I am sure there are some misconceptions about KC flying around peoples minds right now. I won’t lie, I know I had some ideas of what he was all about. That all changed when I got to meet him in Las Vegas. KC is a real chill and nice dude. I don’t really know how else to describe him. I do know that he is a real well known name in the BMX game and that this interview turned out real solid. I think you guys will like this one. Don’t forget to leave him some love in the comments…or anonymous hate, I don’t think he will get too upset.
Name:
Kelley Condie Badger Jr.
Location:
Tempe AZ
Sponsors:
Kink bike co, Odyssey, Etnies, Kronik energy, Kore bike shop.
Years Riding:
Long enough to have done at least a million turndowns
Do you remember what it was that first sparked your interest in BMX?
I got my first bmx bike when I turned 3 , and the first day I learned to ride w/out training wheels I ran into the back of a parked car, I guess I should have stopped then. but when I turned 4 I got a 4 wheeler and kind of split my time between the motorized and the non motorized until I was about 7 when I watched the movie rad, and as the cliché story goes I HAD to start bmx racing. I wanted to be cru Jones. When I was 8 my dad found a local BMX track (chandler BMX) and I raced my first race, got 3rd, and was hooked for life.
You have been pro for a couple years now, who was your first sponsor ever and how did it happen?
My first sponsor was always my parents; I can’t thank them enough for being so supportive of me when I was younger. I cant imagine putting up w/ some of the shit that I put them through, things like driving half way across the country to some shitty town to race a national, me constantly being dirty from pretty much living in the desert building and riding trails, the countless serious injuries,, missing school in high school to build at the trails after it rained, which later turned into missing college to go on road trips, they always had my back. No questions asked.
I snapped this epic picture at Interbike.. No, it’s not real settle down.
But I guess my first true sponsor was A-1 bikes in Scottsdale Arizona when I was 14. We were co sponsored by free agent and I thought it was the fucking coolest thing in the world. We all had matching jerseys, and I could get free agent stuff for cost. hah
How are things going at Kink these days, any changes to your frame, trips, new video stuff (even though Safety First just dropped), or anything cool like that going on with them?
Kink is honestly in the best position they have been the whole time I have been involved (7 years now) I’ve been through the good times and the bad times there, and currently things are going amazing! Everyone that works there kill it. Zack is obviously the business magician ( small business entrepreneur of the year award!!!) reez could sell a one legged transvestite prostitute with no teeth to a pimp, we have an amazing art guy in house now Aaron, Tony Hamlin is handling warranties now! And the main reason why things are so amazing right now is jay roe and matt antes, they have put their heart and soul into making us as riders happy, and making new products that everyone can be stoked on. And they’re obviously doing an amazing job at that. And as far as the team goes… I think
those dudes speak for themselves. Got a little bit of everything on there, as well as dudes that are the absolute funnest people to be around. Kink trips are the best!
As for new products involving me. a newer version of the badger bars just dropped, they are butted a little different now, are post weld heat treated, both making them weigh even less without sacrificing any of the strength, best bars ever! hah and we just started redesigning my frame “the lost dutchman” , I’m still in shock that I have a frame and bars, so the fact that they are going to continue to make them and let me update the frame is unbelievable to me.
Anything with Odyssey involving you at all trips, videos, news wise?
Not really, Jim and I talk a lot about art stuff, and from that comes cool color ways of some products, for example the couple jr saddle color ways, and copper kit that matched the first run of my frame. As far as trips and video stuff, I’m just a flow dude; they have a full team of bad asses that do the real work around there. haha but I’m always down to help out in any way I can if wanted or needed.
You were doing some sort of internship at Odyssey for a while there. Are you still doing anything extra for them or just doing the riding thing again?
The internship was an amazing opportunity for me as both an artist and a bike rider that was curious about the industry. I think people take for granted how much work goes into a company to produce some product, let alone a company to completely design a revolutionary product from the ground up that is both functional and different from other products in the market, something that odyssey continues to do year in and year out.
