From SE Bikes: At 51 years old, Luis “Wicho” Rodriguez is proving that age isn’t anything but a number. This Puerto Rico native is using his passion for SE Bikes to not only have fun on his own, but to inspire everyone around him. You can expect to see Wicho raising it up around Daytona Beach and Puerto Rico for a long time to come. “When I sit on my bike, I forget bills. I forget problems. I forget work. All I’m focusing on is riding this bike.” Now get out and RIDE!
Good on ya SE! Wicho makes a great brand ambassador, this sort of child-like love and genuine appreciation for riding is exactly the reminder I needed today. It's winter, I'm back in the midwest US for the first time in 8 years, all the trails are closed... this dude brightened my day, for sure. Wheelie on, Wicho!
Part of me thinks that the wheelie riding is goofy, but I'm sure many other bike riders of different disciplines look at the riding I do and think I'm just as goofy. We're all goofy and most of us are just trying to have fun on two wheels.
@kymtb0420: haha I'm just a guy in my late 30s who rides MTB and BMX at a solid intermediate skill level. But hardcore DH/freeride riders will look at me like I suck at jumping or tech, XC or road riders will look at me like my fitness is terrible (and they wouldn't be wrong), and very skilled BMX riders will look at me like I barely know what I'm doing. It's all relative.
If you don't have a Big Ripper in your stable, you are missing out. LOL At one point I got stupid and had like 8 of them in the garage. Everyone giggles at me until they ride one and then that nastalgic smile kicks in and you are 12 all over again. We put in miles too....15-20 mile fun rides are the norm.
Feelin the F out of Wicho's vibe. I recently started building jump lines in a ditch near my house that I ride BMX style even though I'm on a FS MTB, Couldn't be more stoked. I've been back there no gloves, no helmet, no chamois, no worries just like a kid on a BMX decades ago. Point is Wicho fully embodies the feeling I'm after in that ditch, every one should try to ride like a kid again, at least sometimes.
PK Ripper 1982......silver with blue anodized components and landing gear fork. It was my dream bike, used to take it to my room at nite. If Scott Breithaupt is somewhere around and somebody has his contact will thank if you say hi to him. Met him in a NBA national race in Bakersfield CA back in 1983. Cheers from México
Anyone taking bets on how long it takes for the "Foot on the Saddle Manual Training Machine" to show up on either Kickstarter or MTBHopper.com? My money is on sometime this weekend.
Lyons is a trip on insta......tells it like it is........or isn't.....depending on your point of view.....one thing is for sure....SE bikes have branched out from the BMX only scene from the 80's
@bamabang: I guess my point is that wheelies and big wheeled bikes have been around since the early days of BMX. Big wheeled bikes were called cruisers (still called beach cruisers). OM helped come up with a new class racing BMX - the cruiser class - for bigger wheeled bikes. Hence SE coming out with the OM Flyer in 1979 with 26" wheels. The cruiser class got more competitive and the bikes became lower slung and on 24" wheels as things progressed but those early cruisers certainly share a lot with the modern wheelie bike.
And the wheelie and bmx have gone together since before that photo of Breithaupt and his buddy's on Stingrays. We used to ride wheelies when riding around near the hotel at away BMX races in the mid 80's (I would actually ride my cruiser as it was more comfortable than the 20"). Shit I still crank out a manual on any paved section when riding my DJ bike to the trails almost 40 years later.
This guy rules and SE has be supporting all kinds of BBlock monstaz. Good on both! I need an SE now so I can go on all the rideouts the homies in my neighborhood are throwing. Problem is, there are too many models!
We have something similar in MA too - called the "old guy crew" they put most people to shame and have been riding like 4x a week for last 40 years...... respect.
Hard to compete against those SE wheelie kids and adults. There are guys that show up with no front wheel on their bike and wheelie the ride out. Don't ask me how????
Wheelie specific bike to make it easier to learn the wheelie: - short chainstay frame -3" rise bars -24/26 mullet setup -165mm cranks *Unsure about geometry?
Because I choose the spend my money on nicer bikes rather than designer clothing no it doesn’t. But at least I can read and wear a helmet @TobiasHandcock:
The wheelie riding fad throughout America is cringe af.
Buddy said he can wheelie anything, I'd like to see him wheelie a proper DH bike or any of these wheeliers to do a proper manual.
Eh.. this comment and your profile pic are more cringe tbh. Why do you care? And I’d believe him on the “anything” comment - once you know how to find the sweet spot, you can do it on pretty much any bike.
@diegosk: I don't care ha, im just bored and shit talking, also a manual takes a different type of skill then just hitting a balance point on a wheelie
also I agree with the pic, it went on many moons ago
“When I sit on my bike, I forget bills. I forget problems. I forget work. All I’m focusing on is riding this bike.” Now get out and RIDE!
@kyytaM: THIS!
Had a 24” OM flyer in 1983 /landing Gear fork in blue
3 SE frames in 6 years
It was my dream bike, used to take it to my room at nite.
If Scott Breithaupt is somewhere around and somebody has his contact will thank if you say hi to him. Met him in a NBA national race in Bakersfield CA back in 1983. Cheers from México
bmxsociety.com/uploads/monthly_2019_10/483FF8D9-28BC-4593-A254-3CCF2BB37E09.jpeg.56940c66c5337b96bcd4c208d35c3bc7.jpeg
bmxultra.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/4-Wheelie-copy.jpg
And the wheelie and bmx have gone together since before that photo of Breithaupt and his buddy's on Stingrays. We used to ride wheelies when riding around near the hotel at away BMX races in the mid 80's (I would actually ride my cruiser as it was more comfortable than the 20"). Shit I still crank out a manual on any paved section when riding my DJ bike to the trails almost 40 years later.
1979 Illustration from Bob Haro - wheelie on Laguna beach cruiser:
www.oldschoolmags.com/haro_art/H_art18.jpg
- short chainstay frame
-3" rise bars
-24/26 mullet setup
-165mm cranks
*Unsure about geometry?
also I agree with the pic, it went on many moons ago