I got an interview over on BMX Party Time if you were curious about me at all. It is weird to think people want to know who I am haha. I hope you like it. Thanks to the crew over there, I guess I was their first interview so that is an honor too!

The first person who had suggested to do an interview with Mark was Kyle Carlson. I think he asked me about 10 times since this started when it will happen too. So, I finally got it done, and this is what’s up. If you aren’t aware of Mark for some reason, he is the “TRAILS KING!”… totally kidding, but you anonymous kids know who he is now. He is the owner of Deluxe and past editor for numerous magazines. This interview has a lot of good insight and stories. Enjoy, and leave some love for Mark in the comments!

Name:
Mark Noble

Location:
Dorset, South Coast UK

Sponsors:
Er… Deluxe BMX?

Years riding:
Since 1980, 81… so that’s… 28 or so years riding BMX bikes. Ouch.

What was it that originally got you into BMX?
Just the usual – friends getting into it, BMX being the ‘hot new thing from the USA’ and all that. I’ve always been in to bikes since I was little, thrashing around the neighbourhood on bikes with my brother Chris, so when this BMX invention thing came along at the turn of the eighties we jumped in with both feet – it’s a perfect bike to thrash round on.

You are the man behind the new brand Deluxe. How long have you been working on this and how do you feel it is turning out?
I’ve been toying with something with Deluxe for a couple of years now – at 4130 we almost launched a magazine with the same name, around ’98 – it was later launched as Level Magazine, which we did for a couple years. I’ve always fiddled with frame designs and so on, for years. I did a prototype flatland frame with Proper when they started out, years back. So, with the name in mind first, I started work on it at the tail end of 2006 – I say ‘work’, but back then Deluxe was just a creative project, something I could do as a side thing, on weekends and evenings, just designing and making things with some mates etc. Bit of a laugh really, nothing serious, a bunch of people in the industry do it, several of my old colleagues at the magazines did it – so I figured why the hell not? We printed some T-shirts, drew up some frames and bars, got some friends involved, got stuff made and people are stoked on it, feedback was really good. Deluxe started out as just a creative project really… I had some creative urges, besides putting everything I had into making the magazines at the time – I worked my frickin nuts off for that mag company. But now the magazines have been taken out my hands and there’s nothing I can do about it, Deluxe BMX is now pretty much full-time for me, almost – I have some other good projects in the works too.

I had a chance to check out some of your frames at Interbike. When will they be available and what else do you have in the works?
Frames are out now – here in the UK, in France, Germany, and Australia. In America, we’re working with Undrgrnd Distribution and product should be in America in early Spring 2009. We also have sprockets now, and come early 2009 we’ll have bars, and a few more items… nothing too crazy, all really good stuff.

What is the team looking like for Deluxe right now, will there be any additions anytime soon?
I think we have a rad team – I’m stoked on the guys, really stoked. I couldn’t have asked for more, really. Over here in the UK we have Davros from Bar End, Louis who also does Aversion BMX, and Frog from the L’Boro trails. In America, I’m psyched to have Mark Mulville on board now, and in France we have Pompom from La Source Trails. All these guys are down for trails for life, and that’s what we’re all about.

Deluxe is a trails specific brand, what was it that made you want to be that specific about Deluxe?
Well, lately, I’ve been riding trails more than anything else – although, to make this crystal clear now, I’m into ALL aspects of BMX, I always have been, and always will be. I’ve done it all, and I love all of BMX – flat, vert, street, parks, trails, racing, just rolling down the street and doin’ wheelies and skids, whatever, I’m into it. I think it’s bloody hilarious how some anonymous commentators on Thecomeup have somehow figured that I’m some sort of “trails king”, or that I now “own trails”, or something – haha! Far from it! That’s hilarious! That was never my intention of course, but some misguided people have thrown their various toys out of their prams I guess – perhaps they think that they’re Mr Trails instead, and I’m somehow encroaching on to their segment of bike riding or something. Whatever… I imagine that comes from their lack of experience or history I suppose. Anyway, with having Deluxe as a bike project, I just thought “let’s do something a little different”. I didn’t see much sense in doing something creative and then making it just like some other company, like just doing another Sunday or FBM or something. So, that’s why Deluxe is focussed the way it is – it’s all about the trails… the products, the riders, ethos, the lot! And feedback has been better than I could have hoped for – it’s been great thanks. Good times…

Is there any other big news with Deluxe you can tell us about like videos, trips, anything really?
Well, we’d like to get the guys together and have a trails trip in Spring 09, do some filming and shoot some photos, get some good times under our belts. We’ll develop some more products, but nothing that’s unnecessary or just another me-too product. Like, people have asked us if we’re making Deluxe cranks – I don’t think there’s much point since Profiles are already out and are pretty much the standard. I did have an idea about doing a stem, but Mark Mulville’s new Profile stem looks perfect, so there’s no need for a Deluxe stem now, and we’ve all got them on the team. And forks – we’re not doing forks, since we all run Pitch Forks or Odyssey Races, and they’re dialled. So, we’ll focus on what we really want to make.

