THE NEBB INTERVIEW

Secret Jam in Covid Times at NY Pool by Ryan Martin

Who’s to say what is really authentic. I know that humor is a good judge of authenticity. The truly funny things in life come from a real place usual from real people. At least the stuff that gives me a chuckle. This was something I feel was in spades throughout the BMX world when I first started riding. Antics, shit talking and humor were in the brands and videos of my generation as well as every session. Although the riding has progressed beyond what I thought was even possible sadly the hyjinxs have stopped for the most part. Bmx is taken seriously, from the riding, cinematography and even down to the clothes that riders wear. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that parts of these evolution didn’t tickle my fancy as I am a bit of a self proclaimed cinematographer whore. I do feel sad in a nostalgic way for the days of old from time to time. Which brings me to our latest interview. The North East Bad Boys, NEBB for short. They have all the nostalgic qualities of old with just a sprinkling of modernity. Hyjinx, shit talking, amazing riding and riders and most of all they are having fun. They in my mind might be one of the most authentic collectives in the North East. In fact I dare say humor, fun and authenticity might be their actual ethos. I’ve been a fan from a far for a long time now. I’m not sure who is totally apart of NEBB, if its a brand or just a bunch of crazy dudes doing and making cool shit together. I will warn you now this interview doesn’t clear any of those things up either. If this is the first time for some odd reason your hearing about the NEBB then do yourself a favor and look them up. Not only will you be inspired to start creating cool things with your friends, riding your bike and getting out and seeing the world around you, you will indeed most certainly have a laugh or three. I give you the NEBB Interview.

-Shajn

Side Note: The questions in this interview come from a few Pareidolia riders and friends so questions will be labeled. As well each question was answered by three founding members of NEBB. A key below will help with clarifying. We have labeled each response with the letter of their first name to each question to indicate who the answers are coming from as shown below. I hope you all enjoy the interview.

KEY:

T: Tobias Pettinelli  @tobiaspettinelli

B: Andrew Beaupre  @booptroop 

M: Ryan Martin @rmartin978 

Al Borelli riding Ski Jump by Conor Hobbs

Who and what are the North East Bad Boys? Give us your list of crew members and a little run down of what may be the “manifesto” of the NEBB.

T: NEBB is anyone who lives in the northeast and doesn’t give a fuck.

M: Good Question...according to the instagram bio we are your favorite crew's least favorite crew. Which is actually a total lie cuz we become your favorite crew whether you like it or not. The crew list is kinda long and we like being vague so if you do a little research you can kinda figure it out. One time someone messaged us asking who we were and we responded with a picture of Slipknot. That didn't go over very well. I don't think this was a very helpful response lol. We do have a pro team tho....

B: Just have fun riding with the boys. Don’t take anything too seriously. 

Your crew individually has been involved in the BMX scene for a long time. You’re clearly lifers. How did it start to become more organized with the branding?
-Brandon Christie

T: A bunch of us started riding together more often in the last couple years, planning trips and filming more and more. Realizing that a lot of our friends are talented outside of BMX as well we got some shirts designed and printed and they went over super well. shoutout to @antilogydesign in Kingston NY.

B: It definitely wasn’t something we set out to do. I think it was Toby who would always say “look at this frickin bad boy” that somehow turned into New England bad boys which was Changed to northeast bad boys to accommodate Toby being from New York. We definitely didn’t plan on doing products when we were running around the woods calling each other bad boys…. We are aware this is a pretty corny name but honestly this whole thing was a big joke at the beginning. It took us 3 years to make any sort of product. We actually had frames before T-shirts.

M: Yea we kinda just started hanging out more, catty/posh trip and a cranx trip kinda started to set the scene of hanging out with Tobias more. Definitely a day of being total idiots with a brilliantly played joke of Matt Gaspar getting a phone call from Teeto to pick up beer for the sesh and showing up with only a 6 pack of Bud Light Lime. That was also around the time Al and Gaspar tossed around the idea of getting the ideal custom trail frame made. Some of us liked the box of the frame but personally couldn't ride a back end longer than a month of Sundays so we ended up with 2 frame models. John Corts happened to be down to do some customs and next thing you know the greatest fake bike company to ever exist, existed. Also we're just big fans of boats. Bust out another thousand.

Brands, crews and projects start intentionally and organically.  For example comparing a brand like Eclat to say Fast and Loose, both are awesome but one was intentional and the other were homies riding and starting something based off there antics and ideas.  To touch on the previous question Brandon asked what was the case for NEBB? Which style do you find more appealing the intentional or the organic? Please feel free to go into detail.

M: Both categories are appealing but in order for me to back them they must come from a genuine place. I'll use both of those previous examples as I like both. Eclat makes parts but they go all in on the design aspect to make products that are either super strong or bring something new to the table. Fast and Loose is just as organic as it gets. Dudes that met up at contests, became good friends, and wanted to keep the dream alive. I'm going to toss money their way every time they offer a product because I want them to continue on and I love seeing what they come up with. Nebb is basically a harbor freight fast and loose. It comes from the same place and ideas we just air 8ft lower. 

