It’s Wednesday evening, and that means time for the next episode of the Flatmattersonline Exclusives! Thank you once again to everyone who was thrown down a clip to get this started up and flowing again.
Irina Sadovnik started things off a few weeks back, and ended her exclusive with screams of joy, and a rider that’s infamous for screaming after every line he pulls is none other than the man behind the AFA, James McGraw!
I must admit I turned down the volume to watch this the first time round, and James rivals Irina with the loudest scream so far, James comes through with a rad junkyard kick turbine line ending in a backwards spinning switch foot ice cream/mega spin whatever you care to call it at his freshly surfaced Tintadome riding spot in Monument, Colorado.
What I wasn’t expect was a cameo from Joe Cicman, the man is everywhere!
Thanks for contributing James, whose got episode 68 dropping Sunday…
What’s everybody, with a spring in all our steps. It’s time to get back to two exclusives a week, flatland lifer, Todd Carter stepped up for episode 65 to deliver a super smooth switch foot ankledeath type ride in to guillotine into spinning lard yard, finishing the line with a two footed backyard pivot out at his home riding spot.
As Todd warms up for the AFA Dream run contest shortly coming up, he’s looking smoother than ever, and I’m loving the progression he’s been showing lately on his social media.
Who would have thought Mr nice guy, Todd Carter would be that guy to break the rules of a FM exclusive.
Thanks for contributing Todd, whose got episode 66? Dropping Sunday….
I love surprises at Flatmattersonline HQ, when it comes to exclusives. A new face to me, Gabriel Alves Gomes comes through with a banger for episode 64!
From the smooth execution on the hand scuff backyard to the no-handed gliding lard yard/gerator/dick trick (whatever you care to call it), and sealing the deal with a steep brakeless smith decade. The exit is so important in flatland, and can really finish off a nice line, and turn into a great line.
The brakeless smith when executed properly is a real riders trick, separating the men from the boys, and Gabriel out of Brazil certainly stomped his authority on this clip. Super stoked!
Thanks Gabriel for contributing, look forward to seeing more from the Brazilian shredder.
Episode 65 will drop on Wednesday, hold tight!
It’s Sunday 6pm GMT, and time for episode 63 of the Flatmattersonline exclusives. This week we have a feature with Joe Cicman, this Joe’s third FM exclusive. Right now he has the record for the most exclusives since I started these back up in January 2020.
Forgive the pun, but “Fact or Freestyle” is this the world’s longest no-handed steam?
Fanks Joe for contributing, whose got the next clip?
The Flatmattersonline exclusives are back and flowing, every Sunday at 6pm GMT is what I am aiming. The exclusives started back with a boom last week when the Women’s UCI World Champion, Irina Sadovnik came through with an amazing x-handed hang 5 to x-handed whiplash out for episode 61!
Can we get to 100 episodes I asked?
TJ Perry hit me up shortly after 61 dropped with an awesome fire hydrant step crackpacker to two footed front yard to crack 360 flapjack clip for episode 62! Great to see TJ back after a 5 year hiatus, he’s gone from riding the roughest parking lot to becoming a real estate agent and owning his own property with his own personal garage spot now making tyres last for months!
It’s great to see TJ back into riding, TJ just celebrated his 35th birthday on Friday, go show TJ some love for this awesome front wheel line. Thanks for contributing TJ, whose got episode 63?
Get in contact and send in your clip. let’s keep this going!
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Flat Only COGcast, my guest for the second episode is Aaron Frost from Sequence. The return of Sequence is a breath of fresh air to the flatland community, and I sit down with the man himself, and talk about the history of the brand, re-re-releasing classic sequence product, the new Anvil system on his peg design + you get the scoop on the new team for 2021 and a whole lot more.
Check the Timestamps for what’s discussed, I have to say this one of the best interviews I have done. Really enjoyed catching up with Aaron and talking all things Sequence. This show is not to be missed!!!
Enjoy the show!
0:00 Welcome to FLAT ONLY cogcast episode 2!
00:19 Introducing Aaron Frost to the show.
2:52 History of the Sequence brand.
3:49 Concept behind Sequence name.
6:06 How long did the brand run the first time round?
7:59 Shintaro Misawa added to the Sequence team.
10:42 Who was on the original Sequence team?
15:45 Recognising annoyingly good riders.
17:46 How long did Sequence lay dormant, what was your thinking starting back up?
19:04 Making a mistake getting Sequence made in Taiwan.
20:56 When did you start Sequence up again?
21:57 Starting a manufacturing company.
24:29 Making Sequence product in house.
25:32 Re-releasing classic Sequence product?
26:24 The Hook stem and the engineering behind it.
31:03 Is the weight on product a concern for you as a rider and engineer?
32:35 The Anvil peg system and size of pegs?
34:37 Why is the internal sleeve starting inside the peg more than usual?
36:28 Working with Titanium.
38:34 Having the facilty to take more then stems and pegs.
39:57 Working towards complete bikes.
