relaxed, he doesn’t hurry his tricks and I believe it really shows in this throwaway edit. There’s still a bunch of work left to do on the Sunday video, but I can’t wait to see his part. Look for his frame coming in the next two weeks!

Yeap that’s right a whole huge shipment of Ian Schwartz frames showed up today. In these boxes you would find 20.5, 20.75 and 21 inch frames in white and Black Magic with and without brake mounts. They’ll be available soon just after we give them a thorough quality check. If you want one of these I’d have your shop place a pre-book with one of their distributors right away because they are going quick.

German Sunday rider Christian Ziegler is having the grand opening of his new shop called Alliance TOMORROW March 29th in Bremen Germany. Check out his shop’s website here and its myspace right here. Christian can be seen in the new Electronical video riding the curved bench thing in Berlin!

More Germany news, Dominik Wrobel from Woozy sent us me some photos of his bike for all of us to enjoy.

Ian Schwartz has made his way back to Ohio to enjoy some of the flooding in the Ohio Valley region. Well enjoy is the wrong word to use, he got tired of it quick and headed over to San Francisco to do something with Lotek. Did you guys see Ian’s interview in the latest Ride US? Did you see his fakie hop of the MACBA big 4? Would you believe 2 tries?

My bad photo of Ian’s fakie hop.

Your’s truly is recovered in record time from 2 broken legs, I believe it was only 15 minutes. Amazing! Actually, I’m celebrating a birthday today. Can you believe 35? I know I can’t! This is a photo of the beard I grew since leaving Barcelona in January. It was trimmed moments after the photo was shot. Check out my shoe that’s coming out in June over at the Beloe site!

Self Portrait

Aaron Ross is recovering from an Austin to California roadtrip. He ended up separating his shoulder pretty good, so he’s going to take it easy for another week or so. Hope its a speedy recovery. In his frame news, drawings are done and submitted, so we should see a prototype real soon.

Aaron moments before going to the LA Electronical premier.

Did anyone see Kurt Rasmusson in the new ODI video online? Then there’s this other one where he tears up SF. What about Kurt’s opposite feeble to feeble sequence in the Sunday in Barcelona article in the newest Ride US? Guess what Ian and Kurt have in common? If you guessed second try then you’d be right! Look for it in the Sunday video!

Kurt prepared for the day in Barcelona.