B: 100 % Organically. I don’t really think you can force a crew type of thing. A company has riders to pay and demand to create and keep up with if they want to be successful. For ourselves things just sort of snowballed. A few guys were very interested in making a frame with trails specific geometry and Toby is friends with Corts who was starting to do his own frame building thing. So that’s how we ended up with actual products. We are not trying to make money just trying to make products and designs that our friends are psyched on.

T: I could be wrong on the timeframe because my memory is shit, but after we had some shirts printed and some stickers made and a bunch of us were looking for new bikes... We reached out to a longtime buddy John Corts @jcortsmetalworks who was immediately down to make a batch of frames. We ended up with two of the best frames to ever exist with the Enduro and the Woods frames. They’re sweet and always sold out. Very rare.

Tobias Pettinelli downside whip Sayrville by Ryan Martin

As a admirer of all the stuff you guys do would you mind talking a bit about your approach to coming up with the content, products and events you guys put out? I myself image these creation start with a session of NEBB crew members around a fire, beers in hand and ideas flowing until one sticks, is this accurate? Feel free to elaborate on your creative process for all the creative types that may read this.

M: In general we try not to force anything. After all I kinda see this as a passion project since most of us are tied up with real life shit. You are pretty close on that guess though. A lot of our content is based off trying to make each other laugh or fucking with each other and if you like it, thats cool. Products or events are kinda the same way. Picture a *hits blunt* meme except the next morning one of us will be like yeah but for real lets do that. That's how you end up with a jam flyer with a fishbras girl inside a bowl with the 1st place trophy being a cooler filled with a nos ugp wallet and a slightly below average sized rubber object.

T: Honestly… pretty spot on. Sometimes it’s just a group chat joke or a cloudy late-night idea but yeah usually some beers and a joke that gets taken too far. The designs by my buddy Ryan @asubtledifferencedesign and Conor Hobbs (in house design dept) have come up with so far have been insanely good and I can’t thank them enough for their time and effort. If you have an idea that you think is cool, run it. 

B: That’s pretty accurate. We all bounce ideas off of each other. Usually we’re on the same page. Like I said earlier we’re really just trying to do things we’re into and get our friends psyched. 

There are plenty of crews that ride daily or weekly together that don’t create videos or products. They just meet up and ride. I myself love the whole process of taking my ideas or one of the dudes in our crew and bringing it to life. I feel this is a shared experience with all creative types of all different styles especially BMXers. How important is creating things as a group? Is this a shared feeling by all the NEBB dudes or is there one or a few members that desire to create and share said ideas?

T: That’s a shared mentality. We all kind of feed off each other when riding. Cameras usually come out. Sometimes they don’t. Time constraints and weather are a factor as well. Northeast weather does not abide. 

M: At the end of the day I think we all just enjoy riding and being in each other's company. I often think the riding comes secondary. With that said I definitely have my camera bag around at all times in case something strikes. As bmx riders I think we are all creative minded people but we all do it differently.  Personally I think it's fun to make edits or get some photos here and there if someone feels like throwing down. It gets me pretty motivated.

B:I have to give a ton of credit to Marty here. He’s amazing on a bike obviously but is just as talented with a camera. He has no problem putting his bike down to get a shot or film a clip. That’s really where most of our “content” comes from. As far as products Marty and Al are very interested in bike specs so they have a lot of input and I kind of go on the assumption that what they come up with will be sick. 

Andrew Beaupre curved wall by Ryan Martin

NEBB seems from an outside observer looking in to be a proponent to the ride everything mentality. Even your crew members known for “street riding” can ride all terrain really well. This is really rad this day and age with riders going more discipline specific not even interested in riding trails or ramps or vice versa. Do you guys find that even though riding levels in these disciplines are higher then they have ever been the ride everything rider is a dying breed? Or do you say see a future resurgence with the sudden spike of transition and trail riding in the BMX industry? Please feel free to elaborate.

M: Ya I think as a rider from the northeast a lot of us in level 3 age bracket were kinda groomed into the ride everything mindset. It was easy with the states being so small you could literally hit a couple skate parks, trails, and drive into a city to ride street till midnight all in one day. Heck we even had a 14ft tall vert ramp until recently (RIP Rye). I take pride in that riding everything mindset. Nebb literally has the Enduro frame for that reason. Also I do think a lot of riders these days are missing out. Its better to have a multi tool than a single blade knife. I will say that with the Vans Pro Cup I have seen a little shimmer of light in that all around aspect. Jamie Cooper Ellis is a younger rider who totally embodies that northeast ride it all mentality. Also, have you seen Cam Childs ride these days?! Fuck. Perfect example that it still exists. I think in the end it'll come back around. Bmx is like fashion. 

B:I think the ride everything mentality is from the era of bmx we grew up in. All my favorite riders growing up rode everything. Some of our crew is more into trails but everybody is down to ride anything. As far as bmx as a whole I think there is a little more emphasis on riding everything. Things like fast and loose and the vans pro cups have done a really good job of showing how many possibilities there are at parks. I definitely think that’s inspired some people to explore the bowl and not just the skate plaza. Riding your bike is fun no matter what you’re riding. There are so many more things to ride compared to 20 years ago when we started. I think that’s also a contributing factor to the resurgence or transition and dirt riders. Public cement parks and pump tracks are popping up everywhere so kids can easily explore their options. I don’t think people should label themselves as a specific type of rider. You do you bro. Ride what you think is fun don’t worry about anything else. 