What do you feel seperates your company from all the other companies out there?
Aside from the trails focus, we also made a pledge: I wanted to give something back to BMX, somehow, and after a good deal of thought, I decided from the outset that we’d give ten percent of our annual profits to the Stephen Murray Family Fund as a long-term commitment. That was the case when Deluxe was just a project – and it’s still the case now that Deluxe is a bona-fide brand – ten percent will always go back to helping Stephen Murray. That dude is an inspiration. I remember way back from when Stephen was a wee nipper on the UK Titan race team, then through those early years, the Murrays were progressing riding all the time, racing, dirt jumping, UK king of dirts, I recall shooting photos of him and Martin for Haro ads in the 90s, and so on. His story is something else… and I just felt inspired to do something. All being well and with Deluxe becoming a success, hopefully we can help out, somehow, long-term.

You have been in the industry for quite a while now from Ride U.K to what you are doing now. What do you feel has changed the most since you got involved years ago?
I’ve been in the BMX business for about 21, 22 years – I began full-time editing the magazine here when I was 18, so you could say it was my life’s work. So through those years I’ve seen BMX come and go, then come and go again, and in all that time, the biggest thing, basically, one word. Internet. When Chris and I started Invert mag in 89, and then Ride magazine in 1992, we didn’t have emails or anything online. We barely had a fax machine! Riders relied on their BMX information coming out every two months in the magazines, or from the latest VHS tape passed round, or phoning each other talking about BMX – on landlines no less – the trickle-down information coming from media was slow, and, if anything, that made it all more precious: magazines were the key, literally everything hung off the mags. The BMX pros made their name through sustained appearances in magazines and on video tapes, they were proper heroes. Now, the internet can instantly give anyone and everyone five minutes of fame through a web edit or whatnot, and so printed magazines and even full-length videos are less important now. I mean, some are still important – but only if they are done right, rider-owned, and if that magazine or video has a tangible quality to it and not chucked out like something from a sausage factory, banged out just to appease the shareholders. Video wise, there are still good titles on the way, and I’m really looking forward to when Anthem 2 comes out for example – but it’s gotta be enjoyed on a good TV with good sound, not a laptop monitor. You gotta be sat down on a couch with a brew to enjoy the video, not click it online. If it’s truly good… Like, I can watch Fully Flared every single day of the week and not get bored. Our old BMX videos which Alex Rankin used to make at 4130 were awesome, namely Cassette and No Front Teeth. But the internet has changed everything – how quickly products are produced, changed and rated, how you buy and sell BMX product, who is ‘famous’, even the lifecycle of a pro, or even of an entire brand. It’s changed how BMX companies market and advertise their products too – in the old days, you had just one avenue for your ads; the magazine. Now, you have tons of choices – some would even question what’s the point in even advertising in mags these days, as video edits can be made cheaply, hosted online for free, and circulated for free. That’s almost free advertising! I’d support the rider-owned magazines for sure, but otherwise, what’s the point – especially at the corporate prices they charge for page ads these days the end-result is that the magazine owner would get himself a new BMW X5 I suppose, but what good is that for BMX? Also, with forums, everyone considers themselves an expert, everyone has a voice, and everyone can listen – or, you can just turn it off and go ride. A 16 year old rider tapping away on his laptop in his bedroom after college can make a more popular BMX website than a professional media company based in a London city office. I know bike shops in England who have a bigger websites than the so-called media owners. A good writer using a stock blogger template can easily have a more popular website than, say, a media company’s site with a full-time editor, developer, and a web designer and so on and so on. It’s nuts. So, everything is in more riders’ hands now, more so than ever, the BMX cake is sliced up way more than ever before – it’s changed everything. The turnaround has been amazing. Does it make it better though? That really depends on the age of the person you speak to I guess… myself, I love the change and how people react to it. It’s awesome.

