I’m sure some of you are reading this and saying “Who is Mark Matthews-Frederick, and why does he have an interview?”. Well, let me turn it around and ask if you are currently riding any Colony parts? If you are, then you just realized who Mark is. Mark is the man behind product design at Colony, and has had his ideas applied to BMX products for the last five years. Industry is a new interview series that will let you get to know the people behind the scenes helping make BMX what it is from product designers, to brand and team managers, graphic designers, brand owners, web designers and more. So let’s get to know Colony’s Mark Matthews-Frederick a little better…
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Video: Brett Rohlfing
Brett’s name has been popping up more and more over the years from blogging on The Come Up, to his videos that have been featured on Ride BMX, Vital BMX and ESPN. I figured it would be cool to find out a little bit more about how Brett got into the filming game, some of the projects he has going on, and where it is going for him. Take a look at what he had to say, and then check out some of his recent work…
Name: Brett Rohlfing
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BV Jam 2011 Flyer
It’s that time of the year again when I start getting the urge to get everyone off their ass and to meet up somewhere for a jam. I’m throwing a contest / jam at the new Bluff Valley Skatepark on Saturday, January 29th. I’ve got a lot of support from a lot of brands so there will be plenty of prizes and goodies getting tossed out (Cash prizes for expert class of the contest). So if you’re free and in the area make your way down to the park for a good time! Check out the full flyer with the current list of sponsors with more to be added I’m sure.
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Ondra Slez Interview
A couple weeks back I came across Ondra’s latest edit. I was pretty impressed what I saw, so I did a little more looking around for information on him. I decided it would be a pretty good idea to shoot him a few questions and this is what came from it. Check out a few words and photos from Ondra and then leave him some love in the comments!
Name: Ondra Slez
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Kyle Carlson Talks Osiris BMX Team
For those of you who were unaware, today Kyle Carlson was officially named the Team Manager of Osiris‘s re-instated BMX team. I shot over Kyle some questions about how he got the job, who is on the team, what they got planned so far for the team, and company as a whole. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments.
Name:
Kyle Carlson
Current Location:
Beautiful Henderson, Nevada. The weather is amazing this time of year.
As of this week you were officially named Osiris BMX team manager. How did this all come about? How long have you been working on getting the details dialed in and everything?
I’ve been working pretty closely with Osiris for the past six or seven months, but everything just recently became set in stone. I met William Prokop, one of the marketing dudes at Osiris, through my gig at VitalBMX. We bounced ideas back and forth for a while, I made a few trips out to the office in San Diego, and eventually we got the entire BMX program built. William isn’t a BMXer, but he’s an awesome guy and this whole thing wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for him. He’s been down for it since long before I was ever involved and I can’t say enough good things about him.
Who all is on the team? How did you go about picking each person?
The team consists of Sean Burns, Darryl Tocco, Josh Betley, Rob Darden, Anthony “Boy” Flores, and Marcus Tooker. We’re also hooking up Steve Croteau, Ben Hucke, Osiris OG Tom Haugen, and a few other dudes. Basically, in my eyes, BMX is packed full of amazing riders. You can go to any skatepark in any city in the world and find three or four guys riding at a pro level. What I was looking for in a team was a group of self-motivated, down to Earth riders that handle business, but don’t take it too seriously. I think we’ve got a pretty sweet line up and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the year.
I know there had been talk of Sean Burns being on Orchid and everything. How did you manage to get the guys from other companies to come over to Osiris? Is there any bad blood with them making the switch at all?
Sean Burns was never on Orchid. I think they gave him a pair of shoes when he parted ways with Duffs and then posted some stuff about him on their site, but he was never a part of the team. I think he’s actually been riding in Osiris shoes since Interbike. I’m pretty sure there’s no bad blood between Orchid and Osiris/Burns/me because no sort of shady business ever went down; I think it was all just kind of based on a lack of communication. Long story short, Burns is awesome and I’m stoked to have him on our team. He’s a perfect fit.
