Everyone:

Check out the March, '06 issue of BMX Plus! - a letter was written to them re: old school and in the response, they mentioned Vintagebmx.com!!

The response said if they receive enough interest in old school, they will try to include more in the magazine. Let's all write letters or emails to them asking for more old school coverage - I think it would be cool if they had a "Readers Rides" photo section or maybe reprint some old articles.

What does everyone think? Let's make our presence known to the larger BMX community and share our wonderfull hobby.

Thanks,
Brandon

Brandon,
Sounds like a killer idea!!! Be another way to make v-bmx more public and make this great site even greater and bigger..(like it needs to be?!?!?)
Plus maybe get to see some of our own members bikes,stories....u get the picture...we gonna send a mass letter or everyone just write in to them?? Im in on the idea!!!

Jon

Ask them to cover Rockford.

I think coverage of Rockford would be AWESOME!

Jon, I was thinking let's write them/email them individually, but a corporate effort in the form of a petition would be cool. Go to the BMX Plus! website and click the Ask The BMXperts link to email them.

Rick/Hal, is there any way to do a petition from the website that members could "sign" and then forward the list to BMX Plus!?

BWL

I would like to start out my letter with...

Dear Wiz,

Rick hit the nail on the head. Brilliant!

Let's be sure and get Oz to write them!

Here's the email I sent them and the response:

Q. You should check out vintagebmx.com - it's a huge community of old schoolers. How about doing a retro issue for us older fans? Re run a few bike tests, interview some legends, have a section for reader's rides, etc . . . For a name of the issue/mag how about: BMX Plus! Old School - has a good ring to it.
brandon_lail@hotmail.com - 12/8/2005 5:50:35 AM

A. Brandon, Thanks for the advice. We are the only magazine that has a Nostalgia photo each month, a look back at the issues 5,10 and sometimes 15 years ago. We don't have that many request as you would think that your asking for. We just did an interview with Dennis McCoy about 20 years of being pro. We'll do are best and try and get more stuff like that...for now keep checking out vintage bmx .com it's a good site.

yeah it would be great if bmx plus said vintage stuff was cool, that is if you're selling on E-bay. Otherwise it could potentialy suck.
I think the people who are into vintage Bmx are into it for the right reasons, because they were there, because they see the value in it, because they realize its the reason todays bmx exists at all.
Fads suck unless your sitting on a bunch of stuff you want to sell (related to the fad, and please excuse the use of this word) I would love to see some recognition in the magazines too but then I think be carefull what I ask for, i just might get it. I have alot of bikes I'd still like too aquire and restore. I'd hate too pay a fortune for every one because some magazines said collecting was cool. Please dont bash the crap out of me now, its just something to think about.

unfitskip:

You bring up a very valid point. I too have several more bikes I would love to acquire at reasonable rates. I do think it's important to make sure that our hobby and passion do not get co-opted by those that are merely looking to cash in. VBMXers must not be exploited and I think we could mention that in our correspondence to BMX Plus!

But you know what they say about publicity - there's no such thing as "bad" publicity. I just think Old School deserves recognition in the sport today - without the past, there would be no present. Besides, revived interest in BMX community as a whole may flesh out more stashes of old bikes and parts


BWL007

Is there no more interest than this? Come on, let's get going on this.

it would be nice to see old pics n articals from the past
unfitskip has a valid point prices are sure to rise
im new on here and try to read more than write

i have an old peugoet 205 that i race and since retro magazines raved about how well they go n handle and for how little money prices for parts and breakers have trebled at least!!!! money hungry business men see a market throw a shed full of money buy everything in sight wait a while at an old warehouse and boom the genuine enthusiasts have to pay hefty prices to keep their pride n joy running

Promotion is great when you have something to sell. Otherwise, what are you looking for ? High quality pics and good stories about peoples cool bikes ? Seems to be free here.

Just my 2 cents

I agree 92gli. If I can be selfish, which ain't hard, whats in it for me if BMX Plus does a half page of old school in their magazine. Better yet, whats in it for them? BMX Plus is running a business, every inch of the magazine counts, their reporting, supporting and selling current BMX to their audience.

Although it would be kinda cool for a minute to see my bike in a magazine I know 99% of BMX Plus veiwers are looking right past it. Showing it here for you is why I share, otherwise it's really just for me...cause I'm selfish, remember?

Whatever magazine that was that gave Rockford coverage back in 2002 had a picture of me and my bike, I didn't even buy the damn magazine.

[ February 04, 2006, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: Randy ]

Even though we have the Interweb, there's still something special about being in a magazine. (In real life I'm the editor of two car magazines.) No disrespect to VBMX or any Web site, but few people really dream of seeing their car/bike/whatever on a Web site. Anyone can upload their photos and be done.

But to get into a magazine, that's still special. Probably comes down to the whole "gatekeeper" thing, in that someone else has to think the bike/car/whatever is cool enough to warrant some ink and room on the page.

Still, write the editors and let them know what you think. I hear from our readers all the time. Let's me know what they think and what they like.

David

I think BMX plus should just re-issue the 1st 10 years of the mag, sell all of us old guys 10 year subscriptions, and then we can have new 20 year old zines delivered to us once a month.