T: People should ride whatever they like to ride. The ease of access to riding plazas, ledges, and street is unavoidable. You usually can’t step onto a BMX bike and drop into the deep end of a bowl or just start riding a set of jumps right away. Knowing that most top street riders can kill it at the trails and skatepark but will only film pure street stuff is kind of a bummer to me but I get it. But in the wise words of Bart Simpson, “If it feels good, do it”.

The age of the internet brought a lot of negativity along side its contributions to growth and popularity. What are your thoughts on the new wave?

-Brandon Christie

B: I think there was a learning curve as far as bmx and the internet. One website almost had a monopoly on the content that was seen. I think it took a few years for the industry to catch up but I think mainstream bmx is in a much better place than it was in the early 2010’s. Dig and our bmx do a pretty good job of showing all aspects of bmx. At this point with Social media and YouTube you can really find whatever you want. 

M: David Bowie back in like 99 stated that the internet will be the best and worst thing for us and so far he's been spot on. As far as riding goes it's cool to see some really motivating stuff on the daily from some really creative people. As far as brands go I don't care to see the same stuff reposted in my feed 27 times. I'd rather see one original post a week than the same reposted thing multiple times in the same day. I get why it is needed though with algorithms and what not. Then we have comment sections and people standing on their soap boxes to spew hot garbage. Also the new wave can't read, detect sarcasm, pick up on context clues, spell, or use google to get an answer for themselves which creates a bunch of unneeded problems. So yeah to answer your question Brandon the new wave isn't one I really want to ride but somehow I still find myself paddling out.

T: I think we’ve all fallen victim to that at some point. I sure as hell have. In my experience the same people that have strong opinions in BMX usually fade away shortly after. 

BMX is special in a sense that all BMX brands were at one time the same as say a DIY brand such as NEBB. At the same time industry aside BMX’s popularity is growing. BMX when I started riding was primarily made up of outcasts and creative art school types with a love or need for creative physical challenges. Where as to day all different personalities participate in BMX from the types i listed before all the way to your high school jock who leaves the football field to catch a session at the skatepark. Now with the internet I see more and more brands, crews and projects popping up more then ever. I also notice more people are dipping their toes into the DIY creating process. Making bikes or parts, clothing, videos and zines rather then just purchasing whats currently available. With popularity and growth of anything people look for the macomb and the less mainstream. In the way with music people will ditch the latest pop radio hits for the unknown local band. Very similar to the early days of BMX and the birth of say S and M and Standard over the popular brands during that time. Do you see the future of BMX leaning more to circling back to the birth of the current heavy hitters of the BMX indusrty? Will riders in the future say lean more to supporting more DIY crews and brands like yourself? The luxuries and abilities of the internet will we see a majority of riders in the future starting there own companies and brands over supporting the current industry?

T: Everything’s cyclical and almost impossible to speculate. If a company is doing cool shit the best way to keep them alive is to buy their stuff. Add a shirt to that set of bars you're buying. It all helps. 

M: I feel like the support of the DIY/Core brand stuff might have to do with age. Maybe younger kids will gravitate towards the what's hot now brands and products or the usual suspects whereas older riders are more selective on what they ride. Who knows that could be totally false. I know right now there are more older riders out there who like to invest their money on cool shit and you'll most likely find them on an S&M/Credence/FBM/T1 or riding a custom or obscure frame. My last few frames before NEBB were T1's and an FBM. There's definitely a lot more diy stuff popping up, John Corts with Work, WHTHOUS, Derrick Girard with DRG and I see some other brands or crews coming up. It could be that it's really the same as it's always been with diy but now with the internet those smaller things have more reach. NEBB wouldnt be shit without instagram that's for sure. There's still gonna be riders wanting to support pros and buying their products who are on bigger brands so that will always exist and it needs to exist to be honest. DIY is a reaction to the mainstream.

B: You can’t fake it. People know what’s real. So the brands who are making quality products and have the right intentions will last. 

Jamie Cooper-Ellis table Burlington by Ryan Martin

Do you think if that DIY mentality does take hold over the current BMX industry do you think that will lend to the death of the youths obsession with being "Pro" ? How important is that mentality in the long run? I'd love your groups perspective because unless I'm mistaken you have several crew members that were or are Pro riders?

M: Ya Id say Jamie Cooper-Ellis is the stand out pro in the group (YO COMPANIES OUT THERE HOOK THIS DUDE UP MORE) and a few of us came up under the Eastern Boarder team umbrella while that was around with some other hookups too but those ships have sailed for the most part. But yea, I think there will always be a "Pro" designation even if things are more diy. Maybe it just takes on a different term and becomes more of a "team" thing. Kinda like how Relic does it, not a hard line designation but you know the dudes on the team are basically pro. There should always be a little bit of structure but it would be kinda cool if the obsession of "PRO" died. I don't think the younger generation realize it's not about how good you are on the bike.

B: I’m sure kids will always want to be pro because free bikes and travel seem awesome but if that’s the only reason you’re riding then you’ll burn out pretty quick.

T: The “I want to be pro” mentality is so foreign to me so I have no idea how to answer that question. I have and probably always will love riding my bike. Even getting into other types of riding to keep it fresh. Getting paid for your hobby will probably make you hate it. 

