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…

Zac is one of those dudes who not only can kill it on a bike, but he is also a smart guy. He is working towards some bigger projects and goals involving science that sounds really cool and fun. He is up to some interesting things from his work, bikes, school, and life. Enjoy and leave him some love in the comments.

Name:
Zacharia James Costa

Location:
San Francisco, Ca

Sponsors:
solid, primo, franchise, revenge industries, team hungry

Years riding:
11

What was it that originally got you into BMX?
I picked up a BMX plus and saw some stunts I wanted to do

How are things going with the sponsors these days? Any trips or cool things like that in the works?
My sponsors are my friends so it works out pretty good. We got a Team Hungry trip to costa rica going down in January with sean ryan, jake honesto, dolecki and some wild cards. I’m planning to ditch my bike and come back to el norte by land, work on my Spanish, chill in the jungle and on some beaches and experience some real central America life.

Photo: Kyle Emery Peck

What have you been up to lately? It seems like you have been on the down low lately?
I have been on the down low lately, and its mostly because i keep getting hurt. I had some health problems with a staph infection followed quickly by a ruptured spleen followed by a sprained knee in a knee I’ve had 2 surgeries on already. Then a few weeks ago I got doored on market street going like 20mph on my bike when a little girl in the passenger seat opened a car door right in front of me which tore my hand up and nearly popped my shoulder out. Ive been riding a bit just collecting unemployment and enjoying the nightlife of frisco.

Where have you been riding these days? Have you been doing any traveling lately?
I’ve been riding the bay, went to l.a. awhile back and kicked it with eddie c and jon peacy

Where are some places you have had the chance to check out?
I’ve been to some wild spots, some foreign spots, some domestics some grimy spots, some not so grimy. By far Thailand and Laos were the best

Photo: Talia Mota

What is Team Hungry?
Team Hungry is whoever needs to eat. Me, Kurtis and Dirt would always joke about whose hungriest. Like on Thanksgiving after dinner me and Kurtis met up at sizzler, then on the way home we went to the KFC drive-through and we both got big buckets, you know the kind of hunger that will get you a pot belly at 18, tryin to eat soup with chopsticks kind of shit. So whichever of the homies is striving the most to get more than what they got, that is Team Hungry.

Do you have any new web videos, or video parts for a video in the works?
Filming for solid and baygame upcoming videos

What’s the scene like where you are from? Any up and comers you think people should be hearing about?
I grew up in Santa Rosa and the scene out there pretty much taught me the game. Skaters and bikers came up together at the Rosa skatepark back in the day, partying and blowing up the spot. Now I’m in the Bay I got the knowledge, experience, tolerance levels and various vices to keep me a contender while still having a great time. Everybody in the Bay gets along pretty well, most everybody kicks it and rides and its usually pretty laid back. As far as up and comers, the whole Bay Game crew is doing their thing, progressing and shredding, 2000-hate is almost over look out for the Bay in 2000-Shine

If you could go on a road trip anywhere in the world with 5 people, who would you pick, where would you go, and why?
I would go to Vietnam and Thailand with Kurtis Elwell, Dirt, Jake Honesto, Jesse Hall and Sean Ryan. Those dudes are all my friends and their riding and personalities just hype everybody else up to stay positive, keep their energy up and fucking shred. Plus they love to party and are grimy enough to keep up with me and the wild shit that would be going down

How do you feel about BMX becoming so main-stream? From big contests on TV, to pros dating famous chicks and everything?
I don’t know, its cool because people can get paid, but its represented on some whack shit sometimes, like the peg slider clip in a movie preview for the Transporter 3 I saw on TV. the other day, like w.t.f? It sucks when riding is portrayed as a gimmick or some kooky sport, but other than that I don’t really think it matters anyways because the opinions of the public are fickle at best, so what does it matter how they perceive bike riding?

