Hasta La Ideas

Red Bull a imaginé pour le professionnel du street trial Danny MacAskill ce film « Imaginate ». Ce dernier se retrouve au milieu de jouets pour enfants fabriqués à une taille géante, permettant d’observer des tricks impressionnants dans des décors inattendus. A découvrir en vidéo dans la suite.

Découverte de Tom van Steenbergen, un jeune sportif spécialisé dans le sport du BMX. Ce dernier nous dévoile un trailer vidéo appelé « Rise », avec des images tournées et éditées par Harrison Mendel. Produit par Virtu Media sur la bande son Stardust – Minnesota, l’ensemble est à découvrir dans la suite en vidéo.

Réalisée par JC Pieri pour le magazine « Art BMX », cette vidéo tournée à Paris donne une superbe image du BMX dans la capitale française. Mettant en scène Alain Massabova effectuant des figures dans des lieux importants de la ville, cette séquence mélangeant ambiance et performance est à découvrir dans la suite.

A return to skateboarding’s roots through innovative design and construction at Camp Woodward

Designed to mimic the sloping school yards and dried concrete waterways of Southern Califorinia, where skateboarding’s roots reach deepest, the snake run is the most fundamental form of all skatepark designs. While most snake runs are characterized by a long narrow path—or ditch—flanked by banks and berms to channel the rider through without pushing, the freshly poured concrete at Pennsylvania’s legendary camp Woodward resembles something significantly gnarlier. Designed and constructed by California Skateparks, arguably the world’s best skatepark builders, Woodward’s snake run stretches over 1,000 feet punctuated with head high jumps and quaterpipes.

Since welcoming BMX riders in 1980, Woodward has become the most recognizable name in action sports facilities. While the camp has always been about innovation, the construction of the 20,050-square-foot Target Plaza by California Skateparks in 2009 marked the end of an era dominated by wooden ramps, proving a dedication to staying ahead of the curve in terms of concrete skateboard and BMX park design. Now, with the completion of phase two of the snake run, Woodward is returning to skateboarding’s roots while still keeping an eye on progression.

In terms of design, California Skateparks builder, former professional BMX rider and 22-year Woodward veteran Ron Kimler explained “there was never a drawing for anything.” The design and building processes seem to happen simultaneously. Only the base and quarter-pipes require rebar and wooden support forms, the rest are simply sculpted by hand. “All the mounds and berms are piled up dirt. You shape it, then throw the gravel base on, then go around and shape it up with rakes and shovels,” says Kimler. The construction then culminates with the pouring of concrete and the hand shaping of every angle, a primitive process which gives the experienced riders and builders the vital, final touch.

Rather than stick to the idea of building a glorified golf cart path, Kimler and rest of the California Skateparks crew encouraged something better, and as the dirt was piled and concrete poured it grew. “They’d say make it two feet tall, and I’d make it three feet tall,” says Kimler, laughing. This playful attitude helped the more-than-1,000-foot path develop into a destination for campers on both boards and bikes. To make it more appealing for users of all abilities Kimler and the crew built the lower portion at a mellower pitch, allowing it to be ridden in both directions. “I can just cruise through here, get most the way and turn around, take one pedal and come back,” says Kimler. “You can ride most of the whole section back and forth, no sweat, just cruising through the rollers.”

By building the snake run in phases, California Skateparks is able to adjust their designs on the fly, adding or removing features at will. Even with all the pieces connected after more than 10,000 man hours, Kimler still sees the project as a work in progress. “Next year we can continue to add,” he says. “Maybe we need pocket here, lip there, berm here—it’ll get created, whatever’s awesome.”

For now the snake run stands as is for the many months of campers to come, but keep an eye on Woodward online for updates on future iterations. For a closer look at the construction and completion of Woodward’s snake run see the slideshow.

Images by Graham Hiemstra

A comprehensive look at the best BMX bikes of all time seen through the eyes of design

As motocross became an increasingly popular sport in 1960s Southern California, boys wanted to emulate their favorite riders, and began hacking together bicycle frames. Realizing this potential gap in the market, Schwinn created a bike that would answer their racing-specific needs. The Schwinn Sting Ray launched in 1963, giving life to BMX—bicycle motocross—and taking it from California dirt tracks to the Olympic game it is today. The new book “Rad Rides” chronicles this evolution through a comprehensively diverse range of bikes submitted by BMX enthusiasts from around the world.

Written by London-based design studio Intercity, design pundit Gavin Lucas and longtime BMX competitor Stuart Robinson, “Rad Rides” looks at the history of the sport through bike design. According to Lucas, the “basic geometry of the BMX hasn’t really changed much over the years,” but like any sport the relentless quest for greater strength and durability “has led to much experimentation—in welding techniques, in alloy composition and bike construction.”

“The real joy of putting this book together is that no one way of doing things, with regard to building a bike, is the ‘right’ way for every single rider and their particular style of riding,” Lucas explains. The sport itself is separated into two approaches, racing—where it’s all about speed—and freestyle, which is broken down into vert, park, trails and flatland disciplines. The variety of ways in which people handle the bike has led to an industry where customization is king. From freestylist Woody Itson’s legendary ’85 gold Hutch Trick Star to Jim Bauer’s colorful hand-painted tiles on his 2006 Metal Rebel Contender, the aesthetics are as important as the mechanics.

“Rad Rides” is also a useful reference for anyone thinking about piecing together their own BMX bike. Each example features a complete set of specs spanning grips, pedals, cranks, seat and more. For his handsome green 1985 Skyway Street Beat, Lucas sourced the parts on eBay, including matching Skyway Tuff II wheels and Odyssey limited edition Jim Cielencki pedals that glow green in the dark.

“Rad Rides” declares at the beginning that anyone who says they don’t love a BMX bike is lying, going on to validate this sentiment throughout the book. Since many fell for the miniature frame when it landed a crucial role in “E.T.” in 1982, it endures as a beloved fixture of pop culture. A visually compelling and insightful history of BMX, seen through the eyes of design, “Rad Rides” is out May 2012 and is available for pre-order from Laurence King and Amazon.