Since being so saturated these days do you think BMX as a whole is starting to level out? Growing up riding was about community and camaraderie first skill level second. Are we seeing that come full circle? Or is the past the past?

-Brandon Christie

B: I think that bmx is progressing faster than ever but the availability of content numbs people to the level that people are riding at. I think people figure new things out every day and now have a platform to share it immediately. As far as camaraderie I think that comes with Age a little bit. At this point I look at anyone over 25 still riding bmx is someone who loves it. If you are a cool person we’re stoked on you. Our buddy Brad doesn’t ride at all but will still come on very bmx specific trips with us. We really just want to hang out with people who want to have fun. 

T: I’ve always ridden with people I can hang out with when a BMX is nowhere in sight. The bike is just a reason we met most of the time. 

M: Its kinda always been there. Ive seen people who killed it on the bike but never went anywhere because of their off the bike personalities. If you're having a sesh do you wanna hang with the people having a good ass time or the butthole surfers out there being too cool for school. Not sure where I was going with that but the Butthole Surfers popped in my head so I figured I'd use it.

Shit talking has always been a part of the lifestyle and I know your crew likes to indulge. Do you think the younger generations get that humor? Or do they ruin a good thing by being to sensitive or trolling for evil?

-Brandon Christie

T: I’m from Albany and that’s just how we communicate. 

M: Oh man. Yeah it definitely gets ruined but might be because they are coming up in the internet age and don't really know the ropes or art of it if you will . Our shit talking is almost like a weird way of flirting with each other lol. It's all coming from a good place. A lot of "shit talking" these days I feel is people just being total dicks and when called out just use "shit talking" to cover themselves. Just do it in real life its more fun that way.

B: Shit talking is the best in person BUT does not translate well to the internet. Our crew has known each other for at least 15 years now so we’re very comfortable with each other and can definitely get after each other pretty hard because we have that 15 year backlog of material. I’m definitely coming to learn that the newer generation doesn’t quite have the grasp on sarcasm that we have but our dudes are learning. Basically if I actually don’t like you I’m not going to talk shit to you. 

2020 Nebb frames in John Corts Shop by Ryan Martin

Future products, projects, trips or videos? I’ve seen many photos of stunts being preformed with video cameras out. Can we expect a video or edit in the future? Please feel free to go into detail about any and all things to come for the NEBB. If you rather keep it secrete we sadly understand.

M: Got some hard and soft stuff, maybe another jam if possible. Nothing is officially official but a few of us agreed to try and go in one last time. Were all in our 30's mostly, have legit jobs, businesses, wives, kids, etc so it's not as easy as 10 years ago but that fire is still there. Kinda seeing how much we can get logged in 2021 and tossing a video together but who knows this year has kinda been hit or miss so far.  

T: There’s been talks of making some more hardgoods but nothing concrete. We have some new shirts and some new frames coming soon. Working on a full-length video but no deadline I’m aware of.  

B: All of the above really.

Will there be a reissue of the Enduro Frame?
-Spencer

M: We have some V3 Enduros coming out very soon that could be already sold. Maybe. Will have to talk to the sales department. Also have a new model coming out too which will be available. Details are under wraps but very very spicy. Hopefully have those around the time this comes out.

B: Yup!

T: Super limited quantity. You want one?

How important were magazines and videos growing up for the crew? Give details on there impact if you wouldn't mind.

B: I started riding in the late 90’s and magazines and videos were everything. Coming home from school to a new Ride was the best and props was the video version of that. If I had to nail down a specific moment I knew BMX was something I wanted to be a part of it would be freshman year in high school when my buddy josh let me borrow Albert st. And seek and destroy. Watching those videos back to back definitely was a huge turning point for me.

T: Magazines and videos were all we had growing up. I’d watch Trail Blazin’ or empire East before going to dig/ride after school. Nerd shit.

M: They were literally everything. Spending hours getting lost in the pages, going out every week waiting to see what hit the shelves, and hearing songs on the radio and recalling all the parts where there should be bike noises. So cool to see what was possible and having your mind blown with videos and getting to know bmx on a more personal level in the magazine with interviews etc. For me I really loved watching videos for the music. I was kinda sheltered a little bit growing up and raised on 90s radio country so hearing this whole new world of underground stuff was so cool to me.

If as a crew you had to pick one video or specific riders part from a video that was talked about or referenced the most. Who or what video would it be? If both apply feel free to mention both as well if there are many feel free to list as many as you like and give detailed reasons why.

T: My vote goes to Yeagle in Who Brought The Dicks? For obvious reasons

M: Hmm. Probably the Impetus of Cleatus.... Yeagle in "Who Brought the Dicks?"  and Albert Street are def up there as crew favs. I'm partial to Forward and Half and Half as well. H&H is just so chill and relatable, good music and its Ape City, USA.

B: We’re all into old fbm videos and stuff like that. Who brought the dicks is probably the go to when we’re looking for something to put on. Yeagle's part is still so good. All those videos show a bunch of dudes not necessarily a team. It was really cool to see people like Ruben, Van Homen and Chris Stauffer in Albert st. It made it seem like all your favorite bike riders were friends. 