How are things between you and Ride U.K since you had left? I remember hearing it wasn’t exactly a fun situation.
I’m sorry, but I’m afraid my lawyers have told me I’m not allowed to answer such specific questions… that’s all I am able to say on this precise subject at this moment in time.

Over the years you have had the chance to travel quite a bit. Where are some of your all time favorite places you have been?
Oh man, plenty. Oman, France, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Portugal, tons of places in the States, all over this little island of ours, I’ve got a ton of miles on the clock. I’m lucky enough to live in a truly great spot, so my home is my favourite. Travel is always interesting, for sure. Even if it’s just a couple hours up the road to a new riding spot.

Where are some places you would really like to go to at some point?
Trails in Southern France, to shoot some photos there, PA, Florida, and New Zealand looks amazing. I hear Canada is great too.

With being so busy with getting the company off the ground, do you find much time to ride?
With the projects I have, and getting Deluxe going, I’m reasonably busy. Working on product ideas, dealers, distributors, the back-end of the business, and then communicating with the team, helping them out, doing graphics with Chris, updating the site with Deluxe news with Patch, sorting out orders, the stock, and just figuring out what the hell to do next. I’ve never run a bike company before, so it’s a real learning curve – but, having watched countless companies over the years when we were running the magazines, I hope I have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t, so I’m trying not to make too many mistakes. That, and spending time with my family – I have three young kids now – and balancing a good life there is really important to me, and working from home, waiting for the weather to break, and so on… I can’t just drop everything and ride as much as I’d like to of course, to be honest. No worries. But when I do get to ride my bikes, I cherish it.

Who are some of the people you ride with on more of a regular basis? Where can you be found riding usually?
Just with the guys at our local trails, most of the time. It’s a world away from everything, up in the woods, so peaceful and quiet, totally back to nature. I love it up there.

What do you feel is the reason that keeps you into BMX after this time?
Haha, I have no idea. It’s just me, I love it – it’s ingrained, it’s what I’ve always done… I can’t see myself changing or quitting any time soon, that’s for sure. Having done BMX for 28 or so years, it’s kind of in my blood.

What tricks do you feel like you will never get sick of doing?
Just the pure feeling of riding a bicycle is more than enough… but, now my limbs don’t come off and I don’t go round in circles. Those are my personal rules… though, I love a backside boneless on a mini ramp. I’ll never get sick of just riding…

Are there any tricks you wish you could do but never been able to figure out?
Oh man, so, so many. A giant, sweet and slow tucked 360 for starters. I’d love to do it all… actually, some more rolling tricks on flatland would be awesome too. I kind of got out of competing flatland at the time it suddenly became super-hard and Kevin Jones was unleashing a whole new world upon us – at the time I was working more and more on the magazine, and I decided to focus on the mag and so my competing fell by the wayside. This was around ’88, ’89. I had a few rolling tricks on the go, but… The K changed everything.

If you could change anything about BMX, what would you change and why?
I only have some personal business changes I’d like to make, and hindsight is 20:20… Does anyone have a spare time machine? And a lie detector? Generally though, I’d change nothing about BMX. Actually, thinking about it, I’d ban clip pedals in BMX racing. Clipless shoes and pedals ruined BMX racing in my opinion. It’s awful; I believe it prevents kids getting into racing – they think “do I have to be bolted to my pedals to be good at this? Screw that…” I think clips have ruined the pure fun in racing, the essence of it. I’d change that in a heartbeat if I could.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
Honestly, I have no idea. During school I had a fleeting desire to be an architect… but I was too busy riding…

Have you ever considered working outside of the BMX/Bicycle industry?
Nope – I don’t think I could, full time… the bike industry is where I’m at… my mind is bursting with business ideas though. My wife Cheryl runs a baby clothing / equipment shop that focusses on fair-trade, ethical and sustainable goods, and I help her out with that at the online end of things; it’s really good actually, to apply what I know to something completely different. Her shop is dialled…

Outside of work and riding, what are you up to?
A lot of family stuff, helping our boys out with school etc, watching our baby girl grow, helping Cheryl out with her shop, things like that. I’ve also been hands-on with getting a proper concrete skatepark built in our town. I’ve worked on the campaign, with our skatepark committee, for at least eleven, twelve years now… and in early November this year, actual construction has started on our concrete park, which is massive news. Diggers are in, it’s taking shape right now and it looks so rad. I can’t wait to see that park up and running – it’s in a great location, and we worked hard on the design and layout so it’s good for everyone whether you’re old, young, skate, bike, whether you’re good or not, something for everyone. It’ll be awesome when that opens, in March 09. After that, when the park’s finished, I’m going to work on getting a pump-track built in town, which will be easier than you think… I just think it’s really important to get involved and get stuff done like this for the local scene, for the riders and skaters around. Plus, of course, I’ll get to ride it too…

Do you still do much writing? Other than the posts on the Deluxe site, where can people find some of your recent work?
For the moment, I don’t write now professionally, due to an old legal contract I’m restricted from writing for any other media people until the end of ’08, just a couple weeks. I’ll be writing again soon, and I’m looking forward to it.

