Bearwood BMX At The Spinney Dirt Jumps

A Great place To Ride Back In The Day Was The Spinney Dirt Jumps. This place was real good to ride and had a good selection of dirt jumps, Bearwood BMX had some real great times had down there. The Spinney jumps where in Kingswinford, just down the road from Dudley and the locals were all good guys, and was very good on the jumps. Bearwood BMXs way of riding was to have a laugh first then have loads more fun riding. This, and just a bunch of crazy dude's together was a mixture and a half. One memory I have about being at The Spinney was there was loads of jumps dotted about all over the place, and the area it covered was quite big. The actual place was quite deep from the road level, and had plenty of trees which was a natural canopy on a rainy day. There was a little set of about 4 or 5 jumps, some being sets of Doubles and all going downhill, which were real good to ride. one day I was riding these on my own. You would start from the top, One or Two Pedals to start the motion off, after this you would just roll, being it a downhill. Slowly build up pace whilst you just fly over the jumps, after you jumped the set of 5. There was a Right Turn at the bottom, This Path would just Turn Right and proceed going downhill. When you got to the bottom of the 5 and done the Right Turn. Also having No Brakes meant there was some good speed being picked up by know. I made the Right Turn with the tyres just about gripping, the tyres was trying to slide out. No Brakes and flying down the hill and getting faster and faster. This Right Turn and Downhill was new terrain to me. I looked up and ahead, just to see a big mound of dirt at the bottom of this hill. It was massive and turned out to be a take off to a dirt jump. As soon I noticed what it was and thought while speeding down towards it, NAH. I dont want to do the jump, never had ever seeing it before and not sure about what it held on the other side. I start to put my foot down on the ground and try and stop my bike, but it being a sandy/gravel surface, it's not happening. By this time I'm now hauling towards this big mound of dirt. I put my foot back on the pedal and say a Quick Prayer. Then just pedalled towards the jump as fast as I could, You could not see over the Take Off at all, Then Not knowing how far the gap is to the landing or even if there is one their???. I just remember going towards the take off at full speed, thinking "I'M DONE " I hit the take off with so much speed that I was just flying through the air, Alot higher than I would of chosen to. Remember looking down, I could see all the landing passing by below me, I ended up clearing all the landing and made it down on the back wheel at an angle I thought I would be crashing, (BRACE BRACE BRACE) But by Grace Of God I made it down safe and sound. I was quite shocked by it all and kind of shaken up, I walked up to the rest of the boy's who were at the top riding the other jumps. I told them to try these Little set of doubles out I have just come across, and they were good. By now a few of the boy's in the Team was riding BRAKELESS. I asked them to line up in a single file just like a train, The path was narrow and shouted Lets Go !!. Off we go in a line down the hill close to the bike in front. We are jumping the set of 5 doubles picking up speed. As we got to the bottom I just shouted Turn Right there is more jumps, (Now I've Not Told Them About The Big Take Off At The Bottom), As soon as we Turn Right and start going down towards the Take Off. All you can hear when its comes into view is shouts and screams of "Get Out My Way" "WTF Is That" And All Sorts. You could hear bikes in the back going off course and Abandoning the jump and veering off into the trees and bushes. Scraping of Shoes Filling The Air. I was nearly falling off my bike at the front, Laughing so much. When the boy's was hitting the Take Off and going through the air you would hear all sorts of verbal. The ones who followed it through had made it over safely but a little shaken. We had a good laugh about it after. This jump ended up being a favourite in the end. A Great Memoriable Moment. Looking Back, The Gap Between The Take Off And Landing Was LARGE. MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL BEARBMX

WHAT !! NO BRAKES !!! ARE YOU MAD !!!!

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL-SIKHS Bearwood BMX Full Factory Trick Team Rider, Brakeless

