FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

We recently collaborated with TEEL Bikes to support their effort to bring the Peregrine Master mag wheel back from obscurity. Redline Bicycles worked closely with Peregrine in the 1980s, distributing, and specifying, many of their components on the Redline Freestyle bike ranges. Now, in 2022, TEEL Bikes - owners of the Peregrine brand - will open the door of opportunity for BMX collectors, enthusiasts, and riders to preorder and purchase this excellent wheelset in its original specification and build their dream bikes.

The opening offer includes a Trifecta" deal that may appeal to our RL 20 II Owners. Choose and preorder any three of the five colors for a $89 discount and free US shipping within the USA on orders placed before the end of November 2022.

On this episode I interview legend photographer Bill Batchelor. In the interview we talk about his new book called, 'Concrete And Smog'. It's a book documenting the early days of BMX in the 1980's in Southern California.

It wasn't meant to be the last issue of FAT-'zine but it sure was. Since picking up a job at the European GT marketing offices in Belgium in 1996 I was too busy with work. In fact, it was my first real job and one I liked a lot so screwing around wasn't an option. The Condor made the last cover and I'm glad it's him who got the last FAT-'zine love. Since these 'zines didn't come out every few weeks any longer the content list just got bigger and bigger.

We'll rush through it and leave it up to you to flip through all the pages here online.

• Ruben Castillo interview,
• BMX race Schijndel,
• Schwinn show Atlanta, Georgia,
• Volkel BMX race,
• Burnside Oregon session,
• Telebel show, bunny hopping ten bodybuilders,
• BMX Wo Venezuela,
• Bo's trails,
• Basic Boys House in Vancouver,
• Crimetime with KOP,

Raleigh, the iconic British bicycle brand, ‘creates cool’ by bringing one of their most exhilarating products back to life, the 1980’s inspired limited Tuff Burner edition. The re-make of the MK1 Raleigh Super Tuff Burner screams BMX pop culture and has us wallowing in nostalgia as it goes live today for pre-orders on Raleigh’s website. As ubiquitous as the rubik's cube, the new Tuff Burner features a vibrant colour scheme with bright blue and yellow contrasts. The double hole chromemoly frame with loop tail rear, skyway mag wheels and the three piece BMX padset means pure retro aesthetics.

The 1980’s are known to be close to the heart of many, especially the We Were Rad collective,

The cover of issue 33 is one I remember well. Jay Miron, Mark Losey and I made a trip from Huntington Beach to Vancouver. We stopped in San Jose where we visited the Garcia family, had a tour at the Skyway factory in Redding, rode Burnside early in the morning and then cruised on to "the Basic house" in Vancouver. We had nothing but rain all week long and did not much else than drink and play fuSball. Every time we got back from a club Andrew Faris was still riding his bike in the garage downstairs. He was working on a new trick and I promised him the cover of FAT if he pulled it. Well, he's on the cover isn't he?

Anyway, back to the content. Taj on vert on the contents page. This was 1996.

-Bicycle Stunt finals report (Florida),
-Andrew Faris interview,
-ABA Grands report + KOD,
-DIG sticker,
-VIDEO reviews,
-Brad Blanchard interview,
-10 memorable places where I spent the night,
-Bartman comic,

Beware 4-Intro/BMX-Vdo from 1997-`98 by kallezeug

Back in the 80s I bought a magazine called BMX Action bike, the first issue I bought had a pic of a guy in race gear and full face helmet dropping into a concrete bowl.

Episode 7 of the Union tapes, is the legendary UK BMX rider Craig Campbell, if you into BMX stories n history, you aint gonna miss this one!

We are almost nearing the end here of the FAT-'zines that were made between 1987 and 1996 before we got involved with that WWW. John Parker got the cover of issue number 32. Again GT hooked it up with a free sticker on the inside cover. The computer was doing its job and made it easier to read the text. No more fading typewriter ribbon.

The BON section has always been a big part of the FAT-'zine. Read it, it will make you go: Oh yeah, I forgot about that. 

The Beerfelden comp is one to remember. We bring it up every time we run into Alex Reinke and Detlef Richter (RIP). Good times. Read about it on page 12.

A terrible accident on the way to the KOC in Kalle's dad's car did not stop us from getting there as planned. It was a close call but we survived. The car was a write-off though.

We had a Rob "Ninja" Sigaty interview before people started calling him Sarge. BS Comp OKC report by PdJ who also provided a free Paul's Boutique sticker.

Iwan and Choq went on a trip in a 2CV. Read all about it in FAT-32.

Free Vans sticker; check. A4 trails report, Sprocket Jockey tour report,  Dutch BMX race championships,

Title of the book: Emulsion, the BMX Photobook
Author: Mark Noble
Date published: Spring 2022
Pages: 296, Hardback, Loose Dust Cover
Copies printed: 250 1st edition, 250 Final Second edition

How long was the thinking process before you decided to get to work on the book?
Mark Noble: I've been thinking about this book for bloody years to be honest. All my old photos are filed away in boxes in my garage space, and each time I went in there for something else random I thought "there's probably a photo book in here, maybe one day..." but I knew it would take a serious amount of time to make it happen, and I just didn't have the time. Then in spring 2021 an abrupt change in employment meant I suddenly had all the time in the world - so I got started. Well, after repainting most of the inside of my house first, I got started.

Did you have things lined up and organized as far as photos were concerned?
Mark Noble: I kept everything in date order anyway, so it was all reasonably well organised - I was pretty good at that sort of thing I guess, you have to be when working on multiple magazines anyway.