This is what you need in HK

Product Review: Eastern Plastic Pedals

Here is my first product review. Eastern Plastic pedals. I got them just when the whole plastic pedal craze started. I wiped out once the day I put these pedals on. It wasn't even a huge slam. Just bailed out of a manual on flat ground and let go of the bike. The bike just fell on its side. As a result the axle bent slightly and it makes an annoying creaking sound every now and then. Fast forward a couple of weeks and I slip a pedal on a bunnyhop. This left a hole on my right shin. See pic below. These pedals fucking suck. I hate them so much. The surface area is small, the axle is shit, and the composite material is slippery as hell. I'll be getting some Odyssey plastics to replace these pieces of shit. I tried the Odysseys on a friend's bike and they rule.

Fit S3.5 Frame

Pictured here is my new Fit S3.5 frame. It's 20.75" long. A big difference from my old 19.8" Mosca. The longer frame offers much more legroom, but it took a while to get used to. I couldn't even manual or 180 the bike for the first few days. I decided to go brakeless. Hopefully I it would make me a smoother rider. But, I nearly got hit a couple times by cars on the street. The 75degree head tube made hang-5s a lot easier.

The main thing I don't like about this frame are the lame decals on the chainstay. A couple of them came off from my heel scuffing up against the frame as I pedal. You can re-arrange them to spell new words! See below.

Mei Foo Comp

I went to Mei Foo today to watch a comp. Some sick shit went down. I got there just when the flatland part of the comp started. It seemed like it lasted forever, so I just watch the Park Expert class warm up.

A sponsored kid on a red Mongoose came down from Shenzen. He was ripping it. Clicked turndown, tailwhips, peg bonks, and even a decade air. He had big tricks, but was quite sketch. Then we had the locals, Hint, Yuen, and Fung. Hint was going the highest on the quarter. His style was very "Aitken" Smooth, simple and clean. Fung was hitting big smooth 3's on the box jump. Nice bar spins. He was the only one doing them too. He was pulling pedal stalls and pedal grinds. Good progress since the last time I saw him ride. But the highlight of the day had to be Yuen. He was doing brakeless manuals to 180 out. He 180'd the fun box at high speed. And the banger had to be when he 180'd a stem height fence. His style was strong, precise and definite. All three were riding brakeless. This seemed like all the rage nowadays.

Guess The Spot

Can you guess where this spot is? First person to tell me wins a free bike.

Broken Finger

I know it's a little late to post this pic, but I broke my finger this summer from a freak crash. I was going for a high speed manual to gap over a drain. Some how the bike jack-knifed in the air and I was leaned over the front end of the bike too much. The front wheel locked when I landed sending me over the bars. This happened on July 10th 2006. The cast is off now, but my finger is still stiff and not back to it's full range of motion. What sucked the most, is that I couldn't play a big concert that I was booked for. Lucky it wasn't my left hand or I couldn't play guitar at all.

Singapore Road Trip 2006

I visited Singapore in February. I got to meet Singapore's local BMX guru, Simon Lim. Simon was kind enough to take me around to a some of the coolest spots Singapore had to offer.

KT2005

I decided to make this movie for a record of my riding in 2005. I started riding BMX bikes when I was about 7, and then stopped at 18 due to an injury. I started again in 2003 after 11 years. (Yeah, I'm that old)

Mei Foo Fufanu

Fuf - Kean | Photo - Snake Ming

Get well soon Ah Kin!

Ah Kin smith grinding at a night street session. Kin recently broke his leg on a fufanu gone sour at Mei Foo skatepark.

Ah Man Whips It Again At The "Y"

Ah Man was off his bike for most of last year due to an ACL injury. Now, even after surgery, his riding abilities are still progressing faster than ever.

Dirt Jump Disaster

XDC bike store owner/rider, Rex, show us in true FBM style, the perils of dirt jumping. Errr.. And good afternoon to you too Rex.

If you look long enough it starts to look like an abstract tattoo of a dude with shades on.

Repulse Bay Banks

Repulse Bay used to have some cool banks outside the old McDonalds. (1991)

Snakey's Shins

Picture here are Snake Ming's battle scarred shins from years of abuse from pedals, pegs and various other bike components. Snake has also had ACL reconstuctive surgery on his right knee.

BMX BS

If you've ever ridden BMX or skated in Hong Kong, chances are you've been told to stop by a cop or a security guard. Every park or beach in HK has warning signs like the one shown above. This pic was taken at Repulse Bay Beach around 1990. Note that there are only five things that you weren't allowed to do then.

Fast forwards to 2005. Now there are twelve things that are prohibited in Hong Kong public parks. Basically you're prohibited from having any fun at all! I still can't figure out what the one on the top right means. Is he shitting, pissing or littering?

