“40 Years of BMX” - Anniversary Celebration November 14th 2010 Hollywood Sports Park-Bellflower BMX Proposed Events:

· Bellflower BMX Races: Standard ABA Classes Old School -Pre 1980, 1980 to 1990 both 20” and 26-24 Cruisers & Sidehacks MX Class; Mike Metzger, Wardy, McGrath, Deegan, etc

· Freestyle Competitions- 9 + under, 10-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-21, 

Here some news from the Old School front.
*/1st./* The University of BMX, its website address changed recently: note the new address .....  check it out!
 
*/2nd./* Enclosed an invitation for Old School riders and present Elite/Junior and other class riders to take part in the _1st. Open European Championship Old School_ on October 2nd and the next

Pioneer BMX Racer - Tim Judge
TJ was one of the top stars on the East Coast in the mid 1970s. His fame expanded exponentially after winning the 1981 Jag World Champion title and getting picked up by the legendary Hutch BMX Factory Team. At Hutch, he added a 1983 IBMXF Cruiser World Title to his list of accomplishments. Tim`s BMX experience played a pivotal role in his post-BMX career, when he became an internationally-known racer and mechanic in the Jet Watercraft (JetSki) industry.

BMX Racer - Steve Veltman
The first rider to win the ABA National Number One Amateur and Cruiser titles in the same year (1982), Steve Veltman also stacked up two Jag World Championship Age Group titles, and two IBMXF world age group titles in his amateur career, and was an Elite Cruiser

Frame: Skyway TA 1982 00914 Made in Japan
Frame stickers: Skyway TA
Fork: Skyway TA
Headset: Hatta Aluminium
Headset lock: Suntour Headlock
Headset skirt: SST
Stem: Suntour Powerstem
Handlebars: Skyway Race bars Lookalike

People who want to become friends of FATBMX on Facebook have ran into a full inbox. At 5000 friends Facebook cuts it off. What you can do is become a FAN of FATBMX.com on Facebook, those numbers are unlimited. Look us up and hit that button. While on Facebook you can find some good stuff from the past. Many OS riders have bought a slide or negative scanner and are uploading pics. Look for Mark Pippin, Peer Bijnen, Johnny Johnson and you'll get into the groove of how this BMX thing started. Don't laugh, it's part of 

Last year the BMX program took 1 part from each company to make a brand new Raffle bike for the BMX program. The raffle bike payed off some local tabs needed to buy odds and end parts to finish the 29 bikes we gave away last year. Last year was a complete brand new STANDARD CRUSIER which brought a good amount of money. This year after last years requests we are looking to do a top notch 20’’. Lasts years winner changed out a few of his parts of the crusier and then donated them to a kid at the track who was in need 

Hank & Frank was a famous BMX shop in the Bay area California, lots of Pro's were riding with their famous stickers. I was stayin at Dave Vanderspeks parents house in the early 90's and visited Hank & Frank in Oakland but found out that they didn't carry any BMX stuff except for 2 GT logo tires so "I bought out the whole BMX section" and still have those tires at my house including two of their famous stickers in pink and green. I was checking Ebay and found this HANK & FRANK Force II frame and it surprised me that H&F made frames in the past, and even a FORCE II means there was a FORCE I as well.

In 1981 at the age of 16 my life was changed when I saw this kid do a rock-walk on his BMX bike and from that day on all I could think about was how I could play, ride and make up tricks on my 20" bike. I lived to ride..to the beach..around town..in jam circles, and to practice my new found expression. Three years later I found myself riding for Haro Design as a professional BMX freestyler performing with Ron Wilkerson and Brian Blyther. We had some incredible times touring around the world form Dothan Alabama to Osaka Japan sharing our passion and talents on two wheels. Now over 25 years later we are creating a day to re-enliven those times. Today is May 6th, 100 days away from transforming this parking lot to a retro flash back extravaganza, of a whole day of incredible people that share the passion to motivate and inspire others through their performances.

The 12th annual Bike It is the venue for this to all take place, here in beautiful Ashland Oregon, now picture this, over in one corner there is a bunny hop contest, across from that is the kick-turn ramp

The basic back story on the bike is, my name is Steve Blackey and as I was the master mechanic at the world famous Bicycle Source Bike Shop from 1980 through 1986 I used to build and tune most of Buff's and RL's bikes in the 80's and Mike's '82 PK Ripper was my favorite bike, It was my first complete build for Mike and I always liked the way the bike looked. It is the inspiration for the tribute bike, the concept I was going for was to build an updated version of the bike with a modern frame/fork and components, bringing old school and current technology together.

