Rolling Stone takes a look at the sadly shortened life of Dave Mirra and tells his story again in light of the new awareness his death has caused in action sports regarding concussions and CTE.
Mirra’s death shook all corners of the action sports world, and also revealed something rarely discussed: just like in the NFL, where the implications of CTE have become one of the league’s biggest stories, extreme sports athletes suffer dozens of concussions over the course of their careers. In the months since Mirra’s death, fellow riders have started talking amongst themselves about CTE, wondering if this was the beginning of something much bigger. “It had been an underground conversation for a long time, but Dave’s death made it public,” says Jay Fraga, a former BMX racer who runs the Knockout Project, a concussion awareness program for athletes. “This was a wakeup call.”
We weren’t the biggest fans of Otto Designs smartphone based rear derailleur tuner (reviewed here on DigitalTrends.com), but their new product, the Ottolock looks like a really smart way to secure a bike when you have to leave it for a short time (to get coffee, or run into a store for milk). We haven’t tested it, but it definitely looks like a step in the right direction. It’s light, doesn’t require a key, and can easily wrap around more than one bike. What more do you need?
If you’d like one, click the link to help them out on Kickstarter.
Yeah. Today was a pretty big deal in Olympic BMX. That’s because today was the first time an American has won gold in the event that was invented in the United States.
The USA’s Connor Fields (of Las Vegas, Nevada) was one of four American riders who made it into the final medal round in men’s BMX. After getting what he called the best start of his life it made it first to the line for the gold.
“It was in the final turn that I realized these last 17+ years of riding all came down to this one moment,” Fields said about the last 70 meters to the finish. “My experience in London taught me that it doesn’t matter how you get to the finals, it doesn’t matter what gate – everyone has a chance. I had the best start of my life in that final and today was my day. My chance.”
Connor wasn’t the only American to medal. In the women’s event Minnesota’s Alise Post landed a silver medal. American’s also finished in fourth place in both the Men’s and Women’s events. Not a bad day for USA BMX. For the official word, please follow the jump.
In celebration of their 50th Anniversary Vans is dropping their second installment of their Classics Anniversary Collection which this time includes a couple tributes to some of Vans’ best BMX team members.
With tribute releases inspired by freestyle BMX pioneer Eddie Fiola and cherished BMX innovator Dennis McCoy, the fall assortment upholds Vans’ unwavering support of the BMX sport, and aptly coincides with the release of Vans’ first full-length BMX film, Illustrated—available now on iTunes.
Which reminds us — it’s about time we all watched Rad again, isn’t it? For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
Yeah. Today was a pretty big deal in Olympic BMX. That’s because today was the first time an American has won gold in the event that was invented in the United States.
