Bikeguide.org - Bike maintenance for BMX'ers
The Street => The Lounge => Topic started by: dude... on January 03, 2015, 04:31:34 AM
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Nigel Sylvester might be BMX's most recognizable figure, but his life and career are anything but typical of the sport. From starting his own clothing line to putting out videos featuring French Montana, the BMX pro has carved out a personal brand within a culture that values staying insular. In this VICE Sports exclusive, we follow Nigel across the country to see where he came from and where the sport is taking him next. Catch Part 1 and Part 2 later this month on VICE Sports.
https://sports.vice.com/video/nigel-sylvester-on-advancing-bmx-without-fitting-in-trailer (https://sports.vice.com/video/nigel-sylvester-on-advancing-bmx-without-fitting-in-trailer)
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It would be great if Vice did an Epicly Later'd style series for BMXers, so this is slightly encouraging. Sadly I doubt this will happen but if it did features on Edwin, Hamdog, Ruben, Van, Joe Rich and maybe a contemporary street assassin like Dak or Garrett Reynolds would be the way to go. Or perhaps bona fide nutcases would make for more interesting viewing (Gabe Brooks, Sean Burns), I dunno.
Nigel's a decent rider (although a whole host of street stunters are way more interesting to watch) but I am fed up with the boring narrative we have to hear every few months. I also don't feel like he's advancing BMX very much, other than maybe giving it a bit more exposure to the mainstream.
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Yeah he fits in more with rappers. Maybe he will drop a mix tape and we will never have to watch him bmx again. I would be fine with that
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Nigel is NYC's biggest embarrassment.
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Does anyone remember in 2006 when he was just a guy riding a teal Fly Pantera that did a downside whip on a picnic table in the Animal All Day video?
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hes good at riding, but his outlook on life is warped. bmx needs more high end boutique clothing brands...um does it?
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hes good at riding, but his outlook on life is warped. bmx needs more high end boutique clothing brands...um does it?
lol anyone that rides knows how clothes get owned during a riding session. Unless you just sit on your bike(i.e Nigel) or a millionaire it's pointless/stupid to try to look "fly" while riding
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hes good at riding, but his outlook on life is warped. bmx needs more high end boutique clothing brands...um does it?
lol anyone that rides knows how clothes get owned during a riding session. Unless you just sit on your bike(i.e Nigel) or a millionaire it's pointless/stupid to try to look "fly" while riding
add to that his designs are super generic anyway, plus the super awkward instagram onslaught, its just cringey. peep games as bad for it too (though at least their range is slightly more diverse).
(http://static.squarespace.com/static/54650888e4b08689b03e5a6f/5465209ae4b0f132d8ce2efa/5474a5ebe4b035ef76f7957d/1416930796155/pryadice_fw14_09.jpg?format=1500w)
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also worth mentioning thats despite being good at riding, hes been doing pretty much the same stuff for the last 5 years (which coincidently fits in with the whole new york/new jersey street riding style) which is hardly advancing bmx
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Did you guys see that putting in work video of Nigel? That was awesome.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4)
great riding, but pharell williams? seriously? if nige and pharell are kickin it on the reg, then that explains why pyradice is so fruity #billionaireboyzklub
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Hes too old to be really pushing the sport from a riding perspective. So all the power to him to push bmx from a business stand point if he has the right connections.
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Maybe if he put out videos like that regularly he could get a better response from BMX. I suspect the core of BMX is not his demographic though.
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The thing I don't get is that he is saying that he isn't a typical BMXer? I don't quite get that. Does he mean he doesn't look like the vert riders that pushed the sport into the main stream (Hoffman and Mirra) or that he doesn't look like a typical street rider? I get it if he is going for the latter but I'm pretty sure 'dude from the East Coast with pegs and no brakes' is the image of a street rider and has been for years.
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its all just marketing blurbs to make him seem edgy, i think theyre playin on the fact hes a pro with corporate sponsors, but hes not a ramp rat.
its not really unique though, edwin was on red bull for years but he was totally chill about it. he was in the same situation, street rider from new york who started at the bottom and managed to make it big, and id say without a doubt that edwin has had waaay more influence on bmx style etc than nigel
maybe nigel is just one of those people who takes himself super seriously
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its all just marketing blurbs to make him seem edgy, i think theyre playin on the fact hes a pro with corporate sponsors, but hes not a ramp rat.
its not really unique though, edwin was on red bull for years but he was totally chill about it. he was in the same situation, street rider from new york who started at the bottom and managed to make it big, and id say without a doubt that edwin has had waaay more influence on bmx style etc than nigel
maybe nigel is just one of those people who takes himself super seriously
Agreed. Edwin straight up invented the "barspinning NY street style" or whatever you want to call it, and transformed bmx into what it is now. Had Edwin not existed, I think the "2 pegs and a straight cable of 2005" would still be the main thing in bmx. I could be way off on this, but in my opinion Edwin basically showed the world how to land flat and not look like shit.
No doubt Nigel has basically taken the Edwin style and progressed it significantly, and I respect what he can do on a bike, but the whole attempted celebrity thing is kind of awkward/ cringe-worthy to watch.
To me, the big difference between what Nigel is doing now and what Dave Mirra did 12 years ago comes down to credibility, and shameless marketing. Circa 2004, Mirra was essentially the king of bmx, simply because he had won a million X games contests, thus the super big corporate sponsors seemed like a pretty natural thing. From what I recall, his main sponsors outside the core bmx companies were Slim Jim, Fox, and Oxy pimple cream. Even though the Oxy zit medicine stuff was kind of lulzy at the time, it's not like Mirra would go on record spouting horseshit like "after an intense training session, I get sweaty as fuck and only the cleansing power of Oxy can restore my complexion to its former mtv glory." Also, even though Mirra did become a celebrity in his own right, it kind of seemed like a natural consequence of being the winningest contest rider in bmx, and it definitely wasn't a result of some bizarre partnership with Eminem.
Meanwhile, it seemed like Nigel went from being some dude from Queens that had like 3 clips in the friends section of an Animal DVD to being that dude trying to be street with all the bogus sponsors. No doubt the nike 6.0 thing was legit, but I can't imagine the Gatorade deal materializing without some kind of professional sports agent working on Nigel's behalf. Also, does anyone know a single bmx kid that has ever purchased a Gshock watch? Regardless, if a dude can secure some big time sponsors that pay him, good for him. What kind of grosses me out though is all of his stupid blurbs about how MLK paved the way for him to ride bmx, or how he tames the concrete jungle of NYC when he rides, etc. It basically seems like he relishes any opportunity to lose credibility in the bmx world in a feeble attempt to increase his "mainstream" celebrity status. Maybe I'm just out of touch, but this whole thing with Pharell just seems bizarre to me. If you want to become the most famous bmxer of all time, go ahead. Just focus on the bmx and stop trying to turn your bike into some street wear fashion accessory.
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What kind of grosses me out though is all of his stupid blurbs about how MLK paved the way for him to ride bmx, or how he tames the concrete jungle of NYC when he rides, etc. It basically seems like he relishes any opportunity to lose credibility in the bmx world in a feeble attempt to increase his "mainstream" celebrity status. Maybe I'm just out of touch, but this whole thing with Pharell just seems bizarre to me. If you want to become the most famous bmxer of all time, go ahead. Just focus on the bmx and stop trying to turn your bike into some street wear fashion accessory.