Working there allowed me to see exactly how things worked, as well as I got to learn from one of my heroes artistically in Jim Bauer. everything he touches turns to gold and it was a treat to be around someone like him for a 4 months, and I think collectively we came up w/ some pretty awesome things that I’m definitely proud to be a part of (last years catalog, and the imagery for the current website, as well as other various things) before that summer I completely hated LA but now I find myself missing the people and scene out there. I learned a lot about myself and what I wanted to do w/ my future that summer, thanks again for that opportunity Jim. since last summer I obviously haven’t done as much as I did while I was there, but as I said earlier Jim and I continue to work together on ideas ( for both odyssey and my stuff at kink) and hopefully I will continue to do so for as long as I have the opportunity.
Over the years you have had a couple different signature parts, out of all of them which one is your favorite and why?
First of all, I cant believe that I have had ANY signature parts, its flattering to me that I have been given the opportunity to create something w/ my name on it, and even more flattering that those products have been so well received. So thank you to everyone whose ever bought one of those products. Seriously. But to answer the question. The frame is what I am most proud of. I know there is nothing crazy or different about it. But, it’s a bike; they shouldn’t be crazy and different. I had 100% control over what I wanted to do w/ it. I even personally made the graphics for the frame, every bit of that frame is what I wanted in a bike, and they stood behind that and made exactly what I wanted. And thankfully it seems that a lot of people like the same things I do in a bike. Although it does still trip me out to see other kids riding one.
Something I’m not sure ill ever get used to. haha
I’ve read some pretty interesting anonymous comments about you saying that you are the “laziest pro ever” and all you do is turndowns and X ups. Would you like to defend yourself at all?
haha yeah! kids are dicks! just kidding, I don’t take any of that stuff to heart. especially not being called the laziest pro ever from a dude who makes more money than I do from stealing web videos, and basically being a giant rss feed for bmx. I read that and thought that it was a pretty ironic statement. hah but whatever do your thing. I just do mine. as for the kids who say all I do are turndowns and x ups… you’re right! I ride my bike and do what feels good and is fun. which translates to a lot of turndowns and x ups… they’re fun! I can’t help it… I just think its funny that if I thought going slow and doing smith grinds on small ledges to 180 was fun… those same kids would love me. but the kids who have my back now would hate me. It is a lose lose situation. you learn that in life.
you can’t and really shouldn’t make try and make everyone happy.
Photo: Matt Pice
I would imagine you really start appreciating living in Arizona this time of year; it is negative 6 degrees here in Minnesota as I write this question. What is your favorite thing about where you live?
living in Arizona is the best. we have amazing concrete parks, good trails if you know the right people, amazing street, as well as good food, good bars, and a college that for whatever reason every hot girl in the country decides to attend. I love it here. but at the same time. like anywhere it’s good to get away from at times. and for me nothing is better than a few months in the northwest in the summers. polar opposite of AZ.
If you could only ride one park, one set of trails, and one street spot for the rest of your days… What 3 places would you pick?
park – chandler bmx park, it is ALMOST perfect (if they woulda just not built that stupid sub box!) trails – even though I haven’t been there I have to say catty woods, those dudes have put far too much time and effort into building the perfect trail spot for it to be in the constant state of drama that it has been in the past few years. and if me being able to ride there for the rest of my life meant that the trails could stick around forever, then id be right there w/ the shovel come winter. haha
and as far as street. any place w/ some transition and my friends… these old bones don’t like landing flat anymore.
If you could go on a road trip with 5 people and one filmer. Who would you pick to come, where you you go, and why?
Ryan Sher, Sam Buros, Sean sexton, Billy Franevsky, Adam baker and the Boyd. and I think id like to go to Europe… some street spots, trails, babes, and beers, with that crew would be an amazing trip.
Who are some of the guys you ride with on a more daily basis, any guys coming up that you think people should be looking out for?
Sam Buros, loofa, Frank Parks, Chadwick, Shane reider are all dudes I ride w/ lately, I think well be seeing a lot more of Shane reider this year, the dude can honestly do whatever he wants. but by far my most favorite person to watch ride lately is Chase Zink. the Midwest and the vinyl dudes know, but he is absolutely amazing… the best style , goes fast and high, and most importantly is a cool dude to hang out with.
