FLAT ONLY COGcast EPISODE 1: 12 YEARS OF FLATMATTERSONLINE

YO!!!!

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?

1:39:45 Outro

Editorial: Flatmattersonline is 12 Years Strong!

Text: Effraim.
Photos: Effraim, Bart de Jong.

Good morning everyone!

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.

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Must Watch: James White/ Fifty Shades of White

As James White celebrates his 50th birthday, he does in it style with this amazing retrospective mix of his riding career so far, including input from the likes of Pete Brandt, Lincoln Blacksley, Amos Burke, Jesse Puente, Chase Gouin, Jason Forde, and many more. I am on the third watch now, and notice different things within his edit that had me stoked, and had me crying with laughter, straight up Flatland at it’s best!

There is only one edit to watch today!

Happy 50th birthday James!

Flat Snitches: Episode 4 / 360 Bike flip with Steve Mulder

Intro: Effraim.
Interview: Effraim, Pete Brandt.
Photo/Video credits: Steve Mulder, Chris Rye, Mark Eaton, Rob Dolecki.

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since Episode 3 of Flat Snitches with Tim Treacy discussing the Backyard, so it’s time to get back to it, and take a little break from the regular FM exclusive clips (we return to the exclusive clips on Wednesday)…
Myself and Pete Brandt have been talking about switching over to video for Flat Snitches to document, and show visuals of the trick creations and provide some historical context also. Editors note: Steve is camera shy, so enjoy the video and the written interview…

For episode 4, we go back to the 90’s.
And a 360 bike flip move that begins in a peg wheelie, throw the bike 360 degrees and land in a switch-b, aka switch foot caboose! It’s time to show its creator, Steve Mulder some much deserved respect!

The concept of the bike flip has become trendy as of the last few years, but the 360 version has not. Myself and Pete discuss a few heads that have stepped into the arena, but as we delved a bit deeper, it came to our attention the straight line version is untouched. Mad respect to Steve for this timeless creation!

We catch up with the man himself to discuss this amazing move, and dig into some of the background information on it. Enjoy the episode and interview, it’s time to learn more about this amazing creation and give props to one of the best riders to ever do this artform we call flatland….

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The Flatmattersonline Exclusives: 1-10

What’s up everybody?

I hope everyone is safe and well at home during this really difficult time. A couple of people shared the idea to post the first ten clips on one edit to look back over, and during this lockdown period. I have plenty of time to kill, so here are the first the clips that started back in January of this year.
These clips have become a thing, and I am really stoked on the reaction to doing these. Thanks to all the riders that taken part so far and shared their progressive lines with all of us.

Shoutouts to:

Pete Brandt
Sietse Van Berkel
George Manos
Bobby Carter
Chris Vasileiou
Varo Hernandez
Sebastian Grubinger
Kio Hayakawa
Matthias Dandois
Dan Hennig

Keep checking back:
Every Wednesday, a new clip on https://www.flatmattersonline.com

A Decade Of Flatland: 2010/2020 Part 1

Intro/Interview: Effraim.

Flatland, a decade on. Where is it at? In 2008, when I was starting Flatmattersonline, I hit up a broad scope of riders from across the globe, and asked them a topical question at the time, “To scuff or not?”.
As we went into a new decade, I wondered…. in terms of styles, have we really moved on in progression over the past 10 years? I hit up some of the same riders that were involved in the first main article on the site, and also some fresh riders to get their perspective. How has their personal riding developed over the past ten years, are there still lines and tricks that they feel never get old, and stand the test of time?
How has bike technology affected their riding, riding spots and so on. Welcome to Part 1 where I reach out to the 2019 Flatmattersonline Rider of the Year, Dominik Nekolny, Pete Brandt, one of the most hardcore riders on the planet. And Matthias Dandois, winner of reader choice edit of the year and the most recognisable face in flatland in the world. Part 1 is an interesting read, you might want to grab a cuppa and give this your attention….

A decade on technically what’s different about your riding style? The tricks are obviously different, but has your approach changed?

Dominik Nekolny: Man, I just watched some footage from KOG back in 2010 – and boooooiiii I was killing it 😀 I guess my riding was little bit more technical and “jumpy” which I actually miss a bit…

Pete Brandt: My approach has changed with some tricks and techniques, but the commitment of exerting a trick is a lot still the same. I love the feeling of full commitment on the approach, and throughout the the trick.

