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Yep, our first event of the winter will be a good one, a full blown game of B.I.K.E. 

Sunday June 18, Belconnen skatepark.

Three different age categories! Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category.

Everyone that rides must be a current member of Freestyle BMX Australia with a competitive licence which lasts for a year. Registration will be open at 1pm and close at 1.45pm on the day if you need to sign up to FBMXA. Under 18s will need a parent or guardian to sign them on, no mate signing you on! Alternatively you can sign up online prior right here.

FBMXA membership will be provide you with public liability insurance while you're a member (a yearly membership costs $41.15 currently), as well as given personal accident insurance while you're a member - which helps with things like ambulance and loss of income etc if you've had a crash. Full scope of the coverage is available here.

Can't wait to see the moves that everyone unleashes, from rail tricks to box jump tricks to bowl riding, it's going to be awesome and a good way to expand your list of tricks.. Should probably start practising! 

This is pretty damn exciting for us! Since releasing the Back Bone video two years ago, we've lived on the idea of it remaining as solely a video. But after some thought, we going to share it with the world. It's been long enough. Thanks to all those who have a physical copy, we're still all so proud of how hard we worked to make it a reality.

We'll be releasing one section a week in order, but first up to kick it off is our intro section AND Russell Brindley with the opening section!

The intro pays homage to our mate/team rider/BMX legend, the late Dane Searls. It also has a reasonably unrehearsed 'average' night at the shop with team riders and mates. Watching this still makes me laugh!

Russell with the well deserved 'opener' section.. Dr Smooth lays it down with effortless, timeless style and as well as that, has been around since Back Bone wasn't even a shop, supporting and spreading the good word.. it makes sense that Russ had first section! Those whips at the trails.. DAMN.

Enjoy, and make sure you get tuned in next week!

The big hanger to drop on Northbourne, Canberra. Photo Nick Gascoine.

Jack O'Reilly is one dedicated dude. Not just when it comes to riding, but with everything in life. The dude has laser focus. He is determined. I mean, how else could someone commit to going out and filming gnarly big rails consistently without having focus like Jack does?

While everyone else was tripping over themselves, trying to pull together their part in the Back Bone video when the deadline was looming, Jack had been putting in work consistently for 18 months prior, with what he had to do next already planned in his head. And he'd get it done. All this while working 5, sometimes 6 days a week as a plumber.

One of the gnarliest street riders we've seen, but also the dude who'll come up to the trails now and again and get through the line first go. He also has fine taste in BMX, music and other things in life. Get a glimpse into a little of what makes Jack tick below.

Places on the bike:

• ANU
• UC
• Melbourne
• Sydney
• Hastings

This rail doesn't get messed with too often.. In fact, I don't know of anyone apart from Jack doing anything but a double peg down it. Jack, big feeble on a narrow 16 stair. Jack Gruber Photo.

Places off the bike:

• Broulee
• Byron
• Crescents head
• Milton
• Back Bone

Jack with one of the most serious nose wheelies ever. You have to gap out and the ledge is that weird length that doesn't allow you to half ass the nose and correct into position. You just have to jump straight into the position and if you flip, you're falling ten foot. Raine Turnbull photo.

Music to ride to:

• To be honest, I find it hard to listen to music whilst riding... soooo none.

Music to hang to:

• Beast of Bourbon - Psycho
• Sydney City Trash - Whiskey In The Sun
• Nick Cave - Knockin' On Joe
• Drunk Mums - Dirty Birmy

Gnarly skinny ledge ride, Kingston. Nick Gascoine photo.

Bike parts:

• Division hub guard
• Eclat Bondi rims are hard to beat
• Odyssey Trailmix pedals
• Division C bars
• Division Lanark frame

Tricks:

• Over crooks
• Nollie ice
• A Ty Morrow oppo 3 or tail whip
• No footer to table

Dived into the overcrooks, UC. Jack Gruber photo. 

Riders:

• Calvin Kosovich
• Brian Kachinsky
• Ty Morrow
• All the backbone dudes; Russell, Tyso, Jack, Zac, Jeff etc etc

BMX memories:

• Traveling around Europe with Rob Pak
• Division trip to Brisbane
• Most recent trip to Melbourne
• Back Bone trip to Kempsey
• Back Bone trip through country Victoria

At this point, there is so much hype surrounding the ACT jam that I just don't know what to say any more. It's just gets crazier every year! 2017 means we're five years deep on the ACT Jam re-incarnation. James Fox did a second to none job on this one and went above and beyond. If you see him, give him a firm handshake and a pat on the back. Legend.

