Dave Vanderspeck -- BMX Action Cover

Freestylin' Magazine--September 1986 Part Four

Oleg Konings was always somewhat of a legend in flatland. Some really innovative tricks abd style from the guy. View part three here:http://edwardkoenning.blogspot.com/2012/09/freestlylin-magazine-september-1986.html

Freestlylin' Magazine -- September 1986 Part Three

This Driver's Education article has always been one of my favorites. I never managed to figure out how Jason Parks did that candybar x-up kick turn. So sick! 

See part one here.
See part two here.

CW Racing -- Flirting With Dizzaster

CW always had some of the oddest ads. Here John "DIZZ" Hicks pops some front wheel hops while two strumpets are on their way to The Whiskey a GO go to see Guns N' Roses.

This is a continuation from this post: http://edwardkoenning.blogspot.com/2012/09/freestylin-magazine-september-1986.html

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

Dave Vanderspek Over Christian Hosoi -- Venice Beach AFA Contest

A reminder of how good Vanderspek was.Here is Vander over Hasoi during the Venice Beach AFA contest. I am still trying to figure out what issue of Freestylin' this is from. I am thinking the November 1985 issue, if anyone can verify that for me?

View more of Vander here:

http://edwardkoenning.blogspot.com/2012/09/freestylin-magazine-september-1986.html

Freestylin' Magazine -- September 1986

The beginning of September brings about the re-start of the old school magazine throwback posts. So it seems fitting that the first issue I am posting is the September 1986 issue of Freestylin' with Ceppie Maes on the cover.

Maurice Meyer and Dave Vanderspek two parts of the legendary Curb Dogs. If you look at Maurice's sequence in the other direction it looks like a huge abubaca. And the shot of Vander is just pure amazingness. Almost as good as this one.

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. 

San Francisco Old School BMX Footage

Maurice Meyer always has great old school video clips over on his You Tube site. This little segment from what looks to be some kind of local kid's show, has a lot of great riding from some of the San Fransisco legends. Looks to have been shot right around the time this issue of Freestylin' came out.




Curb Dogs:Freestyle 1 [VHS]
Airwalk 26-Inch Cardiff Black Cruiser Bicycle
DK Asterik 2011 BMX Bike, 26" Black with orange rims

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

BMX Action Novenber 1985

Dave Vanderspek on the cover of this issue. Curb Dog legend and inventor of the 'Vander Roll". Lots of cool history there. Check out Maurice Meyer's site for some really cool stuff about Dave and the Curb Dogs. And the infamous table top picture. So cool. RIP Dave.

The BMX Action Trick Team always had the biggest crowds at their shows. Here is RL Osborn doing a no-footer in Tennessee at the Murray World Cup Race.

I find this picture of Ron Wilton doing the one hand, one footer to be really cool in so many ways. It is such a cool air, especially considering he is doing it on that little six foot wide ramp they had. It is also funny to see some of those Pacific Brand bike parts on his bike. Did people actually use that stuff? The size of those rear standing platforms was ridiculous.

And of course we get the Fred Blood roller skating shot. There has been some rumors around that roller skating is making a come back in the cements parks. And I am sure Fred Blood will be there leading the way. That is just as bad a rollerblading.

Epic race coverage from Indiana. Ronnie Anderson out in the lead in this picture. This must have been in the main because Ronnie was wearing all white. Seems he wore all black in his motos, then switch over to all white in the mains. He had a three win race here which was pretty normal for him. The guy was crazy fast. Some even said a touch bit crazy, but I really don't know. just rumors.

Nice starting gate picture of Billy Griggs. This was back before he turned pro. The guys over at Fat BMX had a good write up on Billy's shop that he runs. Workshop Wednesday is what they call it. Go over there and check it out.

I wouldn't normally post up a picture of Tommy Brackens sliding out and race rusults, but these were too good to pass up. A Pro money was taken by mountain bike rider Jon Tomac. The guy was all over the place back then. I think he even rode the Tour De France. Also one of my favorite San Antonio racers ever and former Austin riding buddy of mine Marty Christman winning 11x over someone named Greg Romero. Whoever that is?