News

Scribble Yell!
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

Okay, well the shirts have been out for awhile, but I have never posted anything about them. So If you never looked at any of the online/mailorder places or been to a good bmx shop then you probably haven’t seen any of the shirts. First is the ‘Scribble’ and it comes in purple and brown. The purple is only in small and now the brown is coming in a full size run including XL. Next is the ‘Yell’ logo which comes in gray and in every size. Lastly is the ‘3 Sunday’ or ‘Sunday Sunday Sunday’ which comes in yellow and for those who can rock it pink. The yellow is only in small while the pink comes in medium and large. There is more to come and designs along with colors are always changing. You can find these at any good BMX shop or any of the mailorders.

Eli in Montreal gaping to icepick while Jeff Z shoots a good photo and I shoot a poor one!

Right now besides myself the team consists of Vinnie Sammon, Ian Schwartz, Mike Hoder and Karl Poynter. Well the Sunday team has grown a little bigger with the additon of Columbus’s Eli Platt. If you have seen any of the Shook videos then you will have seen Eli’s full length section in Winteractive. Remember up picnic table to whip and the last trick? Also, he has a photo doing an over grind on a square rail while also jumping over a chain in the Micreation trip article in the December issue of Ride BMX. So look for that in the next issue of Shook entitled “We are Everywhere” You can also see stuff from Ian Schwartz on that video and I might even have a clip or two. So now the team has 2 guys with brakes and 4 guys that don’t. Look out for another team rider announcement soon!!!!

Frame- 21 tt Sunday prototype
Fork – Sunday night
Stem- Animal jumpoff
Bars – Animal Bob Scerbo
grips –  Animal edwins. .
Barends – Animal
Wheels-They change all the time
Front tire – Animal ASM
Back tire – Primopro
Pegs- Animal long lites
Seat – Primo
Sprocket – 30t Animal w/guard
Cranks – Odyssey 41 Thermals
Pedals – Odyssey jim c silver

 
There is a bunch of parts missing from the Mike’s list, but I haven’t talked with Mike today. If you have been on bmxboard then you have seen the bike in action. And if not check this link out–Mike’s360@BrooklynBanks

Frame- 21 tt Sunday prototype
Fork – sunday mornings
Stem- animal jumpoff w/ti bolts
bars – sunday medium prototypes
grips –  animal edwins.  green.
barends – animal
front wheel – primopro low flange 36h with big city rim w/   red/white spokes
backwheel – primopro new cassette 36h hulahoop left side drive w/ 8t driver.  blue spokes
tires- front 2.1 animal GLH.  rear- 1.95 animal ASM
pegs- animal long lites
seat – primo balance w/ aluminum rails
seatpost – fit aluminum
seatpost clamp – some gold one
cranks – primo hollowbites 180mm
pedals – odyssey jim c sealed mag.
sprocket – 23t animal
chain – old rusted kmc dropbuster
 
mods – cut down the steerer tube on fork.  cut down the bars.    front wheel had white spokes, so i tried to make them red with a pilot marker.  ti stem bolts.  half link on chain.  And one sticker from the 1979 cult classic film The Warriors.

A friend of mine is holding a contest at his park, Red Planet in Oswego, New York. So if you are in the area and can make it show up this Saturday. For more information, call them at 315.343.6535 or check out the website at www.redplanet.us. I can’t wait to ride the vert wall corner thing, see you there!!!

Okay, so there have been a lot of questions asked and rightfully so. Here is a FAQ list which should answer a lot of the questions, but if there is some more than comment and I will try and respond in the comment section.

How much will it cost?Frame and Bars?
The frames should cost the same as a normal high end Taiwan frame, I am doing the best I can to keep the costs affordable, but still retain the quality. The bars should be available some where in the next 7-10 days. They are currently on their way to the distributors and only the Color and Triumph bars will be available. There is a medium bar being tested at the moment and should be coming by the first of the year.

Where can you get them?
All the products will be available at any BMX bike shop or mailorder. Basically where any good BMX stuff is sold

When are they coming out?
The frames are currently in the first prototype stage, so it might be a bit before they come out. There is one more prototype to be made before I can go into production. My best estimates have them coming out before spring time. Sorry I don’t think they will be available for Christmas.

Who are your distributors?
US-Blackout Distribution, www.blackoutdistribution.com/ CANADA-Ryder Distribution, www.ryderbmx.com / ENGLAND-Seventies, www.seventies.co.uk / AUSTRALIA-BMX International, kbarling@bmxinternational.com.au / GERMANY-Sport Import, bhellwig@sportimport.de / JAPAN- Motocross International, motocross@popll.odn.ne.jp

What are the sizes? Any random sizes?
Right now the idea is to have 2 frames based around rear end length. One is 13.75in while the other is to be 14.25in. Then there will be a number of top tube lengths. There is going to be a 20, 20.5 and 21 in the 13.75in rear end. Then there is a 20.5 and a 21 in the 14.25in rear end. My plan is to be adaptive, so there will be some random sizes made from under 20, the inbetween sizes and an over 21. I just need to get the frames dialed before I start making all the other sizes, but who knows.

How will the Gyro tabs be mounted?
Since I do a bike shop, I realize how difficult it is to order a frame because there are so many different frame options. From the 4 types of bottom brackets to where the brake mounts are, there are so many options that it makes owning a shop a nightmare. My whole plan is to eliminate one choice by offering removable gyro tabs just like the tabs on the Kink Frontloader stem. The stem’s tabs has been modified by a number of frame companies to create removable gyro tabs.