Do you do much with photography these days?
Point and shoot, that’s pretty much it it. I love a great b/w film photo, with no fancy equipment, just the good light and composition. Good grain, light and dark, composition, etc. Last time I photographed riding was at Empire of Dirt, Decoy session, just for fun – I got some good’uns too, I think.

How do you feel about college? Did you go or was everything you have accomplished self taught?
I never went to college, from school I went straight into editing BMX magazines at 18 years old. And everything along the way was based on the best educator – personal experience, and a drive to make things better all the time, do good things for BMX and try and make a good mag for BMX. I think too many people go to university for the wrong reasons – like today, I heard that there are more students in University doing Media Studies than there are media people working in the media Industry. What’s that all about?

What kind of music are you into? Any bands you suggest people check out?
So much. Right now, this week, I dug out a lot of old AC/DC – Cheryl bought me a load for my birthday. But I’m into a hell of a lot of different stuff… actually, my friend’s band is really good, check them out – Superhet Receiver. They’re awesome. Charlie the drummer digs at the trails, and rides a Deluxe frame…

Have you seen any good movies lately?
Last time I went to the cinema was on my eldest son’s school trip, last Tuesday morning! I was helping his class out with a school trip. It was all right…

Do you spend much time on the computer? Any favorite websites?
I spend all day sodding long on the computer – emails, sites, designing, whatnot. Way too much… I have a whole slew of sites I look at – all the usual big BMX sites that are on the ball such as Vital BMX, Thecomeup, Defgrip, FatBMX, Ride USA, SPRFLS, BMX Union, Prettyshady.com, VBS.tv, Vimeo, EXPN, a lot of bike shop websites to see what’s what, and then after that, Craitap, Lakai, then a lot of smaller sites. Too many to list…

If you could have a lifetime supply of anything, what would you choose and why?
A lifetime of Good Times please.

What are some things you think everyone should experience at some point in their life?
Erm… parenthood. That truly reboots the system, for sure. It realigns everything… your priorities, your outlook, your drive… everything.

You know you love Mark Mulville!

Who or what are some of the biggest influences on your life?
My family first and foremost… that’s the biggest influence right there.

If you could spend the day with anyone, alive, dead, or ficticious, who would you pick?
Easy – Bob Osborn.

A perfect night out includes…
Good friends, good times, good food, good live music, good banter, good venue…

What is the Mark Noble approach to women?
Find your special one. I did… man, I got lucky.

Have you ever been in a fight or arrested?
Luckily, not yet. Close, but no cigar.

Can you tell us a story about the craziest thing you have ever witnessed/experienced?
One time, bloody years ago, when Scott Carroll, R.I.P, and I went out to Oman to do shows for a couple weeks for a British trade expo, we were at a drinks party at a British Embassy. This place was next door to one of the Sultan’s palaces, which by the way had anti-aircraft guns in the garden for security. Anyway, we were chillin on the balcony, taking in the beach view, having a couple drinks with the posh-knobs, and this pick-up truck with a cow in the back pulled up onto the beach, and the blokes inside unloaded the cow onto the waters-edge and ritually slaughtered it right there in front of us – slit its neck, job done, dead. Then they simply loaded it back onto the truck, blood all in the sea water, and drove off. It was weird… Oman was a great trip, experiencing that sort of culture, really good times.

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
Tolerance! I wish people were more tolerant, oh, and forward thinking – people should really look after this planet of ours because I’m pretty sure we only have one.

What kinds of advice do you have for somebody looking to start a company, or get involved with writing?
Just do it. Business wise, just learn by your mistakes, then don’t repeat them. And don’t trust everyone, or believe everything they say; I made that mistake… but I’ve learnt from it, and won’t do that again – so, be careful with the things that are important to you. Writing wise, just do it – write what you feel like, what you experience, and what you want to read back. With access to creating blogger sites and so on, you can be self-published in seconds. Don’t wait for a magazine to come knocking on your door, just get started right away… get some mates together and make a ‘zine or something too, get some printed, get creative, why not?