With the internet riders can live online, put out content and interact with riders from all over the world that they may never meet. What are your thoughts on the importance of being a part of and also contributing to your local scene?

M: It's great for reaching out to people. I've been doing that more lately trying to link up with people. However, the internet isnt real life. With your local scene you are establishing real connections/relationships with those around you. Personally I don't like riding by myself so if I relied on the internet as my scene, my actual riding sessions would be really boring for me. Contributing is also huge. Help the younger riders at the skatepark when their bike breaks, toss em some good hand me down parts, take some pics, give some first bumps when someone does a trick, bring some food for the sesh, offer to drive, lend a hand if you can in any way shape or form. That's the glue that holds scenes together. On a side note....If you measure contributions by how many shovels of dirt someone moved you aren't contributing to your scene you are destroying it. 

B: The internet has made it very easy to connect with riders everywhere which is pretty cool. It’s much easier to share spots and communicate. You attract like minded people and grow your own circle. The local scene is everything.I honestly wish there was a bigger one around us but it doesn’t seem to be as big as it used to be. We definitely want to contribute as much as we can and just show kids how fun bmx be. Hopefully some new parks popping up will get more kids into it.

T: Taking advice from me about contributing to your local scene is not a good idea. I leave town every weekend. You probably should contribute though. You’ll have more stuff to ride and more people to ride with. Idk.

Let's talk travel and the importance of it. Maybe this thought is not shared by everyone who rides but to me the main lifestyle feature to being a BMXer other then riding is adventure and travel. Your crew seems to always be on the road.How importance is travel to all of you both as riders and as humans?

T: I feel restless just watching TV and I sit at a computer all day for work so as soon as I shut my laptop, I’m fucking out. I get a bunch of vacation time from my job, so I usually say yes to travel plans. Who’s trying to go to Nova Scotia?

M: Dude. Insanely important. Beaupre brought up the other day in hindsight we really blew it on traveling more when we were younger. I can't describe the feeling of just driving down the road and not giving a shit about what's going on in your life and just taking in the scenery and the people you are with in that moment. The riding aspect is cool too but i'd never trade in that feeling of packing the car with bikes and the homies and setting sail. As humans I feel you need to travel. Like I mentioned before I was kinda sheltered and once I started traveling it was so eye opening. Take in as much as you can. My wife and I have probably pushed 30k miles on the road in recent years nevermind being in planes. Sometimes I have my bike but most of the time I don't. I find those trips to be a nice reset. As a kinda sorta photographer I love having new scenery in front of my lens but also just learning about what's out there is super cool too.

B: I love traveling and wish I could do more of it. I think you learn a lot about The world by actually getting out and experiencing it. And I think driving for hours on end with your boys really only strengthens friendships. Work and family commitments have me pretty tied to central mass for now. 

Do you think on just a riding level say with progression does traveling riding with riders you don’t know and riding unfamiliar terrain inherently makes you a better rider? If yes please feel free to go into detail.

B: The more stuff you ride the more comfortable you are on your bike. The options are endless. Getting out of your neck of the woods and going to a different set of trails or city is what keeps things fresh. It’s like you can take something from your experience riding other things and bring it back to your local spots. 

M: Ya i've really learned that a lot lately. You can vibe out with other people, get a new outlook on things, get inspired from some fresh faces. Same thing with terrain, open yourself up a little and adapt to the new surroundings it'll make you way more well rounded.

T: Riding new trails is always an experience. I usually just follow whoever looks like they know what they’re doing. Every time I ride concrete my confidence goes up slightly. We went to 9th and poplar in philly and those dudes are building some fun and hard as shit stuff to ride. I need to ride more shit like that.

Ryan Martin tranny carve over gas meter in Jersey by Andrew Beaupre

That being said, what would you say to a rider that never leaves their neck of the woods? How would you convince them to leave their home and spread their wings so to speak?

M: You think you know but you have no idea....get out of your comfort zone and you'll be rewarded for it. 

T: Invite them on a trip? Kidnap them?

B: You don’t know what you're missing! The perfect hip or handrail could be in the next state over go look for it. 

As a crew and individually all of you shred. Almost everyone in your crew I’ve seen in person or via video or photo doing dangerous things on a BMX bike with style and ease. A ease and style that only comes from repetition and comfort. What do you think is the cognitive difference as humans that make risk taking an integral part of all our lives? Outsiders looking in the answers are always the same. You guys “BMXers” all have a screw loose your crazy etc.etc..take your pick. As a rider myself I know theres more to it then that. What do you think is the deeper meaning behind why all BMXers put ourselves into harms way for fun on a regal basis? Is there a deeper more profound reason for the risk taking? 

M: I think some people are just wired differently. Some people are content with the regular ways of life khaki pants blah blah and others need that bit of excitement to make them feel something. Bmx riders I think are just creative people who are always looking for the next way to express themselves and most of the time it involves some risk. I love casually cruising but can't lie I need that adrenaline every once and a while. If you land what's been haunting you for a long time that sense of accomplishment kicks ass. Ya you're gonna pay for it every once and a while but some people blow their back out from sneezing so why not take a walk on the wild side.