Innit. The irony is that by doing all those irritating lifestyle vidyas he's losing the grittiness and edge which make him marketable, well among the BMX community at least, maybe not among the mainstream.
If I was him I would be combining that sort of output with more proper riding edits. I think the community are irritated because he's making money and giving the impression he's top dog but not actually producing much decent footage. Now of course the best dude (arguably Garrett or Dak at the moment) is not always going to be the most marketable, but Nigel seems to have got the balance wrong and become a walking advertisement. The edit with Pharrell was pretty good but could certainly have done without the cringey intro.
Also, Ed had the better part in Cuts. Can't beat that style. People have the memory loss... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es_nV-PHcP8)
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you know who he is, you know what he does
i remember when gshocks were the shit, but that was over 10 years ago now
edwin has the best style, so timeless
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G shocks are still popular despite what many on here think. Hes from NYC Im surprised people still wonder about his actions.
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Ive heard people not buy G-shocks after finding out nigel was sponsored by them.
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No doubt Nigel has basically taken the Edwin style and progressed it significantly, and I respect what he can do on a bike, but the whole attempted celebrity thing is kind of awkward/ cringe-worthy to watch.
he's basically trying to be the edwin delarosa reinassence. Nigel might be trying to cop some of the steez edwin managed to earn back in 2003 whilst wearing dunks and making them ridin worthy and popular. those shits dont grip tho!
http://animalbikes.com/reminisce-edwin-de-la-rosa-animal-1/
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he rides faster than most of the dudes doing 1mph ledge combos these days.
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Ive heard people not buy G-shocks after finding out nigel was sponsored by them.
Doesn't that just seem ridiculous.
I guess we'll never understand how hard it is to be a celeb. I think it is kind of ironic, because even if he wasn't fitting in in BMX, he has a pretty high degree of homogeneity with the zeitgeist.
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Think it hilarious that he has sellout sponsors but still supports Brooklyn machine works
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The thing I don't get is that he is saying that he isn't a typical BMXer? I don't quite get that. Does he mean he doesn't look like the vert riders that pushed the sport into the main stream (Hoffman and Mirra) or that he doesn't look like a typical street rider? I get it if he is going for the latter but I'm pretty sure 'dude from the East Coast with pegs and no brakes' is the image of a street rider and has been for years.
I think what he means by that is that he doesn't fit the typical career path of a BMX biker. He's not putting out web edits quad-annually for his sponsors, he's not doing trip videos outside of Nike, but that's Nike..., he's not climbing up the standard BMX industry ladder and more power to him.
If he wants to market what he's good at to get something out of it other than bumming on people's couches and inevitably needing to find a different career path at the age of 30, is that really not understandable? The standard BMX lifestyle is great but it's not for everyone and that doesn't make him less of rider because of so.
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If he wants to market what he's good at to get something out of it other than bumming on people's couches and inevitably needing to find a different career path at the age of 30, is that really not understandable? The standard BMX lifestyle is great but it's not for everyone and that doesn't make him less of rider because of so.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Even if he gets more eyes on street riding, as I'm sure most of the mainstream is only familiar with xgames and similar stuff, how could that ultimately hurt the sport? Who cares if he's not Edwin/the most legendary street rider ever. I'm sure every Thrasher reading skate rat was butt hurt when Ryan Sheckler had his TV show on MTV years ago, but I'm sure that put quite a bit of more money into the skate industry even if it was from people trying to look "cool."
If anything, it could get more money into the sport. Who cares if there would be kids that use a bmx as a fashion item, it happens with skateboards all the time. Overall, it could improve the bmx industry.
Everything becomes a fashion show.
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The thing I don't get is that he is saying that he isn't a typical BMXer? I don't quite get that. Does he mean he doesn't look like the vert riders that pushed the sport into the main stream (Hoffman and Mirra) or that he doesn't look like a typical street rider? I get it if he is going for the latter but I'm pretty sure 'dude from the East Coast with pegs and no brakes' is the image of a street rider and has been for years.
I think what he means by that is that he doesn't fit the typical career path of a BMX biker. He's not putting out web edits quad-annually for his sponsors, he's not doing trip videos outside of Nike, but that's Nike..., he's not climbing up the standard BMX industry ladder and more power to him.
Yeah, he wouldn't be able to! Thats the whole thing, he is nothing special on a bike and he is getting more recognition than people that would shit on him any day. The thing is really good at convincing non-riders that he is. That puts money in his pocket, but it obviously wouldn't sit well with people that truly love riding, and have been doing it for 10+ years.
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For some reason I find this topic really interesting, I suppose because in my ideal world BMX would be perceived as cool by the wider public (or at least as cool/appealing as skateboarding, with a similar level of cultural influence).
When I was a teenager I assumed this wasn't far from the truth (well the coolness bit, not the cultural influence) and (in retrospect rather cringingly) was keen to make sure people knew that I rode, and was probably constantly rabbiting on about positive aspects of BMX. I remember showing this clip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D75hKBG_edI) to some non-riding friends and being astounded that they weren't blown away by the riding and quality of the jumps (lol). I now realise that most people don't care and can't relate in any way so usually keep quiet about it.
Let's imagine an unlikely scenario where Nigel or another street-oriented pro were successful in building a big mainstram fanbase, perhaps comparable with Mirra/Hoffman in the early 2000s or even larger given teh internetz (maybe Danny Mac is a good comparison?). What next? A video game? Animal clothes being bought by Harry Styles? Most of you old salts would probably hate this but the implications would be interesting. Who would be the most suitable ambassador?
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Yeah, he wouldn't be able to! Thats the whole thing, he is nothing special on a bike and he is getting more recognition than people that would shit on him any day. The thing is really good at convincing non-riders that he is. That puts money in his pocket, but it obviously wouldn't sit well with people that truly love riding, and have been doing it for 10+ years.
He's not the same type of rider as Garrett Reynolds, Dennis Enarson, and Kriss Kyle. It'd be unfair to judge him as such. To say Nigel is 'nothing special' or couldn't hang in the standard BMX route is so untrue.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4 (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4) <-proof
He's a top class rider, but people are mad cause they expect only the best to have that type of recognition. You don't get to that level of riding without being passionate about it and whose business is it for how someone gets money. Its cooler to have Nigel making G-Shock money than some guy who kept it 'real' and does retail at some department store in the weekend.
I think someone that parallels Nigel would be Bam Margera. Bam was a good(not spectacular) skater who became the face of the community for a while. He made a killing, sold out to many purists, got hated on by his community, was well known for his projects outside of skating and all. A lot of kids picked up a skateboard cause of him though and thats not a bad thing.
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I don't get why some people are hell bent on trying to make BMX accepted by the mainstream, advancing the sport or whatever the fuck.
The appealing thing about bmx as a community was that it provided a space for kids to be as weird as they pleased and not give a fuck. At least that's how I perceived when I was 16.
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Isn't Edwin on a Cult now?
