| When I was a kid there were few things more | | | | brands when I was a kid were Mongoose, |
| important to me than my bike, and there were | | | | Diamondback, GT, Dyno, and CW. The fact that |
| few things I'd rather be doing than riding my | | | | I can still list these brands at my age is a |
| bike. Just up the road from me was an empty | | | | testament to the impact this period had on my |
| dirt lot known as "the Jumps". All the kids | | | | life.I'm talking about 80's, that halcyon |
| in the neighborhood went to the Jumps to jump | | | | decade when BMX and freestyle riding was just |
| our bikes. The local streets and driveways | | | | getting big but it wasn't the huge deal that |
| were where we attempted the tricks we saw on | | | | it is today. These days you can see riders on |
| TV and in freestyling magazines. This was | | | | television hawking everything from deodorant |
| when freestyling was just getting popular, | | | | to mobile phone companies to video games. |
| before the modern era of X Games and | | | | Heck, a bunch of riders have video games |
| multi-million dollar stunt riders. The names | | | | named after them. Dave Mirra comes to mind |
| of pros were known only to the dedicated few | | | | when I think of such mega-popular ridres. |
| who spent their allowances on freestyling and | | | | Another superstar is Matt Hoffman. Hoffman |
| BMX magazines.I remember there was an older | | | | has his own bike company. I remember when he |
| kid a few blocks over who was the hero of all | | | | was the young gun. Dennis McCoy, who I |
| the younger kids. He just seemed cooler, ya | | | | mentioned earlier, was another young |
| know? And his bike was better than ours. He | | | | up-and-comer who exploded on the scene, took |
| rode a Redline. Nobody else I knew had a | | | | over, and has since become one of the old |
| Redline. Redlines were the ultimate bike in | | | | guys. Time flies, doesn't it?If you're |
| my mind. It was the brand legendary | | | | interested in learning more about BMX and |
| freestyler R.L. Osborn rode. That cool older | | | | freestyle history, there are some excellent |
| kid a few blocks over had a Redline and he | | | | web sites which will jog your memory and take |
| was the best rider I knew. Now that I think | | | | you back to the days when doing an "endo" was |
| about it, though, I have no recollection of | | | | the coolest thing to do, when riding in |
| having actually seeing him ride. I just | | | | circles in your neighbors driveway was a way |
| remember him sitting there on his gleaming | | | | to pass an afternoon. If you're in the market |
| Redline, just being cool. That's what cool's | | | | for a bike today, there's also plenty of info |
| all about. Another bike company which was | | | | online for that. Most of the companies I |
| popular at the time was Haro. Haro had all | | | | mentioned are still in business and continue |
| the best riders like Ron Wilkerson and Dennis | | | | to lead the market and sponsor the top |
| McCoy. Then there was Hutch. Know anyone who | | | | riders. All of them have web sites providing |
| had a Hutch bike? Know anyone who still has | | | | more information on their history and their |
| one? It could be worth something because | | | | current product lines.Gregg Hall is an author |
| Hutch is no longer in business. Other popular | | | | living in Navarre Beach, Florida. |