I first met James about 15 years ago. He was this guy working at a local bike shop in Table View who could get bmx parts. I headed down to get some 3 piece cranks as I had bent the shit out of my mosh 1 piece's...hahaha, Back then i would never have realised that James would become one of my best friends.
He has been in the bike industry a long time and has done his fair share to get bmx more assessable to the masses and support the scene, he has done everything from working in bike stores to organising jams, to working at bike distros and even owning a bmx only store! To my knowledge he also made the first cpt bmx video called "Weapons of Mass Destruction" or just "Weapons"!
James has always been there to help out kids and other riders with advice or parts where he could and he was always down to take us little rats with him to hit up out of town spots (he was one of few guys with a car back then).
I have know James for a long time and he has done so much to promote bmx over the years and he is still not finished.He has his own unique style and is always thinking of different lines to everybody else.
Next time you see him shake his hand and don't get in his way when he is trying to do a line.
Ryan le Roux
• Werner Hendrich• I think the question on everyone’s lips is. How long have you been riding or being a part of the BMX scene? I started riding in about 1998 or something. I really don't know.
• Who and what got you into riding? I was working at Surf Centre in Long street and my boss, Karl Ebel was very into DH and Dual slalom riding. We had loads of Krusty's, FOX and Arnette videos etc that had BMX in. One day I went to pick up some skate stock from Dragons Sports and they had a sample "Fishbone" BMX there. I just added it to the skate stock and took it home. I never looked back.
• You are over 30 and still throwing the bars. I think to most riders it’s a huge inspiration. Do you think your mindset on riding changes as one get older? Yep, I'm 34.5 and Barspins suck, haha. So frustrating. One day you're on it and the next you've totally lost it. It took me about 6 years to realise I was doing them the wrong way. Getting older does change things. You can loose focus, get into other things (both good and bad). My mindset is to just ride lots and try to keep myself progressing at a pace I'm happy with. I'd prefer to try something that no one is doing right now, no matter how small/dorky it is, than do what the new cool trick is. When I see 3 or 4 guys training tuck no-handers, I have no desire to join in, haha.
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| 180 Feeble stall to Opp Barspin in - Photo Jacques Mulder @ Epikco |
• I don’t think most people realize how big of a impact the Boogaloos park had on the Cape Town scene. Was it hard to stay motivated after it closed down and seeing how friendships faded away? Boogs park ruled (thanks to Keith). It had great ramps and good layout. Loads of stuff to grind. I've done stuff there I don't think I'll ever do again, just because the setup was right for that trick at the time. It was also a place that twice a week Cape Town would get together, have a blast, feed of each other and organize sessions for the upcoming weekend. When that place closed everyone drifted apart abit and guys you would ride with on a weekly basis, you would only see maybe once a month, if you made the mission to their side.
• As a kid, you always helped me and all those around you out with parts, and advice. How do you feel that someone younger than you is flowing you with parts? I think it's great. From the start I knew Daylife was a good thing. I did Fitting and Turning in highschool and if I had the tools/machines I'd be making stuff too, so it seems logical to help those who do have the tools for the job. I'm very grateful that Daylife has flowed me parts, made me a custom 35mm stem and allowed me to help design the hubguards. I’m amped that Salvo let me test a frame and took my input on that too and added the built in seatclamp. I also thank everyone (you know who you are) who's ever hooked me up with free shoes/parts or not charged me full price for stuff. You keep me rolling and I use your products with pride.
• If you could have a sesh with anyone in the world right now, who would it be? My boys, Josh Viljoen and Grant Bender. I have no idea why but when I ride with them it's all smiles, lots of fun and sh!t talking the whole time. Veg would fit into this group great. Get back here!
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| Josh Viljoen doing the rail hop that James has been sweating about for a couple months now. Photo by James Brawn. |
• Have you ever cranked full out and hucked a gap? Not that I can remember.
• Your favourite song to ride with? Anything Wu-Tang. They have so much stuff that covers so many styles and moods that I can never get bored of them. I have about 70 Wu-Tang and Killah Bee CD's, nearly all the solo cd's, side projects and spin off stuff. There's still about 10 cd's I will be ordering when my 13th cheque comes through. C.R.E.A.M.!
• Eric Wyatt Palmer
How different are the opportunities kids have today compared to how it was when you started? Good parts and the internet. We used to have to make axles because you couldn't find 14mm's anywhere. You choices of parts where so small that you basicly had to ride what you could find. The internet is so great for BMX, or any sport. Some kids you've never seen before can do the maddest stuff and you can see it either live or at least a day later. This fuels the speed of progress. We had to wait 3 months to see the latest magazine and try figure it out from pictures or maybe see a new video about twice a year.