What is the weight of the frame?
The prototypes are weighing in at around 5.5 pounds. The newer prototypes should be a little less, but if you can’t lift on extra ounce, you might want to rethink riding. And if you are a little kid the size you are riding will be way less than 5.5 pounds.

What are the colors going to be?
What a tough question, it is funny how everyone is all over the place with what colors they like. But this is good because there is something for everyone. I am not sure at the moment what the colors will be. Just keep talking about what color you like and it might get done.

What is the warranty on frames?
Even more tough questions, as of the moment the warranty is still in great debate. I will let you know what it will be when as soon as I can.

Can you give us some dropout details?
It would be great to be able to tell the details or maybe show a side profile of the dropout, but do you know how fast the BMX industry takes to corrupt and copy ideas? Well, if you are a certain company, it only takes 2 weeks!

How are your Wombolts doing so far?
So far so good, but it has only been a week. They slide well on crankslides and I can actually kickflip again.

How does a gusset overheat?
I have no idea what you are talking about?

Okay so here is my bike, yep I know it’s all purple!

Close up view of the headtube with integrated headset. The frames are only going to come with integrated headsets and removable gyro tabs. The headtubes are machined after welding to take care of any distortion in the headtube.

Here is the gusset that will help prevent your frame from cracking. This is in response to all the frames that don’t have gussets or have minimal ones like my old frame. I am not too sold on the idea of smaller tubing and no gussets for weight savings. Its lighter but how soon does it crack?

The internet has been calling for this one for awhile, so I guess this shows how much I am on the internet. Both the cable guide and the brake mounts are angled to allow for a straight pull of the brakes. What is ironic about this, is that I am the only one on the team that runs brakes, huh?

Seat tube junction area is much different from other bikes. Most companies pinch the end of the top tube where it meets the seat post tube. This weakens the top tube and tends to break especially during tailwhips. The frame allows the top tube to wrap around the seat post tube thus improving the side to side strength.

Close up view of the mid bottom bracket area. As with the headtube, the bb is machine again after welding to take care of any distortion in the bb shell. This is to allow your push/press fit bb to actually be push/press fit. Look closely and you can see the Wombolt cranks that I just put on.


Okay so what is going on with the dropouts here? If you have been on bikeguide you heard some speculation. And for once it was actually correct! The dropouts are 8mm wide, but are as light as a 5mm and have the twice the strength of a 6mm. How you ask? Because they are hollow, so they are light and strong. Now when those 3/16 dropouts bend, there is a new alternative to go to. Oh yeah there is a radius edged on them to prevent them from digging into rails and slowing you down!

This is the card that was hanging next to the frames at Interbike. Basically it summarizes all the features of the frames.

The samples with a bunch of color choices. It is great to make samples because you get to try colors you may never do. The 2nd from the end is a gray and if you can’t tell the rest, they go purple, red, green, gray and blue.

Headtube closeups with the TEMPORARY graphics. There are going to be temporary prototype graphics with the names of the riders handwritten in.

Another close up with the sample purple bars that match the frame, obviously. There are also going to be some purple forks lurking around real soon.

Well, I promised pictures and I delivered, only a few days late. This has been a dream of mine for so long, it is so surreal! I can remember talking ideas as far back as 1990 when Homeless was doing there thing. I was so inspired that I had everything drawn out, but no understanding of constructing a frame. Too many ideas, but no way to actually get one manufactured. At that time it seemed so possible to make it happen, everyone else could do it so why not some random kid from Buffalo, New York? But, it wasn’t until 15 years later that it has become a reality.

So far everything looks good to me, lets see how testing goes. Most of the guys should be on frames sometime within the next week, so be on the look out. As I said before, these aren’t as cookie cutter as people might think. I am going to wait until after interbike to explain the details. If you are going, then you get to talk with me about them otherwise you will have to wait until next week.

The Sunday team has grown a little bit, Ohio native and brakeless/pegless shredder Ian Schwartz has joined the team. His riding was described as pegless, but he didn’t just do peg tricks without pegs. He went out and made up different tricks. I think that really describes his riding. Just check out his System video part and you will see. In fact, check out the upcoming Roadfools and the Micreation trip in the next Shook to see more. This is getting good!

Okay, so everyone has been wondering what is up with frames. Sorry for keeping everyone in the dark, but I finally have some information. The best news I have is that I should have the prototypes in sometime next week and I might have some photos today or tomorrow. So I will post those as soon as I get them.

I imagine you are wondering about the frames. Are they like my old Kink frame? How much can you change a frame? When are they going to be available? Are we making an urban mountain bike? Well, you probably weren’t wondering the last question! To make it clear NO mountain bikes. Let me just say the frame is not a cookie cutter copy of other frames out there. On the surface, it may seem that way, but you didn’t look deep enough. I can’t say too much more, but you will hopefully be able to see photos by later this week and you will see a frame at Interbike, if you are going.

thanks,
jim

In sort of older news, Vinnie does a wild move for the Skavenger video and his 2nd Ride cover. He is on the cover of the October 2005 issue, so check that out if you haven’t already. Incidently, it is his 2nd cover doing some sort of X-up grind. I have always been a fan of Vinnie, so that is why he is on Sunday now.