02.12.2008 – flowshizzle video session @ auburn by XP

After months of recovering from a broken hand, I finally received the official go ahead from my doctor to go big.Back on 1/19 (@ Auburn), I broke out of my shell and hit all the jumps that I attempted…twice…in two shuttles. This DH shiznit is addictive! We decided to revisit Auburn(culvert/confluence) this past Saturday for our first official flowshizzle video session. We started the ride with a catastrophic mechanical failure. Attempting to show up Dan’s first jump, Ray cased his rear wheel on the first primer jump down culvert and broke a hand full of spokes on his new Heckler. Fortunately, we weren’t too far from the trailhead for him to hike back to the car. Don, Dan, and I continued downhill for the rest of the video shoot. We met Ray at the bottom, made a trip to local bike shop (Cambria Bicycle Emporium) and replaced all the broken and severed spokes. An hour later, we rode back up for our second shuttle of the day. Ray redeemed himself and cleared the primer jump he cased earlier in the day..."that's what I'm talkin bout." I overshot a new log jump that I landed three times prior in the day and had one of my most horrific tumbles…oh yeah, I also cleared the huge creek jump!!! Unfortunately, I landed on my left side creating a “gravellanch” that followed me for at least 10 feet. Dan has pushed his Iron Horse hardtail to “his” limits on this DH trail. After a few “dead sailor” munches, a bent derailleur, and a broken shifter pod, he has finally realized the need to trade up for a new full suspension rig. What can I say about Don…well, he has practically gone big on every jump. I think dude is getting bored! We’re catching up dude…so hang tight…well be ready for North Star this summer. Check out the video page! Thanks for coming out TEAM FLOWSHIZZLE!!!

11.02.07 - Bullit Build by DM

Here’s my new/used 04 Santa Cruz Bullit – the newest member of the FlowShizzle family. I bought this off ebay cuz I kept bottoming out my Giant Trance. Unfortunately, it came with a piece of shit fox dhx4 air shock that doesn’t work. That’s ok though, cuz it gives me an excuse to buy a new DHX5 coil instead. The bad news is that my new shock won’t be here until next week, so no riding for me this weekend. That’s cool though cuz as you can see by the scuffs on my handlebars, I went down pretty hard last weekend on the Culvert trail in Auburn and I could use an extra week to heal. After I get the shock all paid for, I then need to figure out what the hell I’m gonna do for a fork. For now, I’m using the MZ AMII off of my Trance, but that things gonna ride on the Bullit like a spare tire would ride on Big Foot – just not meant for each other.

To see more pictures of the Bullit Build go to the pics page.

10.13.07 - Flowshizzle 1991 by XP

I was looking through some old pictures and stumbled upon a picture of my first bike build. Sixteen years ago I built a bike from parts taken from three old junk bikes. As you can see the bike was not one bit a Redline nor did I had a fancy work stand for the build. In fact, cost of rebuild…$0. I sanded and painted the old frame with left over sandpaper and auto body paint from my dad’s garage. The bike was a one-speed, chromed-out, heavy-gauged steel TANK.

09.27.07 - Ohh Snaps! by XP

Not really a snap but a fracture in one of the bones in my left hand. I went to Cummings park determined to clear the second tabletop of a 4 jump combo run that I failed misereblely the previous week. If little thirteen year old punks can clear it, then I can too. Well, not really. Big difference was that they were riding hardtails practically 20lbs less than my full suspension. Plus, the BMX park is practically their playground and this was only my third visit. Long story short, I nose dived into the right side of the downlip of a tabletop and munch over the handlebars. I broke my fall using my left hand, tucked and rolled out of it thinking I escaped only with a sprained wrist.  Well x-rays determined differently with a fractured scafoid bone. Looks like I'm out for atleast two months while being cripled in a cast.