Have you ever done anything relating to BMX that truly scared the shit out of you?
the most scared/ excited I’ve ever been was at the first elevation contest in whistler, Sher and I arrived in whistler at about midnight the night before the contest and seriously ran up the mountain in pitch black to try and look at the trails. they looked HUGE and not to mention on the side of a mountain that was hard to walk up… I was terrified to ride down that thing let alone roast some trails down it. we both couldn’t sleep that night and woke up around 7 am and were the first 2 people at practice, obviously the trails worked perfectly and that day ended up being one of the most fun days I’ve ever had on my bike, and that night , was only better. if you have ever been to whistler, or a red bull event you know, but combine the two together. you have the recipe for the funnest night of your life… and those 2 years at whistler definitely are the 2 funnest weekend’s I’ve ever had… ride awesome trails all day, get loose and party with babes all night. BEST
WEEKENDS EVERR. I gotta say thanks to jay miron and everyone involved on doing a contest like that, and inviting someone like me who only does x ups and turndowns haha
Is there anything you would really like to do this year that you haven’t had the chance to do involving BMX?
I’d really like to go overseas somewhere. it seems like every time I’ve had that opportunity, school or something has been in the way, and since I’m graduating in may (finally) hopefully ill be able to actually get over there. Europe really intrigues me, the art, the culture, as well as the riding are all things that I’m curious about and want to experience first hand in my life… hopefully that can happen this year.
If you could change anything about BMX, what would you change and why?
I really hate the trend right now of going slow. we ride bikes. it is absolutely ridiculous to me that the current popular state of skateboarding is a faster pace than what is popular in bmx, I’m just thankful that people like Sean burns get it, pedal fast and jump some shit. that to me is bike riding at its finest. not going so slow that it looks like you’re gonna fall over to feeble a flat ledge. we have pedals and chains for a reason. and if you don’t… you’re riding a scooter.
What do you think you would be up to if you never picked up a bike?
I’d probably be doing the same things I do now when I’m not riding, except id do them a lot more, art, friends, learning about anything and everything, and fun all the time. and on top of that if I didn’t ride id be graduated from college, would have a real life job, and more real life problems. so for right now I’m glad I haven’t had to completely grow up yet.
If I remember right you are still in college, what are you going for, when do you expect to be done, and what would your dream job be?
I graduate from Arizona state university in may w/ a BFA in drawing. but after I graduate I’m just going to go back for more schooling. I’ve discovered that I actually enjoy learning, and with the current job market, and the opportunities I will have, I think its in my best interest to get a higher level of education, whether it is pursuing my masters in fine art, allowing me to teach at any level, or getting a commercial design degree to add to my fine art degree, which would hopefully broaden the areas that I could potentially work in, and allow me to be able to pick and chose a job that would truly make me happy. the perfect job to me is something where I can work w/ a group of people I admire and could learn from, in an area of interest to me, like bikes or art. working at odyssey for those few months really gave me a taste of the dream. now I just have to hope that I can’t get the whole meal. haha
Some of KC’s work!
Since the end of the year is coming up quick, estimate the number of beers you have drank?
fuck this is depressing. probably upwards of a thousand… we tend to drink a lot around here…
About how many girls have you slept with? Do you have any funny stories of how you picked up a girl?
A while back a friend of mine gave me some good advice, the biggest part of getting laid and to continue getting laid, is to not talk about getting laid.. but I will say that I have done alright. I’ve met some truly amazing girls, and of coarse some shitty ones, each of which I think that I have learned something from to make me better person. as for funny stories of picking up girls… I’m just myself, and just like the kids on the internet, sometimes they love me. sometimes they hate me. such is life. haha… but I definitely think I do better w/ the girls than I do w/ bike rider kids on message boards. ill take it.
