The Bike Show 05

Words, Photos and Artwork: by Jason Lunn
Copyright: all content copyright ChilledHeat 2005

Jamie Bestwick
Flair

Ben Wallace
DS Tailwhip

Craig Stevens
Opp Lookback

Jamie Bestwick
High

Eduardo
Flair

Jamie Bestwick
Busdriver

A brief introduction; The bike show has been held in the UK year in year out for over 20 Years now Usually in the NEC Birmingham. This year to save money it was held at The National Agricultural Center. The Bike Show has always provided the UK with incredible demonstration of all types of bicycle riding from the UK's most talented Bicycle riders and assorted international riders that are visiting specifically for the event or passing through.

Way back in the Early 1980's Bob Haro (founder of Haro BMX) did a demonstration of freestyle BMX for a Uk audience that was televised on Channel 4. He had a 6ft high 4ft wide quaterpipe and a small wedge ramp to do kickturns on. This was the first time freestyle BMX had ever been witnessed by the BMX riders in the Uk who were all following the starters orders of riders ready, pedals ready, Go! and racing in packs of 8 around pretty mellow bmx tracks accross the Nation.

During his demonstration Bob Haro went approximately 1 1/2 foot out the quaterpipe on his highest air and did a variety of coaster wheelies, rollbacks and front wheel endos as his trick reportoire. He did it with so much slick California style that the whole crowd was in awe of his skills. As a result Haro BMX bikes has grown to be one of the largest most respected BMX manufacturers of all time with Riders like Dave Mirra heading the team.

Times really have changed since then. These pictures will hopefully show in more detail than the magazine coverage of what went down that weekend. We manged to arrange two Media Passes for the event courtesy of Ride BMX magazine. The event was from Fri through to Sunday however we watched the BMX Midi contest on Friday and Vert Finals and Street qualifiers Saturday. These events really are fun to go to but three days in a row is too much especially having watched all that riding, its enough to make you want to grab your bike and head of to your local skatepark. As a result we have missed out loads of riders but would like to share with you some of the Photos that we managed to capture.

Highlights of Vert

The Pictures speak for themselves, The vert Ramp was held in the same Hall as all the trade stalls to bring the crowds in and anybody interested could get value for money from their 14 pound entry fee as they witnessed, Jamie Bestwick, Simon Tabron ,Mike Mullen, Tom Haugen and Eduardo Terreros among others absolutely take apart the Red Bull 50ft wide Kingsize ramp. These riders had the ramp more dialled than the others and were consistently going higher and faster.

Notable highlights are that Jamie Bestwick is now throwing 900s mid run along with Flairs, lookback flairs, huge everything else that can be done om a bike including tailwhips, barspins, truckdriver 540s, turndowns, no handers and all of the above in all combinations in both directions. Simon rode super good. All th Tabron trade mark 540 variations alleyooped and high, 900s flairs and super clean air variations. Eduardo told me he has just recovered from a broken leg however it appears all is well now as he blasted about the ramp. After Simon then Jamie Nailed 900s Tim Eichart in a bright yellow shirt and helmet tried one and slammed so hard that he was unconcious for 45 minutes which ened the Vert comp early whilst paramedics tried to bring him back round.

Highlights of Midi Ramp Contest.

It seems that everybody is doing flairs and backflip variations as set up tricks now, Flair whips were being thrown over the box mid run by Ben Hennon, Tobias Wicke and various other riders. Scotty Cramner was throwing super high front flips and got super close to nailing a double whip flip on Saturday.

Ryan Nyquist has turned Flairs on the Midi Ramp into monster high sideways 540s like a crazy goofy foot flatspin. He was doing all the Nyquist stuff pinching his sit between his legs whilst spinning his bars in all directions, include no handed suicide backflips over the box and super high spine 360s and you have an idea of what he did.

Ryan Guettler was riding great super smooth tailwhips and 360 whips 720s and flairs all over the show. Bristols Craig Stevens is just getting better and better hugh airs band variations both directions and include 360s perfectly nosed in over the 7ft spine both directions as well. Colum Walshe was showing everybody how to jump a jumpbox with all kinds of air variations clicked and pulled to the limit.

Alistair Whitton was doing hige transfers on the street course from the jump box to the Midi ramp sub and back again super super clicked turndown flips over the box throw in a decade air and 8ft airs on the midi and you will understand why he has a pro bike with his name on.

Tobias Wicke with whips flair whips all kinds of tailwhip nosepick nose manual lip trickery.

Mark Webb has one of the most dialed flairs on small transitions I have seen and was throwing them on every curve in the building,

Ben Wallace all manner of decade, Turndown flips, fufanus on the back rail, flairs, downside whips, tailwhips and double whips over the box. However he took one of the biggest slams I have seen with a backflip attempt over the 7 ft Midi spine which did not rotate past upside down, Ben dived into the flat bottom on his shoulder and lay there in a heap for quite some time before he limped off.

Dave Osato, Chris Mahoney, Ronnie Surridge, Cameron Hardie, among others riders were flying around with great style all super smooth smooth and high. There was also a whole bunch of visiting US and European Pros which no doubt you will read about in other articles on the event but because the Ramps were painted black and white and the course was in a dirty old cow shed at the National Agricultural Centre the back drop and lack of lighting was not the most inspiring for my photography. So the pictures featured here are somewhat limited and are from the Midi Ramp contest on the Friday only. Just click on any photo to enlarge.

Jason Lunn April 2005

Mike Mullen
Tabletop

Mike Mullen
Lookback

Simon Tabron
High

Dave Osato
1 foot

Chris Mahoney
Tabletop

Ryan Nyquist
Flair