What are all the guys up to now? When will you be getting everyone together to do a trip?
I think this is the first time in a long time all of the guys are actually at home for a few days. Darden is off to California in a week or so for the St. Patrick’s Day dirt jam, Burns is helping run Metal Bikes and finishing up the Bonedeth video in Seattle, Betley is between Las Vegas and Phoenix filming some stuff for Felt and working on a couple of magazine interviews, Tocco has been trying to keep warm and is always super busy with Kink stuff, Tooker is a fulltime college student and a fulltime landlord, and Boy is wrapping up his section for the new Primo video and working on the launch of a new bike company, which everyone will know a lot more about soon enough.
I’d love to get everyone together for a trip. I’m sure it’ll happen sooner than later, but for the time being all of the guys are so busy with other stuff. I’m stoked to have all of them out there doing their own things.
Will there be any videos or anything like that in the works? I would imagine since you already do so much filming you would be in charge of that?
There are no official plans as of yet, but you’ll see a few clips popping up on the Osiris site really soon.
What shoes has the team been riding in?
A few of the guys are really into mid tops; the Chino Mid and South Bronx are getting a lot of good feedback. Burns and Darryl are more into lower shoes, like the Brockman, the Duffel, and the Corpse. The shoe lines is really big so there is pretty much an option to fit anyone.
Will any of the guys have some signature goods coming out anytime soon?
Once again, it’s a bit too soon to say, but it’s definitely been talked about and I’m pretty sure you’ll be hearing more details soon enough.
As team manager what kinds of things will you be taking on with this role? Aren’t you already busy with your Ride UK and Vital BMX stuff as is?
I’m a busy dude, but it kind of keeps me sane. Along with Vital and Ride UK, I’ve always done my fair share of freelance work. That will probably get cut down a bit. With Osiris, I’ll be running the blog on the site, dealing with all of the riders with anything they need, and pretty much handling anything that has to do with both Osiris and BMX. There’s going to be some photo and video work up in there as well.
Does this mean you will be taking a break from school again or are you almost done?
I’m still in school full time, but I’d be lying if I said it was going good. I’m so busy traveling and living the good life that I don’t get to put nearly as much time and effort into it as I really should. You only live once though, right? Let the good times roll!
So what’s the deal about gay bars? What’s the story behind that one?
Haha, let me preface this by clarifying that I like women. A couple of friends from Vegas talked me into going to a gay bar with them the other night and I figured I might as well check it out, have a few drinks, and just see what that whole scene is all about. I’m not going to lie; it was a really good time. It was me, two other guys, and three good looking girls, so no one got the wrong idea. We ended up getting kicked out for spilling drinks on the dance floor. NO HOMO!
I heard Josh Betley was getting flow from a karoke bar in Las Vegas… is this true?
He wishes. We hit up a karaoke bar every Thursday night we’re in town called Kelley’s Pub. It’s an awesome spot. The karaoke lady is nuts, the crowd is awesome, and the times are great. Betley definitely impressed everyone the other night by knowing every single word to Nickleback’s song “How You Remind me.”
I know for a fact that you are a beard connoisseur, how do you not grow a mustache?
I try really hard and I get nothing. It’s a damn shame. My dad can grow a proper mustache, so I’m hoping one day he’ll pass the power on.
Other than the typical kicking ass blogging, filming, editing, and team managing, what are you up to these days?
School, traveling, partying, chilling, trying to get as many riding sessions in as possible, hanging out with a woman, paying taxes, eating burritos, hanging out with my dog, and answering questions for BMXunion.com. Action packed!
Spring Break?
Pretty sure I’m either going to Cancun or Australia. Vacations are beautiful. Every day is spring break when life is great, though.
What kind of advice do you have for people looking into becoming a team manager like myself?
I feel like I have a bit of an upper hand going into the team management game because I’ve worked in the BMX media for as long as I have. Through the media, I think I have a good grasp on what people are into and what is selling. Combine that knowledge with a bit of money and a supportive company, and the result is a successful BMX program. I guess I’d just recommend that you get to know and understand the industry the best you possibly can, make friends, and stand by your opinions and decisions regardless of what anyone else says or does. Gotta keep hustlin’!