About how many strippers or hookers have you personally purchased?… obviously for a party of some sort.
living in Portland for a few summers really gives you a fine taste for strippers, they have every kind of girl you could ever want fully willing to be a stripper, and over the years my love for girls has remained constant, and strippers are no different, what can I say I love boobs. as far as the hookers… I haven’t reached the point in my life where I’ve physically had to pay for sex, and if I ever do… ill know that’s when my time has come to die. hahah
Have you ever been in a fight or arrested for anything?
I’ve been in a few dumb bar fights and stupid situations like that, but nothing actually personal, I’m not the most violent person, like fudger says ” more chill than thrill” pretty much sums me up. bar fights seem to be inevitable, but I’ve done alright at staying away for the most part, as for being arrested… I’ve been tazed and cuffed for riding a skatepark… but never been in actual jail.
What do you personally feel has been your biggest accomplishment in your life?
I think being given the opportunities I have had from bike riding is my biggest accomplishment, when I was 16 I NEVER would have guessed id be where I am ( wherever that is ) in bike riding 10 years later. I truly feel lucky to have what I have. and proud at the same time. I don’t know when I sold my soul to the devil… but hopefully I can get that bitch back someday. hah just kidding. I’m just thankful for the opportunities that have come my way, and to everyone that has made those arise.
Even though George French doesn’t believe anyone really cares about this question… What kind of music are you into?
I listen to everything from hip hop to country to electronical ( pun intended hah) it just depends on the mood/ situation I am in. to me, music is like life, you don’t want to pigeon hole yourself into one thing. having some knowledge in a little bit of everything is far more interesting than only knowing one specific thing. you never know when you might need that little bit of information… and you can always learn more.
Have you seen any good movies lately?
The last movie I saw was twighlight with my dear friend jen, my sister rey, and her mom stacy. the movie wasn’t spectacular but we saw it in a little tiny theatre in Edmonds Washington, a little town north of Seattle and if you’ve seen the movie or know the books you know that it’s set in a little town like that in Washington also. so seeing the movie w/ people that I love and don’t get to see very often on top of the ambiance and the 50 12 year old girls that would scream and giggle every time Edward came on screen… made it a memorable experience.
If you could spend the day with anyone, alive, dead, or fictitious, who would you want to spend it with and why?
I’d want to spend a day w/ my father. he passed away when I was 18 and id like to hang out with him again. I think that he would be proud of the person he molded me into, and it would be amazing to shralp around in his Porsche for the day and do some of the things that we always talked about but never got a chance to do. that would be the best.
Do you spend much time on the internet? Any favorite websites? I heard You porn has been a pretty popular site amongst pros these days…
haha totally. last year we didn’t have TV. so I discovered that you could watch basically any movie/ TV series for free on the internet, it’s been downhill ever since and I’ve def. watched some ridiculous things because of this.
If you could be sponsored by any company outside of BMX brands, who would you pick and why?
some sort of lending firm or any company that would be able to give me a large sum of money, sounds greedy but. fuck it. I know this isn’t an option… so as long as I’m dreaming. might as well dream big! I’d like to own a house or have something substantial to show for myself that currently is not an option.
What is something about yourself the most people don’t know, but you think should?
Most people probably know this… but I dont really take ANYTHING seriously. life is for fun. no reason to stress out on pointless things.
If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
cliché answer number 2…. war. and more specifically wars based on religious views. it baffles me that people are so passionate about their views that it leads them to EVERY religions number one no no. killing. I don’t want to get to into, it’s not my place to say but, I especially hate that in a lot of cases. if you look at world religions. THEY ARE ALL BASICALLY THE SAME! so in turn, they are fighting for the same things. makes no sense to me.
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to my parents, everyone who has ever supported me in anything that I’ve done, thanks to all of the Arizona riders, the scene here just keeps getting better and better, thanks to all my sponsors, kink, etnies, odyssey, kronik, big thanks to Ryan and Sara at kore, you guys are truly the most genuine kind people I’ve ever met. you do more for the AZ scene than you know. thanks!! and thanks to all my friends for keeping me distracted and from thinking too much. hahah and thanks to Kurt for this interview… can’t wait to see the hate on the message boards… hahaha