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Isn't Edwin on a Cult now?
just getting hooked up,probably will be soon
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i just find it interesting how people choose to present themselves and their image once they make it big.
in bmx i guess it seems you can get the most respectfor being good on a bike but at the same time by also being humble or at least down to earth. while trying to create a pedestal for yourself may make you more marketable outside of bmx, i think it comes across as kind of arrogant in a sport perpetuated by adolescents who generally dont have a lot of money.
i dont know who decided to run with the title advancing bmx without fitting in, but to apply that label to yourself is pretty arrogant, and pharell again, fuck that guy
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Respect doesnt pay bills if riding a bike is how you make a living.
And as far as appealing to other riders it probably isnt top prjority for him. Why wow a bunch of salty kids and old guys. That dont like him when rappers find what you do amazing?
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Yeah, he wouldn't be able to! Thats the whole thing, he is nothing special on a bike and he is getting more recognition than people that would shit on him any day. The thing is really good at convincing non-riders that he is. That puts money in his pocket, but it obviously wouldn't sit well with people that truly love riding, and have been doing it for 10+ years.
He's not the same type of rider as Garrett Reynolds, Dennis Enarson, and Kriss Kyle. It'd be unfair to judge him as such. To say Nigel is 'nothing special' or couldn't hang in the standard BMX route is so untrue.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4 (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ4iFlvfRj4) <-proof
He's a top class rider, but people are mad cause they expect only the best to have that type of recognition. You don't get to that level of riding without being passionate about it and whose business is it for how someone gets money. Its cooler to have Nigel making G-Shock money than some guy who kept it 'real' and does retail at some department store in the weekend.
That video was less then 2 minutes long, an amateur can do his banger, and in all honestly besides the couple of clips the edit was nothing special. Why is he a top class rider, but blackman isn't? Desmond can do everything Nigel does, and he goes bigger, but hardly has sponsors. Obviously he has done some shady shit, but if we are talking about riding ability and the environment they grew up in, it's hard to see a difference.
I think someone that parallels Nigel would be Bam Margera. Bam was a good(not spectacular) skater who became the face of the community for a while. He made a killing, sold out to many purists, got hated on by his community, was well known for his projects outside of skating and all. A lot of kids picked up a skateboard cause of him though and thats not a bad thing.
Really? Bam didn't do shit for skating, he took the money and ran. He may have gotten impressionable little kids to act like punks and pick up a skateboard, but I can guarantee most of them don't skate anymore. What Bam did and what Nigel is doing is bringing "fake" riders into the sport that they are going to abandon once the next cool thing pops up. Do you really want the skatepark to be filled with these people? do you really want the public to view us like that? Have you seen how this guy gets in the way of cars on purpose, just to get a kick or to show he is a "badass"?
here is a clip at 0:11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flK3zJvkhps
here is some more
http://instagram.com/p/uqycCUg_JJ/?modal=true
If that's the face of bmx, I am truly ashamed to ride a little bike. I obviously still love it and will continue to do so, but I am worried about the future of bmx. That is all.
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I don't get why some people are hell bent on trying to make BMX accepted by the mainstream, advancing the sport or whatever the fuck.
The appealing thing about bmx as a community was that it provided a space for kids to be as weird as they pleased and not give a fuck. At least that's how I perceived when I was 16.
ding ding ding ding ding! you win a greenbox
i just find it interesting how people choose to present themselves and their image once they make it big.
in bmx i guess it seems you can get the most respectfor being good on a bike but at the same time by also being humble or at least down to earth. while trying to create a pedestal for yourself may make you more marketable outside of bmx, i think it comes across as kind of arrogant in a sport perpetuated by adolescents who generally dont have a lot of money.
i dont know who decided to run with the title advancing bmx without fitting in, but to apply that label to yourself is pretty arrogant, and pharell again, fuck that guy
also agree with this, but pharrell is fine in my books.
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You're making a way bigger deal out of something way smaller. If you asked 90% of kids 19 and younger what Brooklyn machine works is, I suspect you would find a very small value. This dude can hardly be held responsible for kids being dumbfucks on BMX bikes. That is the point of it. To get into trouble, do stupid shit, do wallrides on the office supply store down the street. You can be embarrassed, ashamed, and worried all you like but this isn't an upscale discipline anyone outside of BMX will look at and think of it assuming a televised contest rider could just drop out next year and not be any worse off.
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If that's the face of bmx, I am truly ashamed to ride a little bike. I obviously still love it and will continue to do so, but I am worried about the future of bmx. That is all.
Right now, I'm sure when most people think of BMX, I'm sure they think xgames or the mega ramp. I'm sure that accurately describes every street rider...
BMX will still be BMX. When someone sees Nigel ride down the road, I'm sure people think "oh that's terrible" when you can go watch Colt Fake have beer poured in his mouth as he tries to pull some girls bra off or Sean Burns drop his bike on some bums head. Though Nigel isn't the best rider or dress as ratty as most bmx riders, he is more of a street rider than most bmx riders that have had any mainstream recognition before.
Nigel, getting some recognition outside of BMX isn't going to change the sport because a few more kids might be at the park than usual and maybe only one of them might actually stick with it. And I hardly doubt it will give it an image worse than what it could be. Honestly, how is that any different than now? Most kids that rode around here quit after 2-3 years.
You can say Bam didn't do shit for skating because he didn't dump all his money back into the sport. But the fact that he happened, didn't change skateboarding forever. It just got idiot kids, who think doing rad, stupid shit is fun(basically the basis of bmx), to go buy an Element board. And indirectly put some money into the skateboarding industry.
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People forgot bam was a pretty amazing bowl/mini ramp shredder Whats Nigel got though?
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The guy is a goon, but look at some of the videos in this thread. He still rides pretty well.
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If that's the face of bmx, I am truly ashamed to ride a little bike. I obviously still love it and will continue to do so, but I am worried about the future of bmx. That is all.
Right now, I'm sure when most people think of BMX, I'm sure they think xgames or the mega ramp. I'm sure that accurately describes every street rider...
BMX will still be BMX. When someone sees Nigel ride down the road, I'm sure people think "oh that's terrible" when you can go watch Colt Fake have beer poured in his mouth as he tries to pull some girls bra off or Sean Burns drop his bike on some bums head. Though Nigel isn't the best rider or dress as ratty as most bmx riders, he is more of a street rider than most bmx riders that have had any mainstream recognition before.
Nigel, getting some recognition outside of BMX isn't going to change the sport because a few more kids might be at the park than usual and maybe only one of them might actually stick with it. And I hardly doubt it will give it an image worse than what it could be. Honestly, how is that any different than now? Most kids that rode around here quit after 2-3 years.
You can say Bam didn't do shit for skating because he didn't dump all his money back into the sport. But the fact that he happened, didn't change skateboarding forever. It just got idiot kids, who think doing rad, stupid shit is fun(basically the basis of bmx), to go buy an Element board. And indirectly put some money into the skateboarding industry.
This
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMqm0BtE8w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMqm0BtE8w) How can you not say he's not good!?
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut. He's still not as bad as Adam22.
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Gatorade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fST58M7Uwhs they really get whats going in my body
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut. He's still not as bad as Adam22.
