That's right! BMX brand Eastern Bikes also makes a full line of 24-26" PlusSizeBMX bikes. Eastern offers five completes and the Black Betty as a frame only. The Black Betty is the flagship of the line. Both Nick Soloninka and I have been on Black Betty's for a while. (Nick just switched to a 2010 Eastern Night Train) Both of us have been very happy with the Black Betty. I ride mostly street and park where as Nick rides a lot of dirt in between park sessions. The Black Betty (and the Night Train for that matter) is equally at home on all terrain. I run an S&M Pitchfork which steepens the head angle slightly. Which makes the bike even more reactive without being sketchy. Nick is running an 80mm Rock Shox argyle fork. The Black Betty runs well with either fork setup. Some of Easterns BMX details carry over to the Black Betty as well. You will find the big 'E" cutout on the headtube as well as the integrated seat post clamp. The Black Betty is a great option for any PlusSizeBMX rider looking for an upgrade. To get your hands on one contact your local Eastern Bikes dealer. If you want to get more info on the Black Betty and all of Eastern's 24-26" completes click on their logo below.

Eastern Black Betty Product Review from Plussizebmx on Vimeo.

Here are the final production graphics and colors for the Snafu Crenshaw and Hawthorne completes. Word is that Sidewall Distribution will have these in stock sometime in July. The rest of the world will receive them after that. The colors look good. Now we just need to see how they ride.

Snafu Crenshaw2010 Snafu Crenshaw 2010 Snafu Hawthorne2010 Snafu Hawthorne

Here is some more of the lowdown on the new Snafu completes. Both models should be available later this year. The following is from McGoos press release on his new babies.

Snafu Crenshaw Complete mtb

The MSRP $1,299 SNAFU Crenshaw and $999 Hawthorne UDJ MTB’s are built on the same SNAFU Crenshaw Project frame.

This chassis features small-diameter straight-gauge 4130 chromoly tubing with an externally butted seat mast, butted and tapered rear stays and a CNC-machined 4130 chromoly head tube for integrated headsets. Braze-ons include removable T/T cable guide/stops leading to a set of removable U-brake bosses on the underside of the seatstays, plus the standard battery of hydro cable guides leading to the rear disk caliper mounts on the left rear dropout. Said dropouts are laser-cut 6mm 4130 chromoly. The weight of the frame only is 2.69k/5.8 lb. This is a laudible accomplishment for a full-featured rigid freeride MTB frame.

T/T length – 22.5″
H/T angle = 72°
S/M angle = 72°
BB height (center to ground with 457mm long/3″ travel fork) = 12.75″
Chainstay length (center to center) = 15.5″
Wheelbase = 40.125″

Gaeten from Chillrider.com put up this edit of Taillo. Taillo is shredding on a Tonic Fab Fall Guy V3. The park looks sick. It is apparently the 80100 skatepark in Abbeville. (Not sure exactly where that is) Chillrider is your hook up for Tonic Fab frames and parts in France. Check them out.

ChillRider Web edit from Chillrider on Vimeo.

Here is a flipbook of the 2010 DMR goods. The line looks sick!!! Some great pics in there as well. Click on the image for the full view. Check it...

We are working on a full test of the Eastern Black Betty 26" frame. Eastern is a great RIDER OWNED company that makes great bikes and components. They have been one of the most popular brands in BMX for quite a while now. Eastern also makes several complete bikes with 24" and 26" wheels for us PlusSizeBMX riders. They introduced a new entry level bike this year called the Mad Dog that has a 80mm fork adn disc brake that retails for less then a grand! We are going to be testing the flagship of the Eastern 26" line the Black Betty. This frame is 5.6lbs has slammed 14.7" chanstays and solid all around geometry. For more info on the Black Betty click on the Eastern logo below. Here are a few teaser pics with a full video test coming soon.

Standmag is a Hungarian interent mag. They have released a special english version of there latest issue. Standmag always has cool articles and great pics. This issue includes an interview with Martin Soderstrom. Just click on the picture below to be magically transported to the new issue!

