Saturday 31 January 2009

GIRO FLAK






Above: My new flak will get a lot of action this summer both at the trails and in the hills..
Bellow:My red flak has had a year of action and still looks and fits great.


When it comes to a open face sk8 style lid the choices seem to be endless, You can go for low weight, wild shell designs, lots or no vents and a range of prices.
For me i went for the Flak by Giro.

Style wise its the same as the snowboard lid that Giro make (encore2) what i very much like as it works well with goggles and has a real nice shell, Next up its well vented for a dirt jump style lid, you can see why so many riders myself included run it as a all-mtn all day lid not just for dirt jumping.

tech: High Impact ABS shell adds a tough protective layer to a helmet that is likely to get its fair share of bumps and scrapes,13 vents help cooling even whilst riding at low speeds or when practicing your latest trick, Meets CE EN1078 certification.
At 410grams you can get a lower weight lid, But its not over bad and the main thing that made me get a few flak's was the fit, great padding, real nice fit around the head and just a well made product.

Andreu Lacondeguy wins White Style 2009 in Leogang



Leogang, Austria, January 31st – Twenty years old Spaniard Andreu Lacondeguy won the White Style presented by Kona on January 30th. Lance McDermott got the “Sickest Trick Award” for his tuck no hand frontflip, which was showed for the first time ever at a mountain bike competition. The riders of the White Style presented by Kona had to cope with a super-sized slopestyle course in combination with a soft and snowy surface. Not an easy job for the 23 athletes from 12 nations that made their way to Leogang, Austria. Kona Clump Team rider Grant “Chopper” Fielder designed and built the whole track with just one aim: to enable the riders to go big! Indeed, the guys just went crazy: Thomas Zejda from the Czech Republic throwing down tailwhips at the starting drop, Amir Kabbani showing off with a backflip x-up one foot the step-up or the Swede Martin Soederstroem pulling clean double tailwhips at the final booter. But Lance McDermott performed the sickest trick. The well-known guy from Manchester threw himself into a tuck nohand-frontflip at the last jump. Unfortunately he didn’t stick it 100% clean, because he slipped both pedals. It was the first tuck nohand-frontflip shown at an international mountain bike competition ever. The whole situation might have remembered Lance of the Whistler Crankworx Slopestyle. It was the same game: Andreu Lacondeguy again put Lance into second place - this time by sending huge flatspin 360’s, real extended superman seat-grabs and backflips up and down the “inabler” (step-up-step-down box). Andreu could obviously make good use of his FMX experience: “Man, I love those doubles. Chopper made a great job! That’s the way they should be: BIG! I hope most of this year’s comps will go even bigger than last season. The progression has to go on. We ride mountain bikes, not BMX bikes. We need huge jumps at least 10 meters + in distance!”Amir Kabbani (3rd place), Martin Soederstroem (4th) and last year’s White Style winner Trond Hansen from Norway (5th) also showed great tricks like opposite 360’s, frontflips, 360-tailwhips, superman seat-grabs or 360 drops.
The results:1st Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP / Kona) 2nd Lance Mc Dermott (GBR / Scott) 3rd Amir Kabbani (GER / Cannondale) 4th Martin Soederstroem (SWE / NS Bikes)5th Trond Hansen (NOR / Specialized) 6th Grant Fielder (GBR / Kona)7th Yannick Granieri (FRA / Giant)8th Sam Pilgrim (GBR / Diamondback)9th Damian Siriski (CZE / Author)10th Niki Leitner (AUT / Kona)

LUKE UPDATE


I am home for the weekend, so I am on the mend, I now have only one week to go left in hospital, I can’t wait till I am free and I can be at home all of the time to recover.

But I would really like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sent me a message or text to say I hope I get better it has really helped me so much, and a big thanks to all of my friends and family who has come to see me.

I know it must have been hard as it’s all a blur to me and I really remember nothing until I started to get my memory back just over a week ago, and to have spent almost a month in hospital from what I am getting it has been a tough road especially my 1st week in intensive care, where I could not walk or sit up without help, and the words that I said nothing made sense so from what I understand it must of been a scary place to not know if the real me was ever going to come back.

I am just thank full to be alive and too have such great friends and family around me.

The information I am learning about my injury is really help full and there is a lot of stuff I never knew about the brain.