B: I think when you start riding at a young age your brain almost progresses with your riding. Somehow it knows what you are capable of and you develop confidence. Think about someone who plays professional baseball, they didn’t just walk up to the plate at 22 and start trying to hit 95mph fastballs. I think bmx is the skill we’ve trained our brains to focus on so that’s why it’s wired the way it is. This even varies from rider to rider, what scares one person about a certain set up doesn’t phase another. We all develop our own skills and confidence. 

T: I’ve gotten that question a lot growing up and I honestly have no idea. BMX is super fun, i've learned a lot about who I am because of that thing, good and bad. I’d rather be out for two months with a broken hand every once in a while, than have my main hobby be brunch.

What are your thoughts on the overall growing culture that is BMX?

B: I think there is a lot to get into with that question because bmx is different to everyone. There is a competition culture, trails culture, street culture. Every aspect of bmx has its own little nuances. I think some people get too wrapped up in trying to fit into a certain “culture” that they lose sight of the fact that we’re all just trying to have fun on bike. We’re not spending hours riding a Resi or flat ledge but if that’s what you want to do go for it. Like I said earlier you do you.

T: Redistribute the wealth. The people that need to hear that are never going to see this.

M: Insert salty ass old dude here: .......SIIIIKE. It's great to be honest. Keep it coming. I don't want to show up to the skatepark and have no one to ride with. Although if the 4 peg brakeless camo tire rider could at least say what's up to me and my no pegs and brake cable that would be cool... My only real complaint would be bmx needs to promote itself in a better light, skateboarding does a good job of it. Some pretty wack shit gets some shine that makes it look like bmx riders are total idiots. Which we are, but like maybe as a whole we need to do a better job at controlling it.

How does the Northeast in particular the New England BMX scene culture differ from the rest of the USA and World? Please feel free to go into detail.

M: It's hard to say because I've mostly experienced other scenes in passing but I'd say that because our states are so compact there's so many pockets of varying scenes spread throughout which bring lots of variety to the table for those involved and those visiting as well. If you are looking to ride certain things you can pretty much ride it all here. There's even a few committed flatland riders too.

B: I think the northeast scene is really unique. If you list off the riders that have “made it” from the north east most of them left the area and shortly after got the recognition they deserved. I think we’re just doing our own thing up here. We’re far away from any “industry” aspects and we’re just trying to ride. I think back to the early 2000’s and how crazy the indoor skatepark scene was. You would see the same people 3 times a week at 3 different parks for bike nights. The scene was and still is pretty tight knit I think. We all know what it’s like trying to get through a winter and just want to ride something. 

T: The weather is ass and the people that live here are some of the most genuine people i’ve encountered. You really have to want to ride and get creative with winter and how much it rains. Proud to call this place home. 

Back to the creative process, do you feel it's important to create with no preconceived intent? No end goal other than creating to create. Or do you feel having a goal with say an idea makes it better and brings it to life faster if say there is an underlying reason behind the process? 

T: “If it feels good, do it”

M: In my experience it always stems off of a thought or idea. The final product might not be fully imagined but there is a definite spark. Not to say things don't happen out of thin air that are totally awesome cuz it does occur but ya for me there is mostly an idea or goal in mind. With Obsolete I made a video in response to being burnt on a (in my mind) failed video of our scene and an overall departure from the "classic" style riding I loved. Hence the name obsolete. It started with just one video but then came 2 more and a hardcover book all from that one idea. With NEBB it's usually something that has some sort of thought behind it, typically joke based.

B: Umm a little of both. It’s good to have direction and a goal but you can’t force the process. We try to come out with new designs in the spring and fall but they have to be things we’re into. We’re not going to put something out we’re not stoked on just to have something out there. 

Joe Siharath pipe carve by Ryan Martin

In reference to the intentions of creating in BMX do you feel the internet clouds a persons intentions? Instant gratification seems to be a underlying thing i see more and more in regards to do find the internet is mudding the waters of the reason of why people pull out a camera or phone to document? Or has it only improved BMX? Good or bad what are your thoughts on the sudden explosion of BMX content and easy access to vast amount of riding?

B: The availability of content has definitely numbed us to the level people are riding at but it’s also cool it’s so available. When I was 13-14 years old I would watch B3 rollerblading on espn just to see the courses and think about riding them. If YouTube was around then I would have been pumped. It’s not what we grew up with but it's very easy to access and hopefully shows how fun bmx can be. 

M: Instant gratification is there for sure. But if that clip makes someone feel good, who am I to hate on it. I do miss the days of waiting for a video or magazine to come out but at the same time I do get pumped when I see a homie post something sick on a random tuesday. I do prefer quality over quantity and there is definitely a barrage of trash especially when a certain trend gains popularity but I guess you take the good with the bad. Who knows, maybe in the grand scheme of things that content I think is terrible is something a non rider sees and makes them buy a bike.

Who creates most of the content you guys put out? I assume everyone in the crew gets involved has input or final say but who or whom are the driving force behind all things NEBB related that the public sees? 

 M: There's like 5ish of us who have the password with 3 of us (myself included) for the most part that would do the day to day which a couple years later has turned into week to week content. Its so easy to get burnt on it trying to post original content every other day. I try to have something thoughtful to post at least once a week to just keep things moving but when dudes are hurt, its 90 degrees out and riding is a chore, or some jokes are just old it gets hard. I personally enjoy the couple times a year when Ever Peacock hops on and blesses us with that fuego content. Side note: if you've ever direct messaged us and had a convo sometimes theres multiple people responding to you but we are all good at mocking each others vocabulary which is pretty entertaining for us cuz you might be thinking you're talking to one person but it can be like 3 people.