This one was found in Quarry Bay/Taikoo Shing Park. Park staff always tell me to get off my bike, but I never see them hassling inexperienced little kids on bikes with training wheels.

Portable 20" BMX Truing Stand (1990)

I designed and made this liteweight aluminium 20" wheel truing stand for my A-Level Design and Technology project.

The truing stand folded up.

Repulse Bay Quarter-pipe

Me airing the Repulse Bay Quarter. Note the black band under the seat. This shot was taken not long after the June 4th, 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Old school style drop in on the Repulse Bay quarter pipe. This ramp was built by the Repulse Bay skateboarders around 1988 at a kid called Morgan's house.

Dirty 450 Geek

During my 2005 Easter trip to Tokyo's Kinouchi cycle store and skatepark, owner/rider Mr. Kinouchi was kind enough to let me use his 21" Dirty 450 for the session. The wishbone seatstays resembles the T1 Barcode design. This bike was less than 10kgs. Possibly the lightest current BMX bike I've ever ridden. It handles so well. I can roll back forever standing up on this bike.

Modified Tech 77 lever for weight saving. Note the green Dirty 450 ferrule and high impact plastic bar end.

Mr. Kinouchi's drilled out front rim. Check out the lightweight axle nut and titanium spokes.

2003 Haro Backtrail

This is my current bike. I laced the back wheel myself. It's a 36-spoke Odyssey 7KA with a 2005 Odyssey cassette. The front wheel is an old chrome Super Pro. The long frame took a little getting used to since I was so used to riding shorter old school bikes. 20.6" TT, 14" CS, 27-28 pounds.

199? Standard Lengthy

This is my first bike after 10 years+ of not riding. Thanks to Ah Man and Snake Ming for hooking me up with the frame and all the parts. This bike is virtually indestructable but slightly heavy..... 34 pounds with a 19.75"TT and 14"CS

Braemar Hill Mini 1990 - Before and After

This was the coolest ramp I've ever ridden in HK. It was built by local skateboard guru, Warren and a few other skaters.

Tokyo Easter Vacation 2005

Recently I went to Tokyo for a short trip. Masafumi, a Japanese rider from Sydney, Australia, who I met through the internet (Check out his site: In Japan) met up with me and took me to Kinouchi Cycle's skatepark in East side of Tokyo. Click here to see a movie clip of me wallriding this thing.

1988 Haro Sport

1987 GT Pro Freestyle Tour

In 1989 I bought this frame from QK (HK flatland wizard from the old days)

1984 Kuwahara

My first 4130 chromoly frame. Kuwahara with Araya alloy wheels, Suntour Coaster brake, Panaracer Knarler Knobby tires, Elina seat, Shimano SX Pedals, Oakley grips, Dia-Compe brakes, and Mongoose bars. Got my first real serious injury on this bike when I was 12. Hung up the front wheel tying to bunny hop a ledge, landed on my face, grazed my left eye real deep. 2 weeks in hospital. Still have this bike....and the scar!

Braemar mini one year later...

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Here I am getting physio for my knee. I had a bad MTB crash that screwed up my knee for a whole year!

8 Stitches

The result of a 180 gone wrong while wearing shorts without shinpads. To test my pain threshold further, I had a turbinectomy operation the very next day.

Here is Masa with the car we rented for the day. There's enough room inside to fit two bikes yet it's small enough to navigate around the tightest of roads. It only cost 6000 Yen (HK$420) to rent for the whole day.

Me wallriding on the super light bike. I had no idea I would go so high since I was so used to my 34 pound Standard Lengthy.

Masa carving the 15 foot quarter

One of the locals carving big on the 15 foot quarter.

Me airing the Braemar mini. (1991)

The rail was about 2 feet tall and 15 feet long. Scary.

Kinouchi bike store had a very choice selection of gear.

Next stop Masa took me to were the Shin-Nakagawa river banks where he often sessions.

Me bank carving down by the river. Click here for movie

Masa on the banks

Tokyo boasted some of the most awesome street spots. Cops and security guards don't give you any hassle too. Found this brick hip/bank thingy in Shinjuku.

You also see these knee high rails just about everywhere too. Perfect for double pegs grinds.

Quarry Bay Session

Quarry Bay session with Tim on this tiled wedge

The ground was so rough, it was amazing that Tim could get enough speed to get that high.

Wall Rash

Not really a BMX injury. A MTB one infact. Result of riding way too fast and way to close to a mossy wall. Rambo style.

Welcome to Hong Kong BMX

Welcome to Hong Kong BMX where you can talk about anything having to do with BMX in Hong Kong