Just got the word that Marc Willers will be on a DK Frame in 2012. The freshly-crowned (well, as of November, anyway) ABA National Number One Pro, who will debut his #1 at next week’s USA BMX Gator Nationals (and UCI North American Continental Championship), was previously committed to riding the frame of his former sponsor, Speedco, after a jersey change to Toby Henderson’s new “Box Components” line.

The official press release from Cycle Group, Inc. (parent to Box Components) tells it as such:

Last week, the staff of Cycle Group Inc. (CGI) and DK Bicycles spent the day in a rented meeting room in Fullerton (CA) finalizing the details of a one-year deal that makes DK the official frame sponsor of Marc Willers and the BOX Components Test Team.

Negotiations with DK started last year, when the company was among a half dozen frame suppliers that approached CGI about sponsorship.

“We’re excited and really looking forward to working with DK. The company has a long history in BMX going back to 1979 and a very strong presence in the sport,” said Toby Henderson, CGI’s founder.

“We were very fortunate to get several offers to sponsor Marc and BOX Components. But in DK we found a strategic partner not only willing, but ready to work with BOX Components as we develop new and innovative BMX products,” he added.

The day after Toby and Bill Danishek, DK Bicycles’ director, agreed in good faith to work together, DK product managers started the process to build Marc a frame.

“All of us are really excited about all the possibilities of working with BOX Components. Toby’s successes as a product designer and innovator are a big part of why we wanted to team up with the brand. It’s also great to have a rider like Marc Willers on a DK frame. We’re looking forward to a long-term relationship,” Bill said.

As it turns out, both companies were on the same product development path. DK began working on a 20-millimeter frame last fall. With BOX, Toby plans to continue developing 20-mil BMX components, which he successfully introduced some 18 months ago. Marc Willers won the 2011 ABA National Number 1 Pro title, 10 ABA Nationals and two UCI World Cup races using Toby’s 20-mil products.

Coincidentally, Marc’s good friend and fellow New Zealander Corey Stafford is DK’s rep in Australia. It was him who urged DK to develop 20-mil frames and components. The deal means DK can focus on building frames and bikes while BOX supplies the 20-mil parts.

“We’re working on a lot of new products and technologies for BMX. We’re very lucky to have a partner like DK that is willing to work with us as we develop our line,” Toby said.

BOX Components also will provide support to the members of DK’s factory team, including Barry Nobles and Tommy Zula, whenever possible.

Marc and the BOX Components team’s other sponsors include Promax, Fly Racing and ODI.

It bears noting that the bike in the above photo is a DK-stickered Speedco frame, which Marc will ride in Oldsmar, and until the 20mm DK frame is ready, which is expected March(ish).

Star Products, out of Wisconsin, has been making some moves into the market since their debut at the 2011 ABA Midwest Nationals in Rockford. A cool logo, and some US-Made product gave their industry profile a nice little push at the race. Recently, some chatter about a forthcoming frame has been on the BMX News radar scope.

Tonight, via Facebook, the company announced that they have purchased the inventory and frame design of Rockford-based RPM Products.

Company rep, Bryan Dickerson told News that they would be making both aluminum and chromoly versions of the new Star Products frame, and would be coming to market with the line before April. Here’s a peek at the sizes:

The chromoly line will be larger sizes, with a 20-inch in 21″, 21.5″ and 22″ top tube lengths and cruisers in 21.5″ and 22″ TT.

Their aluminum offerings will be broader, with a Mini (17.75″), Junior (18.75″), Expert (19.75″), Pro (20.75″), Pro XL (21.25″), Pro XXL (21.75″) and “King” at 22.25″ Top tube lengths in the 20-inch. They will also do aluminum cruisers in Junior (18.75″), Expert (19.75″), Pro (21.5″) and Pro XL in 22″ top tube length.

Target price point for the hardware (all US-made) will be around $400. The chromoly prototype will be at next week’s USA BMX Sooner Nationals in Guthrie, OK. Word is that the RPM inventory acquired in today’s transaction will be stickered with the Star Products graphics.

Dickerson noted that Star Products is rider-owned and operated with over 40 years of BMX experience. More info soon on their website at www.starproductsbmx.com. BMX News will update this story as new details arise.