Now, for the reason I built this bike, after attending an old school bmx reunion event in 07 where I saw John Crews after so many years and learned he has Parkinson's, I felt inspired again by my BMX hero to do something to contribute to John's cause so I thought this bike would be a cool project to do and be a great way to raise some money

My first "real USA" BMX bike was a TORKER. Racing and Trickriding with the same bike was normal in the early 80's cause I couldn't afford a Race AND Freestyle bike. TORKER made the first real Freestyle frame for HARO but before that it was the best frame to use for Freestyle, riders like Bob Haro, Mike Dominguez were using Torkers. If I had the money in 1983 this TORKER 280X should be my "DREAM" bike for racing, it has my original 1983 Wizard Number plate on it with #164, the rest is all bought on ebay:

My most favourite rider of all time is Andy Patterson, he stayed at our house in 1982 and Bart and I were so stoked to have him, Mike Salido & Dean Ellison staying at our house during the European Championships at Beek en Donk. He did endless wheelies on our mom's dutch bike and ate a hamburger in only two bites, not to mention a bag of chips in half an hour. He rode his Skyway TA for the first time at that race and left Skyway in 1984, this replica is his 1984 racing bike just before going to JMC. 

Yes, I'm crazy about BMX and yes I've got some stuff saved. So much stuff that I don't even know what I have or where I've got it saved. Why? I don't know, maybe some day I'll get it together and go back in memory lane. Having items will sure help that way. But there are people who have parted ways with their precious BMX stuff and donated it to the BMX Museum in Chula Vista for others to see. Here's batch two of the photos that Pieter Does took on a visit to the

When Pieter Does was going to San Diego we asked him to shoot some pictures of the BMX Hall Of Fame at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. Pieter delivered with a whole bunch of photos of old school BMX memorabilia. It has stuff to drool over, stuff you forgot about, it pays respect to the BMX Hall Of Fame members (his dad included) and much more. Here's part one of the photos. Check 1-2.

In school I was never really interested in history lessons. It was a thing of the past, a past I didn't experience. But when it comes down to BMX, it's a different story. Tioga just put up a catalog from 1980 (or around that time) and it's got a few interesting bits in it. First of all, their Rhino frames had double butted Cr-Mo tubes (in 1980 already folks!), they had super light tubes, awesome Competition tires and also they had DX pedals listed in THEIR catalog. Made by Tioga? Anyone?

"Radical" Ron Wilkerson, "Fly’n" Brian Blyther and Dave "Gumby" Nourie with special guest Mike Dominguez are going to do it again. The King of Mic will be Kevin Martin and Bob Haro, the founder and father of Freestyle not to mention the man behind creating this amazing team back in 1985, will be joining the festivities. Free Bike Jam for all ages. Nourie’s Show – Flatland show with a bit of history Raffle – everyone who attends gets a free raffle ticket. Lots of prices, bike accessories, gift certificates and much more. There will also be Drag Races – A long time history of Bike It and in memory of Jim Berkman – one of the original creators of this event Show and Shine Classic BMX Bikes KB’s Crazy and Unique Bikes to test ride and play on Haro 25th Anniversary Show 1985 – 2010.

Come see some of the pioneers of the sport of Freestyle perform a quarter of a decade later. Food, Music, Food Vendors, good times and much much more….

This year is the 12th Annual Bike It here in Ashland Oregon, August 14th. This event is especially exciting for me because I have invited the Haro Team that I toured with to perform a 25th anniversary Haro Show. Bob Haro will be at this year's event, the man who sponsored me way back when and gave me one of the greatest opportunities of my life that sent me around the world performing shows and doing what I love for many years. I would like to invite you all to attend this significant event. This is a dream come true for me, a way to show my appreciation to the people that have made such an impact on my life. I am really looking forward to bringing a bite of my history, the sports history and some of my most influential people in my life to Ashland for a great time.

Donations are welcome and appreciated. The estimate cost to put on this event is $5,000 with flights, hotels, rental equipment etc.

Our initial response from the community has been great! Thanks to the following: Bear Creek Bicycles, Get n' Gear, Art Fx, Cycle Sport,