Always loving the vids and bikechecks from Matt MacDuff! And This one is no exception!

Check out Matt Macduffs new framecheck vid for the 2010 Dobermann Pinscher he will be riding this season!

Dobermann Frame Check - Matthew Macduff from Justin Browne on Vimeo.

Lukasz from NS Bikes www.nsbikes.com in Poland sent me over some photos of their new products they had at Eurobike. NS is the proud home of Swedish shredder Martin Soderstrom. Martin cleaned up at the 4x and Dirt jump comps at eurobike. He won both!!!  Enjoy the pics...in the US your local bike shop can get NS bike products through BTI. 

I new chrome was making a comeback. These components look real nice!!! bling bling

Martin gets his own Signature grip. NS is also working on a Martin S. slopestyle frame.

New colors for the 2010 Majesty frame. Two members of the PlusSizeBMX team are currently riding 2009 Majesty frames. They both are in love with this frame.

2010 NS Holy complete

The key to Martin Soderstroms success: He never gets off his bike!! Even signing autographs he is on his bike...LOL 

Here is the new LEAF d.two complete. This was just released last week at Eurobike. If you are lucky enough to be in a country where you can buy one go do it!

Probably the best fork company ever finallycame with a fork made for dirt; the Fox 831

 It will be a very light fork, the weight is only 1.74kg (3.8lbs)!

The 831 will be sold with 100mm suspension, but you can adjust it internally between 80mm and 120mm.

The fork will have an Air Spring, 15mm axle, 32mm legs, lock out, a FIT 4x/DJ dampener, and will be available with a 1-1/8"  and a 1.5" steerer tube

Andrew Taylor got a custom Marin and FSA ride for Crankworxs. The frame is the 2010 Marin Alcatraz. The new frame seems much more DJ friendly. The colors are all custom and are very bright. Maybe someone needs to start using glow in the dark paint. The bike looks sick!!!

The entire 2010 Kona line is posted up at www.konaworld.com Here is the new Cowan model which has a suggested retail of $1199 as well as the new Shonky 100% cromoly street bike which has a $899 price.

MacNeil bikes has unleashed a 26" cruiser...these are a pretty sick combo of old school cruisers with a little bmx thrown in for good measure...according to the MacNeil webber they are now available...Go buy one!!!

Here is a couple of snapshots of the 2010 HARO Steel reserve hardtail PlusSizeBMX rides. These bikes look pretty sick especially at those prices!!!

Steel Reserve 1.1
Colorway: Gloss Black

Spec highlights:
-4130 double-butted cromoly frame with BMX inspired mid BB and horizontal drop-outs
-Chromoly rigid dirt jump specific fork
-BMX-style 8-spline 4130 cromoly tubular cranks with 12T rear cog
-Tektro IO mechanical disc brake (rear only)
-Kenda K-Rad 2.3 tires

MSRP: about $470

Steel Reserve 1.2
Colorway: Smurfy Blue

Spec highlights:
-4130 double-butted cromoly frame with BMX inspired mid BB and horizontal drop-outs
-SR Suntour DJ 80mm travel fork
-BMX-style 8-spline 4130 cromoly tubular cranks with 12T rear cog
-Hayes MX4 mechanical disc brake; rear only
-Kenda K-Rad 2.3 tires

MSRP: about $675 

Stateside we are not too familiar with this brand. But these bikes look pretty sweet. The line is called Amplitude. Saracen offers two models in aluminium and two in chromoly. Chromoly the choice of champions. All of the bikes look pretty sweet. I wouldn't mind trying out one of the cromo models. For more info check out www.saracen.co.uk There new site will be up at the end of July. Check it!!!

It is called Xhelix or cross helix tubing. It is reported to be 30% stronger then double butted tubing. Debate is raging about this tube so we will have to see how it plays out. The plan is that it will be used on Easterns aftermarket frames and a couple of completes.