40:52 Who is on the Sequence team for 2021?
48:25 Discussing how insane the Real Jeep Games were?
51:53 North American flatland scene.
53:07 Where can you get Sequence product from?
54:51 Aaron’s personal riding progression and injuries.
12 Years into running Flatmattersonline on Friday 27th November 2020, it was time for something new for the site.
After various conversations with my co-host Pete Brandt during our lockdown here in the UK, the “Flat Only” COGcast is born, the title “Flat ONLY” seemed to be the most fitting, and described the direction we both feel strongly about, Pete suggested changing “POD” to “COG” to keep inline with that flatland feel.
On the evening of our 12th anniversary, I got together via zoom with Pete Brandt, Bobby Carter, Jody Temple and man of the moment, Peter Olsen to talk about all things 12 years of Flatmattersonline, Wheelie bikes as a trend, lack of flatland frames currently available, the latest video parts, reemergence of flatland only brands, back injuries and much much more. It was a great conversation, check the timestamps below for a quick reference of what is discussed when.
Grab a cuppa FM style and enjoy the first episode….
TIME STAMPS:
00:00 Intro to the FLAT ONLY cogcast, introducing Pete Brandt, and our guests Bobby Carter and Jody Temple!
5:38 12 years of FM, at what point did you guys start checking FM?
12:04 Questions for Effraim about running Flatmatters?
29:13 COVID has affected everyone’s riding. The pros and cons.
41:15: View on the over saturated market of old school frames
43:00 And not much choice in modern day flat frames….
53:57 Peter Olsen joins the show.
55:18 The reemergence of FLAT ONLY brands.
1:05:18 Back injuries and the importance of stretching…
1:11:50 Flatmattersonline year end awards coming up! So many amazing edits lately including Pete Olsen’s Ritual part….
1:26:59 Are wheelie bikes going to be the future or a passing trend?
Friday 27th November marks a special day, today I celebrate twelve years of running the Flatmattersonline website!
In 2008 I said to myself after plenty of conversations and prompting from Sam Foakes on our trip to Japan (see yesterdays TBT) “let’s make a place where Flatlander’s can “document their riding, share it and naturally progress!”.”
The meaning of FM…
The name “flatmatters” originally had two meanings, the obvious, flat is important, the second, discussing topics flatland related, this became more meaningful when Mark Noble at Ride UK asked to start a flatmatters page in his magazine.
My parents competition, King of Concrete helped indirectly come up with the name, when other contests across the globe were dripping flatland. Flatland very much mattered at King of Concrete, there was a big contest floor to ride, prize money etc. I helped design a Flatland Matters tee to giveaway to everyone who rode the contest back in 2000 era, great times!
The original concept of starting Flatmattersonline pretty much runs true 12 years on. I wanted an independent place for Flatlander’s to be able to look at fresh content everyday, and help inspire their session that day. I thought if I am looking for something else on the net, than perhaps other people are too.
Interestingly enough, when I started FM back in 2008, video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo were pretty fresh so not a lot of people were using them, and I was relying heavily on original content which eleven years on is something I am going back to and am more inspired by. So between October/November 2008 was spent writing articles to et ready for the 27th November launch.
From the initial generic blogspot days, to a full website FM that has seen many changes over the past 12 years. I really do have to pinch myself when I think about how many posts, and also how much time I must have spent putting content together for you the viewer at home.
What’s up everyone? Claude Hickman surprised me today with a fresh clip for episode 58 of the Flatmattersonline exclusives. Keeping the momentum going as we approach 60 episodes!
This is Claude’s second FM exclusive, and this is episodes features another double darkside line, this time from hitch to rear wheel backpacker, I believe they call it a fudge packer in the states (correct me if I am wrong) to peg wheelie lard yard into ice cream darkside to halfpacker. Super smooth style from CH, this comes from years of riding, skills to pay the bills.
Claude on that note has just launched his own “Flatland” clothing brand, hit him up on instagram for the tees, sweatshirt, hoodies and all that good stuff.
Thanks Claude for contributing, whose got episode 59?
We are back, episode 57 of the Flatmattersonline exclusives. It is pretty fitting today I am wearing a King of Concrete tee, ep.57 features Jean-Michel Chauvel from Guilliaume Le Conquerant over in Normandie, France just across the water from me here in Southsea, UK. Jean-Michel is a big supporter of the King of Concrete contest, and competed this year in the eFise, MOC, and AFA online contests, and I love this guys riding.
He has a unique flow to how he puts the tricks together, I would call these “pieces” of tricks put together in one clip with his unique pirouette style, that’s figure skating like. This is what flatland is all about, get out there and get creative. Jean-Michel is in his 50’s and showing no signs of slowing down, stoked he stepped up for episode 57.
Merci Jean-Michel for stepping up!!!
We have definitely slowed down as we approach 60 episodes, if you have a clip send it in. Don’t be shy, instructions on how-to take part are after Jean-Michel’s clip….