This.
I agree that the dude doesn't seem to be very impressive from a modern riding standpoint, but I'm not particularly bothered by his success.
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut. He's still not as bad as Adam22.
Well put.
It's not fair to bunch big companies like G, Casio and Nike putting some money into BMX as 'sellout companies', nor put someone down for putting in whatever was necessary to get those deals. I'm sure the dude probably makes slightly above OK money (real world dollars, not BMX bucks), even with all the brands behind him.
I think BMX is still always going to be about acting how you want with some other freaks, sure don't see kids riding on BMW bikes. Anyways, if they want to act like Nigel or whatever, than by the very ethos of BMX, that's well within their right. Not everyone who rides can fall into the atypical BMX dude category (pissing on eachother, etc)
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut. He's still not as bad as Adam22.
Yeah, but a22 doesn't get his fame from riding a bike. Nigel does, and I just feel like other riders should be getting his type of money if not more. He stopped progressing and is just milking it. Seriously good on him, but I just don't get it. I guess he is more marketable because he is a black dude from Queens?
He gets invites to contest and he doesn't show up, he get to go on trips and hardly rides, all he cares about is looking "swag" on his bike. How is that what bmx is about? He gives kids a wrong impression of bmx, but i guess that's what it takes to get recognized by the mass media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXm-AIY5Eis
If that's the face of bmx, I am truly ashamed to ride a little bike. I obviously still love it and will continue to do so, but I am worried about the future of bmx. That is all.
Right now, I'm sure when most people think of BMX, I'm sure they think xgames or the mega ramp. I'm sure that accurately describes every street rider...
BMX will still be BMX. When someone sees Nigel ride down the road, I'm sure people think "oh that's terrible" when you can go watch Colt Fake have beer poured in his mouth as he tries to pull some girls bra off or Sean Burns drop his bike on some bums head. Though Nigel isn't the best rider or dress as ratty as most bmx riders, he is more of a street rider than most bmx riders that have had any mainstream recognition before.
Nigel, getting some recognition outside of BMX isn't going to change the sport because a few more kids might be at the park than usual and maybe only one of them might actually stick with it. And I hardly doubt it will give it an image worse than what it could be. Honestly, how is that any different than now? Most kids that rode around here quit after 2-3 years.
You can say Bam didn't do shit for skating because he didn't dump all his money back into the sport. But the fact that he happened, didn't change skateboarding forever. It just got idiot kids, who think doing rad, stupid shit is fun(basically the basis of bmx), to go buy an Element board. And indirectly put some money into the skateboarding industry.
This
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMqm0BtE8w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMqm0BtE8w) How can you not say he's not good!?
He can barspin, I don't think he is amazing past that.
You're making a way bigger deal out of something way smaller. If you asked 90% of kids 19 and younger what Brooklyn machine works is, I suspect you would find a very small value. This dude can hardly be held responsible for kids being dumbfucks on BMX bikes. That is the point of it. To get into trouble, do stupid shit, do wallrides on the office supply store down the street. You can be embarrassed, ashamed, and worried all you like but this isn't an upscale discipline anyone outside of BMX will look at and think of it assuming a televised contest rider could just drop out next year and not be any worse off.
You're right. I still think that 50% of what Nigel makes should be transferred into Edwin's bank account, Il'l just leave it at that.
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Dude if other riders are more deserving of "HiS" success then why dont they do it? Its not up to him to make sure other people get paid like him. He made the right moves for himself. Garrett made the right moves for himself. All the really succes or non struggling riders made moves to better their lives while riding and nigel gets shit for it because hes not some ratty looking kid that goes to contests and puts out edits every week?
But he dresses nice so he isnt really a real rider?
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Van Homan will save us
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I just feel like other riders should be getting his type of money if not more. He stopped progressing and is just milking it.
At least we see some sort of footage/marketing from Nigel. There are plenty of riders who haven't progressed or even put out any type of coverage in years, yet no one questions their place in the industry. Not to kick those dudes down cause they all earned it one way or another. He's put out multiple stellar sections, all showing a lot progression from the one before it, sure it's mostly barspin but that's his distinct style.
I guess he is more marketable because he is a black dude from Queens?
Nigel is marketable cause he's an outsider of sorts, he represents mainstream ideals in an alternative sport. Someone like Nigel represents today's generation and it's idea of self promtion and self branding, it's something kids today understand that obviously the older generation frowns upon. BMX seems to be constantly left behind cause we're catering to the ideals of the past and stuck in what we used to be. Our little niche thing has to evolve to prosper and that's including the figures in it also.
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If this is the future of bmx then I don't want to be a part of it. BMX does not need to be commercialized any more than it is. We don't need more skateparks or our sport to be in the spotlight, we need more companies that give a shit about us rather than just trying to make a quick buck.
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Then quit. If this one individual discusts you to the point where you feel the need to quit then youre obviously not into bmx to begin with. You are more worried about an image that you dont have to have. Log off ride and come back in a few months and tell me how much nigel sylvester has ruined your bmx experience.
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I imagine running a core company is an expensive endeavor, especially when you are trying to manufacture a fairly expensive thing like bike parts as a cheap as possible cause your marketing to kids. If more corporate sponsors invest in BMX(even if it's for a short time) and it will open up the market to more consumers who would have otherwise never been introduced to it. Sure a lot of those kids will quit but if you open up a larger pool than there will be more people that will stick with it. I speculate that the larger pool of kids who stick with it will naturally move on to the core brands cause they dominate aftermarket parts. Which is good for everyone.
You don't have to be a part of anything as long as you enjoy the act of pedaling on a bike and doing maneuvers. There will always be brands that keep us grounded in our roots but for BMX to expand and better take care of our community it has to reach out.
I think bike riding is the coolest thing and it'd be cool if other kids could get that chance. I imagine a lot of us came to riding because of commercialization through X-Games, Rad, or what not. I did through TV, it's not like I'm still paying for Walmart brands anymore. Of course bigger companies like Nike will end up cannibalizing a large share of the market but that can't be helped unless it grows to a point where they are forced to take the general opinion seriously.
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Dude if other riders are more deserving of "HiS" success then why dont they do it? Its not up to him to make sure other people get paid like him. He made the right moves for himself. Garrett made the right moves for himself. All the really succes or non struggling riders made moves to better their lives while riding and nigel gets shit for it because hes not some ratty looking kid that goes to contests and puts out edits every week?
But he dresses nice so he isnt really a real rider?
He doesn't go to contests because he will get exposed to his sponsors.
He DOES put out edits every week, and they meh.
He does't dress nice, he dresses like a "swagfag". You like that Pyradice shit?
Plus, i never said you need to look ratty to be considered a real rider. All I was trying to illustrate is that people usually dress accordingly to the activity they are doing, getting all "swaggy" to ride a little kids bike that you're likely going to fall off on is stupid. It just gives kids the wrong impression of what bmx is really like. He can allow himself to do that only because of his sponsors, but kids can't. Plus he also gives kids false hope of making any real money from bmx, because most pros are getting payed peanuts.
I just feel like other riders should be getting his type of money if not more. He stopped progressing and is just milking it.
