Join us for an epic conversation with the one and only gOrk – the legendary Craig Barrette! This BMX icon has shaped the sport from behind the lens and through powerful storytelling over the years. From his early days as editor and photographer for BMX Action Magazine, capturing the raw energy of the BMX world, to his role as a photographer and editor with the American Bicycle Association (ABA), gOrk has been at the forefront of BMX media.
Welcome to another exciting episode of the Super Rad BMX Podcast! In this episode, we're thrilled to have the legendary Hollywood Mike Miranda join us for an in-depth interview.
Name: Bob Medrano
Hometown: Concord, California, USA
Started riding BMX in: 1973
Number of bikes in the collection: 10
It looks like you were one of the NorCal BMX pioneers in the '70s. Did you realize what was being developed at the time?
Bob Medrano: No I would have never thought it would be an Olympic sport.
Did a lot of it come from imitating motocross?
Bob Medrano: Yes for sure. I just wanted to ride (motocross) bicycles or motorcycles & be around the riding spots in the area & there were a lot of MX & BMX spots in the '70s.
What were the early tracks like and how did the bikes hold up on the BMX tracks that were created?
Kurt Schmidt is without doubt the fakie pioneer, no one was doing fakie tricks like him in the mid 90s, we delve deep into that topic and as usual go right back to the start. Kurt grew up near Minneapolis in middle America, a long way from the sunshine drenched concrete skateparks of California but the lust for BMX was strong and these guys made their own thriving scene, mostly in Kurt's garden, where they constructed quarter pipes to rip on. I never knew just how deep Kurt's BMX roots were, he started way back in the 80s BMX boom.
Join me as I take you through my unforgettable experience at the 2024 BMX Hall of Fame weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma! For my 50th birthday, my wife hooked me up with tickets to this incredible event, packed with BMX legends, jaw-dropping bikes, and the vibrant BMX community. (I love her so much!) Held at the USA BMX National Headquarters and Hall of Fame Museum, this event was a true celebration of BMX history and the thriving scene today.
Name: Travis Hess
Hometown: Martinsburg WV
Started riding BMX in: 1986
Number of bikes in the collection: 21 (11 BMX bikes, 10 Schwinns)
Being into cars, hot rods, drag racing, what made you decide to look into BMX bikes too?
Travis Hess: I think for me it was the early racing innovation that made me attracted to the early BMX era..like I love how Redline, Champion, Gary Turner etc were building flat track bikes, drag cars and stuff and then their kids wanted to race BMX.
Did you run into BMX bikes while looking for car stuff?
Travis Hess: No, I went down this deep rabbit hole from Schwinns. I got my first Stingray in like 1995/6 and my Dad and me were way into them In mid 2000s. Then you know how it goes, you drift into other
Name: Brian Malmquist
Hometown: Valparaiso, Indiana but I currently reside in Charlotte, North Carolina
Started riding BMX in: Approximately 1985 so I would have been 11 years old
Number of bikes in the collection: 18 completes and 22 framesets waiting to be built
Next to working on cars as a hobby, do you find it easier to work on BMX bikes?
Brian Malmquist: Of course there are far fewer parts to a bike, but it's surprising how complicated they can be to put together properly sometimes. Different headset stack heights, tight bottom brackets, chains that go tight and loose, wobbly sprockets, dialing in brakes. I am a very detailed person, so I don't just throw a bike together for show. I build every bike to ride smoothly.
Few bikes have defined a generation of innovation and design the way Mongoose’s iconic designs of the 1970s and 1980s did for BMX. To celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary, Mongoose is re-releasing limited quantities of three of its most recognizable early products. Next month, fans will be able to purchase special edition Mongoose Supergoose and FS-1 bikes, as well as the legendary Mongoose Motomag III wheels, on mongoose.com.
Supergoose: An ’80s Icon
Dirty Knobs Podcast Season 3 Episode 13 with Hollywood Mike Miranda, JV James Vicente and EC Eric Carter. This episode has BMX Hall of Famer, BMX Action Test Rider, owner of S&M Bikes and vintage BMX racer, Chris "Mad Dog" Moeller.
Recorded live on September 21st, 2024 at Hardesty National BMX Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.