Feels like forever since Nike posted a solid BMX video... Maybe it's because they have the best riders on their team who are always busy. Glad to see four of the biggest names in BMX have a good ol' fashioned filming trip. No flashing lights and screaming teenage girls on the streets.

Street trails riding sensation Danny MacAskill's life has changed dramatically over the past three years due to his unexpected YouTube success. Back in November of 2010 MacAskill uploaded an edit from his new film entitled "Way Back Home" which follows his surreal, stunt-filled bicycle journey from Edinburgh to his hometown of Dunvegan, in the Isle of Skye. Now the clip has over 18 million views.

MacAskill's story is an inspirational tale of the power of the digital age. Thanks to the digital platform, MacAskill manages to gain exposure from his home and earn a living as a professional street trails rider-- a profession that didn't even exist until the success of the clip.

Featured in Bike Magazine's "5 Minute Break" MacAskill discusses his rise to success as he revisits his old job at MacDonald's Cycles in Edinburgh, Scotland.



Photo courtesy of DannyMacAskill.com

BMX star Mickael Dupont has figured out how to become the star of a viral video: perform his incredible freestyle stunts on a rickety vintage women's bike. The video through Monday had garnered nearly 900,000 views. It's a bit long but the tricks -- jumps, tire spins, ramp and rail maneuvers, etc. -- get better as the video progresses. It culminates with a back flip executed with no helmet. Kids, if you find your mom's rusty old bike in the garage, don't try any of this at home.

Leave it to the bike-friendly city of Portland to bring us the most hostile bike spectacle in North America. In what is known as the "Ben Hurt Chariot Wars", participants dressed like punk gladiators riding their custom-built chariots fit for the apocalypse-- chasing one another around a makeshift obstacle course until just one team remains with their craft intact. Slamming into chariots at full-speed and swinging away at the competition with padded clubs is all considered fair game.

The spectating experience is equally unique, as fans are encouraged to toss beer cans, flour, and smoke grenades at competitors-- in addition to the occasional firecracker and obscenity.

The headline event is part of the three-day festival "Mini-Bike Winter." And in case you're beginning to wonder, there are a few things that distinguish it from, say, the average riot. For instance, this year's course, built on 100-square-feet of asphalt, was designed to test each team's speed and maneuverability.

John Dutch and Josh Neverfindme of the "Zoobombers" clan are the organizers of the event. Most weekends they can be found riding pint-sized kids' bikes down Portland's posh West Hills at breakneck speed-- much to the chagrin of the neighborhood's residents.

These are the rules of the event according to Dutch and Neverfindme: "The rules are simple: build a pedal-powered chariot with a traditional hitch. Teams compete until the chariot can't continue, or one of the competitors gets removed from the chariot itself. If any member becomes disconnected from their chariot they are out. If the chariot can't continue rolling, it's out."

Watch footage of the chaotic event:


Jon Penfold and his teammate Nick Schlabach emerged as this year's winners. Penfold, 29, unveiled his team's strategy for this year's battle, stating, "You attack, and then run. Attack, and then run. It's a war of attrition."

When his teammate was asked how he felt after winning, the 26-year-old Schlabach said, "I wanted to puke." Penfold and Schlabach's chariot was also armored with a bubble-shaped cage which provided essential protection.
In typical rebel fashion, the police showed up before sunset, bringing the day's festivities to an end. But that didn't stop this group of punk gladiators from continuing the after-party well into the night.

Photos courtesy of Zoobomb, Dabe Alan, and Chariotwars.


Penfold and Schlabach of Team DangerZone are the 2012 Champions.

Total Mayhem

Chad Kerley couldn't be happier these days. This 18-year-old BMXer from San Diego, California is well on the way to realizing his dream of earning a successful living by riding his bike.

With sponsorship from Nike already locked down, Kerley recently inked a deal with vitaminwater, joining their action sports team.

Check out Kerley's "Welcome to the Team" edit, featuring BMX in a tuxedo and Kobe Bryant.



We caught up with Kerley to ask him about his future plans and what happened during the shoot:

What were your initial thoughts about doing your first vitaminwater spot?
I thought that it was going be fun and it sounded like a cool concept.

As the day progressed and things got worse and worse what was going through your head?
I just thought things were going to get better and that the dudes weren't that professional and organized.

As you waited and waited, at what point did you say to yourself, "I'm over this welcome edit?"
When they had me sitting on the street I felt disrespected in a way and just wanted to go home and get out of the tuxedo.

When you walked into the trailer expecting to meet the hot girl you were supposed to take to prom and instead saw Kobe, how surprised were you?
I was really surprised. But in a way it all made sense and I didn't feel in too much shock.

What does joining a team like vitaminwater mean to you and your riding?
It means a lot because of the fact that they care about action sports enough to have a BMX rider and I'm honored to be a part of it.

What can we expect to see from you in 2012?
You can expect to see the same thing I've been doing-- having as much fun as possible, a few web edits, filming for the Markit Zero video, and riding contests.