Weekday Diversions #9: Freeride, BMX, Good Tunes, and Skinny Tires

It’s Wednesday, you’ve (almost) made it! The work week is halfway done, and the prospect of big weekend rides is beckoning. Until then, here’s a roundup of the best bike (and non-bike) content that’s caught our eye this week.

Ariel Kazunas - News Writer

ALMA WIGGBERG . I want to be her when I grow up.

It’s dust season already in Wydaho, and daytime temps have been pushing 90 which is face-melting for us weak, upper elevation folks - so of course I’m dreaming of shade and packed dirt and ferns, and Vaea somehow knew it when she made this cool, dark, loamy edit:

This is not bikes. It’s running, something my badly battered body is still deciding if it does anymore. But who doesn’t love a good comeback story or a teamwork dreamwork happy ending? And who isn’t getting hyped on the upcoming Paris Olympics? Oh, and also, EVERYONE WATCHES WOMEN’S SPORTS and if you don’t already follow @togethxr today is the day.

Deven McCoy - News Writer

I have not been on 20” wheels in many many years, but I cannot ignore my roots. I still look for the goods coming out of the BMX scene and will always hold the vibe in my heart as the uncontaminated influence on how/why I ride a bike today. These two videos dropped over the last week, and I'd be lying if I said they didn't make me want to invest in another bike… I don’t think my knees, ankles, or partner would appreciate me picking this one back up.

SUMN Lite 2

BSD Mixtape

Metal Bikes, Parts & Bike Parks

There is something about non-carbon that really does it for me, and seeing Starling announce the Mini Murmer this week has me thinking it might be time to ditch my current ride for something a little more real , if you catch my drift.

I am a huge simp for machined aluminum parts, and this Garbaruk Crankset is definitely a siren steering my ship towards the rocks of purchase… Or maybe I should just take some oven cleaner to my XT cranks. That would certainly be the more financially responsible option.

Dylan Russell - Social Media

LA MINE 3.0 | skatepark-inspired mountain bike home spot

All style in the latest from Louis Reboul, laying down some insane combos at his home spot La Mine. It’s really cool to see how many athletes now have their own riding spots. It allows for them to build essentially their dream line and show so much creativity. La Mine is no different with Louis and friends giving it a skatepark feel with multiple lines scattered throughout. I’m not sure if i’ve seen a one-handed cannonball to bar before and it was very smooth.

Keyaki Ike's "Flowgressive" Part

I love when a skate video comes up on my feed to break up the biking videos, it always makes me smile. This one however transported me back to my earlier days growing up skating. The vibes screamed early 2000’s with the editing and music tones. Keyaki nailed the trick selection, getting creative with the style and spot choice. If you love a good skate video I would highly recommend you give this a watch!

Cy Whitling - Editor

Chappell Roan’s Tiny Desk Concert

I am not one of those cool people who’s heard every hot new artist before they were famous. Instead I tend to listen to the same five artists I love, and then absorb new music through osmosis since I share a Spotify account with my partner, and she seeks out new artists more voraciously. And that’s probably how I found out about Chappell Roan a few years ago. Regardless, it’s a fun feeling to see new audiences discover an artist you love. This must be how the cool kid tastemakers feel all the time.

All that to say: Chappell Roan is awesome. She’s been awesome for a long time. I hope she keeps being awesome for a long time. I sing Pink Pony Club to myself every time I ride my REEB and I often ask myself “Is it casual nooooow!?” as I line up for a big rock roll or scary move. Thanks Chappell!

Julia Tellman

Tour de France Unchained: Season 2

I didn’t intend to be the token sports fan and spandex apologist on this website, but here I am again, promoting something that belongs to the world of power meters and immaculate leg hair maintenance.

When I was little my dad made me watch hours and hours of low-quality VHS-recorded Tour de France stages and I have distinct memories of falling asleep midday to the soporific voices of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. It was so boring! Two hundred kilometers of flat riding through farmland that ends with a bunch sprint at 2K is soooo boring!

Now I’m foisting the same thing on my household, except that it’s been packaged into the imminently watchable and quasi-suspenseful Netflix series TDF Unchained.

Do I care if the storylines are totally fabricated or if some rider or team director is getting unfairly villainized? Not at all! There is so much money sloshing around in the Tour and in road racing in general that I don’t give a damn if the producers are manipulating the whole thing to make the sport seem more compelling than it is. This show is just an opportunity to marvel at these odd-bodied, smooth-legged birdmen and think about how I couldn’t hold their wheel for a mile of racing, much less a month.