You are not in riding for the "cool" factor & don't follow trends in bike parts or riding style, does it worry/bother you seeing so many kids follow the trends & forgetting why they started? The more kids that follow trends the better for me. Beringer said the same kind of thing a few years ago. It makes the random crap that I do stand out from the crowd, haha. It's called "freestyle bmx" for a reason. It doesn't bother me much but I do think that if some riders didn't worry about the new trendy tricks/style, then they might have more fun.
You are probably the oldest rider in CT that rides regularly, what is it like riding with guys half your age & how do you keep amped to stay on it? That's the great thing about BMX/Skating/Blading etc is that when you're doing it, there's no age, race, background issues. We're just riding. Some of the best riders around right now are half my age. Charles is 15 and doing tricks I'll never be able to do. It's GREAT. Check his Epikco edit here.
Ryan le Roux
1. What keeps you motivated to ride? Freedom. Just getting on my bike with some Wu playing and trying to figure out some stuff I still can't do or try figure out something new. I like going back to spots I haven’t ridden for a few years and instantly seeing things in a new light and doing new tricks on old setups.
2. How to you go about learning new tricks and what do you do when you cant land them? I never really try to learn new stuff. I'll try figure something out and try it a couple times but if I don't come close then I'll usually just move onto something/somewhere else. The only trick I think I've tried to learn were footjam whips, haha. That took a couple weeks of "not going home until I pull one/three/ten in a row" etc. And opp barspins are a work in progress. If I can't land something I'll just make some silly loud noise or shout something. I try not to swear much anymore. Swearing 4 times in one sentence doesn’t make you cool, haha. I'll say "Sh!t" or something but if I say F#*& then you know I'm pissed.
3. Describe a day from your dreams and what you would get up to. I don't dream. I have nightmares about spots and things I want to do. The Cape Tech ledge smith had me awake for years, I drive past it everyday and I've been there at least 4 times to shoot photos and I've had to just to walk away. I finally did it the other day first go. Stupid ledge! I have about 6 or 7 tricks I want to do down the Muizenburg rail but I don't think it'll ever happen. That's a dream I suppose because I haven't even done that rail, haha.
4. Favourite spot to ride? BABY CITY. It's the most basic and mellow spot ever but it's 2 mins from my house and I've had countless hours/days of fun there.
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| Half cab in Parklands - Photo Jacques Mulder @ Epikco |
5.Top 6 Favourite BMX videos/DVDs? Speak the Silence, Standard "Domination", Animal - ALL OF THEM, Ride "Reincarnation", Mutiny "Lets Get Mystical", Ride "Insight".
6. favourite bike companies? WeThePeople/Eclat, Animal, Daylife, Odyssey/Sunday, Props Visual Limited (OK, not a bike company but without them and the Road Fools videos/dvds BMX would be very different) and I'd love to get a Standard STA frame. It's still got the same shape from about 8 years ago and in the current trend of everything looking the same, this frame stands out. One day I will re-join the Standard Army, haha.
7. What riders nationally and internationally influence your riding? Locally it's everyone because everyone influences you somehow, either positively or negatively. I'm not going to name guys because there is not enough space on the interweb and I wouldn't want anyone to feel left out. If I have ever ridden with you, even for 5 seconds, then you've influenced me and I thank you.
8. What was the best thing about owning and running your own BMX only store? Free time! Playing PS3 all day and having guys drop by to session the grind box or ramp outside. It was a load of stress and I had some huge debt at the end but I wouldn't trade that time of my life for anything. I tried, it didn't work out, I moved on. Some people have said it was a blow to CT that WCBmx closed but I don't think so. The CT scene is healthy and although smaller than a few years ago, it's on a higher level. With BMEggs, GBBMX, Daylife, Epikco and Salvo putting in work to promote their areas, Cape Town is the place to be. Heck, even all the skaters are moving here. We don't have parks like JHB and DBN but Cape Town is the sh!t.
9. What’s up with the brakes? hahahah They are back on. I’ve had them on for about a month now and I'm going to keep them on until the end of the year. I'm amped on getting way more tech and I still can't manual so this might help? We’ll see if they stay on. EDIT: (A total of 6 weeks).
10. When will be been seeing a re- release of WOMD? Nope. If anyone wants a copy, I have it on my PS3 so pull around with a USB and you can have it or read Colin’s question below.
