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1992
- Enter the new era- Standard Industries redefines what a freestyle bike is. The lengthy
and Shorty are overnite successes! They release the new standard in pegs for bikes- the
deep socket bolt on. NEVER again would you have to buy a new set of pegs until you
actually wore through these steel monsters, the hand grenade. To make the pegs usable
riders needed axles that were longer than currently available and to make it worthwhile
Standard released the first extra-long heat-treated axles for freestyle. People could now
have pegs for flatland that they could stand on for hours at a time without ripping up
their shoes. NO- this isn't a joke. The pegs on that 1988 Haro were so tiny that it would
tear a hole straight through the sole of your Airwalks and start to rip into the skin on
the sole of your foot.
NOTE: A bunch of companies now produce heat-treated axles and oversize axles. Standard was
the first to make a LONG axle that would stand up to the test. I'm not a huge fan of
Standard Industries, but I do run those axles in my bike. In fact, my front axle is from
the first batch. I purchased it in 1993 and haven't touched it since. Literally. I put it
in about 6 years ago and ride it every day with confidence. I think I got my $15.00 worth.
Matt Hoffman laid out the BS- the Bicycle Stunts series! This was the first set of
competitions that acted as if bigger and crazier and less rules yet a good pro purse was
better. No exclusions, flatland, vert, street- it was all going to be there. Soon-to-be
(beginner)? Stuntboy (expert)? Stuntman (pro)? It was all there. The concept was as simple
as it could be: If you get the magazines to come out and cover the event. If you make the
contest fun. If you put out a pro purse that will bring the best in the world. If you make
the contest open to everyone who loves to ride. People will come, people will compete, and
people will spread the word and make the sport grow. The BS series is what led up to the
Extreme (X) Games and the B3 (X-Trials) contests.
Ride magazine made it's appearance around this time and presented freestyle the way that
the only other freestyle magazine (BMX Plus) never dared. They allowed (oh no!) cuss words
on the pages and some crazy ads from smaller companies. The 'rider owned company' came
into existence and helped sell the first few copies of Ride.
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