Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Four Pounds (To) Flat

You may or may not remember this. A few months ago, James "Triple Whip" Foster shattered his ankle jumping over a house in Germany for some TV show. The details about that can be found here. Obviously the problem was that his frame was too heavy.

So KHE lightened things up on his "Triple Threat" signature frame by butting everything (butted chainstays? Yikes.), milling out everything else, and heat-treating the whole mess. It's now four pounds even, so he should be able to float over houses from here on out. That's a relief.

Only there's this: Didn't FIVE-pound Sanko frames (think the Fit Hawk) have a nasty habit of breaking? What's going to happen to a FOUR-pound Sanko frame? I, for one, don't plan on finding out firsthand.

••••••••••

So much here that I don't understand and/or don't want to accept.

a) Brian Tunney is working for ESPN now? Say what? Along with blogging for Dig, TMing éclat, doing Assblasters, and, you know, riding his bike? How does one fit all this in? I suppose I could e-mail him and ask, but after the last éclat cheap shot, I don't really feel like it. Besides, I don't even look at ESPN anymore since their video-heavy redesign appears to be incompatible with my not-up-to-the-minute operating system. So I doubt I'll be reading much. Especially if it's just going to be re-hashed press releases.

b) Metal is making frames in Taiwan? OK, I knew that. And I even understand it. Got nothing against overseas-made frames. Everyone's doing it anyway. So, yeah. Skip to c.

c) Chris Wilson got a signature frame? From Metal? After his Dead Bang part was more or less universally panned, I thought he'd be on Fit by now. He was the guy who did all the tailwhips, wasn't he?

d) Metal is making a frame that is described with phrases such as "low standover height," has a 75-degree headtube angle, and comes in a two-tone finish that isn't zebra-striped. This is like Slayer coming out with an album that is described with phrases such as "heartfelt and soulful." I find it funny that Metal splits from S&M, THEN puts out a frame, um, fit for Chase DeHart. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole point of there being different companies that companies be different? Guess not.

Fuck, now I'm depressed.

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29 comments:

Maxime Rousseau said...

Woops, I own a Hawk. I told myself, hey, at 5 pounds, it's gotta be solid enough. I guess not.

Anonymous said...

bummed on metal, i guess they have to appeal to the kids...

Russ said...

Apparently it's a pound heavier than it needs to be! You should cut the downtube off.

Anonymous said...

You're slamming Tunney now because... he works too much? Maybe you should get a job instead of sitting in your apartment all day thinking about plastic pedals.

Russ said...

I was actually mostly wondering about how he does it. Wouldn't the ESPN and Dig blogs conflict? And isn't the éclat TM gig a major conflict of interest for both? I don't think I was "slamming" anybody.

And I only think about plastic pedals for HALF the day, Mr. Anonymous.

Russ said...

If I hate anything or anyone, it's ESPN. Although, yeah, I'd be willing to cash their checks. Too bad I'm better at burning bridges than building them.

Anonymous said...

Chris's section had some good stunts. the only section i skip is Brandon Turner's because it doesn't flow well and all the park stuff (which i guess should be ok because metal is near a ton of parks). i don't get the problem people have with Chris Wilson's section. Metal has been sponsoring him for ages and he's being doing tailwhips the entire time.

if you want to imply that the Moon Unit is a trendy frame with the Chase D reference, i guess that's possible but that's what he wants. it would be like saying Metal should not sponsor anyone without tight pants, a leather jacket and a frame with an animal paint job. that would be just as trendy and boring as making every frame an S3 variation and an entire team doing luc-e and hang 5s. Metal has a pretty varied team and that rules.

Anonymous said...

Burn more bridges.

Maybe people will eventually realize that you don't need to fucking make a frame like everyone else {maybe to stay in business).

Don't Tunney TM for Federal also ?

Russ said...

Everyone wants to appeal to everyone these days.

Russ said...

Although I'll say this: I don't mean to belittle Chris Wilson's riding, or him as a person. I've never met him, and if Jimmy Levan thought enough of him to put him on the team, that's enough for me. And he's obviously a talented rider. I just don't see how he fits. Reign In Blood might have appealed to a wider audience if it had a power ballad on it, but then it wouldn't have been Reign In Blood.

I just feel like companies are abandoning their unique identities in exchange for market share, and I'm not sure whether that's a fair trade for anyone involved.

Anonymous said...

^^^^ I just feel like companies are abandoning their unique identities in exchange for market share, and I'm not sure whether that's a fair trade for anyone involved.

Russ said...

Que?

Anonymous said...

Anonyruss is puzzling.

Anonymous said...

I'm sick and tired of "signature frames" Why does someones name always have to be involved? Just build an f-ing frame and sell it to people that dont give a shit about popular riders and their names.

Anonymous said...

Part of the problem, that exists in BMX regardless of the overall economic climate, but is particularly evident now, is that the profit margins are so thin, the pool of consumers is so shallow, and outside investment is so elusive. In this current economy, companies aren't looking to rock the boat for the most part, but to make sure that money keeps coming in so they stay afloat. Like it or not, 15 year old kids who think Taj is an old poofter are the ones who by and large want long and low 75 degree head angle 4 pound frames, and they are the bulk of the market.

Anonymous said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagwood_Bumstead

Anonymous said...

