For today's episode of Preserving BMX History we talked to BMX legend Eddy King. Before we hit it off, he had to show me his new Canyon E-bike. Only 3 in existence in the USA right now, one being in the possession of MX SX star Ken Roczen, the other one in the hands of MTB rider Paul Basagoitia. Eddy was well proud of having access to the bike and is looking forward to the next ride. We touched base with Eddy on the early years of BMX for him growing up in Chula Vista when riders were brought in from Tijuana by the local dealer just to have a race with the Americans. In 1974 Eddy discovered BMX when he saw a flyer posted up in the window of his local bike shop. It was 1975 when Eddy first raced BMX at Silver Wing BMX, a somewhat downhill track in San Diego. "It took 60 seconds to ride the track, that's how slow we were." Eddy was competing on a $ 29,95 USD Huffy from K-Mart showing that event the top pros had to start somewhere.
Did Silver Wing BMX track get a lot of coverage back then in the magazines?
Eddy King: Just locally.
Re-Up; Preserving BMX History. Episode 59: Toby Henderson (USA)
Name: Toby Henderson
Started riding in: 1972
Teams represented: DG, Raleigh, Hutch, SE, GT, Iron Horse.
Was pretty much everyone on a Stingray when they raced Bicycle Motocross at BUMS in 1973?
Toby Henderson: I know I was on one. The rest of the guys... I'm sure there were some Huffy's on the field :)
At age 12, was the Stingray actually a perfect fit for you?
Toby Henderson: I didn't know better, but it handled everything better than any other bike I rode at that time. It was funny you asked because I was the first one to get a Schwinn Scrambler/prototype, a straight tube version of the Stringray. The head tube was so slacked out, it was almost unrideable. Not sure if they ever fixed that as I went on to ride for DG later on.
Did you do many of the downhill BMX races when they were around?
Toby Henderson: Yes, I remember one in San Diego where I crashed really hard. On the Yarnell track, I was scared to death just to go out of the starting gate.
How many bikes would break at a race like that?
Re-Up; Preserving BMX History. Episode 58: Mickael Clerté (FRA)
Name: Mickael Clerté
Hometown: Gujan Mestras, France
Started riding BMX in: 1985
Number of bikes in the collection: 18
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Mickael Clerté: Yes around 2010, hearing about more and more BMX old school reunions.
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Mickael Clerté: My old friend from TOURS, Eric Pontoizeau. This guy is one of the first French who start to collecting.
Do you feel there is a need for BMX products to survive for history's sake?
Mickael Clerté: Yes sure.
Did you get to keep all your bikes when you were part of sponsored teams?
Mickael Clerté: No never, always need to sell those bikes to pay BMX travels, races…I wish I could but not.
We are pleased to offer new products and excess batch 1 RL 20 II Components inventory for sale. Most products will ship from already received inventory, and some will ship a week or two later, with dates clearly set out on each product page. Lead times are short, but please be aware of them where applicable. We have a little excess inventory in first-batch color handlebars and stems that are batched up with some number plates and discounted to make great-value Redline Forklifter packages. We also have some unallocated raw RL 20 II forks (including fork pegs) that will also be painted. Color options will be Cali Red, White, Black, Radberry, and Hazard Yellow. We will not offer these in Chrome plated finishes at this time.
Elsewhere, we will offer some excess colored stems, tires, etc., with deep discounts, and all orders over $200 will receive a free pair of our black Kastan grips. We will automatically send grips with qualifying orders. The grip is currently a promotional item and not for sale separately.
Name: Ely Thomas
Hometown: Dirty Mitten (Michigan)
Started riding BMX in: Started around 12 years old
Number of bikes in the collection: 25
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Ely D. Thomas: Well started collecting old fat tire and Stingrays I would find at Yard sales and would walk past the BMX for some reason. Then one day that changed and I started with the BMX about 15-20 years ago.
Name: Jesus Pozo (Chino)
Hometown: San Diego California
Started riding BMX in: '87/'88
Number of bikes in the collection: 25 plus 20 frame sets
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Chino Jesus: Good question, I’ve kept some of the GT/Dyno pit bikes I had since jr high. I bought a GT pit frame around 2014 and met a good friend that would help spark the BMX bug. Once I saw his collection, mainly RL20 II (7) and Haro Master bashguards (4), I was hooked.
What is your fascination about bashguard bikes?
Chino Jesus: An older guy in the neighborhood had a chrome Haro Master bashguard. He worked at a local bike shop and had all the top of the line parts. He would sell my friends and I his left over parts and we would have cool upgrades. That bike always stood out to me. Probably an '89 Master. That’s why when I met my buddy Gabriel and saw his collection, I told him to sell me one of the bashguard bikes.
Re-Up; Preserving BMX History. Episode 55: Martin Pimentel (AUS)
Name: Martin Pimentel
Hometown: Sydney, Australia but currently living in London, England
Started riding BMX in: 1978 but I’ve been riding one kind of bike or another since the age of 2 (yes I have photographic evidence)
Number of bikes in the collection: 113 at its peak but that’s down to 55 right now. Most of what is left has not been shared widely yet so I have lots of building left to do. 1980 to 1984 was my golden age.
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Martin Pimentel: Like most things in life, it was at a party. It was the early 2000s and an old '80s song came on. To this day I associate particular songs to certain bikes. Made me think of a black 1983 SE Quadangle with gold parts and camo pads I always wanted but never had. That sparked the flame that burns to this day.
Who were the first people you came across that helped you out to find the stuff you needed?
Martin Pimentel: There were too many to mention here. I started going deep and before too long the stuff tended to find me! That’s the good thing about this community. People get to know each other, their
Name: Peter Ashby
Hometown: Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia
Started riding BMX in: 1979
Number of bikes in the collection: 15 at the moment
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Peter Ashby: It was around 20 years ago. I saw an old 1980 Mongoose on a rubbish pile so I took it home because of the great memories I had as a kid with BMX's and hung it in my garage.
Has Torker always been THE brand for you?
Re-Up; Preserving BMX History. Episode 53: Patrick Freitas (DJ Truly Odd) (USA)
Name: Patrick Freitas (DJ Truly Odd)
Hometown: I grew up in Merced, CA., live in Los Angeles now.
Started riding BMX in: 1975
Number of bikes in the collection: Probably 15- 20 built. A lot of frame sets though.
Do you remember the moment that you decided to start collecting BMX memorabilia?
Patrick Truly Odd Freitas: Yes, it was early 2000’s. My buddy Andreas (DJ Greyboy), who I’d known from doing music with, had just moved up to Long Beach. I went by his house one day, walked in and saw bikes hanging up on the wall, all over the room and upstairs. Sick bikes too… a 26” Nomura, 24” CW Faze-1, 16” Redline Squareback Pit, etc. We started talking and I told him I was heavy into racing BITD and still had all my stuff at my parents house. The whole passion for BMX surfaced again that day.
At this moment, do you wish you had started collecting earlier?
Patrick Truly Odd Freitas: I guess, but it was still real early in the “collecting” scene. The hunt for things was fun and wasn’t as blown out as today.
Re-Up; Preserving BMX History. Episode 52: Jon Hoffman aka OLDSKOOLPK (USA)
Name: Jon Hoffman aka OLDSKOOLPK
Hometown: Haddon Township, NJ
Started riding BMX in: 1986
Number of bikes in the collection: 10 completes and 2 NOS SE Racing framesets (NOS Gold 1983 PK RIPPER and a NOS Orange 1985 Freestyle Quadangle)
What was the starting point of your BMX collecting madness?
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.