Classic Monday’s: Ryoji Yamamoto / Dragonfly Changes Part 2004

For all of those in the know, Ryoji Yamamoto was one of the most influential flatlanders in the world during the early 2000’s. Every so often, a classic slips people by and I feel this is what happened with this Dragonfly Changes DVD. I remember when this DVD dropped hitting the rewind button repeatedly on this section.
The filming, the music, the vibe and of course Ryoji’s groundbreaking riding is something you don’t want to miss.

It’s been a minute since a classic Monday’s feature, so let’s start this back up with a belter!

Classic Monday’s: Stephen Hearn – Create 2006

It’s been a few weeks since I dropped a Classic Monday’s feature, and when Jody Temple sent in this Stephen Hearn “Create” video part from 2006. It was immediately my thought to save this for a “Classic Monday”, if you missed this one the first time round when it dropped, you are in for a treat.
This part is so good, 14 years on this part still holds strong to this day. Literally everything he does is amazing, if I had to pick a standout its the x-ft half hiker pivot backwards halfpacker to left/right side backwards backpacker to right side backwards halfpacker to backwards crack at 2:09!
Like I said everything in this part hits hard, no filler at all!

Stephen Hearn take a bow, I hear this was all filmed in an hour! Incredible….

Classic Mondays: Props Groundwork

Props Groundwork is 20 years old and a certified classic in any flatlanders collection. Claybom is on it with uploads this week, I was so stoked when this popped up the other day.

Sections from Brian Tunney, Leif Valin, Brian Rybak, Chase Gouin, Dylan Worsley, Nate Hansen, Akira Okamura, Chad Degroot, Aaron Behnke, Mike S, James White, and Dan Rigby.

Classic Monday’s: Balancing Act

Last week we featured Alexis Desolneux’s amazing part from the Intrikat “Flatsphere” DVD, this week its a full video: Mark Eaton’s master piece “Balancing Act” that dropped in May, 1997. This is a video that showcases all forms of BMX, and with Eaton’s editing skills this doesn’t get old at all. For the purposes of Classic Monday’s I will just stick to the flatland standouts…

There’s so much flatland, from the intro that kicks in at 00:37, Leif Valin section at 6:07 (look out for the fire hydrant to pedal ice cream at 6:20), that was a move that was ahead of the time for sure. Kevin Jones section at 11:51 showcases all different styles of flatland riding, fixie, roller coaster and regular front and back brake, cross handed hang ten step to steam (this might be unnoticed, go back and watch this one, never seen it done like this), and my favourite move from the Jone’s section double whiplash to switch handed steam bar flip to forwards tomahawk (this move like most of Kevin’s career was widely copied).

The standout section flatland wise has to be the Chase Gouin part (17:26), for many of us this was the first time we saw brakeless riding. We saw tricks that normally would require brakes performed in Chase’s aggressive style, Eaton captured not only Chase’s amazing riding but the hardwork and frustrations that is all to familiar to us all. The “No excuses” Alice in Chain track fits Chase’s riding perfectly, and it’s something Mark Eaton seemed to capture over the history of Dorkin’ videos again and again.
It’s a timeless action for sure, if I had to highlight anything though it’s during the last section jamming to Social Distortion, (23:19) brakeless g-strings to backwards Karl backwards cliff, and the following dump truck pivot x-ft ice cream to the pedal x-ft body varial inside opposite caboose was groundbreaking for the time and hugely influential for the direction modern day flatland has gone.
Eaton’s editing skills really shine bright in this one, certified classic that makes me want to spend the whole day watching the Dorkin’ box set, but it’s time to go ride!

Classic Mondays: Alexis Desolneux / Flatsphere

It feels like a while since I dropped a “Classic Mondays”, and on Saturday when Alexis Desolneux dropped his Intrikat “Flatsphere” which was released in 2004, I knew it was time for another CM!
Alexis is infamous for his amazing video parts, and at a later date it might be worth doing a breaking down episode with one of his parts.
Chad Johnston made some of the best videos/DVD’s in flatland history, and combine that with riders of the calibre of Alexis, and your onto a classic! If you had to pick, what’s your favourite line in this part? I would have to go with the opposite hang 5 to halfpacker line that just keeps building and building at 2:13! Let’s discuss this one….

Classic Mondays: Madd Matt 1995

Classic Monday’s, it’s been a while! And we return with a certified classic, Madd Matt produced by Mark Eaton back in 1995. Great sections from Day Smith with an amazing soundtrack (7:23) and James White in York, PA (21:03) and plenty more with little flatland clips thrown in here and there.

Classic Mondays: Mike S Props Groundwork Part

It’s been a few months since I posted a “Classic Monday’s”, and when I think back to 2000. Mike S was a rider of top of his game both in the contest scene and video parts. His Props Groundworks part really helped inspire a whole generation of brakeless flatland in Europe, I feel years on Michael was pretty underrated, despite his numerous medals at the X Games. This part is still awesome twenty years on!

Classic Mondays – Jesse Puente & Edgar Plascencia / Wheelies Part

When I started Classic Mondays, this part was one of the top of my list to feature. 1994 was a good year for flatland, Mark Eaton’s Wheelies video still hits hard to this day. And you put Jesse Puente & Edgar Plascencia together at that period of time and you have pure gold, everything about this part is banging. This part always makes me want to go and ride, and that’s ultimately what it is all about.