GT World Tour Freestylin' November 1985

 

Upside Down Ones And Graphite Wheels

The undeniable perfection of this picture from a time when GT Bikes and The King Eddie Fiola where on top of the BMX world. Many an old school BMX bike collector would love to get their hands on that chrome Performer that Eddie is riding there and add it to their stable of bikes. 

Windy Osborn BMX Prints

Stumbled onto this link for Windy Osborn's Fine Art American site over on Facebook. Give it a look and buy some sick old school prints.


 

BMX Action--October 1983--Del Mar Round 3

Still some of the best skatepark photos ever run in a magazine. Timeless riding from some of the best old school riders.

Eddie Fiola And Ron House Over A Burbank Police Car

Freestylin' September 1986 -- Part Two

Taking a minute to post part two of the Freestylin' September 1986 issue. A look into a little bit of the craziness of tour life. The sequence of RL doing a rebound was cool and all, I just always preferred a windshield wiper.

View part one here: http://edwardkoenning.blogspot.com/2012/09/freestylin-magazine-september-1986.html

Ted Emmer Del Mar KOTS Round Two

Here is a video clip to go with the Ted Emmer post from January.

Ted Emmer--Del Mar Skatepark 1984 from edward koenning on Vimeo.

Freestylin' -- May 1985

Nice cover with Woody Itson pulling a one-footed flipper somewhere on a brick kick turn ramp. The turned slide on the cover seems to have popped up a few times in Wizard's history. This one of Eddie Fiola being one of my favorites. And also is seems Rippin' might have a little history with Wizard Publications also.

Last month I posted this sick picture of Dave Vanderspek from the Joe's II contest. Good to go back and revisit this issue. That ramp looked so perfect and the guys were killing it. A two page spread of Fiola doing a feeler air? Keep reading on to the next section to see.......

.......the picture I would have liked to see in that two page spread. Hugo Gonzales with a kick ass one footed look back. Hugo was always trying cool stuff at contest, and look back variations are something that was not being done at the time. Also nice to see Joe the owner of the ramp getting some love. Nice hand plant shot. Is that even what that trick is called? Excuse my lack of skating knowledge. Where is Animal Chin anyway?

Rick Allison laying down a track stand out in the street in front of Joe's house. If you look closely you can see some pretty big names in that crowd of riders.

Online over at Facetube there is footage of this show in France with RL Osborn and Eddie Fiola. I still find it crazy that these guys used to kill it on such narrow ramps. Oh the good old days.

Also good to get Mike Dominquez coverage after getting better from a broken leg.  Dude was always going way high and had the best variations. One-hander, one-footer while teammate Woody Itson looks on. Also you have Ron Wilkerson laying a little hip hanger in downtown San Francisco.

Dave Vanderspek at Joe's

From the May 1985 issue of Freestylin'. Vander was always a shredder. Check the upside down chainstay mounted brakes. RIP Vanderspek. 

Eddie Fiola X-Up

Just a quick revisit to yesterday's post. I blame him on me learning my X-Ups and Bar Spins the wrong way. Crazy backward front Eddie. Wonder how crazy it was riding that Vans Half Pipe?

Freestylin' Summer 1984

I remember having a subscription to BMX Action around 1984 and having this issue show up one day in the mail as a promotional thing for Wizard publications. As soon as I opened it, I sat at the end of our gravel driveway and read the whole issue. What a great idea they had to branch out and give freestyle it's own magazine. Loved it since issue number one.

San Francisco's Golden Gate scene report was the first time we were introduced to The Curb Dogs, Dave Vanderspek, Maurice Meyer, Robert Peterson, and so many more. That had such a lasting impression on Freestyle. Look at that crowd and see how many people you can pick out.

One of the first things I did after seeing that picture of Maurice Meyer was to turn my MX 1000s into a black and red set up like he had. Man do I not miss those brakes. And you have to realize how rad that picture of Kerry Clayton is doing that frame stand nose wheelie. So epic even to this day. Somewhere in there was Rick Allison. He went to do so stuff I think. Just kidding. He was in every magazine it seemed like every month. Rick is a ruler and all around cool cat.

There he is again. Hugo Gonzales! Always up to something at these King of Skatepark series. Blasting over that fence was something so crazy at the time and no one knew what he was up to at the time. Wonder if he ever got back there to pull it? I seem to recall him doing something else over it the next year, but that is for a different post.

That picture of Dominquez airing out of that deep bowl is still one of my all time favorites. There is always so much going on in these old skatepark photos, even in the background. Just love looking through these old magazines and the pictures. Rad stuff.