At least He's put out multiple stellar sections, all showing a lot progression from the one before it, sure it's mostly barspin but that's his distinct style.
Cant agree with you there. If anything he got worse, and now he is doing self ABDs for different videos. His style is not distinct, it is a copy of Edwin.
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Dude if other riders are more deserving of "HiS" success then why dont they do it? Its not up to him to make sure other people get paid like him. He made the right moves for himself. Garrett made the right moves for himself. All the really succes or non struggling riders made moves to better their lives while riding and nigel gets shit for it because hes not some ratty looking kid that goes to contests and puts out edits every week?
But he dresses nice so he isnt really a real rider?
He doesn't go to contests because he will get exposed to his sponsors.
He wont get dropped for not placing first which has been proven by other riders like dak who is really good bit doesnt win all the time.
He DOES put out edits every week, and they meh.
I was talking out of my ass on that one. I.honestly dont know what he puts out and i hardly watch edits online anymore.
He does't dress nice, he dresses like a "swagfag". You like that Pyradice shit?
Yes i do. But i like simple stuff. And to me he doesnt dress like a swagfag. Until he is sagging skinny jeans with basket ball shorts underneath with a small size designer shirt and large belt buckle no he isnt a swagfag. He is from nyc his style is very ny. Ralphy ramos, edwin, tyrone, a lot of nyc riders have a style due to the surroundings. Its part of the lifestyle out there. And kids can afford dunks levis and a tshirt or jacket or hoody.
Plus, i never said you need to look ratty to be considered a real rider. All I was trying to illustrate is that people usually dress accordingly to the activity they are doing, getting all "swaggy" to ride a little kids bike that you're likely going to fall off on is stupid. It just gives kids the wrong impression of what bmx is really like. He can allow himself to do that only because of his sponsors, but kids can't. Plus he also gives kids false hope of making any real money from bmx, because most pros are getting payed peanuts.
Again this is part of his lifestyle probably before he even got big. As i said its a NYC type of thing. If you have ever been its an experience you must witness first hand without doing the tourist thing. Also isnt being different what makes bmx awesome? or according to you bad for the scene. Its the bike that makes us a community not our style. Trust me i didnt look like a bmx rider when i was a kid, but when i rode trails with people it was a shock.
Also if a kid wants.to.get famous let.him try thats his buisness its not.up to us to shoot his hopes of.riding.for.his favorite company down. Thats that salt talking you need to chill a little.
I just feel like other riders should be getting his type of money if not more. He stopped progressing and is just milking it.
At least He's put out multiple stellar sections, all showing a lot progression from the one before it, sure it's mostly barspin but that's his distinct style.
Cant agree with you there. If anything he got worse, and now he is doing self ABDs for different videos. His style is not distinct, it is a copy of Edwin.
Lighten up.
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Dude if other riders are more deserving of "HiS" success then why dont they do it? Its not up to him to make sure other people get paid like him. He made the right moves for himself. Garrett made the right moves for himself. All the really succes or non struggling riders made moves to better their lives while riding and nigel gets shit for it because hes not some ratty looking kid that goes to contests and puts out edits every week?
But he dresses nice so he isnt really a real rider?
He doesn't go to contests because he will get exposed to his sponsors.
He wont get dropped for not placing first which has been proven by other riders like dak who is really good bit doesnt win all the time.
He DOES put out edits every week, and they meh.
I was talking out of my ass on that one. I.honestly dont know what he puts out and i hardly watch edits online anymore.
He does't dress nice, he dresses like a "swagfag". You like that Pyradice shit?
Yes i do. But i like simple stuff. And to me he doesnt dress like a swagfag. Until he is sagging skinny jeans with basket ball shorts underneath with a small size designer shirt and large belt buckle no he isnt a swagfag. He is from nyc his style is very ny. Ralphy ramos, edwin, tyrone, a lot of nyc riders have a style due to the surroundings. Its part of the lifestyle out there. And kids can afford dunks levis and a tshirt or jacket or hoody.
Plus, i never said you need to look ratty to be considered a real rider. All I was trying to illustrate is that people usually dress accordingly to the activity they are doing, getting all "swaggy" to ride a little kids bike that you're likely going to fall off on is stupid. It just gives kids the wrong impression of what bmx is really like. He can allow himself to do that only because of his sponsors, but kids can't. Plus he also gives kids false hope of making any real money from bmx, because most pros are getting payed peanuts.
Again this is part of his lifestyle probably before he even got big. As i said its a NYC type of thing. If you have ever been its an experience you must witness first hand without doing the tourist thing. Also isnt being different what makes bmx awesome? or according to you bad for the scene. Its the bike that makes us a community not our style. Trust me i didnt look like a bmx rider when i was a kid, but when i rode trails with people it was a shock.
Also if a kid wants.to.get famous let.him try thats his buisness its not.up to us to shoot his hopes of.riding.for.his favorite company down. Thats that salt talking you need to chill a little.
I just feel like other riders should be getting his type of money if not more. He stopped progressing and is just milking it.
At least He's put out multiple stellar sections, all showing a lot progression from the one before it, sure it's mostly barspin but that's his distinct style.
Cant agree with you there. If anything he got worse, and now he is doing self ABDs for different videos. His style is not distinct, it is a copy of Edwin.
Lighten up.
Im fine, good for him for making it. I don't have any ill will on him, I'm just very opinionated and maybe I need to work on how I express it without sounding angry or w.e. It's just the way i truly feel, and have felt for a while. This thread allowed me to let it all out, plus typing can be fun sometimes. I could have simply just said he is overrated.
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If this is the future of bmx then I don't want to be a part of it. BMX does not need to be commercialized any more than it is. We don't need more skateparks or our sport to be in the spotlight, we need more companies that give a shit about us rather than just trying to make a quick buck.
I'm sure every skater quite riding when Bam or Ryan Sheckler got a TV show. I'm sure every snowboarder quit riding after Shawn White got a clothing line at Target.
Quit being upset and realize that companies might be able to care about riders more if they have a little more money.
Or just quit riding, because I'm sure no one would care if you did.
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If this is the future of bmx then I don't want to be a part of it. BMX does not need to be commercialized any more than it is. We don't need more skateparks or our sport to be in the spotlight, we need more companies that give a shit about us rather than just trying to make a quick buck.
I'm sure every skater quite riding when Bam or Ryan Sheckler got a TV show. I'm sure every snowboarder quit riding after Shawn White got a clothing line at Target.
Quit being upset and realize that companies might be able to care about riders more if they have a little more money.
Or just quit riding, because I'm sure no one would care if you did.
Shawn White and Ryan Sheckler shouldn't be compared in this discussion, but you are right to include Bam.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070712142847AAJajbH
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This about sums up this whole thread, but instead of Bam it's Nigel. Nigel isn't as crazy of a personality as Bam, but look what's happening to the skateboarding industry these-days. Trying to make an alternative sport main stream is more than likely to fail. In other words, we will all just have to wait this Nigel wave out, whether we like it or not.
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If this is the future of bmx then I don't want to be a part of it. BMX does not need to be commercialized any more than it is. We don't need more skateparks or our sport to be in the spotlight, we need more companies that give a shit about us rather than just trying to make a quick buck.