T: Usually Marty, Beaupre, Al, Gaspar, Conor, and Myself for the most part. 

B: Marty is definitely responsible for most of the riding content we put out. Al and Toby also help out big time. The designs are a pretty big group effort. Basically the 3 of us and al are the ones who sign off on what we put out. 

As riders get older and continue to ride its more and more apparent that our sport / is fully a culture and lifestyle rather then a young mans hobby.For the older members of NEBB what role if any do you guys want to play in aspiring older riders to keep pushing personal progression and creating art and memories on the bike?

B: We just want to show what we think is fun. If it inspires anyone that’s awesome. Bmx is still just as fun in your 30’s.

M: I actually kinda see NEBB as like the blue collar riding group for the everyday person. Just something that can be super relatable for people in their mid 30's. I will say this though. Don't be the "in my day" dude.  Bmx is always evolving but the one constant is you can still have fun riding your bike doing what you think is cool. At some point we all peak so you can either get bummed or salty or just let it ride and do you. Most of the fun with bmx is the stuff not on the bike so even if you don't think you can keep up or you're afraid of being injured at least hang out for sessions, who knows what'll happen. But honestly, im 33 and even though my body is failing me i'm a better bike rider now than I was 10 years ago. Also if you are losing that fire just bomb a hill. That feeling will never fade.

T: It’s still fun is usually what I tell people. You don’t have to go nuts. Progression will come naturally if you keep with it.

The BMX lifestyle mirrors that of a musician as it can be all consuming involving weeks of travel and almost living a nomadic lifestyle.An easy life for a young man living at home. I think this is a key factor of why you see so many amazing riders put down the bike when regular life gets hectic. That said how does everyone on NEBB juggle the demands of real life and the obsession of two wheels? Strategies and advice for our readers? As well any tips to a younger rider that may be hitting the real world that doesn’t want life to derail his time on the bike? Please feel free to give details.

B: This is a really tough one to explain. When you’re a kid bmx is your life but as you age it sort of becomes a hobby that you're passionate about. Life just gets busier. I’ve talked with Marty about scheduling. We used to have our wives work schedules memorized and be able to plan trips all the time. Now it’s a little more complicated but we still manage. My advice would be if you want to ride you’ll make it happen. It might not be an all day session but a quick half hour after work once a week is sometimes all you need. Myself I definitely went through a few years in my mid 20’s where I was getting really frustrated with riding because it almost felt like I was regressing because I couldn’t ride as much but eventually I realized I was doing this as an escape from the stress of everyday life. I also think finding this crew really helped motivate me again. We’re really lucky because we all kind of have the same schedules so we can make it happen. 

T: There are inevitably other things that will take your attention later in life. Just try to prioritize what you care about as best you can. Easier said than done though.

M: In general I think we have an understanding that the more we get older that the life stuff does come up and you just need to navigate it accordingly. Al does a good job of trying to make a dedicated weekend for the trails in advance that way the more busier people can mark their calendars. It's funny some people got the idea that we are just full time reckless idiots but the reality of it is most of us are married, legit careers, have kids, own property etc. If you love something enough you'll make time for it. I think it's mostly time management for dealing with the real life stuff. I personally struggle with it and have been trying to fine tune being a husband, running an hvac business, house stuff, and a fire that still burns bmx. I will say if you're an up and coming rider don't be short sighted. Bmx doesn't owe you shit. If some cool opportunities come up, take them but you should have a back up plan for real life stuff. Time is undefeated so eventually this all ends. As much as you don't want life to take away time on a bike, time will do that for you. 

Injuries are part of BMX. They make the best riders pull back on there riding and even hang it up all together. As taking riding a bike on as a lifestyle rather then a hobby you have to come to terms with this fact and navigate its pitfalls and the effects injuries have on the other aspects of your life. What are your thoughts on this aspect to riding? How do you handle this factor when injuries happen? Does it limit your riding?

M: Ive for sure gotten rocked on the bike but honestly I don't really think about it. The worst injuries are the ones you never see coming so why bother stressing over it. Thanks to my wife I have really good health insurance but Ive also spent a winter riding vert when I didn't have it. If you've made it this far you know the nature of the beast. However I feel the older you get you become a little more selective with what you ride/how you ride to try to avoid certain injuries. 

T: I’ve been hospitalized for weeks at a time and stuck not being able to walk for months. Its not ideal but my desire to ride outweighs those negatives. 

B: Injuries just come with the territory. Everyone has their own way of dealing with them. As much as work may suck when you’re limping around on a Monday a little piece of me is reminded that it was a fun weekend. As you get older you may not take as many risks but you appreciate the feeling of flowing around and progress in your own way. 

Admins on a Bench

Outside looking in this seems like a weekly occurrence but how often do all or most of the NEBB crew get together and ride? 

M: It gets harder as life goes on but since we are a decent sized crew we kinda have sessions semi weekly with different rotations of people. I personally will try to sneak out like twice a week if I can. During the hot months it slows down for sure and nagging injuries yadda yadda.