Photo: Kyle Emery Peck

If you could change anything at all about BMX, what would you change and why?
I would take it back to the riding in the late 90’s from vids like anthem and on the down low. Too many kids are on some bitch shit worrying about scratching the paint on their bikes and getting their clothes dirty when they ride. Everybody needs to just say fuck it and huck some shit sometimes to keep it live

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
I would be a mark or I would be dead or in jail

Outside of riding, what are you usually up to?
Reading, thinking, cooking, women, partying, bikram yoga, mind expansion

Did you know there is another Zac Costa who is an ultimate fighter?
I never heard of that dude

Do you work or go to school at all?
I got a Bachelor of Science degree in Evolution and Ecology from UC Davis. I worked in a plant ecology research lab for a year, now I am unemployed. I am currently applying to graduate school for ecology to pursue a master degree in some sort of amphibian ecology-based research questions

For those people not familiar with science terms can you explain what that stuff means?
Basically ecology describes how living things interact among themselves and their environment. Evolution describes the gradual process of genetic change over time caused by differential survival of individuals. Those two broad concepts basically describe how life and the great diversity of organisms therein have come about, and given such immensity, the scientific fields of evolution and ecology are very large and encompass a lot of other sub-disciplines. I think it’s cool that if you convince other people a question your asking has relevance to the world/scientific community, then they will pay you to research that question. For example, my old boss got $10,000 to send me and a few other people to Puerto Rico to film lizards react to programmable robot lizards he had constructed. This was to address questions regarding the evolution of visual communication. If I can make a living hiking around in the jungle filming lizards, catching snakes, feeding tadpoles to snakes, etc, or whatever it may be, while being intellectually challenged and turning that information into scientific data and information, then I’m happy, that is pretty much my dream job.

Photo: Andy Fitz

What is a typical day like for you?
Well I’ve been lucky enough to live that easy life lately, I sleep in late, cop some food, maybe ride a bit or do some yoga, read, kick back with the homies or a lady and catch some drinks at the bar and repeat.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
I want to stay healthy, film a bangin video part, get my passport stamped a bunch and get a Master of Science degree in ecology.

If you won the lottery, what are the first 5 things you would spend money on?
Drink/Drugs (gotta celebrate!), Food, Land, custom house/concrete skatepark, and my family

How do you feel about Obama being elected as president?
I think its cool, though it doesn’t affect me much, but at least it shows this country is not as stupid as most of the world thinks it is. It was cool to see San Francisco so ecstatic and happy on election night, spontaneous block parties popped off all over the city, everyone was going wild, it was a fun scene.

Do you have any funny stories involving midgets, hookers, crack heads, homeless people, or pissed off people?
I can’t incriminate myself like that.

Top 5 Malt Liquors?
1. schlitz
2. Sparks Plus
3. king cobra
4. Old English
5. Crazy Horse (R.I.P.)

Top 5 bay area gangsta rap albums
1.e-40 “In a major Way”
2. Mac Dre “Stupid Doo Doo Dumb”
3. Cellski “Mr. Predictor”
4. The Jacka “The Jack Artist”
5. Ill Mannered Players “self-titled”

Photo: Sean Ryan

Jake Honesto questions:
Why do you refuse to drink coconut juice with an artificial sweetener but you’ll drink joose which has red5 in it?
It’s actually the preservative that tastes bad, I just hate the taste of sodium metabisulfite, Parrot brand is the best but it still doesn’t taste as good as fresh young jugo de coco, plus i rarely drank joose after I o.d.’d, thanks Brent Everitt!

What’s the shadiest thing you’ve ever seen while bmxing?
I haven’t seen anything that specifically grimy, I mean crack and heroin use, public defecation and sex acts are all fairly common sites in S.F., one time in Santa Rosa we were riding a wall ride and we found a 40 oz of king cobra over half-filled with vomit with the cap on? My friend broke it on a wall and it was probably the worst smell i have ever encountered, and one time at Bankzilla in Seattle there was a ridiculous amount of prostitutes and one in particular who was actually really pretty, hoped into cars with and then shortly thereafter got dropped off by like 10 dudes in the hour we were riding. I also saw a hawk viciously eat a pigeon in a tree right above my head right before I ran into that Muni bus foreshadowing? (franchise vid)

Who is the shadiest bmxer you’ve ever met?
The shadiest bmxer I ever met is probably that dude from Long Beach OnePunch, I just saw him wild out and I heard a few things, probably him or Dirt.