I aim to get back to riding but I shall take it day for day and not be the stubborn Luke who just wants to be out there back as normal, and let my body heal I know this will be hard as I get better as I just want to be out there.
I will say I aim to be out there driving at the 1st round of the NZ drift series at the end of march. I know it’s soon but this is my life, and with a car I have a roll cage and a shell around me for protection, practice is going to be minimal and tight but I hope to do the best I can throughout the season.

I have well started the road to recovery and expect Luke Smith back on a bike bigger and better in the next 6 months.Thanks again for all your support.

Friday 30 January 2009

MDE (BOSS) PUSHER & 69




Its not mine but its worth posting, sexy boss MDE pusher and 69. Click the pick to see the complete rigs.


Wednesday 28 January 2009

Screen grab

So the first month of the years almost done and its been full bore, Dirt magazine, Wideopen magazine, Pinkbike, NEMA.com all ran photos of me on its front pages over the last four weeks.. Whats not a bad start to the year! Big thanks to everyone.

front page photo on NSMB today..


hi guys, just to let you know that one of my riding shots has been the front page photo on nsmb today. http://www.nsmb.com/

Monday 26 January 2009

MONSTER ENERGY TEAM BIKE




My 09 team bikes off to www.jdwphotography.co.uk/ for JW to shoot some silky smooth shots of the MDE 69, I have to say the bike looks sweet. Looks like i have a few stickers to put on my lids..

Double Backflip on a Snowmobile! plus fmx

its not mtb .. but you have to see this..
Double Backflip on a Snowmobile! you have to see this vid! wild..


while down-under Cameron Sinclair stomps another double flip.. dont just look at the pic above..see the vid.. clean

the 4x rig update..

We put some Funn cranks on it and since this shot last week some lock-on grips. Will keep you posted on futher updates. This bike rides so nice!


KBC lost photo

This shot was from the KBC shoot at the very end of last year.

KBC PRO LID SPEC:
Shell:ULTRA COMP* Shell Constructed using the revolutionary “pre-preg” bag molding process, it is lighter and ensure consistency in shell thickness.

Ventilation: DUAL-INTAKE VENTILATION SYSTEM(DiVS) Efficiently draw, circulate, vent and control airflow providing ultimate comfort.

Visor: Fully adjustable visor with anodized hardware and a tinted visor extension for maximum screening.

Interior: ULTRALUX Liner Removable, washable genuine Savoire Suede liner with customizable padding system.
Retention System: Double D ring chin strapSafety Standard: Meets or exceeds SNELL/DOT standards. Also available in ECE/AS standards.
click the pic for more detail.

Saturday 24 January 2009

GET WELL SOON TO MY GOOD MATE LUKE,







His update:



As I write this email, I am being told by hospital doctors and everyone around me that I am supposed to be down and out never to ride a motorbike again and I am lucky to be alive , but I’m just me stubborn as a mule down but never out I am Luke Smith I know I shall ride again in months when my body lets me!!!!

Just over two weeks ago now I went to hit a regular ramp jump set at 75ft as I hit the ramp a stoned had flicked up and into the front wheel locking the front brake and disc just after I had left the ramp. This sent me flying over the handlebars whilst still travelling second gear on it I landed on the tip of the down ramp head first and into the ground hard, when my head hot the ground it sounded like a watermelon exploding, my head hit the ground so hard that when people came to see if I was ok, I was lying face down on the ground with my helmet in over 6 pieces scattered around me. My helmet had been ripped of me and my head completely.
I was knocked out and no way anyone was waking me up, for around 15-20 minutes I laid knocked out until I came around and started having seashores on the ground until I was helicopter out of there with suspected huge head injury. I spent 8 days in intensive care and just over the last week in a head injury metal health rehab institution centre with lock in to your rooms and lock out so you can’t wonder around, I have 2 weeks left to go in hospital which sucks.

With the head injury I sustained after being knocked out for close to half hour, the staff here really wonder on how the hell I am alive.

I had been here for close to 4/5 days nearly 2 weeks since the crash when my memory started to return and I knew I was getting back to the old me.
.
The last few days the have had me learning to walk without aid and climbing stairs at the gym and mental activities to test my brain.

