Why in the BMX zone? Because they wouldn’t let us set up in the girls bathroom.
In general, what are the tough things to battle when developing new products?
Time, factory limitations, and keeping the product affordable.
Do you fancy going to Taiwan to follow up on the development process and to negotiate pricing?
I’ll let you know in a month when I get back. I’m really excited to go finally. G.L. is a pro over there, he’s going to show me the ropes.
Who are some of the riders that give good feedback on the products that make your life easier? Everyone on the team, our sales team, shops, distributors, riders who own the bikes. The only way to improve products is to gather info from everywhere. If we can meet everyone’s needs and demands, everyone will be satisfied with our products.
Do you have secret product testers out there or do the team riders take care of that?
We use a little of both. We’ve got a few local dudes that beat bikes to hell, and then between the team guys, and The Skeleton Crew, the products go through a range of testing and abuse.
Big tires, big bars, slammed seats, small gearing and lightweight. What's next?
Double top tubes!
How hard is it to come up with a colour for your products? Subrosa has an obvious color pallet to work with, but with the addition of our guest color each year, it’s a little difficult at times. We really want that color to fit with our line and the feeling of Subrosa. It’s never just a random color.
Are you scared of the mandatory paint/colour testing or do you not worry about that yet?
No, not at all. We make Kyle Hart eat one of everything, and he’s still in perfect health.
How important is pricepoint for your products?
Price is very important to me. Growing up as a rider, I remember saving money for certain products, or just something new for my bike. If it’s to expensive, than how can a younger rider obtain our products on their own.
Can you explain how hard it is to put an original idea into a final product? It’s not too hard, just feels like it takes forever. From the time we create a product to the time a consumer can get it is longer than it seems.
What is a 2010 product you designed that you are most proud of?
Definitely Hoang’s signature Villicus frame. The frame is sick, and I’m psyched for Hoang, he’s a good friend, and deserves it.
What's the worst design in BMX at the moment?
Saying something in BMX is the worst.
What do you think is a clever product?
Our “Dialed” belt is a bottle opener too.
Why do people need to look into your brand?
The Sparky’s Distribution booth will have the most carpet padding out of all the brands in the BMX Zone. It’ll feel nice to stand in there all day.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.