Simple Session

Simple session is a competition and bike jam that goes down every spring. This competition takes place in a huge warehouse thats been converted into a BMX course featuring ramps, ledges, rails, banks, and many more features.

 

 The 2015 Simple Session Finalists

Many pro and semi-pro level riders are invited to compete in this competition, and after many riders are eliminated, the last 20 riders battle it out for the top spot. The Elimination goes like this: each rider has a 45 seconds on the clock to preform a run using the whole indoor park. After receiving a score, riders are either eliminated or move on to the next heat. Riders are judged on many things, and a perfect run uses the whole park, while combining different tricks and creative lines throughout the 45 seconds.

Chad Kerley Flairs a quarter pipe

The fun thing about Simple session is that all the riders have different styles and backgrounds, so all of the runs are unique and special in their own ways. Some riders use big air time to bust out tricks while others use more of the street features such as stairsets, rails, and ledges. 

Drew Bezanson has won more simple sessions then anyone else, for his massive style and runs full of tricks and technical skills. He rides so many indoor parks he is at home every year at simple session.

Drew Bezanson flipping off of a boat

Another thing with simple session is its popularity. This comp gives young, new riders on the scene to make a name for themselves if they get good results. There are a lot of spectators and publicity with media and sponsors.

Simple Session is also a skateboarding competition, using the same indoor course. 

Rider Pofile: Tom dugan

Tom Dugan is freestyle BMX rider known for going huge and pushing whats possible on a bike. He's probably my favorite rider for his unique style of riding, dressing, and viewing the world.

BIO
Tom grew up in a small suburban town, where one day stumbled upon a little bike jump in someones yard a few blocks from his house, after riding this little jump on an old crappy bike, he was hooked and from there he proggressed to pro level and picked up some of the largest sponsors in the BMX world such as Etnies, Rockstar Energy drink, and FIT bike co.

HOME
Dugan currently resides in Austin Texas, as the riding there is very good when it's not too hot. He has one of the coolest backyards a BMX enthusiast could ask for. He has constructed huge quarter pipes, jumps and drops off of his own roof. It's a really unique setup and his favorite place to ride. A lot of pro level riders live in Austin, so large group sessions between Tom and local shredders will go down in his backyard.

Big ramps and quarters make the backyard a quick way to progress

ACHIVEMENTS

Tom is known for his massive airs, which is when the rider jumps out of a quarter pipe or skatepark bowl and then turning in the air to land back in the bowl or quarter. Not only has he set the record on the mega ramp at 26 feet from coping, but he has won many competetions for highest air, such as X games. Keep in mind 26 feet is the measurement from coping, the coping is 28 feet from the bottom of the transition, so he is actually 54 feet off of the ground. 

Dugan continues to ride and push the limits of riding and the creativity that is vital to BMX riding. 

Handlebars!

Your handlebars are some of the most basic and vital parts on a bike, This will cover the different types of BMX handlebars and their differences.

2 Piece Bars

 2 piece bars are as they sound, handlebars made of two pieces, a crossbar strengthening the main bar bent into the shape. These bars are also called butterfly bars because they resemble a butterfly. These bars are the most common bars on BMX bikes and are the most simple type of handlebar for BMX.

4 Piece Bars

4 piece bars, again are as they sound, with 4 bars that make up the handlebars. This design is very similar to 2 piece bars, except they have a cross bar on the bottom connecting the two side bars. This design is merely a different design and is not any stronger then 2 piece bars. It's a person preference of looks. 4 piece bars are becoming more and more popular these days. In my opinion these 4 piecers look pretty gross, but many people like the look.

Rise

The main difference in handlebars is the rise. Rise is how tall the cross bar is from where the bar attatches to the bike. Depending on how you like your bike, you might want a taller or shorter rise on your bike.

Tall riders usually choose taller rise, such as 9- 10 inches tall, 10's are the tallest rise you can get, and while they make your bike feel tall, some people such as myself find that feeling perfect.

Tom Dugan tries some comical 20 inch rise bars

Other riders who are shorter or ride different styles prefer using a shorter rise of handlebar. There are also different upsweep and backsweep specifications can be made to handlebars depending on your liking.

Width is also an option depending on how broad your shoulders are and what feels right to you. There are so many different options and measurements for handlebars that can make your bike feel great.

BMX detanglers

Detanglers (also called gyros) are a contraption on BMX bikes that allow you to spin the bars as many times as you want without tangling up your brake cables.

 

Many freestyle BMX riders don't use brakes at all, but many riders do use a brake for different reasons.

. Brakes allow you to control your speed on jumps, for some riders who ride dirt jumps, controlling speed and having safety in stopping, a brake is a necessity. 

. Brakes allow some more advanced tricks that require the rear wheel to be completely stopped. 

A lot of tricks involve spinning the handlebars around 360 degrees, at least once, sometimes up to 5 times depending on how much time you have in the air. Other tricks include kicking the bike around 360 degrees, while holding on to the handle bars. Another reason why detanglers are nice to have is because when trying a trick in which the bars move, you don't have to untangle them every time you try the trick, which can take MANY tries. 