Bearwood BMX has been scraping their shoes on the floors, since 1990. That was the time when the Team Went Brakeless. The techniques of stopping the bikes nowaday's is a skill in it's own right , There are so many different ways and styles of stopping, that can be witnessed nowadays. Whenever you are watching a crew of riders stunting Brakeless, it seems they know exactly when they desire to take their foot off, they will also know, exactly where on the bike, they wish to be Placing their foot, To Stop. When Bearwood BMX started riding brakeless back in the day, It was a new and fresh thing for us, and very much a raw process in progress, and by total accident. So we would naturally encounter problems, Like deciding which foot to take off, that would get you muddled up, never mind where you would be placing it to Stop The Bike, it was looked upon in a weird way by some people at times, well most of the time really. Especially the ones we ended up crashing into, we had encountered our fair share of problems along the way. Teething Issues I Think : )) Personally at times, this was a real heart beating moment when you would be trying to stop, I mean if you left it to the very last second, you was going to have a very close scrape. There was times when you would be riding and, had even forgot you had no brakes. Only too be reminded when you would be reaching for the brake lever and nothing is there, (This Used To Throw Your Senses). That seemed to be the nature of the game though. Along The 22 Years Of This Brakeless Journey, Bearwood BMX hasn't claimed any "Pioneering Rights" in any shape or form going, to say that we was the first and we started this Brakeless. Some people have put that "Label" on Bearwood BMX. Truthfully that's most kind of everyone, and a real humbling gesture, We just ended up making a certain decision in a time and space of our lives, that ended up getting Bearwood BMX the label "Pioneers" Of "Brakeless". It's a bit too much of a large label to accept. But truthfully If thats how Brothers And Sisters of the BMX community feel. That Bearwood BMX was one of the first team of riders, that may of had a hand in Going Brakeless First, Then A Big Thank You To Everyone. (It Would Be Fair To Say That We Was Ahead Of Time) When we started venturing into this Brakeless scene, it was more about lack of money than anything to do with being the So-Called "First". I remember the first day riding without brakes and thinking this experience is something else all together, A Real Wobbly Experience For Sure. It started all about, when one day my back wheel was buckled, (Alot Of Rear Wheels Was Getting Thrashed In Them Days) So this back wheel, just would not spin, I wanted to ride, nothing was going to stop me. At this time on my bike I have a Rear Full Brakeset, Then After a little while I have worked out, that if I remove one Brake Block from the Rear Brakeset that will create a little space for the wheel to spin round. It works!!, Now I'm heading down to the park, I can ride the bike again. To say the ride was a little shaky, would be a understatement. Who cares I'm back on the move, The shakyness is a little price to pay, RIGHT !!. I enjoy the day stunting away with the team and having fun, throughout the day, due to the heavy riding, the rear buckled wheel is getting worse and worse. In the end it just would not spin anymore, NO PROBLEM !! I have found the solution, I remove the other brake block, ANOTHER RESULT. We are now back on the move once again, a bit more shakier than before but thats No Problem. Later on the in the day, the same thing again. In the end I just removed the whole rear Brake Set. (BRAKELESS) This once again, ended up giving a little more movement. But now, No Brakes, I remember pedaling towards the banks to do an Air, and having the life shaked out of me due the the buckle. You would pedal so hard, hoping that the rear wheel would gain momentum and start to straighten up, but not to good. I managed to squeeze a few more days out of that rear wheel. After a while it started to hit the frame. It would shake you lifeless at times. In 1990 Bike parts were hard to come by, due to shortage of money, hence most of us having dodgy bikes and No Brakes. We truthfully never did see anyone riding without Brakes when we started. Whenever we travelled to all the different skateparks around the country. Everyone we seen had brakes on their bikes, as you would and should and could. Even when we had the money to get the new bike parts, we never went back to Having Brakes, the feeling of no brakes was right and comfortable and we were settled in by now, nobody likes a change do they. It kind of felt you was meant to be in that position at that time and space. Praise The Lord for the Experience, I would not of had it any other way. Big Respect to Mike Coley Aka Magnet Aka The Pigeon as he was One of the first in the Bearwood BMX Team to go Brakeless, nothing but props too that Brother. Nowadays They Sell Bikes Without Brakes, AMAZING. Myself And Coley Learnt Double Airs Together ( Airing Over Each Other) We would crash into each other at times, Whilst In Mid-Air. All a learning process I guess. You could not beat Dropping in on a ramp and just pumping and getting good air, it was a great feeling. Knowing that you landing smoothly or safely was in the hands of the Almighty Father. (See Above Pic) For Me Personally, I Used To Say A Prayer And Remember The Almighty Father Without Fail Everytime I Dropped Into A Ramp, For It Was He Who Gave Me The Courage And Strength To Pursue My Vision. Then If you landed smooth and was going for your next air, it was a Heart Beating Blissful Moment, you had no means of regulating your speed, you had to maintain 100% Focus, if at all possible, (Someone Knocking You Off Balance, Or Even Just Grabbing Your Rear Wheel Mid-Air, Wasn't Out The Question At All) You Learnt that certain level of Knowledge And Feel. Having to correct your balance when coming back in off an Air, because someone has just grabbed your rear wheel, making you stop Mid-Air, this nearly sending you over the bars, that was hard to pull off and master, be we did it. It also came down to what Knowledge And Wisdom you had gained whilst Riding Brakeless. Your senses are enhanced to a level, kind of close too a spiritual edge. Brakeless made you grow in confidence and have belief, You had to be fully committed too. To have Belief and understanding in yourself and your bike, sometimes you would want to change your mind Mid-Way approaching a jump, and want to stop, But may not have enough time to use your stopping methods. Even if you tried to change your mind Mid-Way, It was at times not a good idea. Sometimes it could cause you more Harm Than Good, whatever the case maybe. You had to go for whatever you was attempting, 100% fully Committed, NO HALF MEASURES. It dawned on me what BRAKELESS had become, when one time Seeing BMX riders in Australia, on a trip I done in 2010, I was half way around the world, out in the middle of nowhere, Not close to any major cities, many hundreds of miles, and many hours away from any city, and then coming across BMXers riding their BMXs without Brakes, That Was A Mind Spinner. That moment of time and space in Australia made it all clear to me that BRAKELESS BMX had travelled the GLOBE and had settled into far to fetch places in this world. That Is Down To The Professional Riders Who Have Taken It On A Global Scale. BIG BIG Respect To Them All. Bearwood Bmx is Still Underground, But now is Part Of A Worldwide Brakeless Movement. MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL. BEARBMX

