News from here, there & everywhere...

newcircle have an interview on the Rebelyell website - you can check it by clicking here. Also in Rebelyell news, don't forget that Issue #4, the Flatland issue, is still available - contact Chris Polack for more info...

Stewart Munro is currently over in the U.S for the next month & a bit. He has a few pics up on TheHGB.com from his US trip so far..

Paul Chamberlain got really psyched on this clip of Sean Parker. Click here, then click on Visual (works best on Internet Explorer) to check it out. Progression. Paul is still currently in the UK, but is heading to Asia in under a month for their next stage of travel before (hopefully!) coming back to live in Aus.

Melbourne's own Karl Hughes, famous for his work on The World Bike Projects, has an interview in an upcoming edition of Cream magazine. Karl was very humble about the whole thing, but expect it to be a great read into one of flatlands biggest assets.

In other Cream magazine news Shane Badman also has an article from the OG Summer Camp that recently went down in Hungary.

World Bike Projects: Updates!

As most of you are no doubt aware, our very Karl Hughes (aka Paradoxium) has been overseeing the majority of the World Bike Projects. Karl just sent me a quick update of what's been going on around the globe recently with a bunch of riders getting their rides seriously pimped!

The Philippines Bike Project is currently underway with contributions coming globally. For a complete rundown of the project & where it's at, click here.

Here's a few "before" photos...

Rider: Chino




Video courtesy of DAVAO FLATLANDER


Rider: Jose






Here is the finished Trinidad Bike Project:



Plus one bonus bike...



And the completed Panama Bike Project for Gilberto Perez:
Before:


After:




Thanks again to everyone that has contributed in some way - stay tuned for more updates!

Around the World - The Francisco Lindo interview

A few weeks ago we did an interview with Melbournes Karl Hughes aka Paradoxium. The feedback was hugely positive & people were both psyched & interested as to what he was doing in & around the World Bike Projects.

Looking to get a slightly different angle, Karl put me in touch with a close friend of his that lives in Lima, Peru - Francisco Lindo. The two have been conversing for some time with Francisco helping Karl learn Spanish by correspondence & in return Karl has been offering support by flowing parts.

* Full name & how long have you been involved with Flatland?
Francisco Lindo Diez Canseco and I have been riding for like 6 years. I left flatland for one year when I started college, but the flat is the flat, when you enjoy this you can't leave this as easy as you think.

* Please tell us a little about yourself
I live in Miraflores, Lima - Peru in an apartment alone but now with another biker friend. In my house all the time when me and my friends finished the day sessions we went to my house to see videos and updates about the news of the sport on Global Flat. I'm a professional Business Manager and I work in many enterprises in my country. I discovered flatland when I skated: I saw a couple of guys riding and doing some tricks and I fell in love with this.

* Please describe the flatland scene in your area
The flatland scene in Peru is growing up really fast. Since two years ago we start to see how the international level of the sport changes so much and we start to try everything we can. For this effort we can say right now that we have many more persons in the area and also international riders have said " the Peruvian scene is the more stronger in Latin America" and we are really proud to hear this from other people. The past year one of the best riders of Peru, Antonio Marrache flew to Columbia for the magicflart contest, the contest format was in battle groups, he battle against Raphael Chiquet, and Antonio won this battle and he went to the final against Matthias Dandois, when I heard that I'm really surprised about this, cause Antonio is only 17 years old, and he's the promise of our country, we try to get a sponsorship for him cause he need something like this for flights to other places and show his skillz in the sport.

The best riders here from my view point are:
Antonio Marrache
Williams Perez
Jorge Nazario aka Koko
Cliff Alania
Me, Francisco Lindo
Esteban Salinas
Christian aka Cabezon

Many local riders have a really good level, we have a style and level more like the European riders, cause they're our inspiration. The guys try to refresh themselves every time with new tricks and in every video they try to make a new stuff and this is what we do also.