Anything else you want to say about anything?
I’d like to give a big shout out to William Prokop and everyone else at Osiris for making this BMX program happen. I’m really excited for the next year and I don’t think anyone is going to be disappointed. Also, thanks to my family and all of my friends for always being so supportive and making my life awesome. Cheers!
On the Horizon: Federal Bikes
One of the best things about this website is all the unique people I get to meet who keep this industry rolling. One of those people is Chris Harrison. If you don’t know who that is he is the product designer for Federal Bikes. I got him some questions about Federal for you all to check out, I think you will find this pretty interesting! Check it out and let us know how you feel about it in the comments!
Federal has been involved in BMX for quite a few years now. When did the company get its start and is it still under the same owners as the originals when it started?
Federal is the house brand of Seventies Distribution which is owned by former Ride cover boy Stu Dawkins. Federal came about when Stu and the staff at the time saw the opportunity to embrace the emerging market for products manufactured outside of America. As a result Federal is one of the companies that helped pioneer manufacturing in Taiwan and continues to do so to this day. As with all companies people have come and gone, and things have changed, but Stu still remains the owner and he still rides occasionally contrary to popular belief.
Where are you guys based out of? Has the location changed at all over the years?
We’re currently based out of Seventies Distribution in St Leonards, both Seventies and Federal used to be based in the centre of Hastings but when a bigger premises was required they moved up the hill to St Leonards and have been there ever since.
Who are the people who keep running Federal from the owners to the other people nobody really knows about? From designers to guys getting the coffee.
Everyone at Seventies has an input with regards to Federal and we’re lucky to have such a great team behind it. The team is as follows:
Stu Dawkins: Owner
Stu and Chris
Myself [Chris Harrison]: Product Design and Manufacturing, general overseer and other random day to day things.
Bas: Team Manager and also general overseer.
Edd: Epic Film creator
Elwood: Graphic and web design
Everyone else who works at Seventies helps out as well with regards to sales, accounts and warranty etc. We’re one big happy family……..except for Roger who was born salty haha!
Sadly we haven’t got as far as hiring a designated tea boy but everyone has to take their turn as the tea bitch!
What is a typical day like for you? Is there such thing as a typical day even?
My day isn’t really that typical, I currently work from home as I’m studying for my Masters degree at uni. So basically I wake up, answer emails and talk to our agent in Taiwan on Skype, then I’ll head into Uni for the day, taking the chance to answer emails as I go on my phone. Then in the evenings I’ll sit down to do some designing etc and answer any other emails I have left. It’s pretty intensive trying to balance it all but I love it!
It seems like Federal has made some huge changes in the last few years with the direction of the company. So what are the goals of the company as a whole, and where do you see it going as time goes on?
I guess our goals are to make products that we’re happy with and that people are into. We’re re-growing the brand again and as it hopefully gets stronger and stronger we’ll be able to diversify a bit more and we’ll have the funds to put more into product research and development. I’m conscious of the market already being saturated product wise and we try not to add to that where possible as I feel it’s not only detrimental to ourselves but also the industry. We’ve been really lucky with the team that has come together, from everyone at Federal to the pro and flow team riders. I hope we offer something that people want to buy into and be a part of, I mean obviously sales are important but I personally get more pride and enjoyment from doing something that people are in to.
I noticed there have been quite a few new products coming out for 2009. One of those things was two different versions of the frames, one being heat treated and one not. What can you tell us about that? Also, if you could go over some of the other new products you have coming out?
First up I just want to specify that the heat treating referred to here is post weld, our regular frames come with heat treated headtube, dropouts and BB as standard. Just to clear up any confusion.