Photo: Noah Costa

Why don’t you start doing nice things for people so that you won’t be having all this bad karma that’s causing you to be hurt forever?
Yeah I probably should, you know it is what it is, so I do deserve what i get, but at the same time doing good deeds in the hopes of receiving something in return is a form of selfishness in its own right, therefore defeating the purpose and negating some of that good karma. I try to not hate as much as possible and I share tall cans with and drop 5’s and 10s on various homeless, and I try to be generous with whatever I got with the homies, but I guess it’s not enough!

What’s the best way to reel em’ in when your fishing around last call?
Smiling and not shitting out the mouth

If you couldn’t live where you live now, where would you move?
Thailand

If you could be sponsored by any non BMX related company, who would you choose and why?
Anheuser-Bush. I can get thirsty

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change?
No hating and redistribution of wealth

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to Aaron Huff, Barney and Nate at Tip, Sean McKinney, Sean Ryan, Sacramento homies, North 530 crew, everybody in the 707s keepin it real, BayGame cats, Jon Peacy, and my friends and family for support.

Anything else you would like to say?
Keep it lit

When you have been in BMX long enough, you learn a lot of names of people who keep things going behind the scenes. Obviously, John is one of those more recognizable names due to being team manager for the Etnies BMX program. When it comes to having history and background in BMX, he has plenty of it and it shows. As busy as John is, I am amazed with how well this turned out. Don’t forget to check out the slide show of his photography at the bottom too! I think you will like this one.. Enjoy and leave some love for him in the comments!

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson
Edit: Taj took this I guess!

Name:
Jonathan Patrick Povah

Location:
I live in Corona Ca. Originally from London England. Work in Lake Forest Ca

Sponsors:
None, but working for etnies has its perks…

Years riding:
I count “years owning a BMX bike” as how long I’ve been riding BMX, not just how long I’ve been competing or racing like some people do… it’s 30 years this past September 11th

What was it that first sparked your attention for BMX, and what keeps you into it today?
I guess it’s just that daredevil gene in some of us, maybe it was Evel Knievel, who knows? I always jumped my bikes even before the term BMX was part of my vocabulary. When I was real little I skateboarded, & even did it after I’d found BMX for a while but for some reason when I was introduced to BMX it grabbed my attention more than skating & I just stuck with it.

You have been team manager for Etnies for a while now, how did that all come about it and how are things going with it?
The previous TM (Nate Hanson) got let go for some reason or another, so they were looking for a new TM. Schwinn had just recently filed bankruptcy & let their whole program go, I was working at a friends company that built ramps in the meantime but was looking for something a little more along the lines of what I was doing at Schwinn. Rooftop dropped a few good words with the powers-that-be over at etnies & the rest is history…..So I want to send a big thanks to Mike for thinking of me, & sorry to Nate for getting fired.

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson

Any big Etnies news you can tell us about? Team additions/removals, new products, video projects, road trips, anything at all really?
Yeah, obviously we have the Aaron Ross “designed by” shoe, “The NUMBER”, that should be out in a few months, there’s some cool colors of that, we’re doing an Odyssey Collaboration with that too. Aaron’s shoe has been getting really good reviews from stores & accounts outside BMX which is unusual, so hopefully we can move some decent numbers in that to give back to the BMX program. We also have a Bestwick colorway out right now called the PACE as well as Morgan’s colorway the SNIPER, you can check those out on etnies.com. Next year we hope to do some more colorway stuff with team guys, maybe with some cool collaborators, maybe some team rider inspired apparel. Hopefully we’re going to be moving forward with print & web advertising again in 09, 08 was really tough financially coz of the economy etc & we had to pull a lot of ads, which in my opinion is pretty detrimental to the well being of the team, but also the mags etc which I was bummed we had to do, but if there’s no money, there’s no money. Hope to do some more video stuff in 09, no real plans for a major vid, that shit is expensive, a pain in the ass & really wares on the riders. As far as team changes, there are a few but I’ll keep it under raps for now.
We have a new indoor private street plaza being rapped up right now for teams guys to ride, that should be fun & hopefully they’ll be cool with bikes on it. I’m also personally trying to get a private bowl too at etnies.