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to my wife and kids, my extended family, my friends, and hello to the people we worked with through the years on the magazines at 4130, it was amazing while it lasted – there were good times and tough times, but we did it for the right reasons – and thanks to the people who have helped with Deluxe BMX, so far so good. Onwards and upwards… Thanks!

Anything else you would like to say?
Take it easy, and enjoy the good times.

Be sure to check out DeluxeBMX.com.

Gaz is one of those people who if it wasn’t for this website… I would probably have little or no idea who he is. I have had the oppertunity to meet him and without a doubt he is really on top of his stuff as a co-owner of Mutiny. I think with this recent new law involving the standards for lead testing in the bike industry, this was a good time to do the interview. Enjoy this and leave Gaz a little love!

Photo: Devon Hutchins

Name:
Gareth Michael Sanders

Location:
Austin, Texas

Sponsors:
My wife

Years riding:
15

What is your first memory of when you got hooked on BMX?
There is too many for me to name just one memory, the good times keep coming every time I ride my BMX.

Growing up riding, did you ever think you would be an owner of a company, or even working in the industry at all?
Roey and I were talking about this recently, I had never really thought about it. He was saying how he dreamed of being in the situation he is in now. Looking back I guess I always did want to do this, just goes to show you, you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

It seems like the guys who are running the show at most companies don’t have much time to ride… Does the same go for you or do you make a fair amount of time during the week?
It just depends on how busy I am, of course Mutiny comes first over everything but you have to make time for your girl, friends and bikes.

How are things going over at Mutiny these days anyways? Any changes to the team, new products, trips, videos, or awesome stuff like that in the works?
Things are good; we are always working on something new. We have lots of stuff in the works but I can’t share the details with you guys yet, they are nowhere near done. Something that will be out soon is the revised versions of Roeys, Ryan Smiths and Randy Taylors frames, they should be out Spring.

What kind of an effect will this new law that requires bike manufacturers to do a 3rd party test for lead and stuff be on Mutiny? Are there any ideas of how to get around these things?
We have been working with various people on this and I’m confident we have a good grasp on it all. So I’m hoping it won’t affect us too much. There seems to be some people on message boards suggesting that it is only for companies making stuff out in Asia. The new CSPC guide lines are for everyone manufacturing. Even if your making the stuff in your garage in America.

I don’t think there is anyway around these new rules; you just have to make sure your playing the game.

What’s a typical day in the office like for you?
Wake up around 7, get some green tea and fruit and hit the office. First part of the day is answering e-mails and updating the website. Once that’s out the way I will go down to the warehouse pack any orders and ship them out. After that it all varies, I could be up till 3am talking with our contacts in Asia, sat working on new products designs, meeting with Aron our art director, or chasing down the team. My job is very varied and I love it.

Photo: Sandy Carson

Living in Austin, Texas which is one of the biggest BMX scenes in the country. I would imagine you never run out of places to ride. Where are some of your favorite spots, or where you can be seen the most?
The last few months I have been enjoying riding trails, I have never really rode trails in my life so it’s been awesome. I’m only hitting the girly jumps but shit is really fun. So thanks to all the guys that keep Ninth St. and Red Box running! Empire has a pretty sweet mini ramp so we have been riding that every Tuesday evening.

Who is your typical riding crew these days?
I have been riding with Hanson, Randy, Hunter and Joe when he gets his ass out of the house. Ryan Smith recently moved to Denton but he comes back to Austin so he is always down for some BMX.

I would imagine you have had the chance to travel a fair amount in your days… Where are some places you have been?
Yeah I have traveled quite a bit, for 9 years I was pretty much just commuting back and forth from the UK to America. In the last few years I have been to Spain, Mexico, Canada and all over the US. I am hoping to get out to Taiwan next year.

If you could go on a road trip with 5 people, and one person running the cameras. Who would you pick, where would you go, and why?
That’s a good one, the crew would have Roey, Ryan, Randy, Joe and Sandy Carson. I would clone Joe so he could film too, although I would rather not take the camera at all if I had a choice. I have never been before but I would like head out to the North West; camp, take the road bikes and BMX’s. That would be a rad trip……..