Our heat treating options were actually introduced as a 3 tier option, with regular, front triangle and 100% heat treated. This was mainly done as I got annoyed that some companies were marketing front triangle only heat treated frames as 100% heat treated, this I personally don’t agree with as i feel it misleads the consumer. So we introduced the 3 tier system to show the differences and to see where the market would eventually lie as we enter this new territory. It’s become apparent that the middle tier is not viable so in future it will be either non heat treated or 100%. There’s still a long way to go with what the market will actually settle on, given the economy etc, but for now that’s where we stand.
Does Federal have any plans to branch out into other markets like a lot of the other companies? Any beach cruisers, fixed gears, or anything like that in the works?
No, none whatsoever. Imagine if IRO tried to enter BMX? It just wouldn’t work and would piss people off. It would also detract from what we are as a company. I know a lot of people involved in the London Fixie scene but I think it’s ultimately their industry to grow and not ours to rape and cash in on. I’ll add that there’s definitely room for a Taiwan fixie specific company though but we want to focus on BMX.
What is the soft goods, stickers, and small things you guys also make looking like? Is there any new designs or anything coming out you can tell us about?
Our first range of clothing dropped a few months ago and has gone done pretty well I think, we’re working on the new range now, which Elwood is in charge of. One of the t shirts features an angry letter that Hamilton’s Mom sent him one day when he’d just upped and fucked off to San Francisco, it’s pretty epic!
It seems like lately everyone has been making a team video. Do you guys have any new web videos or DVD’s in the works you can tell us about?
After a quiet year last year, with Brighton Ain’t Ready and Ride to Glory we’ve got some big things planned for this year that I sadly can’t go into too much detail about right now as they’re still being planned. We’ll most likely do a few trips and do some high quality edits along the lines of the Paris and Cologne video and then release them on a DVD later in the year with a bunch of other footage collected.
How about road trips with the team? Any big trips or a get together in the works?
Yes, America baby!
Speaking of the team who are you guys hooking up these days from pros to just people you hook up?
Jesus that’s a long list, here we go in no particular order:
Bruce Crisman
Jared Washington
Davey Watson
Dan Lacey
Mark Love
Derek Strickland
Steven Hamilton
Max Vincent
Dan Cox
Shayn Steel
Mike Mills
Scott Taylor
Loz Taylor
Marty Meenaghan
Chaz Mailey
Duncan Lloyd
Josh Eilken
Eric “Barney” Cuiper
Chris Gille
Greg Flag
Corey Dewey
Troy Jackson
Tyson Jones Perri
Jesse Bull
How do you guys go about picking new people to sponsor? What kind of advice do you have for kids out there looking to get on the team?
Umm Bas handles all the pro team stuff and we just discuss who we think fits with the brand and what we’re about, as they’re going to be paid its quite a big decision to make so it’s not taken lightly. With flow guys I usually just pay attention to the ComeUp etc and like to look for kids who are doing their own thing and making stuff happen for themselves. Everyone we sponsor are individually nice people in their own right too and that helps. I know it’s a cliché but if you’re looking to get sponsored just do your own thing and put yourself about, eventually someone will notice.
So somebody has an issue with one of your products. Who should they contact to work out a warranty issue? What kind of turn around time can people expect if they send in something?
Any warranty issues should be dealt with through the respective distributor of the country the product was purchased in, if you don’t know it then the shop you bought it from should be able to help you. If you have a particular gripe feel free to email info@federalbikes.com or chris@federalbikes.com and I’ll try my best to sort it out. As far as turnaround goes its obviously dependant on the issue but we’ll try and get it sorted as quickly as possible.
If somebody has a general question about Federal who should they contact? How about if a shop or distributor would like to pick up Federal products who should they contact?
info@federalbikes.com or chris@federalbikes.com
Is there anything I might have missed that you would like to say?
Thanks Kurt for the opportunity do this, apologies its 5 months late haha. Thanks to everyone at Seventies/Federal and all the team riders involved, you’re the best, especially Stu who doesn’t get nearly half the credit he deserves for what he’s done for BMX as a whole. Thanks as well to anyone who’s ever helped me out with anything, you know who you are.
George French Interview
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…
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 Costa Interview
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