Is there ever a “typical” day for you?
Day to day is pretty sporadic; I can come & go as I please so long as I get my shit done..There are certain daily, weekly & monthly things that I have to take care of, but so long as shit gets done my day is my own…..The one thing I will say though, is that if I’m not at work & there’s a decision to be made about BMX, something is getting screwed up coz I am the SOLE BMX employee there……If there’s a decision to be made about skate, there’s a 100 or more other people to make sure things go smoothly. So with that said, I do like to be there as much as I can…It’s a good environment though & there’s lots of cool people working there so it makes work fun.

It would appear that your job is a pretty chaotic job. Do you find much time to ride these days?
I find more time to ride with work to be honest than I do having a kid…. When that little bastard came into my life, all of a sudden there’s just not enough hours in a day. Ha ha ha. I have been planning my days a little better to make sure I do get some riding in though, even if its just a 15 minute sesh at a crappy cement park

Where are some of your all time favorite spots to ride or visit?
Singapore was an amazing place to visit, not necessarily the best to ride because of some seriously strict laws, although there were some amazing untouched spots the culture & country was awesome. As far as riding goes I would say a lot of the old cement parks in the UK are real good: Harrow, Romford, Southsea & Livingston. One of the best things I have ever ridden though was this bowl that they used to have at the VANS park in Orange County California, we all called it the “Black Bowl”…for obvious reasons, it unintentionally became the best bowl for bikes ever!!. There were only a handful of guys who could or did ride it…But that thing was amazing with endless lines & better hips than Jessica Simpson…Well, maybe not! Ha ha ha….VANS tore it out to put in some 3-foot tall nibble shit in its place for the kiddies. It was a sad day when they demolished that thing. This is the bowl I am trying to recreate in the etnies warehouse…..If I can come up with the money that is

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson

I know you get to travel a bit because of your job. Where are some places you really hope you get to go to someday?
Wow! That’s a cool question! There are so many places I’d like to go. For riding I’d like to visit Australia, New Zealand & maybe Barcelona. To just travel for the sake of traveling to visit somewhere, probably Africa, Egypt, some places with heritage & cultures that I can’t imagine like Fiji or Tahiti….Some shit like that….Hard question, just so many amazing places

If you could go on a trip with 5 people, who would you bring, where you would go, would you document, and why?
Quit with the hard questions!!! Sucks having to pick just 5
If we’re talking about a riding/fun not too serious trip, I’d have to say these 5 losers.
1. Sandy Carson
2. Dave Freimuth
3. Brett walker
4. Catfish
5. Chad Degroot
Would I document it? HELL YEAH !!! & why? Coz not only are these guys in their own right pretty bad ass on bikes, but they’ll also keep me smiling, which in my opinion is how bike riding should be…It’d be not stop comedy with this crew……..But again, I have other dudes I’d love to travel with also: Ruben, Taj, Sergio, Joe, Heaton, Bohan etc….The list is seriously endless.

You used to do shows and everything so I know you got tricks. What is your favorite trick to do?
I’d have to say flips! Sound cliché, but its one of the funnest tricks I ever learned. Paid some dues learning it as there were only a few dudes doing it when I learned it, but once I got it, it was one of the best feelings to experience, just lofting a slow rotating flip feels amazing! Nowadays, my favorite trick is just staying upright on two wheels & not crashing.

Since Etnies is a big company, I imagine you get a fair share of sponsor me videos. How do you go about picking people to hook up anyways?
Dude! I get some seriously HORRIBLE submissions, I would forward links etc, but I don’t want to embarrass these kids……& they’ll think I’m a dick (Well, I am a dick) & I don’t need their dads kicking my ass!! Ha ha ha. I’m just blown away how some of these kids really think that what they are doing is even remotely close to being worthy of being sponsored…I mean! Do these kids even look at other riders out there to gauge what they’re doing against…It blows my mind !!
The only kid I have EVER sponsored from seeing his “sponsor me tape”… & it was Actually a “tape” which makes it even better was Brett Walker. The shit he was doing on the tape was pretty much worthy of being a part in a video today, it was awesome…..He sucks now though & just nibbles shit so I’m thinking of revoking his privileges though….see! Told you I was a dick!