What are some things you really like about BMX, and what are some things you really hate?
I think BMX is amazing, if it wasn’t for Bikes I don’t know if I would have traveled anywhere near as much. I have met some of my closet friends from bike riding and had some amazing times; hopefully there will be plenty more……….
As for as things I hate; people on message boards talking about shit they have no idea about whatsoever. It drives me nuts and I ignore it for the most part.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
I was doing a engineering apprenticeship when I left school, so I would think I would be operating a CNC machine, drinking tea and eating biscuits.

Did you ever go to college at all or did you just learn everything on your own when it comes to business and everything?
Nope, everything has been self taught, it’s very hands on here. We have a really good accountant and he is always down to help us out with advice.

What are some things you are looking forward to with 2009 coming up soon?
Personally, the new president and waiting to be accepted for my green card. We have one project we are working on with Mutiny that I very excited about and it should be a reality in the summer.

Photo: Devon Hutchins

Obviously you spend a lot of time with Joe. Do you guys ever get in fights or big disagreements over Mutiny stuff, or other stuff?
Of course we do we’re friends, by the end of the day though we’re normally friends again. Disagreeing on stuff is good, this is a partnership so we both have very strong ideas about how shit should be handled, by disagreeing and bitching at each other we can make the final answer with more confidence.

Speaking of fights, are you much of a brawler or ended up in the back of a cop car ever?
I’m a lover not a fighter.

You have an accent… Where are you originally from anyways? When did you move over to the U.S?
Originally from Derby, UK. I moved to Austin March of 06, so coming up for 2 years.

About how many ladies has Gaz slayed in his day?
I don’t think people really care about this. I’m a married man!

If you couldn’t be an owner of a BMX company, what would your other dream job be?
A pro skateboarder.

Since you spend a lot of time on the computer, Any favorite sites?
I do, even though I work on one most of the day I just can’t help it. The web is amazing, you can look, listen or watch whatever you want when you want.

As far as popular websites; stereogum.com, theberrics.com and slashfilm.com are all hit up pretty much ever day.

What are some things you are hoping to get for presents this holiday season?
I’m not sure what I’m getting, it was my birthday last week and I got an I Phone, which is the best thing ever. I really want a seat for my road bike, the one I have right now feels like my nuts have packed up and left after a ride.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
To continue to grow Mutiny and in turn do more for the team and people that work for us.

What is your drink of preference?
Whiskey on the rocks. Perfect winter beverage.

If you could be driving any car in the world, what would you pick and why?
I hate cars, I only learned to drive this year and I’m over it. Riding a bike around is much more fun.

Photo: Joe Simon

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
That’s a big one, I’m going to leave that one…….

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to my wife Vikki, Joe, Aron, Tina and Tom at Empire, Rachel and Ron at Sparkys, Caleb Everitt, the whole Mutiny team, Stu and the boys at Seventies, Frank and Ernesto at Dans, all the disto’s worldwide and shops that carry Mutiny.

Anything else you would like to say?
To everyone that has brought anything we have made, thanks so much for the support! Get off the computer now and go ride!

To check out other Mutiny videos.. Check out their Youtube channel!

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

These days if you spend enough time on a computer, or in forums, there is a good chance you are on top of all the new products being released. There are a few names that might ring a bell like “Plegs” or “Ratchet” that might sound firmilliar. Those products were developed by George, the G in G-Sport. I think you will find this interview pretty interesting. Check it out and leave some comments! Also, the photos are from the Odyssey flickr, which you should check out and join after this!

Name:
George French

Location:
Sheffield, UK.

Years riding:
BMX? around 20 now…

Any sponsors at all?
No.

What is it about BMX that interests you so much, I mean it seems like you could engineer anything?
I have always loved bicycles. Most engineers have a love of bikes to at least some degree, they are probably the most efficient machines on earth and the machines that people are most able to “bond” with. When a person is riding a bike they are almost like a cyborg and the bike is truly an “extension” of them in a way that cars and other machines can never really come close to.
As a kid I loved the freedom that a bike brought, but if you can’t go certain places, like up and down curbs or across walls or down handrails it isn’t as free. When I rediscovered BMX in my late teens it was fantastic to have the full freedom to REALLY ride almost anywhere, but the bikes were terrible (this was the late 80’s early 90’s) so it was a necessity to improve the bikes if I wanted to get the most from the sport.

