We've been running into X-mas messages and have yet to create a "Happy Holidays" care of our own. But in the meantime we'll post up the ones we've received and came across. Ours probably won't be as fancy as some, but it's the idea that counts. We made it through 2022 and are glas we could get back to normal life after covid. With some restrictions left and right it was a year full of BMX events back on the calendar and we used every single opportunity to get to them. We covered races from all over the world. We pumped around a bit in circles and had fun at the BMX Freestyle competitions that were back once again. Jams, check. Parties, check. Sessions, check.
We've got 35 years of covering BMX behind us now and are the longest running BMX media around that covers all aspects of BMX. Proud of it? In fact, yes a little. As many have found out, it's not easy to keep things rolling on the daily for that long. 2023 is upon us and we'll keep going, regardless if the money is there. Regardless if BMX business is booming or not (it isn't right now).
Red Bull "Circle of Balance" comes to NOLA on December 17th. Watch it live on FATBMX.com
C1 BMX Racing Live from Slovenia
What started in 1987 as a street jam was continued at the Sugar Hills trails with the focus on riding dirt. In fact we did three street jams in Aarle-Rixtel before moving to De Valkendijk where the dirt spot has seen annual action for over 32 years now. Is the FATJAM the longest running annual BMX jam in the world? This past Saturday 3 September called for another one. The process remains the same; pick a date, make a flyer, tell people about the jam, and wait and see who turns up.
For the 2022 edition we added a 40-years EK Beek & Donk reunion. The Milky Way Open European Championships happened 40 years ago on our local BMX track in Beek & Donk a few miles from Aarle-Rixtel. If you wanted to talk oldskool BMX, the FATJAM was the place. Gerrit and Mieke Does, and Pieter Does made it to the jam early and first international visitor in 1982 Thomas Fritscher (GER) found his way back to Aarle-Rixtel as well. Former BMX photographer Christ Verhoeven and his son Gert showed up and contributed to the old stories as did Ans Vereijken, Tiny van Brug, André Duijmelink, Jan, Leo and Diny Leenders, Richard Waldt and Johan de Leeuw. Names who probably don't mean much to current BMX riders but were there when BMX was shaped. With 1982 EK Beek & Donk buttons and Milky Ways on the table the old stories came back instantly.
Add Frits van der Linden on the BBQ and a JBL producing songs and you'll get the idea where things were going with some cool Bavaria's being opened from time to time....
It was the late '80-s when issue number 15 came out and these items made it on the RAD side of the RAD-LAME list: Bresie'Z, Robert's graffitied Renault 14, Speedfreaks video, Vla, Divorze Posse's Demo Tape (that's a cassette by the way....), A Full PO Box, Watching Jason Ellis cutting Mike Canning's hair, Prantl's 360 at the Energie hal, English riders visiting the Leiden freestyle contest, DP's Black Medallion, Advertisers, D-signs designs, On Edge Apparel, DJ Kid Sundance, Tye Dye shirts, 'zines, Lambert's Harley, Mini-ramp Hengelo and Double seatpost clamps.Man, most of these things aren't too hot any longer but back in 1989 they made it on the RAD list. To see what made it on the Lame side, turn to page 17.
We have a Jason Ellis interview in issue 15, a street sk8 comp in Eindhoven, 540 sequence of Albert Moonen, the Circus came to town and brought 2 BMX-ers from England, The Cologne contest Number 2 took place at the Jugendpark, Merijn Bonte got an interview, Free Converse sticker, Divorze Posse live, we had an article about miniramps that were the new thing at the end of the eighties, Matt Pingel had his fair share of contributions in the issue and Martijn Deijkers wrote a scene report on Adelberg, Germany. Andreas Althaus got an interview as well, we had a report on the King Of Concrete, concert report on the Bad Brains and a wrtie up on a demo in Uden.
Dude, what a list! Did you get your cup of coffee yet? Because here comes the full issue.
Aarle-Rixtel - Na twee jaar wachten kon vandaag het BMX-geweld weer losbarsten op de hoek van de Buizerdstraat/Valkendijk in Aarle-Rixtel. Daar vond de 31ste editie van de FATJAM plaats.