You have been involved in BMX for quite a while. How do you feel about the current state of BMX?
Wow! What a can of worms this could be:
I’ve seen trends come & go..& come again & I figure everything comes out in the wash…Eventually. I kinda have mixed feelings about how BMX is nowadays though. On one hand I’m stoked on certain levels of trick progression, riding styles etc. On the other hand I get a little burned out on the same cookie cut repetitive tricks whether it be contest moves or street stuff. Just seems the same 4 or 5 tricks are making a living for some of these dudes, & doing 1 more tailwhip or 1 more barspin shouldn’t be the next bar to reach, trying to differentiate yourself from the other dudes out there should be….That’s kinda why dudes like Sean Burns are such a breath of fresh air….Need more of that.
The internet has given every kid a voice & a platform to show the world what they’ve got. On the other hand its also given that same kid an anonymous voice to talk shit & make them, in their eyes an authority on any given subject. Which in all honesty, they should be caring about what they have going on, & not prying into subjects that don’t involve them. Message boards are cool if used well, but it seems like 99.9% of the time shit gets off subject & into a shit talking match with another kid posting….whatever! It is what it is.

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson

Where would you like to see BMX go as time goes on?
The quality & direction of bikes & parts, I think everything is amazing & is looking good for the future. But: Personally I’d like to see bikes stores really grasp the concept of softgoods, & what the possibilities really are by carrying them, whether it be Tees, shoes or even as small as hats & wallets etc…Anyone who’s talked to me about this knows I sound like a broken record right no. Maybe we need to educate them, or create the demand for bike stores, but if you look back at the history of skateboard stores & the direction they have gone, 10 years ago, they were 90% hardgoods: trucks, decks, wheels etc..Fast forward 10 years & now those same stores are primarily softgoods…..I’m by no means on skaters dicks, but I like the fact that they’ve kept to what they want & pushed things in the direction they want that’s best for them. Personally this is a direction I’d like to see things go for BMX as it appears that it makes for a stable foundation for the sport for any kind of self-sustainability & longevity. I respect brands like Lotek, Freemont, Orchid etc for their devotion to wanting to go in this direction, now we just need retailers to support it.

Since you have been in the industry from Schwinn to Etnies, could you ever imagine yourself doing something else?
I’d like to stay in the industry in one aspect or another…But only time will tell right? I used to restore cars for a living, maybe I’d get back into doing that if I really had too..Its more fun as a hobby than a 9 to 5 to be honest, but if push comes to shove I’d probably get back into that…I love Hotrods & Muscle cars

Since the kids seem to get pretty heated on this one, how do you feel about big companies like Levi’s and Nike getting involved in BMX?
I’m pretty cool with it, I have nothing against it….Kids don’t really know what they’re pissed about, they just know for one reason or another they are just supposed to be pissed at Nike etc coz someone else of influence to them was pissed about it. I hear the term “milking BMX” when it comes to these brands, but honestly, there’s nothing to milk, our sport is not that big that they (Nike, Levi’s) etc are making humongous sales from us..This can kinda tie back in with the question about the direction I’d like to see BMX go when it comes to retail. We’re gaining more from these brands investing in BMX by doing vids, ads, trips paying riders than they are ever getting from us at this point. All I’m seeing is their involvement in what we do as benefiting us by bringing exposure, notoriety & legitimacy to BMX, in turn creating, once again longevity & stability…The whole thing goes both ways & has arguments “for” & “against”, but at this stage in the game, I’m cool with it. Ask me again in a few years if they bail on BMX, then I might feel differently.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got involved in BMX?
Fat, drunk, still living in England & painting cars, barely making ends meet!……Well, actually, other than living in America & not painting cars anymore I am pretty much all of the above. Ha ha ha

Outside of work and anything relating to BMX, what are you usually up to?
Hanging with my wife Jacqui & son Garrett Gray, doing home improvements, Photography, designing bike parts, fishing when I get the chance, watching porn, drinking, trying to come up with the next billion dollar invention, watching movies, sitting in traffic…there’s probably lots of other things I’m up to, but for the most part I love hanging with my family.

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson

I know you got one kid, how’s the role of dad going? Is there any more on the way?
Having a kid is awesome!…Definitely a drain on my time & wallet, but until you have a kid, its unexplainable how much you can love something soooo much!!!! No more kids on the way or plans thereof. I have already severed my penis as a back-up plan to ensure it doesn’t happen EVER again !!!!!!  Now its party time!!!!