2 Swords - 2 Hats And A Pair Of Beads

This Story Comes About From "The Legendary Backyard Jam" In Hastings. This one, was held in a field with a Vert Ramp and a Car Boot Sale, going on at the same time. We was lucky enough to find a perfect spot to park our car, since we got there quite early-ish, right in front of the Vert Ramp we was. A Perfect View and did not have to get out of the car either to watch, Watching the Vert Riding through the front windscreen was like looking at a Widescreen TV Nowadays. Since it was a real hot day, The Sun was doing its duty, and a scorcher of a day it was. We ended up draping the car all over with sheets to keep it cool inside, Leaving just the windscreen uncovered, to watch the Competition, We was in a good place, music playing and just in our own comfort zone. As the day went on, it got real busy and you would have people, probably thinking the car was just dumped there. Some spectators had not even realised that we was in the car, and then proceeded to climb onto the bonnet for a better view.(NOW THAT IS PROPER F****** CHEEKY). Me Not being to happy with this type of mannerism, with people, thinking they can just climb on your car for a better view. WTF!!! NO NO NO that is not happening by any means, not on this car. I started the car and just drove off forward and cleared the path again.(This Shook The Intruders Up On The Bonnet) No Problems After That. I mean the cheek of some people was unreal. Later on in the day Bearwood Tom And Coley (Partners In Pranks) went off for a walk around the Car Boot Sale, They return after a while with, Each one of them holding A Sword, Both of them have Weaved Straw Hats on their heads, and round their Necks they got some Big ass Beads. You would not want to be around these 2 if they had Water Pistols, let alone 2 Swinging Swords. They are having battles with each other like a couple of sailors, or is it pirates. Being around them whilst they was Swinging them swords was a bit On The Edge. They would walk around with their swords in there covers, on their sides, whilst wearing them Beads and Hats, and then just unleash, (Without Any Warning) their swords to battle each other, right there amongst your normal Day to Day People. Some people would jump out of there way, Thinking Oh S***. : )) Everyone would see the funny side, when they realised what they was wearing.( A Sight) I encountered a little problem with them, When we was getting ready to pack up, and making plans for the drive home, The Car Boot is now packed up with everyones Luggage, Tents, Etc. I'm now looking at them both as they are standing there with the swords in their hands and ready to get into the car. I try explaining to them that "No Way Are Them Swords Going In The Front Of The Car". There Reply Is "Why Not" me further explaining that "Its Just Not Happening" There Reply Again "Why Not". I'm again telling them "NO And NO WAY" Then They Say "OK We Will Put Them On The Rear Parcel Shelf", My reply to them was that, I just Laughed at them. In the end, we empty the boot out again and put the swords at the very bottom of the luggage. Personally if them swords would have made it into the car, Everyone would of had a Free, Short-Sides, And Back. Real Madness In Abundance. MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL. BEARBMX

Brother Bob Sanderson

These 2 Pictures are Of, Brother Bob Sanderson, Can Be Seen Laying Down The Rules On These Fastplants At Bearwood Skatepark. One Is On The Banks And The Other Picture Is In The Bowl. AN OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC TRICK By An Old School Classic Birmingham BMXer From Way, Way, Back. Much Respect To Brother Bob. Roots. MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL. BEARBMX

Temper-Graffiti Master, Painting The Twang. SKILLS!!