I had a meeting yesterday to say I wanted out and to head home asap. So I have been allowed extra care because of my progress and been allowed to head home for the weekend, I was meant to be in this institution for a month in total, I still have 2 weeks here but have cut my time down by a week and a weekend home trip to cut down the time.
I am not allowed to drink alcohol for up to 18 months no riding for at least 6 months and they taken my licence off me so no driving a car on the road for over a year so things are pretty tight.

But in true Luke Smith fashion I give it up to 6 months and I shall be out competing at FMX events around the world, I am not allowed not to drive a car for 18 months and that will probably stand as the police have my license as they say I could be a road hazard but no one said I can’t drive at the track, so I still plan on competing at the New Zealand drift series which starts at the end of march as got a shell and a role cage around me and a bunch of drive to do well. Just got to get some time in the seat when a little better and see what I can do.

Well just thought I would let you know my situation and where I am at, as many people have been worried and asking, expect to see me and the Moto Mayhem team at events around the country competing and just hanging out don’t hesitate to come say hi.

Friday 23 January 2009

MDE 2009


The new 2009 websites now up, check the frames, blog, gallery and much more.

Lance McDermott on O'Neal helmets..


Lance McDermott has his own 2009 Giro Flak lid, But will Lance be riding with one? word has it he will be riding O'neal lids for 2009.. I have to say i like the flak lids and have two of them, little rev coming soon.

MADDO IN THE UK!

His next stunt/jump for redbull will be a 150ft flip over london bridge! it will be at the end of the year.
more details http://motocross.transworld.net/2009...bbie-maddison/

Thursday 22 January 2009

TOMAC /HOTLINES

JT was the man! how many of you ran the tioga back wheel and drop bars? I did! :)


Tomac bikes have a new importer/distro in Hotlines-uk.
In even more for shocking news.. hotlines now has a website that works! (and looks very cool).
http://www.hotlines-uk.com/ also check http://www.tomac.com/ and the tomac blog site.

Lopes on Team Troy Lee Designs / Honda / Red Bull

Brian will be the sx/mx teams coach and will help with Training and Nutrition.

GRAVES NEW LID

Dylan Dean Designs (D3) is proud to announce the addition of mountain bike star athlete Jared Graves to the mountain bike factory team! Jared returns to the D3 team after a short absence, and will don D3 custom paintwork throughout the 2009 & 2010 seasons.“I’ve known the D3 crew for many years, having previously been a D3 team member. They have always been a smiling face at the races… they’re just the sort of people you want in your corner,” exclaimed an excited Graves! “I was always super pumped on all the lids they provided me in the past, so it made perfect sense to get pumped on them once again!”Jared is respected as one of the world’s foremost gravity racers. Even after taking a majority of the 2008 season off, in order to concentrate on his Olympic dream, Jared still dominated every mountain bike race he entered. Now that he’s back to racing mountain bikes full time, expect sheer dominance from Jared in 4x as well as being a top contender in downhill. It’s going to be an exciting season! “I’m excited to have Jared back on the team,” said D3 owner Dylan Dean. “The first full face helmet I ever painted was for Jared Graves. Although I’ve worked with Jared throughout the years at various brands, it’ll be great to continue our original relationship & pump out some great designs for him!”For additional information on Jared Graves, visit his personal website at www.jaredgraves.net.
Photo courtesy: Damian Breach






Wednesday 21 January 2009

mike-hopkins.com


Mikes sites worth a visit, its the only pro rider site i hit up every few weeks to see the latest news and photos, Great ski and freeride mtb rider.


Monday 19 January 2009

bomber track update

Tarmac has now been added to the last turn, should add some speed to the last straight, but sadly today the wind was blowing and made it hard to get many of the jumps done.

PROPS to my buddy


Props to my mate Hatch, (aka pc hatcher), His got a sweet deal with fox clothing and a good team for this year. Hatch and i go back years and i always have his back as we are good mates. Nice work buddy!

Sunday 18 January 2009

Tea and biscuits

been sponsored and bitched about by people that dont know you and dont ride with you on forums goes together like tea and biscuits and its why most known riders dont go on forums. Its a sad but true fact and this weekend a few have been bitching untrue facts as ever..let them, your a fool to think what they writes true, Feel free to mail me or come and ride with me ?
its that simple.