I think Metal should make a Holmes, stickers and all and have it be Levan's signature frame.

Side note: At the track tonight* someone asked a "street" kid what his sprocket-size was and he had no fucking clue. he said "Uh. it's small. hahaha. I don't know."

Really? The kid looked the part and had the bike, but was dumbfounded when someone asked him about his bike. Is that weird to anyone else?

* Yes I pedal around a BMX track. Its fun. DO IT!! I am a better rider because of it. You will be to.

Unknown said...

"I'm sick and tired of "signature frames" Why does someones name always have to be involved? Just build an f-ing frame and sell it to people that dont give a shit about popular riders and their names."

When you have a signature frame you get royalties when it sells, so people like Eddie C can eat without riding in Dew Tours. Maybe YOU don't give a shit about popular riders, so why don't YOU buy whatever the fuck frame you want and take the stickers off? Some people do care about popular riders, some don't, I don't understand what there is to be "sick of."

Anonymous said...

When he got the TM gig at WTP I pointed out that editing a magazine and running a team that gets coverage in said magazine would be a massive, MASSIVE conflict of interest on my site. The general consensus, "it's BMX, nobody cares."

Josh said...

Mass appeal is typically the first stage in the death of any product, activity, or personality for that matter. As soon as everyone likes something, very quickly everyone begins to hate it. It is at that point that the product/activity/personality either dies off completely or is reborn as a better version of it's original self.

bk said...

Put it this way: it's rad that T1 still does Barcodes, but when you see them on sale for $189, who's making money? Companies have to adapt to the wants and needs of the consumer. Let's face it, those of us griping about 4lb frames probably haven't bought a new bike in a few years, and someone has to buy shit to keep companies afloat. It's not like that new Metal frame is a Killorado. Should've saved this post for the 16" Kizz completes.

Stephen said...

I'll ride my 5 lb 8 oz T1 straight to hell.

Welcome to the skateboardification of BMX. All the frames look the same...are the same...just different "attitudes" brah. Is there really a difference between a Baker and a Powell? Not really. Same shape, probably the same fucking tree, even.

Anonymous said...

George has a good point about the WTP/Dig conflict of interest. Then again, even back in the Wizard Pubs days (maybe especially back then)no one has ever confused BMX media with unbiased media.

Didn't Oz pretty much establish the unspoken situation with Haro and GT and the other companies of the day and said "I'll put your riders in the magazine and give positive product reviews, you buy ads in the magazine, I'll sell the magazines to kids, kids will see your riders and products and want to buy your bikes, everybody wins."

Of course this is the same thinking that brought us this

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/hutch/1396

this

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/cw/79/4

and this

http://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/kastan/505

Anonymous said...

Does that 4lb frame really also have a 74.75 deg headangle? Man that is just hedging there bets, I am going to hold out for a 74.632deg one.

The way I heard it, S&M dropped Metal and Jimmy had to go looking for another way to get frames made rather than Jimmy leaving S&M in pursute of cash as a few people seem to be suggesting...

Anonymous said...

well you will be happy to know that they got rid of blkmrkt aswell so they could start making only s3.5s with diffrent sized tubes and stickers on them for both sym and fit and you can thank this death box you are all reading this on aswell for making thei shit what it is today pure fucking jokes man its nit about having fun and not being like timmy the jock cuz we are turning into them

ps russ when are you making the big move? dbz has made mention of it kinda looking foward to having the blog czar around these parts dont look foward to the street riding lots of manny pads and thats about it good parks for sure

Anonymous said...

come on man, get off your high horse. metal is evolving with the times. it kinda surprised me to see this, but still. it's what chris wilson wants. it is a SIGNATURE frame, so it's what he wants in a frame

Anonymous said...

Metal still offers the bloodwolf, S&M still offers the Dirtbike, United still offers the 40, theres gotta be more. Can't let a company stay one dimensional though, they gotta offer different options to (slightly) different demographics

FBM needs to start re-producing some supertherm-heat treated Angels of death, 74 head angle, all the beastliness fit for a roof-dropper

Anonymous said...

Damn, whats with all the Metal music references? Satan sticker made from the standard logo, celtic frost, darkthrone sticker you had one time, Slayer's Reign in Blood, you posting that Deicide video (homage for satan) and that Megadeth vid, you like all the same music i do

Anonymous said...

hmmmm... is this the same reasoning why Standard is still mia? because i really miss the days of trading up an sta for a trail boss.. because that was "light"

hollow dropouts??? i gotta chuck my frame after a summer of feebles?

do you really need your seat that low?

plastic pedals????

200 dollar 36 spoke front rim?

back to 3/8th front axles? with this smith/double/tooth crazy culture?

stems with everything cut out!?!?!

titanium axle nuts??

this lightness shit is scary, even worse the trendy stuff.. theres way too many choices

ah. remember the 80's...all this market bs, than BAM.. death to the industry! nobody wanted junk anymore

i miss the "Standard" days only because i remember EVERYONE rode one, with super pros, slam or strips, whichever it was, you rode one, it was heavy, you worked harder, but you never noticed.. you just shut your mouth and pulled up hard, after a summer, you had mike tag forearms..

people ruled with 40 lb bikes too

gotta cap the innovations somewhere, and maybe just sell someting that works?

i dunno, just throwin it all out there...