Issue 12 had a green color. In the beginning we picked our color but after some issues we did not care. As long as it wasn't the same color as the previous issue it was okay. The cover photo on the green paper came out nice. Issue 12 had the infamous Believe it, or not?! news section, a reader photo section and also an MBL concert report. We used to have some ramps at the end of our street that we set up differently all the time. It was our ghetto skatepark but it worked for us. We also rode our scooters there, see page 9 and 10.
RAD-LAME list, of course! Entered a Talent Show at school and won! One DJ, one rapper and me flatlanding on stage. We got a trophy and a day off. Sweet.
2 Hip King Of Nothing (Rotterdam) report where they stole my camera. Bad news it was. Free Dave Vanderspek Curb Dogs sticker in this issue. RIP Dave. Yes we rode fullpipes back in the day. 19 years ago in Lieshout. Take that.
Tony Hawk did a demo in Eindhoven and we were there. Ryan Moniham interview, Dynamo Open Air '89 report, Bresie interview, Miniramp pics, Pingel art, Open Dutch vert skate championships, and a freestyle contest report from Sedan, France. Another road trip it was and we rode on carpet! That about sums it up.
Did you ever have a cover of a magazine? Yes I did, FAT-'zine issue 9 right here. Putting yourself on the cover is pretty lame but what the heck, make your own (maga)zine and you have that control too. The photo was taken at an event in the Rai, Amsterdam and "street riding" was a new thing. We got plenty of cool artwork again from our friends at school. Somehow they never got caught. The StokeBros sent over a few pages and again we brought the news in the Believe it, or not!? pages.
It's 1989 and a photo caption says that Paul is back on the freestyle scene. A comeback in 1989! Paul also went to see Suicidal Tendencies twice and reports about it.
Issue #9 has 'Zine reviews (Sketchy, Fractured and Zenith) and Lars from Mars also wrote a story that you can find on page 18. We did a lot in 1988 and have 7 pages covering the places we went.
The free sticker page was filled with a terrible Airwalk freestyle team sticker but hey, it was free.
We went to a BDP concert in Eindhoven (P. 29-30) and went back to the University of Duesseldorf to ride the brick banks. The year was 1989.
Jeroen Hoogaerts (RIP) and Ron Wilkerson both got interviews. We did Another RAD-LAME list, Matt Pingel contributed more stuff and we went to the EnergieHal in Rotterdam for a session.
After the first "Try-mag" we released in 1987 the feedback was so good that we decided to continue with the FAT-'zine project. Paul had just got back from the USA where he stayed for a few months and visited the 2-Hip KOV in Washington, Mount Thrashmore skatepark and the Powerhouse Bike Shop in Hampton, VA.
Issue 01 had three stickers, one FF sticker, one Powerhouse Bike Shop sticker and one Skeletor sticker that Paul found on a roll in the $ 1 dollar shop.
Mike Loveridge got interviewed and street riding is starting to take off. Paul and I used to do BMX freestyle demos and placed a full page ad in the FAT-'zine. Or maybe it was just a filler, who knows.
Some things that made it on the RAD list were: Town & Country wear, Club Homeboy, Fingerboards and Centerpull brakes. Yes, these were the eighties (1988). Things that made it on the Lame list were: The Del Mar killers, Grabber seats, Dyno shoes and Lee Chi brakes. Some of this makes me laugh.
Scooters were still hot (in our eyes) and we even had a page on Snowboarding (the next cool thing to do).
Robert Moeller got introduced as the first German FAT-'zine correspondent and we also took a trip to an LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim and Public Enemy concert in Amsterdam. Memories........
Today is a good day and we are pleased to give away a brand new @radiobmxrace setup incl. 1x HELIUM PRO (L, XL or XXL) frame, 1x SOLAR CARBON 20” front & rear rim, 4x SOLAR 20” rim tapes, 2x OXYGEN 20” (1,75” or 1,95”) tires, 1x MICRODOT jersey (XXS – XXL) and several sticker packs.
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To enter the giveaway:
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1. Follow @radiobmxrace @traffic.bmx @trafficbmxfrance @fatbmx !
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2. Tag 2 of your BMX Race friends in the comments below!
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We will choose the post from where we will choose the winner by lot and the winner from the comments on the 5th of November. So you can increase your chances by commenting each of the 4 posts. The winner will receive the whole set as seen on the photo. Multiple comments allowed. We will contact the winner via direct message. The raffle is open EU wide!
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After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.