Matthias Dandois: I only do things that look good and feel good. I film all the new tricks I learn, and if they don’t look good enough to me I just put them in the trash can. Even if it’s contest winning trick.So I guess I got less technical but more flowy. Works for me!

Describe your riding ten years ago?

Dominik Nekolny: My riding now? I love it! 🙂 I come up with some style and links which nobody did in the contest and I spend a lot of time to make those links dialled as fuck, so what you want more. :D.

Pete Brandt: Lots of spinning and turbine styles.

Matthias Dandois: My riding 10 years ago was more technical, less aesthetic. More trick based. Contest winning tricks.

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The last days of the San Francisco Trip!

Wednesday and Thursday, the last full days of my trip out here to San Francisco. I missed the last few days updating the diary of my trip so f-it. You get a double day update in one post, Monday was by far my most productive day of the trip so far. Getting two clips really got me in the mood to capture my riding again, and on Wednesday I got another two clips! This trip has, despite my knee injury been the best yet.

Pete as always was in attack mode, right from the off at the Clocktower murdering the spot whether it was dialled lines, or brand new stuff. Because of his level of consistency, he’s able to have brand new tricks dialled almost instantly, it’s quite amazing to see in person and understand the process of how that happens.

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San Francisco Trip: Day 8

Yesterday was by far the most productive day of the trip so far for me personally, fresh back from the One Love Jam. It was time, to start working on new tricks and try to capture clips for an edit I am working. Pete had the day off work, and it was a nice day in SF. That only means one thing, Clocktower!

Right from the off, Pete was smashing the Clocktower a new one. I got my fix of tea from across the road ay Starbucks and started chasing clips. Half hour into the session I bagged one, then Pete pulled his straight bar steam bar varial to pedal steam line, and the session started going off! I got inspired by Pete’s turbine hikers and started working on them again.

After about ten minutes I started to get into them and figured out how to get speed out of the turbine hikers without pumping. Once the technique was there, I got an idea that I have never thought of before, and an hour later the line I wanted was captured with around 10% left on the phone battery. To say I was stoked was an understatement, it’s absolutely amazing to get to ride with someone like Pete on the daily, and both go after tricks. That feeling when you get something new and see Pete get his will never get old to me.

This was the best session I have had yet at the clocktower, today it’s raining so its a forced chill day for me. The forecast looks good for tomorrow, so I cant wait to be out there again nd chase a few more clips, super stoked to be progressing again after a month off with this knee injury. The KT tape I am using on my knee is working much better than the knee support I was previously using. We ended up the day with a couple of beers, and hung out with the SF Skater locals and called it a day. What a day, everything I love about flatland happened in 24 hours. Absolutely buzzing, and still a few days left of my trip out here…

Repo: The One Love Jam

Text: Effraim.
Photos: EC, Juan Lopez.

Around mid-day Friday, myself and Pete set off for the long drive to Los Angeles for the 10th anniversary of the One Love Jam in Newport Beach, California. We met up with Dylan Worsley about an hour out of SF, and travelled down with Dylan. Like last year, we stayed about an hour outside of Newport Beach, in Corona at Robert Castillo’s house. Friday was a full day of travelling, and when we arrived full party mode was in full effect, we were greeted by Robert, his wife Stephanie, Ruben, EZ Chris, and Bill Nitschke.

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San Francisco Trip: Day 4

Day four of my trip out to San Francisco took a different turn than all the previous days with heavy rain for most of the day. That meant a Clocktower session was out of the question.
Luckily, Pete has a rad garage riding spot with a fast floor, and we could ride with tunes on!
Like the previous days, both myself and Pete worked on new tricks. Pete was working on his straight bar steam varial to pedal steam, and nailed it numerous times. The man is a machine!

I had a good session, working on individual parts of lines I am experimenting on and nailed a few stall tricks a couple of times. It felt rad to be riding, even though the weather sucked and get my third day of riding in a row under my belt.

We were going to be travelling to LA on Thursday, but if we did that would mean the One Love Jam poster boy, Dylan Worsley wouldn’t be able to make it. So we are travelling down today with Dylan, so we won’t make the pre jam. For any of you going to the jam, see you saturday. Looking forward to the 10th anniversary jam, come and say hello if your going.

Hope you are all enjoying these daily updates from my trip.