I'm sure every skater quite riding when Bam or Ryan Sheckler got a TV show. I'm sure every snowboarder quit riding after Shawn White got a clothing line at Target.
Quit being upset and realize that companies might be able to care about riders more if they have a little more money.
Or just quit riding, because I'm sure no one would care if you did.
Would like to green box you for this.
No one is forcing you to participate Brooklyn. If one dude trying to make a name for himself bums you out that much that you're going to have a temper tantrum and stop riding, go for it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHnJK8S3nE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHnJK8S3nE)
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My comment was more of a reply to Condorbkr's comment before mine, not necessarily to Nigel's riding. I also didn't say I wanted to quit because of Nigel, which is kind of outrageous and I'm not sure why everyone thought that's what I meant. I do believe BMX needs to evolve but definitely not in that direction. I'm still just as hyped on bmx as I was the first day I started riding but I just completely gave up on following what is going on in bmx. There definitely are several companies out there that are doing the right thing and riders that are doing real riding that deserve recognition but simply aren't getting it. Odyssey constantly pushes new technology into bmx yet everyone is infinitely more hyped on a new shadow chain simply because it looks cool and Shadow claims it is "the strongest chain on the market". Obviously since bikes have gotten lighter, younger kids will be able to participate in the sport but it seems that it is now only mindless 15 year olds and companies know that. It has become extremely rare to actually find a company or a rider that cares about the sport and not what puts more money into their pockets.
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I realized everyone basically covered what I just said after I pressed reply, sorry for the pointless rant.
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When I first started riding 5 or 6 years ago, bmx was awesome. Maybe it was just my child's perception of things but companies were diverse and riding was just way more "real". Videos like All Day and Can I Eat was all anyone ever watched and that was when someone decided to lend the DVD to us. Every product released was radically different that the one before it and bikes were still not light enough that any middle-schooler could just pick one up and learn whips in a week. I almost want to say that there was a lot more culture in bmx. Maybe the internet ruined bmx or technology in bmx has reached it's limit in most areas or I simply grew up and I'm less impressionable. Either way, bmx is now generic in almost every aspect.
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i read this whole thread
have you ever tried manualing through a busy intersection
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After thinking about it and watching part 1, Nigel is growing on me. I still don't believe his skill is on par with majority of top pros, but it is admirable of what he was able to accomplish riding a bike. He also doesn't sound like an egotistical asshole I expecting him to be from watching his other stuff. His mind set of becoming a pro rider at all costs is not one I would advertise, but thats what got him there, so I guess he has the right to talk about it. BMX is about having fun, and not a ticket to fame/fortune. He is an exception, and kids need to realize that. If kids start dropping out from school to become a pro bmx rider, they should know that most of them don't make that much.
It still bothers me that he didn't ride when he came to our local street jam. Maybe he wasn't feeling it, or didn't want to get hurt for a local bmx jam.
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My comment was more of a reply to Condorbkr's comment before mine, not necessarily to Nigel's riding. I also didn't say I wanted to quit because of Nigel, which is kind of outrageous and I'm not sure why everyone thought that's what I meant. I do believe BMX needs to evolve but definitely not in that direction. I'm still just as hyped on bmx as I was the first day I started riding but I just completely gave up on following what is going on in bmx. There definitely are several companies out there that are doing the right thing and riders that are doing real riding that deserve recognition but simply aren't getting it. Odyssey constantly pushes new technology into bmx yet everyone is infinitely more hyped on a new shadow chain simply because it looks cool and Shadow claims it is "the strongest chain on the market". Obviously since bikes have gotten lighter, younger kids will be able to participate in the sport but it seems that it is now only mindless 15 year olds and companies know that. It has become extremely rare to actually find a company or a rider that cares about the sport and not what puts more money into their pockets.
If I was a pro, and money from sponsorship/competition was my only way to get paid, I'd be suckling the teet of anyone who was willing to throw money at me. If you're only willing to ride for a company that puts money directly back into the sport because of "love for sport" you're a fucking idiot. It makes financial sense to sell out to a company like Nike, Monster, RedBull and whoever else is pumping money into peoples pockets these days.
Professionals in ANY sport/hobby don't do it for the love of the sport/hobby, they're doing it for the money. Otherwise, you wouldn't see multi-million dollar contracts being given out. According to your logic, athletes shouldn't accept big money sponsorships from companies who don't directly put that money back into the sport and they shouldn't take huge contracts from their teams head office unless they're giving their fans back a lot of what they're paying to see, instead of lining their own pockets. Obviously there's a few exceptions, sports like lacrosse aren't big in Canada, so in that case, most players have to work a 40 hour week in addition to being a professional athlete.
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Obviously businesses are there to make money but a company that has a KHE freecoaster, pivotal seatpost, and a fat seat should not be getting more money than a company that designs their own products and stands behind them. Unfortunately, kids would rather buy something thats cool rather than functional so companies have no incentive to actually care about what they put out. As for riders, it is a miracle that they can make a living off of a hobby. If they can make it happen, then good for them. The main problem is that the little amount of money that BMX actually has is going to the wrong people and there is not much anyone can do to change that.
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Then you can change things. Start a company and make your own, original parts. Or, open a shop and sell only what YOU think should be sold, then promptly go out of business because you're selling things that the people who actually buy parts don't give a shit about. Fucking supply and demand, dummy. Welcome to the real world.
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Then you can change things. Start a company and make your own, original parts. Or, open a shop and sell only what YOU think should be sold, then promptly go out of business because you're selling things that the people who actually buy parts don't give a shit about. Fucking supply and demand, dummy. Welcome to the real world.
What the fuck are you even saying? Did you read anything I said?
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Your last sentence, shit fuck. You can change things, but you'd rather whine like a pussy on an internet bulletin board
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Your last sentence, shit fuck. You can change things, but you'd rather whine like a pussy on an internet bulletin board
The majority of BMX is younger kids who don't really know what they're buying. That is why generic companies stay alive. There are generic companies in every sport, but most of them don't last long because people know better. The reason BMX is in this state right now is a combination of many reasons. Real companies will never strive until the majority of people who buy bmx parts make reasonable decisions. There is no way to change that because kids are kids. As a single person, I cannot make a noticeable difference. On the rare occasion that I buy parts, I make sure they are from a company that I think deserves my money. Since I don't buy bike parts often, I buy DVDs from companies that I like. When a kid asks about what bike part to buy, I always give them good advice as to what companies to buy from. That's as much of a difference as I could possibly make. Some companies have found a way around this problem. Take Cult for example. While I don't like how they try to push their image, that is the way to do it. They are that "cool" company but still manage to put out new things. They put out different and better working products even though they don't have to.
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^^^ cult pick parts straight out of the taiwanese catalogues (although they did change the bearing setup for their coaster, ive not heard of one lasting more than 2 months without the driver shitting itself though), and their tubing straight out the bus
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Cult is worse than shadow.
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I'll never like shadow parts. Stupid kids keep stupid companies alive. I have nothing against the team though.
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A few shadow riders are usually out cruising parks with the locals here. it probably helps move product when you can ride with the guys. Thats just around here though since the shop is always getting shadow shit and selling it quick.