Other stuff.. Lopes has joined GOPRO, see brianlopes.com.
haldon vid has now been uploaded.
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/56305/

Happy vibes :)

Saturday 17 January 2009

Haldon gill session today

few guys from torquay and myself had a nice session up at haldon today, its one of the few spots thats not a real mud pit right now, Props to the locals that have been building a lot of new singletrack in the last month. They have also built a new big fly off kicker thing that sends you way down the hill, good times today even if the wind was blowing at 60mph.
Some GOPRO vids of the main fun run up in a few days.

Friday 16 January 2009

MISSING SHOTS..


This shot was lost from the KBC shoot, but its worth posting .

SX



AMA supercross round 3 this weekend and i can not wait to see what goes down, Its the best year of SX in a long time, If your new to following SX check racerxill or ronronmx.com and keep in the loop.

Andreu and Lluis Lacondeguy sign through 2010 with Kona Bikes

Andreu and Lluis Lacondeguy sign through 2010 with Kona Bikes

Munich, Germany, January – Kona signed Andreu and Lluis Lacondeguy for the following two years. Lluis got an additional Kona clothing sponsorship. The first chance to see the Lacons riding their new bikes will be at the “White Style presented by Kona” winter slopestyle comp in Leogang, Austria, on January 30th.

The Spaniards Andreu and Lluis build up the Kona Clump team together with Paul Basagoitia (USA), Grant Fielder (UK), John Cowan (USA) and the brand new team member and 18 years old rookie Graham Aggassiz from Kamloops (CAN). All Kona Clump riders will be supported by Shimano, Marzocchi, WTB, e.thirteen, Easton, Sun Ringlé, Kenda, FSA and Wheelsmith. The Lacons got additional support from O’Neal protection gear, as well as Andreu from Red Bull. So the Rock’n’Roll loving brothers are perfectly equipped for a great mountain bike season, hitting locations all over the world. The Lacondeguys will not only throw down at the biggest comps such as the Crankworx contests, the Nissan Qashqai Challenge events or the 26TRIX, but will also be filming for New World Disorder’s 10th edition.

Andreu and Lluis have been riding motocross and FMX a lot during the last months in order to train their skills for big jumps with a lot of airtime and speed. Lluis is anxious to go for international contests again after being injured at some major competitions. Andreu had the chance to show what he is made of by winning the Crankworx Whistler Slopestyle with a fantastic run including a clean double backflip. But he wants to go even bigger this year: “Mountain bike jumps have to be huge ... man, we are looking for 15 meters gaps and I hope that this is happening for the upcoming season. Let’s see what the White Style will be like, Chopper did a great job the last two years.“

Let’s see if Andreu will be satisfied: Chopper aka Grant Fielder, the master of the White Style’s course design and construction, already stated that he will go big. The brothers are training already on big jumps in the snow, so stay tuned what’s next to come!

Thursday 15 January 2009

World domination!

me and my boys..
#1 news story on pinkbike today! hella.

HEADLINE news again!


just a few days ago i was on the front page of dirt magaznes website (thanks mike,billy and the crew), well on wednesday i was the headline news on wideopen magazines website..

till next time! RIDE LIKE A ROCK STAR

Wednesday 14 January 2009

DIRT mag cover story AND FLASHBACK

This flashback photos from 2003 on the vandal clothing destruction tour and a MBUK coming up feature, photo by seb rogers.
Thanks to mike and billy over at Dirt magazine for this on the front page of the Dirt website.

TEAM GOOSE BECOME GT?

Andrew Cho, Eric Carter and Mick Hannah all have jumped to sister brand GT, Looks like ROMO will be the only rider still on mongoose bikes for 09? also on GT wll be Tyler McCaul. Now both GT and Trek have a power house team again..

Tuesday 13 January 2009

Esher shore 09 site

above: Elbry having fun mid run. bellow: eshers packed in trail area.


The new 09 website has gone live:http://www.eshershore.com/index.htm


Haldon freeride area closed

(elbry on the lower slopes of the grill trail at haldon)
No news on if and when it will reopen but as of now Haldons freeride area and jumps are now closed to the public, It seems that some new xc based trails will be made at some point this year. Please do not try to ride the freeride area as sections of shore have been removed and posts put in front of the main jumps.

Oke shores also now closed and looks to be reopened in the summer, For Devon freeride fun try the private section behind the gill,

Monday 12 January 2009

ELBRY ON MONSTER!


I will be riding for Monster energy, the #1 energy drink brand! check the site for the latest goings on