Press play, hold on tight and start making plans to get here next year.

Lastly, thanks to those who helped with running the jam, whether it was by picking up rubbish or helping set up/pack down, special mention to the Tuggeranong Vikings BMX Club for their support on the Kambah KOD stop, and of course the sponsors that helped make the prizes a reality, make sure you support these guys:

Kink BMX

Colony BMX

Sweet Bones Bakery

Wethepeople

Fiend BMX

Subrosa Brand

Vans

Sunday Bikes

Fitbikeco.

Tempered Goods

S&M Bikes

Division Brand

BSD

Shadow Conspiracy

Vocal BMX

Next year is gonna be a hell of a time!

above image via vansbmxprocup.com

No doubt you've seen at least some of the insane riding that's gone down this past weekend in Malaga, Spain as the second stop of the Vans BMX Pro Cup has wrapped up. It has to have been one of the most incredible competitions that's gone down in recent memory and the riding was nothing short of mind blowing. It was pinnacle bowl riding! 

Congrats to Chase Hawk for snatching the victory despite some heavy riding from all competitors, and our brother Jason Watts for grabbing 13th in a stacked as hell field!

While it's not the finals, the above video from Freedom BMX features Ruben Alcantara speaking about the park and the way he designed it; which in itself is really interesting, plus of course some serious riding from the crew that were there for the comp. Hats off to Freedom BMX for getting Ruben's thoughts!

Vans is killing it with this series.. it's sick to see a brand steeped in BMX history doing things right - I guess that's why they're steeped in BMX history. 

Just for kicks, here's a photo of Jase blasting Weston while he was in town.

The ACT jam for 2017.. what a time. Best one yet we reckon - and no slowing down that's for sure. We've got a doozy of an update coming, but one of the unexpected perks of ACT jam was having one hell of a sesh at the trails with some crew that was in town. The Kink boys were here, good mate (and newest member of the Back Bone team!) Jason Watts, some seasoned locals and a few blow-ins got a ride in. Conditions were good and as you can expect with a crew like that, the riding was next level. 

Let the photos get you psyched and keep checking back for the ACT Jam 2017 update.

Tyson JP photos.

Parrot (Kris McKreath), has come blazing back onto the scene in the last couple of years and is riding harder, smoother, and better than ever.. Which could be due to the time he spends with a shovel in hand. Paragazi whip. 

Parrot, like I said, on the shovel. 

Chad Osburn RIPS. No hander to turndown was just one of many stylish moves we were treated to this morning.

When you see Russ Brindley ride in person, you'll want to do your tricks a certain way after that.

The 360s were on another level from Jason Watts.

Tweaked. Chris Doyle is THE man.

Speaking of tweaked, this should be printed out and stuck on your bedroom wall. Chris Doyle with the Groundchuck that would make Isaac McCrea proud (or gets me stoked at least!).

Jack Gruber, the young gun turned Royal Rat turned Back Bone video part filmer turned mad man. We've watched Jack rise from the young kid who walked in and got his first complete bike from us to now just killing it with us and Odyssey looking after him!

Jack fired out a rad minute web edit and a couple of photos, as well as answering a top five - so take a second to watch, read and learn about our brother Jack!

TOP 5's with JACK GRUBER

Places on the bike:

• Tuggers skatepark
• Cruising around the City
• Fadden Bowl
• Woden
• Anywhere with a good crew of dudes

Places off the bike:

• Byron Bay
• Civic Pub/ Knightsbridge
• Transit/Phoenix Bar for the good gigs
• Troy Harradine’s house
• Anywhere with a schnitty special

Jack with the AM tooth hanger. Photo Tyson JP. 

Music to ride to:

• Any Smith Street Band song
• Gang of Youths: What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out
• Kendrick Lamar.. Too many to name
• Patti Smith: Rock and Roll Nigger
• Ty Morrows Deadline song part ( Wicked Lady: War Cloud )

Music to hang to:

• Any Smith Street Band song
• Ocean Alley: Partner In Crime
• Camp Cope: Footscray Station
• Kendrick Lamar.. Same story, Art of Peer Pressure if I have to name one
• Courtney Barnett: Out of The Woodwork, Gang Of Youths: Knuckles White Dry, Cindy Lauper: Girls Just Want to Have Fun , Julia Jacklin: Pool Party , Slayer: Jesus Saves, The Preatures: Rock and Roll Rave… Top 10?