We had only four spots and the best one is Larcomar in Miraflores, my district hehe. It's in front of the pacific ocean, upstairs of a big commercial centre. The other one is the Residential San Felipe, Antonio and Koko's favorite spot and also there is one in the Alameda in Comas. Many riders live in Lima Norte and ride in this spot during the day. And the last one and the Cradle of the sport in Peru is the Andres Avelino Caceres's Park. In this place I started to ride flatland and learnt my first tricks, a lovely space with a big flat area and we've also had some jams there too.

* What does flatland mean to you?
For me flatland is part of my life and all the time i'm thinking about flatland. I can do anything I think of in flatland. I remember when I studied I wrote the tricks what I practised in my notebooks and thought about the combinations I can do with this. It's like a life style, flatland gives you a discipline, perseverance and attitude, every time when I ride I can make another combo until the first one is done three times consecutive. The flatland open my mind to get to know another kind of people, as maybe you don't know but Peru is a mixture of all the races, and the racism here is really big with the poor people, this is for me is ridiculous. I came for a family with money and before riding I saw the people with another eyes, now, a lot of my friends don't have a lot of money but they're still my friends, because for the people it's not about the looks of the person but what they inspire in you. Every flatlander that i've met in my life is a really nice person for me and we've had lots of things in common and we are one with the sport.

* I understand that Karl Hughes aka Paradoxium has been helping you with parts in exchange for language lessons. Can you please tell us about that.
Karl... is a wonderful person. I met him like a year and two months, I saw in the Spanish forum something like exchange of bike parts for Spanish lessons. I wrote on this thread and he answered me. He asked me about the offer and I accepted, and now we are really good friends, and he helps me with bike parts, for me and for my friends, cause many parts he has given to me. when I changed parts I give to my friends and for me Karl is one of the best persons that I have met in my whole life. He make a lot of things for nothing and the money comes from his pocket. This is wonderful how he can love the sport so much to do this for another person and many times he doesn't know these people. It is his way to say please keep riding and make your dreams reality. I admire him a lot, and now he can write me in Spanish with many words that are really good and he is understanding more Spanish and this makes me feel proud because my form of teaching works hehe!

* Has knowing Karl changed your perception of flatland?
More than just flatland, he has changed my perception on life. He taught me about being a good person, because its like we go to the Egyptian times when the rich Pharaohs go to the grave with all they're stuff, and for what?? What we can do keeping all our money in the grave?? It is better to make the effort to help people, because this is a good way to spend our money, making smiles for other people. Maybe this won't make us rich but our souls will be.

* Where do you see the future of flatland for yourself, your scene & in your country?
Well, in the really short future I am going to Europe to take an MBA and I think my future maybe is going to be in Europe for a couple of years. In Peru if we do the things that we want to do then maybe there can be other options to get more of the pro riders visiting the contests. The scene is going to be so hard and strong here and I hope the foreign brands take a look here and start to sponsor our riders.

* What are you final words?
Well my final words... for every flatland rider in the world, keep your good word, the sport is not easy but when you finish a trick or a combo your happiness is so big...
keep the good job for the contests organisers, this is one of the reasons that the people make their best effort to make new tricks, and maybe they can take a look to make a contest here hehe!
And I hope that flatland can exist always, cause it's like an artist expression and a life style for everybody who knows about this.

* Who would you like to thank?
Special thanks to Karl for helping me since we met, to my mom for support me in the sport, to Camilo, Beto and Koko for learning me some tricks and for everybody who rides flatland and makes our sport bigger and bigger.

Edit: Francisco just sent me this awesome edit he just completed featuring Toño, Coco and himself...

The Karl Hughes {Paradoxium} interview

I've been lucky to know Karl for quite a few years. He's the soft spoken gentleman from another era that managed to somehow find his way to BMX Flatland. One standout memory I have is arriving at the BMX Games in Sydney a few years back & seeing all the Melbourne crew arriving... with Karl having driven them 11 hours to get there & taken care of everyone. That's Karl straight up: he'll do anything to help those around him without second thought.

Karl has since unwittingly stepped it up a notch. What began as a one-off project to help a rider in need as turned into a world-wide phenomenon: The World Bike Projects. He'll never admit or take the credit for it, but Karl aka Paradoxium on the forums, has started something big... very big.