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| Tight ledge ride to fakie in Muizenburg - Photo Josh Viljoen. |
11. Any secret projects or ideas you can let us in on? Nope. My times abit stretched at the moment and I don't see it getting easier. I just want to ride. If anyone has some ideas and wants my input then just ask. I’ll help out where I can but I’m not going to drive anything right now.
Colin Loudon
1: a long time back i remember a posse of riders from CT called the dollar crew ...were you part of this crew? Part of it? haha. One night, I'm out a Breakers playing pool and drinking (alot) and then I met up with Donavan and some of the more straight edge guys and we're just roaming the streets with these 2l bottles of this cheap ass cooldrink called "Dollar". Things get a little fuzzy but for a couple weeks after that whenever we saw each other we'd be saying "DOLLAAAR", when we answered our phones it would be "DOLLLAAAAR" etc. Next thing Don had some tees made and Calvin, who's dad made bootleg tees in his garage, is making more tees for like R50 and we're selling/giving them to some guys we ride with. It was so funny and was never a serious thing. Some guys thought it was and would give us sh!t but we didn't care. I'd be in my local 7/11 and some random kids would ask "are you in the Dollar Crew?" Damn it was funny. It’s like what the Skabanga guys are doing now. Making Tees and yelling “Skabanga” at each other all day. Good fun.
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| Caveman in Muizenburg - Photo by Grant Bender - this spot used to have rails on top. Glad they took them off. |
2: do you ever plan on uploading your video Weapons of Mass Destruction to vimeo/youtube ? What year was it filmed so kids have an idea how long you’ve been in the SA scene for ? It is on Vimeo. It's been up for about a year now. I just posted the last section recently. I made that in about 2002/3 with footage I got while in England, random stuff I shot around Table Zoo and Town and with a load of footage I got from Wayne and Buddy. Some of that footage is from 199?. I think this video caused the whole "Constantia" blowup and abit of tension at the time. I've love to hear that phone call again.
3: what is your obsession with animal bob scerbo bars ? They just look so damn good and feel great. They are the most "street" bars you will ever get, haha. I’d sometimes swop them for 2pc bars but then open a magazine, see someone with Bob’s and I’ll be reaching for the allen keys again straight away. Big Bob's are coming out soon (8.25) and I can see them being a huge trend. Kid's get on it.
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| Aaron Brawn rocking the Bob bars - We ride, We riot! |
4: rails or ledges? Ledges. I have never done a legit street rail. I've done park rails and flat rails but they don't count, imo. I have a terrible habit of seeing the worst outcome of a rail and just freak myself out.
5: your favourite DayLife part/product. Deff the Basil Pegs. Total class product. I've used Plegs and them KHE plastic things but I didn't trust them at all. Snapped and cracked a few too many. These Daylife pegs are GREAT and I have total confidence in them. They are as tough as steel, last for ages and slide brick like butter. They are the best part on my bike. 4 for life!
Jon Sherwood
1) James, you have worked in pretty much all aspects of the local bike scene. From first working in a bike store, to owning and running your own store, to now working at one of SA's biggest bicycle distros. What's it like being a BMX rider in an industry dominated by road and MTB? And would you encourage more riders to get involved in the industry as well? I actually worked in 3 bike shops (2 in SA and 1 in England) before trying my own thing. I approached Dragons Sports, where I work now, many years before all this and had an interview but the time wasn't right. When my shop was going down it was the first and only place I sent my CV. I had an interview that same week and got the job 2 days later. Closed shop over the next few weeks and that was that. I've never been happier at a job.
Working as a distro is hard work and the pressure is pretty high. Dealing with every bike/sport/skate store in Southern Africa can be pretty hectic but it's an exciting ride. I get to deal with the US with ordering Skate stock and deal with Taiwan and China for bikes and spares. I actually got to design a bike 2 years ago for Avalanche bikes, which is our own brand. I designed the frame incl tube sizes, thickness, geometry, colours and speced all the parts for it. I did everything. It was the "Dominate" bmx which was a real cheap bmx for entry level racing/cruising around with a short toptube for the younger kids. It was rad and we sold loads with no come backs, snaps or complaints. I'm proud of that. We just got in the 2012 DV8 bikes that I helped with too. It feels good to have a hand in design and leaving your little touches on something that people will buy.
Being a BMXer in a big wheel world you'll never really be taken seriously but then again BMX shouldn't be serious. I love taking the test bikes out and kicking the MTB guys asses even though I've only ridden a MTB like 6 times. We have MTB guys, Road guys, some who don't ride and even a bad ass Inline skater, Zynn, working there. I deal with more skaters than anything else right now.