Will you try and get your kid(s) into BMX, or is it something you really don’t plan on pushing?
He can already ride his 10” DK General Lee with stabilizer’s & steer pretty well……he hasn’t quite figured out the coaster brake thing quite yet, but he’s doing pretty well for a 2 ½ year old. If he wants to ride bikes cool, I’m not going to push him, if he wants to get into something else, then I’m cool with that too…I just want him to be happy & make a good life for himself (& me when I’m old )

You have had your fair share of trips, what is your all time worst horror story from traveling?
I thought about this one for a long time & I couldn’t think of anything too serious. I’m sure that there’s been some shitty trips or shitty situations, but in all honesty, all they do is make for good stories. So whether trips are good or bad, it’ll end up good in the end & something fun to reminisce about.

Have you ever been in a fight? Did you win?
I used to be into boxing & was actually trained to box from when I was about 8 or 9 years old till I was about 20. I won a good portion of matches I had, I also got my ass handed to me too a few times when I was fighting out of my league (weight class). I honestly don’t like fighting & do whatever I can to not get into fights (unless I’m drunk), but if I’m forced to, I will. People always think I’m pissed, or just look pissed & want to fight, but its not true….It does have it’s advantages though looking this way if I’m not feeling like talking to someone. I think, & I could be wrong coz I know I’ve had some tussles when I’ve drank some. The last serious fight I was in was at Gravity Games (right before 9/11) between a bunch of BMXers & the moto crew they call the Metal Mullisha….BMXers won….I did get in a little toe to toe last year at the Simpel Session too with Stricker after some dude jumped on Stricker for checking out his girl…..Couldn’t understand an F-ing word the dude was saying, Stricker got hit a few times, but the bouncers broke it up & kicked us out before it could escalate too far.

How are you feeling about the elections and government in general?
I hate politics, its all BS to me & I’m not a huge fan of the whole system. Just too much shady shit goes on behind the scenes for me to get too excited about it…..We’ll get fucked in the end one way or another by the system.

It would appear the economy is getting pretty ugly… Any thoughts on that?
Yeah it sucks! My house is now worth less than half what I bought it for 3 years ago….So yeah, the economy thing sucks balls!

What is the first song to come to mind?
Sweet Child O Mine. GnR

How about first movie come to mind?
SNATCH !

If you could have more of something in your life, what would it be and why?
Money. Obvious reasons

You find $100 on the ground, what do you do with it?
Put it in my kids saving’s account

If you could relive any day in your life, what day would you pick and why?
My wedding day / tied pretty closely by the birth of my son. Obvious reasons

I would imagine you are forced to spend quite a bit of time on the computer, any favorite websites?
Etniesbmx.com
Defgrip
Thecomeup
BMXonline
FATBMX.com
OS-BMX
RADBMX.co.uk
DIGBMX.com
Terrible1.com
B&H
Youporn
Youtube
Ebay
Amazon.com

What are some things you are looking forward to for 2009?
Watching my kid grow
Simple Session in Estonia
A stronger etnies BMX program
Getting myself in better shape & riding more
Being alive

Photo Credit: Sandy Carson

If you could have any car in the world, what would you want to drive?
I don’t really have that much love for modern American cars, but if we’re talking about Dream cars, I’ve been stoked on the FORD GT…That thing is beautiful, almost a work of art…& fast as fuck !!! Love to have me one of them!!

If you could live the life of somebody else for one day, who would you pick and why?
Megan Fox. I wouldn’t be able to stop “playing” with myself. I wouldn’t leave the bedroom !!..Good enough reason right?????

Obviously you are married, so what is the key to success with the ladies?
Just have the same respect for others that you have for yourself. Have an open mind & be understanding….But most of all: Give the wife your “balls” so she can put them in her purse.

Who or what have been the biggest influences on your life?
Friends (You know who you are) & family

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
Sounds cliché. But I want everyone to just get along, no more wars. For the world to care more about life, living & love, rather than governments, oil & money. Everyone care & make changes for the better of the environment for a better future & for future generations……..Its funny how your perspectives change once you have a kid.