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shadows better than they used to be. their hubs and stuff seem decent for the price these days. still not really into the aesthetics of their non hub offerings though
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In my eyes shadow > Cult. Even though Shadow started out pushing their image they still have had some real innovations, even though some might be a bit odd (included subrosa products).
I really dislike Cult, they are the opposite of what I want in a company. Selling non-inventive Products because of image. Only goes for sponsored riders and image. I never understood the idea BMXers have with strong teams being a Selling factor.
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I never saw a problem with cult. They help out a lot of people that arent pro and or more low key. As far as the parts go they seem alright. I dont run freecoasters so i cant rant about those, but ive passed down a few cult frames that i see still kicking from time to time. Not into the super wide bars but their other stuff isnt bad. I dont see why theres so much hate towards them. I can see if they just had a stacked team and everything they put.out product wise was harbage but that doesnt seem to be the case.
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If he wants to market what he's good at to get something out of it other than bumming on people's couches and inevitably needing to find a different career path at the age of 30, is that really not understandable? The standard BMX lifestyle is great but it's not for everyone and that doesn't make him less of rider because of so.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Even if he gets more eyes on street riding, as I'm sure most of the mainstream is only familiar with xgames and similar stuff, how could that ultimately hurt the sport? Who cares if he's not Edwin/the most legendary street rider ever. I'm sure every Thrasher reading skate rat was butt hurt when Ryan Sheckler had his TV show on MTV years ago, but I'm sure that put quite a bit of more money into the skate industry even if it was from people trying to look "cool."
If anything, it could get more money into the sport. Who cares if there would be kids that use a bmx as a fashion item, it happens with skateboards all the time. Overall, it could improve the bmx industry.
Everything becomes a fashion show.
I'm fully on this side of the discussion. I feel like everyone is very isolated from pop culture and doesn't see how Nigel actually makes BMX look cool to a non-rider's perspective. I can guarantee it'd be significantly easier for me to get a friend into BMX from RWTW2 than from Burn's Dead Bang section. Image is important these days.
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Lol at this whole thread.
So basically Nigel understands how to make money and has taken advantage of that, and half of you are spazzing out because you want 'real' bmxers to have that money.
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i FIND it ridicule that nigel is trying so hard to stand out in a sea of riders, when others are in everyones mouth without even trying it.
take for example dylan lloyd, he's a crazy good kid that represents and rides his ass off, zach gerber, chris kyle and all the other heads that are out there reppin. would you like to see this guys dissapear in the abyss into other things just like many other riders have?
we will have to see how deep nigel takes things, that vice documentary is pretty far i think.
I don't know nigel, i never will but if had the chance i'd give him props for still standing out there (as a rider). It isn't his fault he was chosen as an icon back in the writing on the wall days. they do treat him as if he was handicapped though. just for being from queens.
he might have a spot light he doesn't deserve and this has people acting out.
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That article is stupid and this thread is dumb.
BMX has always been about looking cool and trying to reach skateboard cultural status, that's failed.
Steven Murray is rolling in his grave.
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He's still alive you shithead ha^
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first part is live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHnJK8S3nE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHnJK8S3nE)
Im a complete anomaly in the sport, i dont compete and im truly doing it my own way, like im not following....what the traditional bmx route is
Yep cos everyone else in bmx is only in it to win, and noone else rides street or ever has before
i dont care whether or not he deserves the money fame etc, it just annoys me that he acts like hes really different from other bmxers and special and yet all the experiences he talks about from when he was younger are basically typical of everyone when they start riding as a teen. poppin wheelies on the way back from school, riding a 2 set cos you didnt have a skatepark, getting excited when you saw another rider, finding a haven in riding a bike, sorry but id wager thats like 90% of riders experiences.
but he makes out like he was the only one who had to go through that, and then presents it to a non bmx audience implying everyone else is only in it to win (even though he says his childhood hero was dave mirra).
and then he drops the race card, i mean, come on. yes bmx is predominantly white dudes, but does that even mean anything? as far as i can tell (and i would seriously hope this is the case at an industry level too) that race/ethnicity has absolutely fuck all to do with who "makes it" in bmx-its about ability and attitude, and who you are as a person.
the fact that he made out like his ethnicity made it harder for him i would say is bullshit. nigel started getting attention in the wider bmx sphere around 05-06 (when he had a split section on all day with blackman) which considering edwin was at his peak of popularity then (there were plenty of white edwin wannabees), you could say there was no better time to be a talented up and coming black street rider from the hood in new york.
he was really dialled as a rider from the start though, and being in the right place at the right time, i reckon someone with his skills would have got noticed irrespective of race or ethnicity
noone can ever truly appreciate what another person has had to go through, experience, their struggles etc, but to me what he says just doesnt quite add up. it annoys me a bit that he would present himself this way to non bmxers making out like everyone else has had it easy
but whatever, his attitude and his claims kind of annoyed because i dont really agree with some of what hes saying me so i wanted to discuss it
he did do a sweet double crankflip though, and yeah as a rider he is really good. id just rather see straight up riding than clips interspersed with his chatting
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I wish he rode for cult.
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Steven Murray is rolling in his grave.
Erm....
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This thread is full of shit haha. BMX will never fit into any uniform agenda, there will never be the "ideal" knight in shining armour professional that all you moany fuckers are waiting for, and every single person has their own individual goals, whether it be making money, fucking bitches, getting on the next cover of RideBMX or getting covered in mud on their own down at the trails.
There's every kind of person imaginable in our sport, good ones, bad ones, fashionable ones, dirty ones, business-minded ones, selfish ones, money-grabbing ones and just fucking idiots.
I think we should celebrate we're all still riding 20" bikes and as far as I am aware, that in itself is more than productive enough for me.
Who gives a fuck if Nigel is making $$$$, and really who the fuck cares whether he's wearing fashionable clothes and talking to Mr. Cunt business manager to try and source some more finances...you'd all be doing the same thing if you could and let's not forget, for all of Nigels "faults", I bet he still knows where he came from, and still pays homage to his roots.
We're fucking adults riding kids bikes....lets be happy we're still all doing that, and that we're blessed enough SOME companies give a shit enough that our bikes are lasting longer, getting lighter and coming in more options than we can handle.
BMX, fuck yeah.
EDIT - STEVEN MURRAY IS STILL ALIVE, FUCK YEAH.
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WOOSH
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I don't get why some people are hell bent on trying to make BMX accepted by the mainstream, advancing the sport or whatever the fuck.
The appealing thing about bmx as a community was that it provided a space for kids to be as weird as they pleased and not give a fuck. At least that's how I perceived when I was 16.
Spot on.
I suspect the main reason I gave up trying to skateboard was that I was totally alienated by the local crew of older dudes that looked down on me for being a roly-poly and having the equivalent of a mall-bought complete skateboard. Granted they were much older than me but I never got that "accepted" feeling.
Perhaps totally sucking at it had something to do with it as well but I remember clearly that I really felt that there was an image-level that you had to clear to be considered alright. I never made that, hah
In skateboarding I still see high-end clothing stuff being in high regard and the whole image thing dominating a bit. It's getting to that level in BMX but I think the dudes who actually ride and don't only hang around seem to get that it isn't the main attraction. It's riding, and I care about that above all else.