How does it work?

 

Well it's pretty confusing, but I'll break it down for you in a more basic way. There are two plates connected to the front of the bike. When you pull on the brake lever, the top plate moves up, but the bottom plate is connected to the top plate with grooves that allow the bars to move around freely, but still pulls the bottom plate, moving the brake and causing you to stop.

 

You can get a kit like this for around $20 to $30 depending on the brand.

I myself have never ridden with a gyro, but I plan on getting one in the near future to make barspins easier, while holding the capabilities to brake.

TDS 2015

I've done a blog on the TDS race before, but I just had a blast at TDS 2015, so I thought I'd do a blog on this years race.

Every year TDS (the dirty sanchez) race gets larger and larger, with more spectators, sponsors, and surprises. This year was the biggest, and by far the craziest.

So TDS is an enduro race, which if you don't know what that is it's a race in which you ride down a hill from point A to B and its timed. Then you have to climb back up to the top for 5 other runs. The climbing time is not counted but it drains you of energy, so you have to endure the race. Enduro races have all different numbers of stages, TDS had 11 this year, more then any previous year. A lot more pro racers also raced this year.

A lot of sponsors and bike companies came to the race to support their riders. Redbull, Pinkbike, Cannondale and more had tents up and full mechanic setups for the racers. Of all the 11 runs, all were different trail combos and made for a tricky race. It was really hard to make up for lost time but some racers were able to. The mountain has a 600 vertical ft climb that had to be climbed 10 times over the span of 2 days. By the end of the second day, riders were really bonked and tired. Most fell asleep or left before the after party was over.

For one of the stages, riders had to ride through 4 of these massive wallrides that were all painted with sponsors logos and rad designs.

The first day was very rainy and mucky, providing a challenge for riders, but the second day the sun came out and the dirt was prime.

Finally after 11 grueling runs, the results were in, Jerome Clementz' from France took the overall title at this years comp.

Retro BMX

I recently had the chance to inherit a vintage Gt BMX bike. I'm pretty stoked on how old but original bike is. I will go into some of the techniques I used to make this bike look nice.

 

This is a GT racer bike from around the late 80's-early 90's

This bike features some all of the original parts and was the BMX bike to have of its time. While we view it as inferiour and low tech today, it was ahead of its time and innovative in its way. Upon getting the bike, I noticed there was some moderate rust action on the frame, bars, fork and and cranks. This rust was on the parts that were chrome plated. I had heard that using diet coke works as a solvent for rust and so I thought I'd give it a shot

The above picture is what was claimed to be the result of using coke. I wasn't sure if it was gonna work or not, but as soon as I poured some coke on a piece of foil and scrubbed the frame, the rust came off instantly! It was so quick and now the chrome plated parts look great, just as they did when it was bought in some spots. I reccomend this technique to anyone trying to remove rust from chrome plated things.

Old BMX bikes were originally not used for trick riding or freestyle. In the beggining these bikes were used for racing. BMX actually stands for bicycle motocross. These bikes were meant for riding dirt tracks at high speeds alongside other bmx racers.

A film called "BMX Bandits" was filmed in the late 80's and was a hollywood film about kids riding bmx bikes. Nicole Kidman first stared in this movie. The stylish outfits and gear that was worn back then would look ridiclous on today's world.

Noggin Protectors

In the world of bikes there are are many different ways to roll in style while protecting your head. I will go over some of the basic different styles of lids.

The"Commoner" helmet

This helmet is the helmet most of us own and/or use. If you wanna look like you ride a bike under $500, then wear one of these. These helmets have a basic visor and have lots of vents to cool you off when pedaling your cheap bike up a hill gets exhausting. Also, the colors come off of the back of a 2001 iMac.

The "100+ miles per day" helmet

If you own a $5K+ road bike and you enjoy espresso and spandex, this is the helmet for you. These carbon helmets will complement all the carbon things in your life, such as your bike, and your burnt toast. You might look like an alien on a bike, but who cares when your life goals are aerodynamics.

The "I ride at ski resorts" helmet

 If you like riding 40 pound downhill bikes and would rather pay 60 bucks a day to get picked up by a ski lift then walk up the hill, this helmet is for you. These protect your head when you crash going fast down rocky trails, because after all, you are riding a motorcycle without a motor down a big hill.

The "I ride bike jumps" helmet

These little helmets are for people who ride big dirt jumps and those who throw down big tricks. Even if you cant do any tricks or jumps, you can still look like you do when you are cruising down the street. Many of these helmets come in an array of different colors and designs.

The "I ride BMX" helmet*

If you spend your time in a skatepark or on the streets riding your BMX, this type of headwear will make you look stylish while NOT protecting you at all whatsoever. So many BMX riders don't wear helmets, and you may look cooler... well until this happens

This dude is in for a rough time without a helmet