And an over oppo hanger on the same ledge. Tyson JP photo.

Bike parts:

• Odyssey R32 Forks
• Fiend Reynolds Frame
• Odyssey Hazard lite rims, how mine are still round is a mystery
• ODI longnecks. With Flanges. Always need the Flange
• Division drive side hub guard. Saves you every time

Riders:

• Garrett Reynolds
• Troy Harradine
• Nathan Williams
• All the boys (Jack O’Reilly, Zac Miner, TJP, B-dog) and everyone else we go out and film with
• Garrett Reynolds?

BMX memories:

• Every ACT JAM
• Back Bone DVD prem night
• Latest Victoria road trip with the Back Bone crew.. good times
• Getting Zac Miner to sign my 2008? ( I would have been 11/12 ) 2020 cover. Now the mans chasing me around with a pen and paper every weekend.
• All the times we get a good crew and go film or just hang out.

The S&M Bikes Australian team including Back Bone maniac Will Gunn, as well as guest star Jonny Mackellar rode the absolute hell out of everywhere from the Blue Mountains, down through to Young NSW to then beast out at the Kerr trails, with a bonus round at Will's ramp. Then across to Canberra for more good times at the trails and parks we have to offer here. Canberra has always been a destination for BMXers the world over, but it seems to be growing with more and more spots - right now Canberra is thriving!

If you haven't watched this video because it's 8 minutes long, then you are missing out. James Fox paints up a masterpiece yet again! Head to the DIG site to get more of a glimpse of what happened on the trip, you won't regret it.

Will Gunn with the turndown to end all turndowns at Xave's spot in the Blue Mountains. Scott Greentree photo.

If you've walked into Back Bone in the last ten years, more than likely you've had Tyson Jones-Peni say g'day or spotted him behind the computer. Tyson has been a fixture of the Canberra scene since he moved here in 2005 and now after working at the shop for ten years, has recently become co-owner along with good mate and Back Bone creator Rhysty, moving into the new shop in Belco.

Despite them both being flat out getting their heads around doing a shop fit out and being on the other side of town, Tyson hasn't slowed down in riding any. He just got back from having a hell of a time at the Vans BMX bowl comp in Manly and has been catching laps at just about anywhere! Read on to find out what gets him psyched.

Catching some breaths after catching some air. Colin Mackay photo.

TOP 5's with TYSON JONES-PENI

(Photo captions by Tyson)

Places on the bike:

• The Canberra trail triad (Hillfire, Snails, Wamboin)
• Posh
• Civic skatepark
• HVT
• Concrete with a deep end and nothing under 6ft

Places off the bike:

• Home
• NYC
• Inner Northeast Melbourne
• At the trails when it's overcast and kinda cold, after it's rained the day before
• Back Bone

The Vans bowl checks the 'concrete with a deep end' box as a top five for me. Something that has to be 'worked out' when you ride it is a good time. Colin Mackay photo.

Songs to ride to:

• Relentess - Pentagram (we're all on a Pentagram kick at the moment..)
• Black Diamond - The Replacements
• The Hammer - Motorhead
• Run Like Hell - Pink Floyd
• Rally Round The Drum - Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys

Songs to hang to:

• Unsatisfied - The Replacements
• To Be Young - Ryan Adams
• Don't Swallow the Cap - The National
• Telly - James Maloney and the Mad Dog Harrisons
• Better Days - Graham Nash

More than happy to ride just this line at the trails, all the time. Tom O'Reilly photo.

Bike parts:

• United TRU frame
• ODI O Grips
• United Indirect tires
• Tree hubs
• Eclat Bondi rims

Whipping from quarter to quarter during the Vans pro cup. Colin Mackay photo.

Riders:

• Riders that build stuff get me stoked
• My friends
• People that are having fun when they ride
• Those who ride fast with power
• Brian Foster

360 euro at the Snail. The top of this line is so good, minimal flat bottom and poppy. Sick to have such a different style of jumps to ride compared to Hillfire. Brendan Boeck photo.

BMX memories:

• Walking into Posh for the first time
• Last Hush jam
• Red Bull Dirt Pipe the last year it was on. Rode it for an hour, then it rained for 3 days straight. It would've been awesome to ride it more as it was insane to ride but it certainly felt like a BMX reunion for the next couple of days.
• Watching This Is United premiere at the S&M warehouse in Cali, standing next to Ian Morris while he was showing people his video was a spin out.
• Riding T-1, so glad I was able to experience that.

Gunning had a hip in the park that was real fun. Zac Miner photo.