Name: Jay Schippers
Sponsors:
-Personal: Berma Sheet Metal Creations, Pro Gate, Crowe Foederer, MetaalFlex, SportsLounge1988, Vision Car Lease, Duisenburgh, BW Rijkers, Lommers tuinbouwmachines, Berkvens
-Team: Meybo, Box, Tioga, HT, Nederlandse Loterij, WLM Design
Mechanic: Willie Meijer
Who picks the frame colours each year? And are you happy with the current colours?
Jay Schippers: The guys at Meybo decide which colour we ride each year. I think the new 2021 colours are looking great!
What's the purpose of the chain device that you guys are running?
Jay Schippers: Because we have a fixed rear end and no real chain tensioners at the back of the frame. They have built a special tensioner that is mounted/integrated to the side of the frame. It is really easy to use if you have to change your gearing, you just slide it up or down.
Do you use the same bike for pump track / trail / jump sessions?
Jay Schippers: Yes I do. I used to have a special trail jump bike. But haven’t used it for a while now.
Name: Payton “P-Nut” Ridenour
Sponsors: Mongoose, WD-40 Bike, USA BMX Foundation, E6, Shimano BMX, EVS Sports, Answer BMX, HRP Designs, Potter Racing, FLY Racing, Socksmith, Onyx Racing.
Mechanic: Dad
How long have you been riding for Mongoose now?
Payton Ridenour: This is my first year riding for Mongoose and I’m loving it! Since everything’s on hold I haven’t gotten to do too much stuff with the team yet, but hopefully I can sometime soon!
How do you like the feel and look of your bike?
Name: Connor Fields
Sponsors: Chase BMX, Monster Energy, GoPro, HOTSHOT, Fly racing, Shimano, Tioga, ODI, Razor, KMC Chain, Onyx, Ikon
Mechanic: I usually start, then Jamie Staff, Andy Hughes, Max Cairns, or someone else who really knows what they are doing comes and fixes it for me.
How long have you been riding for Chase BMX now?
Connor Fields: 10 years! I have been with the brand since my first year Elite and their first year as a company!
How do you like the feel and look of your bike?
Connor Fields: I'm not too picky, but I also have never had the opportunity to pick what I ride. The Chase team picks my colors and parts and I really only get to choose a couple of things. I am totally OK with it though because I like what they pick and I have never had a bike I didn't like.
What comes first, the colours of your bike and then the matching FLY gear, or the new gear colours followed by the bike decals?
Name: Joris Harmsen
Sponsors: Meybo, WLM Design, BOX Components, Tioga, Shimano, Pro Gate, KNWU, Nederlandse loterij, HT Components, Flow Sleeping
Mechanic: Willie Meijer
How is the Meybo frame treating you so far?
Joris Harmsen: Really good, the fixed rear end makes it a lot stiffer and a lot easier to change gears. And it looks good too.
How do you recognize your bike from the bikes of the other team members when you're 10 meters away?
Name: Niek Kimmann
Sponsors:
Personal: Samsung, Gulf, Droomparken
Team: Meybo, Box, Tioga, HT Pedals, Nederlandse Loterij, WLM Design, Pro-Gate.
Mechanic: The man, the myth, the legend: Willie Meijer.
2021 bikes came in. Is it always a treat for you to put together a new bike?
Niek Kimmann: For sure! I rode for over a year with the exact same bike, which is pretty long for an elite I guess, but it still felt good and still felt pretty stiff. But it’s always nice to get a new bike obviously!
Felix Prangenberg kept himself busy whilst he recovered from a broken hand by building up a fresh bike based around his signature Wethepeople PATHFINDER frame, bar and sprocket along with a full eclat kit to finish it off.
Name: Merel Smulders
Sponsors: TVE Sport - JEE-O - Meybo - Shimano - Tioga - Renthal - FIST - HT Components - We Lift.
Mechanic: Jan Segers
How do you like the looks of the new Meybo?
Merel Smulders: Yes! I love the combination of darker colors and the Matte finish. Something totally different compared to our bright red bike last year, but I love it!
Black frame with anthracite accents, black parts and a few parts that stand out like the oil-slick pedals. Any reason for the colour of the pedals?
Gary Young runs down his fresh 2021 Sunday Soundwave that he just built up with Odyssey parts. Watch the video for a closer look at what Gary runs and why.
Name: Manon Veenstra
Sponsors: ProStart, Enjoy the Ride, CXP, Autoservice alteveer, Crossfit RFL, Fyzio Totaal.
Mechanic: Dylan Schuurman
How do you like the looks of your current RIFT bike?
Manon Veenstra: I love it! While I am writing this I am actually on the plane on my way home where my new frame will be waiting for me! So these photo’s are litteraly hot off the press. I love the Ferrari red but not much beats a slick all black frame!
Is it a challenge each year to get a good racing bike together for the new season?
Name: Elke Vanhoof
Sponsors: Belgian Defence, Belgian national team, Gear2win, Pure BMX, Bitworkz, Polar, Fysioshop, Normatec, Doubdle, Zulu, 6D helmets, Aktive-8, fietsstickers.be, Naqi, Blackroll, Watt bike.
Mechanic: Brad Greenwood, Gear2win
When's the last time you raced your BMX bike?
Elke Vanhoof: UCI BMX SX World Cup Rockhill 2019
So the bike is still fresh and ready for more?
Elke Vanhoof: For now I still have the 2019 bike, I crashed in Verona March 2019 and because of the
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.