B: I wish we rode once a week but realistically it’s probably more like once a month. We’re a little spread out so we can’t all get together that often. We try to do a few trips a year with a big crew. Work schedules and family commitments kind of take most of my time, fortunately Marty lives 5 minutes away so we can catch quick sessions when I get a free hour or two

T: I plead the 5th.

Your crew as whole and each rider individually are some of my favorite riders to see riding content from? How important is progression to all of you? Feel free to elaborate.

B: At this point progression just means feeling comfortable on my bike. Finding new lines things like that. My new trick days are probably behind me.

T: We all have things we would like to get done lately and we kind of try and motivate each other as best we can. I try new shit when im feeling decent but know when to pull back and take it easy… for the most part.  

M: I'd say when you're in your mid thirties progression is awesome to keep that fire going but don't force it. We all kinda know where we are at these days so if a trick happens or a maneuver is improved upon that's badass but not a big deal if you kinda level out for a bit. Having fun with your friends that's the most important part.

On the progression topic, how important is the progression of the brand that is NEBB? Is growth important or is it solely an outlet for creativity and what happens happens? Feel free to elaborate.

M: Definitely the latter. We've never had any structure with this since it was based off a joke. Wanna do more frames? Sure? Hey would you be down to make a sprocket? Sure. We've definetly taken some people up on oppurtinities but they were super organic. If it becomes anything more than that we'd probably end it haha. With that said if any companies out there want to buy us out to have a shitty grassroots style brand our lawyers are ready to pick up the phone.

B: I would say what happens happens. I’d love to keep it going and Continue with products and events but realistically I have bigger priorities in my life. Marty and Tobias definitely pick up my slack. I try to contribute what I can. As long as we’re having fun with it and the boys are psyched I don’t see it going anywhere. 

T: Definitely what happens happens. Most things we’ve done up until this point was kind of organic.

Hyjinx is one of my favorite parts about NEBB. Don’t get me wrong I love all the riding content. Everyone on NEBB shreds and the riding seems to be the main driving force behind what you guys do. That said do you feel that most of the BMX industry and even the DIY brands and crews takes themselves to seriously? Would you like to see more hyjinx or is it better that its few and far between and when we do see it its special and rare?

T: NEBB is not a meme page, that’s for sure.

M: Ya we all love to ride it's what we all have in common but ya bustin jokes or  just trying to one up each other on the laugh meter is where it's at. To each their own on how they want to operate but I personally gravitate towards the groups of people who are just out there having a good ol time. Shout out to Busch Heavy Boyz. Obviously Fast and Loose as well. 

B: We’re not riding 24/7 so in the down time we generally entertain ourselves by drinking and peeing. Hyjinx has to be organic too I think. You can’t force funny. 

Zach Andringa opposite Table in VT by Ryan Martin

How much of the content from branding of hard goods, clothing and media is based in satire and how much is serious? Is humor always the muse behind ideas?

B: 50/50. I’m sure the other guys elaborated on this. Most of what we do is pretty tongue in cheek but some of the designs are very planned and worked and reworked several times. Our dude Conor is very talented and patient with us. He gets a ton of design credit. 

T: There are underlying jokes in everything we do. Goose eggs if you will.

M: I'd say most of the stuff we do is satire/humor based. There's usually an inside joke or light hearted jab in anything we do. A lot of it goes over peoples heads though and that's fine. That being said, we are a little more careful these days. We've found some people take our jokes seriously or use them in the wrong manner and that kinda sucks.

Collaboration is awesome when it works. When minds different or similar can come together to build or create something it is an amazing thing. What do you all love about BMX? What attracted you to BMX and then ultimately to one another as a crew working together on ideas?

M: Id say friendship/stories/memories that come along with it. Come for the action, stay for the people. Ive ridden bikes since I was 2 and have grown to realize it's the freedom that a bicycle gives you that's the best feeling and I got into bmx due to the fact you can catch some air. Huge monster truck fan as a kid so jumping things with wheels holds a place in my heart. NEBB exists because we just love hanging out with each other, it's just a vehicle for us to do fun shit together.

B: I think right now we’ve just found the crew that we’re all stoked on so we’re doing it for each other. Everyone is bringing something different to the table and we’re just having fun. 

T: I got into BMX because this older kid Ryan on my school bus had a box jump in his front yard and he’d be riding it when the bus would drive by. It looked awesome. That was 22 years ago. Growing up where I did, there wasn’t too much to ride so I'd always travel to skate parks and trails around New England with my older brother and his friends. I’ve been going out that way ever since.

Conor Hobbs (our in house graphic design dude and secretly best rider) by Ryan Martin

Final words, are there any quotes saying or even thoughts you like to end with for the people reading this?

NEBB: Thanks to you Shajn for being the first one to pick our brains. Shout out to anyone thats fucked with us, purchased anything, shared a sesh with, or just in general been pumped on something we've done. If you made it this far down the article thank you for taking the time to read it. Shout out to Vic from Circuit for always being super cool and supporting us and the whole northeast scene. Also Shout out to Jay at Full Circle for carrying some of our stuff in the shop as well. Shout out to us too.
B: Have fun. You do you bro.
M: "Its is my life" - Jon Bovi

T: “If it feels good, do it”