What is the best advice you can give somebody looking to get into the industry, or just towards life?
Be cool & don’t think your something that your not. Be humble but driven, with specific direction. Get an education whether it be for the industry of otherwise…It’ll pay off.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Shit!! Waaaaay too many….I’ll give it a shot though

Jacqui Povah, Garrett Gray Povah, Mom & Dad, Kim, Judy, Dave Osato, Mike Escamilla, Mike Manzoori, Don Brown, Eladio Correa, Megan Easley, Rob Brink, Matt Chapman, Mark Holder, Jason Smith, Wallice Mills, Etnies BMX team past & present, specifically: Taj, Joe, Ruben, Sergio, Brian, Aaron, Jamie, Morgan, Heaton, Sandy, Freimuth, Enns, Garrett, Baker, Brett Walker. Bohan, Heath, Blyther, Voelker, Dominguez, Lee Reynolds, Greg Guillotte, Andy Brown, Andy Shohara, Alvin Mullins, Mark Scurto, Moroshan, Keith Mulligan, Fudger, Z, Bauer, Nuno, Degroot, Duncan Gore, Steve Swope, Miron, Big Island, Tunney, Condor, Sean McKinney, Chris Moeller, Kimler, BF, Adam Banton, Pat Schafer, Spohn Ranch, Prestige, Tom & Tina at Empire, Treika at A1 Cycle, Mark Noble, David Haynes, Lee Alexander, Barry Southby.
BIG thanks to BMX Union for wanting to & actually have interest in the bullshit I have to spill for an interview…………………I know there’s more people & I know I’m going to be bummed that I forgot someone, but just know that I care, & thanks to you all that has ever helped me in one way or another for better or worse. Much love.

Anything else you would like to say?
Have fun, love life & make the most of opportunity. Don’t live with regret.

One thing I didn’t know about John is that he is into photography. Here is some photos he has to show for you. If you want to see some of the smaller pictures at full size, just click on it.

I still remember giving my grandma my 7th grade school picture where I was wearing a Little Devil shirt. Grandma was pretty religious so she was a little confused until I explained to her what it was all about. However, that really has nothing to do with all this. This interview is with Derek, the man behind all of that story. I figured with the L.D Funeral, and Orchid stuff it was time to get an interview. Plus I personally like interviewing company owners since they are usually pretty different from the pros. So here it is, check it out and leave him some love in the comments!

Name:
Derek Adams

Location:
Collegeville, PA

Sponsors:
Nope.

Years Riding:
24 (holy shit)

You are the man behind Orchid. When did that company get its start, and now that you are focusing all your time on it, what can we expect to see out of it?
Orchid got started in 2003. After 5 years we decided the brand was solid enough to warrant our full attention, so that’s what we’re starting to do now. We’re pretty excited to begin this new chapter. Orchid should only get better from here on.

When you first started Little Devil, what did you expect? Did you ever see yourself starting a shoe brand that you have now?
With LD I just wanted to print some goofy t-shirts in the beginning. It wasn’t anything serious at first, but it evolved. With the shoe company, I had the thought about in the back of my head since the late 90’s but I never thought we could pull it off back then. Little Devil gave me the experience I needed to take that step.

What is your next big move for the BMX industry?
A series of small moves. It’s chess, not checkers baby!

With all this work you are doing, about how much time do you find to ride these days?
I have trails in the backyard so it’s pretty easy to make time to ride when it’s nice outside. I do wish I made more time to hit different spots more often. I can never get enough of FDR.

When you first got started with BMX, did you ever imagine you would be making a career that revolves around it?
No, I never imagined I’d even be riding this long. But I’m glad I kept at it, because bmx is so awesome right now.

What was your first BMX, and what are you currently riding?
My first real bike was a Mongoose Californian. Right now I have an S&M black bike.

You obviously have had the chance to ride some amazing spots, and owning (before taking it down) one of the best ramps in BMX. What is, or where is your all time favorite place to ride and why?
Minersville Trails (rip)
FDR Park, Philly.
Magic Skatepark (rip)
Romford, UK
Dusseldorf University
Hastings Park, Vancouver
Matt Beringer’s yard
LD Bowl (rip)

Where are some places you would really like to ride at some point?
There’s a million concrete parks popping up that I’d like to ride.