Your long awaited hub “The Ratchet” is finally available, what was it that originally gave you the idea for the design?
We started out working on the freecoaster, but there was obviously a massive need for a reliable “cassette” hub, I initially wanted to do something more radical and we prototyped a few ideas, but these were very difficult to produce and we decided that it made sense to go with a more conventional design but try to eliminate all the existing issues. So I sat down and wrote a specification, a wish-list if you like, and then spent a lot of time simply thinking of ways to try to fulfill all the items on the list. Once you recognise the causes of the problems like bent axles and side impacts then you have a logical course to follow to improve things.

The freshly released Ratchet Hub

Once you are completely satisfied with The Ratchet, and any final kinks are worked out (if there are any), what is your next big project?
We don’t really work on one thing at a time. So the Ratchet development has been running alongside the development of things like the G-Coaster, which is still a long way off, and the JCPC split-pedal, which should be out in the first quarter of next year. In terms of things we haven’t announced yet I have learned my lessons from the past and am keeping very quiet.

It seems like all the G-Sport products take a fair amount of time before it releases. What are some of the more common problems you have run into when developing something new?
I suppose the most common issues are related to getting from individually finished prototypes to something that works in production. So for example we were able to get good working prototypes of the Ratchet hub a long time ago, but if we had tried to mass-produce in the same way that these were made, the hub would have ended up over $300. By doing things like forging a blank for the hub shell and forging and rolling the bolts instead of machining them, we improve the properties of the metal and save a considerable amount of money (provided the numbers are there to pay for the tooling), but it takes time. You have to (for example) finalise the shell design with machined prototypes before you commit to buying what is a very expensive tool, then approve the design of the tool, then wait while it is made, then get some samples made up from the blanks and check them over very thoroughly for errors, and in the case of the Ratchet hub there were errors, so you have to wait while the tool is modified (or even re-made from scratch) and then make new samples and check those and possibly repeat…
Given that nearly everything in a project like the Ratchet is custom made and needs tooling this can take a lot of time and money. There is extensive tooling for the seal, shell, springs, pawls, and bolts. And then there are tools for assembling the hubs and doing quality control.

What is the weirdest problem you have run into?
The other common problem we have is being told that something simply can’t be done when you know it can and the weirdest one of these was related to a product we haven’t revealed yet, where we were told the part would need to be 3d forged or machined and each prototype would cost over $700. This went on for quite some time with me continually trying to explain how to do it for next to nothing. In the end I made one myself in literally 10 minutes using hand tools and sent it to them and the “problem” disappeared instantly.

Plegs!

Do you do everything from the initial idea, to CAD drawings, to prototypes and final product by yourself, or is there other people who help you out from time to time?
No. There is a core team of three or four or five of us who work on the design, but it is quite possible for everyone at Odyssey to be involved. I usually do initial sketches and a basic model to get the concept across and possibly for patenting purposes, and then we develop those ideas as a team until we have solid professional engineering drawings to take to the factory. Once we reach this stage even more people get involved with testing and feedback. So it is all very much a team effort.

How long have you been working with Odyssey, and how did you get involved with them?
I first contacted Chris at Odyssey about working together on a project back in March 2002, and believe it or not we are STILL working on that idea though it is pretty much evolved beyond recognition. Soon after we started work on the Elementary stem and I was ridiculously impressed by the experience. The more I worked with Chris and Richard (the boss) and everyone at Odyssey the more I wanted to do more with them. It became apparent very quickly that I could get far more done and massively more “job satisfaction” working with them than on my own. So in 2004 I flew out to see them and suggested that they absorb G-Sport and take me on as a “retained” designer. At the end of 2004 we formalised everything and I Haven looked back. Working with everyone at Odyssey has been a pure pleasure and I think of them all as friends rather than “work colleagues”.

If you had an unlimited budget, all the best technology, and no form of deadlines, what would your dream project be?
I am super lucky in that I pretty much DO have those things. Obviously we dont have a truely unlimited budget but we dont often feel limited in that respect. If we had access to all the nano technology stuff that is being developed in universities around the world I guess we could do something pretty amazing, but then would it really make that much difference to something like a bike that already works super well? SO I think, if I had the access to anything I would work on something totally unrelated to bikes, it seems to me ridiculous that commercial airliners have moved on so little since the Jumbo and that we have moved backwards with the scrapping of concorde, so I guess a commercial airliner with a massive range and capable of over 2000mph in the upper atmosphere would be nice, but I dont think we could pull it off…

G giving Vital the low down at Interbike.

