On a great Colorado bluebird day in January a fantastic group of riders headed to Windsor’s Eastman Park to ride bikes. Nice.
Category Archives: Action
A big day for Big Tex
On a weird day in Colorado that had mid-day temps in the 60’s then snow by afternoon a young Texas stud put on quite a show at Valmont Bike Park in Boulder. Not to be deterred by gusting winds, Plus Size BMX & Black Market Bikes rider Clayton Shank no-handered, whipped and flipped off the best of what this park has to offer. Near empty on a beautiful Monday in January, the few that were on hand got to see some phenomenal riding by this young man.
Big Tex or Mr. Clayton, as my 6 year old calls him, holds a special place in our hearts. He is Elsa’s de facto private bike instructor and according to her is “the man”. I couldn’t ask for a better role model.
Enjoy a collection of recent images of Big Tex from this past weekend. Hard to believe it’s January. Got to love Colorado!
YellowZone….Denver has a foam pit!
The Yellow Designs Stunt Team has created a MONSTER. Housed in the back of Big Time Trampoline Fun Center in Arvada, Colorado, YellowZone is bound to become a bike training hotspot for up and coming locals.
What makes this training center unique? Well for starters it’s indoors. Our fall here in Colorado has been mild so far but winter will, no doubt, rear its ugly head and shut down all but the most dedicated outdoor jumpers. Secondly, YellowZone is staffed by members of the Yellow Designs Stunt team. These amazing riders are on hand to ensure safety, provide inspiration and give a tip or two to riders pushing their limits. Finally is the foam pit. This one item may be the key to creating riders that will turn heads wherever they decide to show up.
A foam pit is a safe way to learn challenging new moves while removing the risks of pounding misses into unforgiving dirt. Tricks mastered in “the pit” can more easily be transferred to parks and dirt much more quickly and comfortably. A foam pit is not commonly available for athletes and to have one locally is a gift. The locals who were training last night were definitely taking advantage of it.
Clayton Shank…..this boy can ride
Yesterday I stopped by Barnum North Bike Park in Denver and hooked up with my friend Clayton Shank for some an awesome dirt jump session. Clayton is a fantastic up and coming rider with big plans for the future.
Clayton is fortunate to be supported in his love of riding from some great companies. Black Market Bikes, Plus Size BMX, the Fix Bike Shop, IXS Sports Division, VP Pedals, Novik Gloves and Evo Hemp all see something special in Clayton. Once you see this kid do his thing you will know why.
Clayton’s goals for next season reach almost as high as his signature “whips”. Road trips to compete across the county and a coveted top 10 in the inaugural season of Colorado’s own Outlaws of Dirt series are just the beginning of what Mr. Clayton has set his sights on.
Good Luck Clayton.
Brighton Jumpspot….. almost there.
I had to post an update on the progress of one of the front range’s newest bike parks. Saturday was the first day that Brighton Jumpsot was sort of open. RIders got to test all of the features and burn in jump lines on what will soon be one of the hottest places for riders of all abilities to work their skills.
Logan Holland, the guys from Plus Size BMX, Gromspot and all of the local volunteers have done a fantastic job creating a jumping masterpiece.
Tricks & Treats Jam…..Sandstone Park was the place to be.
Just before Halloween at Longmont’s Sandstone Bike Park, a group of riders came together for an extraordinary event that featured tricks, treats, costumes and crashes. The riders showed their skills and pushed their limits. The “call-out” format, which was MC’d by Longmont’s own Mike Murfitt Jr. had contestants on their toes and digging deep into their individuals bags of tricks. For those that are not familiar, a “call-out” involves a specific trick to be done on a specific feature of Sandstone’s incredibly varied terrain. The contest finale was a treacherous event in one of the larger bowls where all of the riders entered at once, attempted to avoid collisions and crowned the winner as the last to put a foot down.
Sponsors included Plus Size BMX, Joe’s Bike Shop, Outlaws of Dirt and Kink & Sunday Bikes. Needless to say the day was a spectacle and spooktacular good time.
Friends of Barnum North Bike Park…..working to keep Denver’s downtown park great.
The Friends of Barnum North Bike Park, Plus Size BMX, Gromspot, the City of Denver, BikeDenver.org and Winter Park Resorts held an fantastic event on a cloudy and then rainy Saturday this October. The event featured great riding, free hotdogs and a wonderful raffle where Denver’s own Mayor Michael Hancock presented a lucky winner with a new bike. The “friends” maintain the park as volunteers headed up by Nick Solonincka, of Salvagetti’s Bike Shop and park designer Phil Rowe. Thanks to all that showed up and too bad it rained so hard.
Sunday Fun-day…..a road-trip to Fort Collins
Not much to say at this point other than post some great images. Mini road-trip with the Plus Size BMX team to some hot sites in Fort Collins. Wind can’t stop these guys.
“Chool Jam”…..Yellow Designs Stunt Team puts together a crowd pleaser.
Last Sunday, as glimpses of fall began to appear, a group of sponsors, fans and competitors got together to celebrate one last summer jam. Flatland and ramp riders alike came together to exhibit skills and friendship, while pushing each other to the brink. Yellow Designs Team played host to the event and sponsors like Hoffman and S&M bikes, Fiveten Footwear, Illegal Pete’s, Pusher BMX, Standard Bykes, Joe’s Bike Shop and Vitamin Water all helped make things happen. The jam took place outside the Big Time Trampoline Fun Center in Arvada, Colorado, and if you have never seen it best check it out soon. Don’t forget the kiddies.
Boulder Green Streets…..loads of fun jumping a box on a bike.
This past weekend Boulder Green Streets hosted the third annual Ciclovia event. East Pearl Street was closed along with an additional three miles of streets around town. The event focused on sustainability and active lifestyle but the real interest was on the corner of 18th & Pearl where Gromspot, Joe’s Bike Shop and Plus Size BMX set up “the box”. Local riders Clayton Shank, Jordan El-Nasser and Mike Murffit Jr. joined Joe from Joe’s Bike Shop and Chris Olivier of Plus Size BMX to wow the crowd with their unbelievable skills and creativity. Jake Kinney, of California’s Woodward West, got big air and jumped a couple of lovely volunteers and 6 year old Little D jumped his dad! Who would have thought that this much fun could be had on a three-foot box?
