Jeff is one of those guys who is always loaded up with positivity and good times. I recently hit him up to see what was new and we got talking about how he was over due for a bike check. We’ve got a fresh bike check for you to get a closer look at along with an interview to let you guys know what’s going on with him these days from school, work, filming and more. There’s also some not so fortunate news about the future of Lake Owen Camp that he announces in this… Let’s get into this one!
Name: Jeff Dowhen
Location: Milwaukee
Sponsors: Madera, BSD, Sun Ringle’, Allis Bike, 4Seasons, and all my friends.
Years Riding: Over 10. Crazy.
Frame: BSD Too Loose ( love this frame)
Bars: WZA
Fork: BSD
Stem: Madera
Headset: BSD
Grips: ODI
Cranks: Madera HT that are amazing
Pedals: Odyssey trailmix
Sprocket: Madera 28
Chain: Shadow
Seat / Post / Clamp: BSD
Front Wheel / Tire: Madera to Sun Big Baller to Animal tire
Rear Wheel / Tire: Same^
Pegs: BSD crack pipes
Hub guards: BSD Jersey and 3 Profile guards make my grinds safe.
Brakes? Etnies that Jeff K gave me (thanks bud)
Modifications:
Fresh coat of paint. Everything else is stock and dialed.
What’s the newest part on your bike?
All the Madera gear. Fresh.
What’s the oldest?
Those pedals are over 3 years old. How old are your plastics?
Pffff… I don’t run plastics! What do you usually go through the fastest?
Grips. I haven’t had a serious problem where I needed to replace a part for a while. Guess that says something about the parts I ride..
Do you have to have your bike setup any specific way or it feels all wrong, or can you pretty much hop on whatever and send it?
I need my bars in a certain spot or I feel cramped besides that it’s basic.
Approximately how many peacocks have you done on this bike?
Not enough. Sidenote, I saw Glen Salyers do one over a street spine last month. So sick!
How are things going with BSD these days? Do you have any trips or videos in the works for them?
Shout out to Grant and Tony for helping me out these last couple years. I still owe them a welcome edit so doing a trip would be dope.
What’s new with Madera? Does Matt and Mike have any trips or plans to keep you from freezing to death this winter?
Let me just go on record that Matt Coplon is the biggest jerk in the industry- soo selfish. With that being said Madera is dope. Everyone on the team rules and is it in for fun. I’m looking at flights south after January.
I know Jon Wells always keeps those wheels turning thanks to Sun Ringle. What’s going on with them? Anything awesome cooking?
Wells actually switched positions at Sun, he is stoked and I know he’s about to shake things up out there. Good things.
Any other sponsor news?
I have a snack chip hookup called PopChips – pretty dope you should buy 7 cases. Rob Diquattro offered me a spot on the hood antics PRO team, but I was like nah I don’t want to sell out for some suit.
So you have been making quite a few appearances in edits lately between the Madera Chicago trip edit and all The Level Below skatepark edits. When can we expect a fresh Jeff Dowhen edit?
TheLevelBelow Mixtape premieres December 22nd!
Speaking of skateparks, the winter has been coming in fast. Will you be getting your tan on under those new lights at 4Seasons or what? Where can we expect to find you on your bike?
I love 4 seasons. I don’t get there enough lately.
You have been working at Ray’s MTB in Milwaukee for a bit now. How’s that going? What does Jeff K. think about this?
Rays is dope. It employs riders and is a really good atmosphere for learning. I’m doing an internship thru them and learning a lot. Neil from Seasons told me to go for it so everyone is on board. We grow the riders at Rays, we grow the riders at Seasons. Everyone wins.
You have been busy wrapping up your final semester of college, right? What kind of degree will you be graduating with? Any plans once you lock that up?
The TLB video premiere is also my graduation, Jeff K, Edson and Wells bday parties haha. I’ll have a Business Marketing Degree with an International Focus, I’ve got some ideas on the dashboard that will hopefully pan out.
The past few summers have been spent up at Lake Owen being a counselor and recently the BMX director. How did this past summer go for you? Will you be up there again next year?
Sadly no, as of last week Lake Owen Camp was sold. The new owner has no plans of continuing what we had going. It makes me look back on the 6 years I’ve spent there and really take it all in. I can’t thank my staff and visitors enough for all that they did. We had a lot of fun up there, but at the end of the day our job was to give kids the confidence to try. Looking at some of the talent (both on and off a bicycle) that has come from Lake Owen, we did a great job.
Share your favorite memory on the Facebook page for everyone to remember.
What have you been up to when you aren’t stuck at work or school or riding? Any new hobbies?
Just school at the moment. I’ll have fun after I graduate, unless the Mayans were right..
I noticed you have been rocking that Mike Hinkens classy adult hairstyle lately. What’s that all about?
Gotta look employable.
What’s the last song you heard, movie you watched and website you visited?
Miley Cyrus Party in the USA.
Some Brad Pitt movie where he’s Death – had to stop watching it because my roommate was hit and run by a car while pedaling home. Shout out to Cohl for being tough as steel.
Website was theChive.com.
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Too many.
Friends.
Family.
Anyone I’ve had a fun session with and all my sponsors for keeping me rolling.
Anything else you want to say?
Ride for your enjoyment, that’s all.