Do you find much time to ride these days?
No. I do try to make time, but I have a hell of a lot on my plate at the moment and it often doesnt get prioritised enough to actually happen… Maybe if I write shorter answers to these questions I can go out this afternoon…

How do you feel about the quality of products being produced these days? What are some things you wish would change?
Modern bike parts are so much better than when I started riding. You can buy a complete for less than $300 that will hold up pretty well for most beginners and be enough for them to really get hooked on BMX. Wheras when I started there were no completes about in shops and if you did find one it was over $500 for a piece of shit that wouldnt last a day without changing half the parts, and the other half would be broken in a month.
The things that I “wish” would change are the things I am working on changing…

If you could change anything about BMX in general, what would you change?
Peoples attitudes. There is not enough unity amongst riders, and brotherhood with skaters, mtbers and rollerbladers. People take it all too seriously.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got involved with BMX?
Probably the same but with mountainbikes. Definitely something related to cycling.

I would imagine you went to college right? Where did you go, and what is the degree you got?
Sheffield University, and I did a degree in mechanical engineering.

What kind of advice do you have for kids looking to get into the kind of work you are into?
Just start. You can do a hell of a lot with basic tools and even just thinking about things and sketching on paper is incredibly powerful.

You had a kid a while ago, hows being a dad going for you? Do you plan on keeping her away from dirty BMXers?
Actually got two now. Aurigny is 22months now and Cambria is 7months. Being a dad is great, it obviously takes a lot of your time and energy, but it is simply amazing how enjoyable it is.

Grabbed this photo of the G-Sport site. How stoked would you be if G was your dad? Talk about dialed bike for life.

When you aren’t being a dad, working, or hanging out on your bike, what are you usually up to?
Sleep, or fixing up the house.

With 2009 coming up pretty quick, what are you looking forward to for the year?
Everything.

If you were to win the lottery, what are some things you would do with the money?
I honestly dont know. I can understand how some people fall apart when they win the lottery. When you work hard to achieve something it really means something to you, if you have a stack of cash handed to you on a plate then it would sort of devalue everything else you had ever done. Being able to pay the mortgage with money I earned by designing bike parts still seems incredible to me, so I think I would have to view the winnings as investment capital to try to do something interesting… But I NEVER do the lottery so I think it unlikely to be a problem I will have to worry about…

Have you ever been in a fight or arrested for committing a crime?
I dont really see how any male could reach my age without having been in a few fights, but I have never been arrested, though maybe I should have been a few times…

If you could commit any crime at all and get away with it, what would you do?
Probably bump off a few African despots…

Spend much time on the computer? Any favorite websites?
I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the computer for work, so I dont use it that much for leisure… I do check out a few cycling blogs like Bike Snob and Bicycle Design, but I guess even those are “work” in a way.

If you could redo anything in your life, would you? If yes, what would you redo?
I dont know, that seems kind of risky when you are pretty happy with how everything has turned out… I would probably have learnt about stretching sooner in life instead of learning the hard way.

If you could have any car at all, what would you be rolling in and why?
It is hard to get excited about cars when you can’t bunnyhop them… so I guess a monster truck…

With the economy hitting the shitter, do you have any ideas of how to fix this problem?
Is it? We know from history that public panic is the biggest factor in instigating a recession/depression, but we have news agencies that are hyping everything up, even when they report record sales-figures or the shops being super busy they put a negative spin on it… maybe if people stopped watching and believing the news quite so much and looked out the window they would panic less… Obviously it is hitting the US construction and car industries hard and this is having a knock on effect, but those two industries had been trading on an unsustainable footing for a long time, the bosses should have seen this coming.
If Obama puts construction workers to work on things like the high speed rail link between LA and SF, and seriously promotes a green energy policy, and kicks the shit out of the auto industry until they start making cars people WANT (like advanced electric vehicles) then things would soon improve… I guess we will find out in January…

What kind of music are you into?
I refuse to believe that anyone cares about the answer to this question…

The new G-Spokes

How did you get the nickname “G”, I mean obviously your name is George but is there a story behind that? Do you have any other nicknames?
When you are street riding (and potentially causing “criminal damage” to propoerty it makes sense not to use full names with each other…

What is the craziest thing you have experienced in your life?
Possibly having a mass fight with my mate against about 15-20 14 year olds when we worked for the circus… and winning.

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change any why?
Pollution. Who doesnt want a less polluted world?

What kind of advice do you have for us?
Stretch! If you stretch now you can ride longer and harder and get hurt less…

Anything else you would like to say?
Save the drugs for when your body gives up on you and you dont have anything else to do.. and just say no to Jesus…