Watch And Learn And Enjoy.

BIRMINGHAMS FINEST "THE TWANG"

People The World Over, These Boys Are Brothers Of Ours, Nothing But Big Respect To Them. 09-03-12 At DCAS In Chesterfield 10-03-12 At Uni Academy Bar In Derby 23-03-12 At The Box In Crewe 24-03-12 At Sin City In Swansea 30-03-12 At O2 Academy Islington In London 31-03-12 At Concorde 2 In Brighton If You Have Not Yet, Then You Need To, THE TWANG ARE ON A UK TOUR RIGHT NOW. We All Need Good Music for Our Day To Day... For More See http://www.thetwang.co.uk/ MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL. BEARBMX

Introducing- BEARWOOD TOM AKA THE MAYOR

Bearwood Tom Turning Down, In His Signature Way At The Spinney Dirt Jumps, SKILLS

360 Off The Wall Into The Sea. Southsea

A Perfectly Executed Nosepick At Worcester

Big Air Across The Canyon, At The Custard Factory, Digbeth As you can tell from the pictures, Bearwood Tom was definitely one of the Burliest Riders out of The "Bearwood BMX Full Factory Trick Team" and an all round rider. This boy is one wild individual to say the least. 360s out of the banks at Bearwood, about 7feet to 9feet out, to flat bottom landing. Some pulled smoother than others, but crazy to witness and he would pedal with pure determination. This boy can drink too, has been known and witnessed to lose all accounts of what is going on, whilst intoxicated. I've had the pleasure of been able to ride with BEARWOOD. A riding session with him one day bought birth to TEN15, Another Division Of Bearwood BMX. Bearwood Tom is so down with being in the team, that his other AKA is just a plain simple "BEARWOOD" hence AKA "The Mayor of Bearwood". We have been at southsea, where just the 2 of us locked away in a car for 8Hours+ just drinking Guinness and just on a roll solid. All of the Bearwood Riders were all rounders and was able to ride and master, Street, Dirt, Ramps, Vert, and Flatland too. One or Two had all the disciplines under wraps. Bearwood Tom was just burly no matter whatever we would be sessioning, he has mastered and got skills for building some great dirt jumps with good Lips. Let me share a story about the picture above of The Custard Factory Session. Well BEARWOOD TOM and COLEY (Partners In Pranks) ride from Bearwood to Digbeth in Birmingham City Centre for this Jam which was happening in the evening one summer, a few years back. As you can see by the picture that BEARWOOD is on form and getting burly over The Canyon, (Thats A Big Trick) Coley rides hard too and can get a little wild on his bikes at times. Put them both together and you got yourself a show about to happen that you will remember. I remember seeing Coley the next day a bit battered and bruised from the riding at the Custard Factory, After the evening had finished and all stunting had come to a close, They both now have to ride back to Bearwood and are a little worse for wear. Its Not easy being a Bearwood BMX Show Rider. : )) Well on the way back, riding home, they are going through the City Centre and decide to stop off for a second, they have stopped by this fountain. Bearwood Tom decides to pick up Coleys Bike and throws it into the fountain.(NOTE-COLEY IS BORROWING MY BIKE ON THIS EVENING) I remember Coley telling me that because they was a little intoxicated, he just laughed and jumped into the fountain to retrieve the bike. When he jumps into the fountain he lands on the bottom on his feet, and the Water all of a sudden Came Upto His Neck, he never thought it was going to be this deep. As he gets the bike out and climbs out himself, in the meantime Bearwood Tom has legged it and rode home on his own, Leaving Coley drenched and having to ride and make his own way back. Coley told me that because it was "My Bike" he jumped in and retrieved it, on the other hand, if it was his own bike he would of left it in there. You had to have thick skin to deal with these Ol School Fools. I will add to this, as and when I remember his The Antics. MUCH PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND ALL. BEARBMX