South East GrindIssue 1

The Crank Arm DebatePedal or No Pedal? Words and Photos by David Hanagan

There’s an uprising through the ranks in BMX, a grind without the use of pegs which is becoming one of the most popular tricks amongst park and street riders alike.

That trick is undoubtedly the crank arm grind, on the face of it a simple trick requiring the rider to gracefully place the crankarm of the bike onto the obstacle and grinding to their hearts content. Made popular by the likes of Ben Lewis and Tony Hamlin this trick is a staple in most riders arsenal. But there’s a split in the crank arm camp and it boils down to one question, pedal or no pedal?

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David Hanagan - Crank Arm Grind

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For the majority of crank arm grinders, myself included, are for the use of the pedal, but there are still those who maintain the use of pedal warrants a name change, adamant that it isn’t technically a crank arm grind.

But isn’t this just being pedantic? The fact of the matter is that

whether the rider locks into the pedal or not the crank arm of part thereof is grinding upon the rail.

David Hanagan - Crank Arm Grind to Over

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DIY ParkA lost art formWords and Photos by David Hanagan

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7 years ago I got my first BMX bike and unlike the new wave of young riders with their indoor skateparks and concrete bowl, I spent my first year of riding building d.i.y ramps out of pallets and any scrap wood we could find, and it was the best time of my life.

Sadly, however this is becoming a lost art form, kids just aren’t as creative and motivated to build their own ghetto ramps.

4Dayne Price-Tupper - Toboggan

The Gift of SummerWords and Photos by David Hanagan

So, it’s well and truly winter here in the south-east, the rain has come to stay and the cold is trying to stop us going out for a pedal. But the promise of summer is always on our minds, and to help with these long winter nights I’ve included a few snapshots of the memories from last summer we shared in Canterbury.