Here is the man...

* Full name & when were you first involved with flatland?
Karl Hughes, started BMX at 14 years of age {around 1986} and stopped at age 21 {around 1993} Sadly had a 7 or 8 year break, then got back into it around 1999 and have been with flatland ever since. Unfortunately its always part time as I have a family and run a business.


* Has Melbourne always been your home?
Yes, i've always lived in Melbs.

* How would you describe the evolution of the Melbourne scene?
It's an always changing scene. There are only 2 riders still jamming regularly from the beginning up until now, that's Grant Cruise and myself. Everyone else has moved on, stopped riding etc, but there is always new faces of young riders, and we have many new faces of various ages and old schoolers return, so it's refreshing to always have a decent scene at our jam spot in the city.
Currently, we have around 10 regular flatlanders with 3 being overseas at present.

* The world knows the huge contributions you've made to the global flat scene, especially riders that are doing it tough. How did your involvement come about in all of this?
In the beginning, I tried to keep it quiet, but the more I helped, the more I realised it was impossible to keep anonymity. In the end, I went full on public with the ideas. That was when I saw the worst bike in the world, and decided to start a project. I figured if I buy the biggest parts, I may be able to get worldwide assistance to finish & it worked.

At the same time, I have been flowing parts for over a year to my friend, Francisco in Peru in exchange for learning Spanish by correspondence. I benefit by achieving my goals and many riders in Peru benefit from this exchange. I also helped another rider, Coco, by supplying him forks when they broke.

<<Coco

& his bike>>

Put it all together & you get the following...


* It seems that what started as a one-off project has grown to an enormous scale - how do you feel about that?
I am more stoked than you can imagine. A gradual increase of giveaways & donations has occurred in many levels all around the world. From what I've seen & heard, this is taking place all around Australia, North & South America & Europe.

* Do you see any further opportunities to develop your projects such as getting communities involved, companies to co-sponsor projects etc?
Yes. I am stockpiling parts for my next project which is bigger than the present ones. I am doing more groundwork with this one. As soon as the Barbados and Panama projects are complete, I'll start the new one. So far its been very difficult to get companies involved, with a response of "We cannot afford to help your friends".
I have plans to invite companies to jump on board with this next project, and awareness has grown dramatically of what's happening. Companies I approach will no longer feel I am looking for free stuff for my friends, but indeed have a worthwhile venture to contribute to. They can see the benefit to the company in question & not just the flatland community.

* I understand that you're involved in a number of forums around the world. What is it about the forums that really interests you?
Hahaha, yes I'm a regular on Flatland Australia and Global-flat but I'm doing my groundwork now for the next project & the forums are the best way to get to know the scene of a region. I also study language as a hobby and lurk more forums but don't participate due to limited skills, hehe.

* Given your work in the World Bike Projects & the response from the riding community, has this changed your perception of flatland?
I feel so. I see the global flatland community growing from strength to strength, with a feeling of a brotherhood. If I can help with that in just some small way, it's all worth it.

* Where do you see the future of flatland?
It's hard to say, but I feel it's increasing in the regions already assisted. The good vibes that flow from assistance is amazing. It gives the entire scene a boost. As for flatland as a whole, it would be safe to say it's moving forward steadily.

* How would you describe the flatland scene in Australia?
Amazing. Paul Chamberlain & Shaun Jarvis have given the Aussie scene the boost it needs with the new Colony DownUnderground national contest series & we can all thank them, & everyone else involved for that. It pushes riders to progress and motivates people to stick with riding.
Jams and contests are what makes the scene. It's motivating - Aussie flatland rocks!!

* It's been great speaking with you Karl - time for thanks & final words...
Yeah, I want to thank everyone that helps flatland in some way or another, through websites, jams, comps etc or just reaching an incredible level of riding. Also everyone that has helped with the various projects, including Flatlandfuel, The Byke Project and Animal Bikes for jumping on board with the projects. Also Shane Badman for the Flatland Australia News Blog, this interview & his contributions to the sport.