I don't mind making BMX look good or cool in people's eyes but I also dislike the fact that so many companies are biting skateboarding. We definitely didn't need down-low camera angles which is a fairly recent addition but I reckon that people seem to think that makes it cool as well. To each, their own.
When I got a BMX I was a ratty fat kid with a heinous bike that went to the skatepark every day and rode until his shirt and pants (that had pads sticking out of them) had sweat-marks on it. I can't recall a single moment when the older dudes that I looked up to made fun of me for hanging around or trying stuff. There were some dudes who were less friendly but frankly people are different and not everyone has the time of day for a small annoying kid. Most were supportive and were too busy having fun, doing sick stuff to be bothered to do any of that. Either way, it felt more open. I definitely remember all the talk of people constantly asking about how long I've been riding. Was a totally different time as well so can't quite compare. Sounds a cliche but the internet really changed everything. For one, I've noticed that mmunication has really faltered. A typical skatepark session these days seems to culminate in a phone-session with everyone zoning out. But that's everywhere, not only in BMX. And a whole other subject, could probably discuss for days about how being (or rather feeling) constantly connected has changed people's perceptions.
I personally still feel a strong connection to the Etnies - Forward era/backyard jam era riding. Everything T1 has done and the legendary grimy UK videos. But that's just what I grew up on and where I'm coming from. All anyone can really do is to remember and try keep some of the mentality of that era alive. Can't really expect the kids these days to relate to that. Just like most of us couldn't ever quite understand the 80's and early 90s. It'll never be more than an artefact. Amazing to see and meditate on but not to really emulate anymore.
This thread is full of shit haha. BMX will never fit into any uniform agenda, there will never be the "ideal" knight in shining armour professional that all you moany fuckers are waiting for, and every single person has their own individual goals, whether it be making money, fucking bitches, getting on the next cover of RideBMX or getting covered in mud on their own down at the trails.
There's every kind of person imaginable in our sport, good ones, bad ones, fashionable ones, dirty ones, business-minded ones, selfish ones, money-grabbing ones and just fucking idiots.
I think we should celebrate we're all still riding 20" bikes and as far as I am aware, that in itself is more than productive enough for me.
Who gives a fuck if Nigel is making $$$$, and really who the fuck cares whether he's wearing fashionable clothes and talking to Mr. Cunt business manager to try and source some more finances...you'd all be doing the same thing if you could and let's not forget, for all of Nigels "faults", I bet he still knows where he came from, and still pays homage to his roots.
We're fucking adults riding kids bikes....lets be happy we're still all doing that, and that we're blessed enough SOME companies give a shit enough that our bikes are lasting longer, getting lighter and coming in more options than we can handle.
BMX, fuck yeah.
All of this.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXe9P9BUfos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXe9P9BUfos) Pt 2
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"the world is my canvas, my bike is my paintbrush"
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(http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1856729.1404859445!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_1200/nigel-sylvester-2014.jpg)
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I can't think of anyone else I would want to see doing that. How do you not fear every fractional second of your tire eating the loaf?
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the whole bike art painting canvas thing is a bit much for me, but other than that he is doing it his own way, I see no reason to think that he is only riding for the money, and dude will be able to retire once he's done if he plays his cards right. He also is the absolute best to the kids, that I've ever seen. I've seen other pros come through that have had a huge impact on bmx, "kept it real" and not "sold out", but they suck at interacting with kids. Which is better for BMX? I know my answer.
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As a washed-up 30 year old bmxer who sucked at riding even when I was better...
Good for Nigel. This changes practically nothing about bmx for me and may actually do something positive for the "sport" (as much as I hate to call it a sport).
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I can't think of anyone else I would want to see doing that. How do you not fear every fractional second of your tire eating the loaf?
Indeed. No hate on him for doing that.
The narrative bothers me though, as it feels almost entirely focused on the negative. The industry is somehow to blame for all of the things that keep a brother down.
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I don't dislike him but he does annoy me a bit, and these Vice docs have done nothing to change that. I admire his ambition but I just wish he channelled that into some more interesting riding.
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Gotta sell out to eat out
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I can't think of anyone else I would want to see doing that. How do you not fear every fractional second of your tire eating the loaf?
Indeed. No hate on him for doing that.
The narrative bothers me though, as it feels almost entirely focused on the negative. The industry is somehow to blame for all of the things that keep a brother down.
Yeah playing the victim so much in this one is a bummer, but on the flip side it was about time that someone speak about some issues our industry has.
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^ i didn't watch, so please summarize the issues
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I don't dislike him but he does annoy me a bit, and these Vice docs have done nothing to change that. I admire his ambition but I just wish he channelled that into some more interesting riding.
I actually like the first part, but second was horrible.
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getting called out and made fun of for making ridiculous claims and being a corny bastard doesn't count as "an issue within bmx"
anyone who says hes not a good rider is blatantly sniffing glue though
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Big TCU interview. Have to say that A22 is doing a good job with these.
http://thecomeup.com/videos/tcu-tv-the-nigel-sylvester-interview/
Edit: counting money will always be lame Nigel...
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I find this sort of weird, as nigel is "advancing" the sport and getting all this money, they end up canceling bmx street in the x games. How come "street" is getting less support as nigel is getting more popular with the mainstream public? Maybe he is ruining the image?
Also it is totally acceptable to feel like he is undeserving of his status/support he is getting. It's more dumbfoundment, rather than jealousy. All I can say is it can't last long, but that's just my prediction. It is still cool that he can make a living out of bmx.
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut.
what if it's raping bmx to get that nut?
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Can't hate on the dude for getting his nut.
what if it's raping bmx to get that nut?
fucks sake, no one is 'raping' anything. someone has a job and is good at it, other people are jealous. people take bmx (people who don't rely on it for a living) way, way to seriously. take a step back.
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I find this sort of weird, as nigel is "advancing" the sport and getting all this money, they end up canceling bmx street in the x games. How come "street" is getting less support as nigel is getting more popular with the mainstream public? Maybe he is ruining the image?
Also it is totally acceptable to feel like he is undeserving of his status/support he is getting. It's more dumbfoundment, rather than jealousy. All I can say is it can't last long, but that's just my prediction. It is still cool that he can make a living out of bmx.
You make it sound like Nigel is BMX street, which is definitely more credit than he deserves. Nigel is just one aspect.
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an individual of its own kind. he is a bmxer and he is trying to be something else and people don't like it. not repping animal no more? they don't love you no more?
He is trying so hard to be percieved as an icon and he hasn't reached that status yet. try harder champ. maybe that media influenced bull will help you with your brand at the x games.
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He is trying so hard to be percieved as an icon and he hasn't reached that status yet. try harder champ. maybe that media influenced bull will help you with your brand at the x games.
nah, he's just going a different way to your heroes and actually getting a well paying job out of bmx. listen to his TCU podcast, guy comes of as a decent bloke who got a few opportunities and ran with them.
these intentional misunderstandings/shitslingings are stupid.
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http://youtu.be/MEuljktUmVE