Blyther on his backyard ramp with a killer x-up. Brian always had the best set ups. I wonder if he got a lot of that from racing? Bear Traps, Bulls Eye hubs, Profiles 400 cranks. At the time that was such a rad bike. Still to this day one of my favorite riders.

The man who started it all. All these tail whipping fools today need to see where it started. Wonder if Brian and Mike worked on these together? Seeing as Mike did the first tailwhip fly out. Man I can remember trying this stupid trick over and over trying to pull it. It too me forever to wire it. Then that dork Fred Blood had to invent the decade. That is a whole other story.

I recall seeing that picture of Fiola airing over the top of that U-Haul and thought that was so cool. Looking at it now, it looks like he was airing off the side of the U-Haul. Judging by the tires marks on the side of it, that might have been the case. Eddie was the man.

Freestyle Men's FS81242 Shark x 2.0 Ana-Digi Polyurethane Strap Watch
Freestyle Men's FS75401 Hammerhead Polyurethane Watch
Freestylin II the Book

Freestylin'--March 1985

Nice cover shot of Rich Sigur airing at the Upland Pipeline.There is always so much to Bob Osborn photos that just make them the best. Even with all of the large cover fonts and colors they hardly distract to how great of a photo this is. And there in nothing that can take away from Rich's pink socks.

I remember seeing the opening photo to this article and thinking what the hell? Who are these yahoos? Little did I know how much influence Dizz and Gork would have on our little recreational hobby of bike riding. These guys were something else, and a much needed blast to a somewhat stale industry.

Eddie Fiola blasting on the narrow GT quarter pipe. I like that little comment in the corner that said Dave and Eddie "afflicted" over 10,000 people with their shows. Don't you think that is an under estimate? Had to have been way more that that. I remember those two being on the road for what seemed like for ever.

What could SE do to make the Quadangle frame anymore radical at the time of Freestyle "do-dads" and "add-ons"? Not much, that is for sure. Other than adding the chainstay loops to the frame, it still looks like a classic Quadangle. The forks did get their "standing" tops, but  still have the Landing Gear look to them even if those platforms were useless. Still a great lookimg bike. That stem needs to go though.

There is a thing beauty with how smooth and high Brian Blyther would air at these contest. Perfect X-Up out of the deep end of the Pipeline. Another thing from this time frame was how many people had their bikes and uniforms set up just like Eddie Fiola.

This is the "TRICK" from the King of The Skateparks Final. Hugo Gonzales doing a fence ride way before any of use knew what a fence ride or wall ride was on a bike. Way ahead of his time and crazy to boot. What a great combination. I remember learning fence rides way later on and getting my back peg stuck in the fence. That was real fun.

Freestyle Men's FS75401 Hammerhead Polyurethane Watch
BMX Freestyle
Bmx Freestyle
Motion Activated Light Saber with Star Wars Sounds - with Free Blinkee Light

Wham-O Snowball Blaster 2-Pack

Eddie Fiola and Martin Aparijo Freestyle Show 2010

Awesome seeing these two still riding.

Star Wars® Imperial AT-AT All Terrain Armored Transport Vehicle
Star Wars Saga Deluxe Vehicle Endor AT-AT Walker w/ Biker Scout and AT-AT Pilot

How did this not catch on?

These things need to make a comeback.

King of the Skateparks [VHS]

Freestyle Pros of 1983

After having really good response from the BMX Action post on Monday, I decided to upload a little more of it's contents. Seeing as it is such a good issue, I might as well get some the the freestyle guys covered.

Somewhere in Joe Kid on a Sting Ray Gork was talking about how the Haro team was the business guys, and BMX Action were the preps, and MF were the working guys. I think I liked the BMX Action team better as the surfer dudes. Nice tie Bob.

Eddie Fiola and Bob Morales. I always wanted one of those MF team jerseys. I still to this day think about that awesome cover shot of Fiola riding the Vans half pipe. So rad!

Pat Romano and Mike Buff. Fixed gear dorks take note. It has been around for ever. And what do you know? Buff jumping over a car. No big surprise there. Buff rules.

RL Osborn and Bob Haro. They would put the formed team mates right next to each other. These guys were smooth.

And last but not least, Ron Wilton. I guess this is the point where that kick turn became known as the Wilton.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6" Display, Graphite - Latest Generation
Freestyle Unisex 779024 Shark Classic Silver Nylon Strap Watch
Timex Men's T45581 Expedition E-Instruments Tide Temperature and Compass Watch