Over the years you have had the chance to ride with so many people, in so many different sessions. If you could relive any one of those days, which one would you choose and why?
Mid 90’s trail days were pretty good. It’s all been good though.

What is the current trick you are trying to figure out and dial in or are you just chilling these days?
I haven’t been into doing tricks for a while. The trick to me is not crashing now. These days I could do figure 8’s in a bowl and still have fun. I’m slowly turning into an old school kook (and lovin’ every minute of it).

If you could make a living off riding alone, would you still have done Orchid and Little Devil to the extent that you do it now?
Anytime I try to ride for the camera or in front of a crowd I crash and burn. Being a pro rider wasn’t in the cards for me, but I enjoy what I do because it gives me the chance to be creative in more ways than one.

Obviously you have to follow trends a little bit to stay on top of your business, so where do you see BMX going trend wise in the future and what will fade out?
I wish bmx was less trendy, hopefully trends will fade out. Be yourself.

If you are talking to somebody who knows nothing about what BMX and they ask. How do you go about describing it and describing what you do?
I try not to talk about it with civilians, but if I must I tell people that I ride kids bikes that people do flips on. Most people have heard of the X-Games so sometimes I mention that.

If you could change anything about BMX, what would you change and why?
There’s too much emphasis on competition. If you want to win something, play football. BMX to me is about cruising around and having fun. It’s not that serious.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
I’d probably be more into the music scene, in a band or something.

If you couldn’t do what you do right now for work, what do you think you would be doing?
Sometimes I think I should be doing something important, like a job that helps people or working with animals.

When you aren’t working, or riding, what are you usually up to?
Hanging with my girlfriend Heather and my dog Lola.

Did you ever go to college for business or anything or did you just teach yourself step by step through Little Devil?
I got a 2 year degree from community college, but I never liked going there. College is a scam to get your parent’s money. I learned everything about running a company on my own. Anyone can.

Have you ever bumped into somebody you went to high school with and been able to laugh in their face for doubting BMX would make a living for you?
Haha, no.

What is the first song to come to mind, and why do you think that was the one?
Bob Marley “Sun Is Shining” because I’m listening to it now. I wish it was true.

What is one of your biggest pet peeves, or just things that frustrate the hell out of you?
Cold rainy weather is frustrating the hell out of me right now.

I feel like you might have a pretty solid opinion on this one. Do you plan on voting, who do you plan on voting for, and why?
Wow, I really slacked on getting this interview done. I voted for Obama because war sucks. Hopefully he’s going to end that soon. I really hope.

With the economy being pretty rough these days, what kind of effects has it had on you and Orchid, and do you see it coming back any time soon?
We have to watch our expenses more closely these days. Mainly it effects how many riders we can help out and how much we can do for them. It also effects how often I get to eat sushi. Which sucks because I freaking love sushi.

What is the relationship status looking like these days? Any tips for success for us dirty BMX riders?
I’m off the market (sorry ladies). My advice would be to watch that Pickup Artist show on VH1. That dude turns nerds into studs. It’s amazing!

You win the lottery, what do you do with the cash and, do we ever hear from you again?
If I won the lottery I’d probably travel a bit more. You’d never hear from me again, but you might see me at your local concrete park.

Who would win in a fight between Spider Man and Chuck Norris?
Obviously Chuck Norris.

Who or what has been the biggest influences on your life?
My grandfather and my mom.

What is something about yourself that nobody really knows besides your closer friends?
Large crowds of bmxers freak me out.

If you could change anything about the world, what would you change and why?
Less people. There’s way too many humans on the planet for our own good.

What kinds of advice do you have for people out there looking to start their own company?
Just have fun with it and take small steps. There’s a lot to learn in business, but learning and trying new things can be really fun and rewarding.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
I’ll give a shout out to my friends and family. Especially Mike Clarke for the hard work he puts in to keep Orchid going. I can’t thank that guy enough.

Anything else you would like to say?
Thanks to anyone who’s ever supported Little Devil and Orchid. I’m honored to be able to do what I do for a living. That’s all. Go ride.