Kids should def get involved with the industry. If you're taking a gap year or not sure what you want to do with our life right now then get a job at your local shop. It's easy work and you can get cheap parts. If you're sick of your local store not having the parts/bikes you want then the only way you can change this is by getting involved with the store. Get a job there and change the situation from the inside. You're still young so it's not a career. If it sucks, move on, but at least give it a shot.
2) Our generation of riders mostly started out riding trails and then progressed on to street, then finally parks as they became available and opened up to bikes. You however always had your feet firmly planted in the tech street side of riding, and although you can (and do) ride everything you remain focused on tech street. What has been your Inspiration all this time that has kept you so focused on this type of riding? Truth, I'm lazy. I used to ride dirt but I realised that in the time it takes me to get to the trails, I could have already had a good solid street ride around my local spots. The first thing I learnt to do was Feeble grinds.. Our local KFC had a perfect 10m long ledge that we'd session for hours. We'd go there at 11pm and wait for them to close and then kill that ledge until 2am. They even put coping on it after a while to try protect it. I learnt so many grinds it that time. I'll never get over the feeling and sound of a nice long smooth grind. I live in Table View and it's basiclly beach sand for about 10kms inland so trails was always a loosing battle. We have some great stuff behind Donavan’s house though and at the Waterslide. Richwood was great too. Good times.
3) Following on from your tech riding you have also been known to run some rather "old school" bike setups to accommodate your riding style. Dare I even say unfashionable at times? Despite this I've always found your bikes really refreshing simply because they are always built according to what suits you best and not what is the latest trend. Do you think other riders would progress better if they focussed on setting up their bikes to their own taste? Or do you think following bike fashion is also important in pushing progression in BMX? I think it's funny that no one can ride my bike. It's deff not the normal setup but it's the way it's always been. Frames (technically) too small for me, cut bars, high-ish, fat seat etc, but it just works for me. I started running a Freecoaster back in 2001-ish and have used one for about 70% of my riding ever since. I'm no Ian Sportz but it works for me and my unfashionable riding style. Haha.
Trends have their place for sure. It it wasn't for guys like Taj were'd still be on 44t sprockets and 25kg bikes, Eddie C and Chase D for the lower seats and bigger bars trend, etc. I think you have to ask yourself "what type of riding do I (want to) do and does my setup make it easier or harder to accomplish this?".
I do think that some guys change their setups too often for no reason other than trying to impress others and get carried away. I suppose it keeps the money coming in though.
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| We'll call this a "Downside Peg Slide" on the H-street manny pad - Photo by Grant Bender. |
Wayne Reiche
How have things changed since having a wife and kid?? Has it affected the way you spend your time on the bike?? I use the words "time management" sometimes. You just have to even everything out. My wife is awesome and I can pretty much ride whenever I have the free time. I ride about twice a week and with summer coming up I’ll be doing a lot more night rides. I don’t travel out of Table View much though because driving an hour to a spot and an hour back is 2 hours wasted (unless the spot is really worth it). I’d rather hang with Melissa and Aaron all weekend and then go ride Table View for an hour or 2 in between, than have it the other way around. Family First.
A while back you spent some time in England. Would you ever consider moving over there or are you stoked on CT life ? Cape Town is the best. I was born in England but I’ve been here since I was 5 so I’ll say I’m more South African. England has a great riding scene but you can’t beat CT weather.
Your Favourite Grind?? Smith or Butcher’s “Levitation” grind.
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| Smith on the Cape Tech ledge - Photo Jacques Mulder @ Epikco |
You have seen the Cape Town scene morph over the years. What is your opinion on where it is at the moment?? It’s good right now. Lots of kids riding and actually helping out with their spots. Gums has a good crew again that not only rides but builds loads too. Streets getting crappy with everywhere around my area getting fences put up but you just have to search and revisit old spots with an open mind. There’s some good little parks popping up and Town will be getting some next year. I foresee another boom coming soon.
You sometimes get pretty frustrated when you can't get something? Do you think you are sometimes a bit hard on yourself ? I’m not hard enough on myself. I get REALLY frustrated when I know that I can do something and I just wuss out. Usually I will pull something on my 2nd or 3rd try and that just frustrates me more, getting the guts to at least try it in the first place. Having guys going “you can do it, James” from the side makes it worse. I know I can do it. That’s why I’m pissed off, haha.
Thanks to everyone who send in their questions.