As for RPM, we put out an inquiry to them today, but no word back before we posted. The Facebook announcement by Star Products said that RPM was going in a “different direction,” so we’ll update that part of the story as well.

We saw our first glimpse of the new Doublecross frame in the build stand at the ABA Grands. Will Murray, an old friend of BMX News was wrenching away on it with sharp focus. It took us a minute to realize that he was actually building the ride for himself–as one of the first “name” riders busting a move over to Doublecross’ new Factory Team.

You’re going to be hearing a lot about Doublecross, out of Piedmont, OK, in the coming weeks and months. They have a fresh frame design, which News will be showing you more of later this week, and have started things off right, by picking up Will, as well as Matt Kelty and Seth Utz to push the product to the front of the pack. They also just added Jon Miller from Ohio to the growing roster. Keep an eagle eye out for more on Doublecross from the USA BMX Sooner Nationals in Guthrie, OK, next week.

Meanwhile, click here to check out what Doublecross has on the hoof

When the ABA/NBL Merger was finalized in Mid June, many BMX Racing fans thought that the names of both leagues would fade into history, in favor of the new USA BMX moniker. At first, one direction the ABA discussed, was to have the brand names of both leagues live on under the USA BMX banner (some nationals flying the NBL flag running total points, and some flying the ABA flag running the transfer system) But, as the reality of the merger began to take root among track operators and the rank-and-file racers, it was clear that the NBL brand had been damaged beyond repair by the events of 2011, and the desire for a split series was practically nil.

“Even the (NBL) loyalists were saying it didn’t make sense to keep the NBL name alive,” said one former NBL track operator. At the end of the day, the ABA system made the most sense, and it was decided that the initial plans would be altered to make it one national series, running under the ABA transfer system.

So, what did that mean for the ABA brand name? Some industry observers thought there was a real possibility that the ABA would pivot the plan again, and just keep things running under the ABA brand name. Others argued that the USA BMX brand does a great deal to signify the “unified” condition of things, and is smart branding by saying “BMX” right in the name. In the end, both points of view made it into the final recipe.

The above USA BMX logo was circulating this week, as the final version of the first USA BMX logo. As you can see, it includes “The American Bicycle Association” as a tagline under the USA BMX logo.

So, what do we call this thing? Just like with “Willis Tower” here in our native Chicago, people are slow to accept a name change of something so deeply rooted in their memory. Indeed, just over Christmas, we said “check out the Sears Tower,” calling the kids’ attention to the antenna towers on the top, lit up for the holidays. We were quickly corrected from the back seat “You mean WILLIS Tower, dad” (um..no, I really meant SEARS tower, but whatever).

In the BMX context, this is how we are thinking of it: Since the ABA remains the business entity of the organization, and operates USA BMX and BMX Canada, it seems to be proper to say, in conversation, “We are working with the ABA on a sponsorship deal,” but not accurate to say ” I’m going to the ABA National next weekend.” You’d be going to the USA BMX National next weekend. You would also be “renewing your USA BMX membership,” and making plans to race the USA BMX Grands in November 2012.

Now that we’re done with Robert’s Rules of Order, BMX Edition, let’s gate up for an amazing 2012!

We admit it, sometimes, we surf other BMX websites. Hard as it may be to believe, there are others beyond News, Vintage and siblings .

One of our readers tipped me off about an article Adam from thecomeupbmx posted, entitled “Why I Ride.” I thought it was a very good read.

While clicking around TCU, I noticed an article announcing that Jeremy Pavia from BMX Plus! had moved on from his post. Here’s some of what it said:

“I wanted to take a minute and let everyone know that I will no longer be working for BMX Plus! Magazine. I moved across the country from New York to California over four and a half years ago to come on board at the magazine as a photographer and editor.”

Read the rest of it on TCU

We wish Jeremy the best of luck in his next gig, and hope he’ll still hit up some races. Good dude, indeed!

Check out Jeremy’s Blog

—Mike Carruth

Photo pinched from jeremypavia.com

Caught this on Facebook a few minutes ago…Toby Henderson’s Box Components moves ever-closer to market, with the first flash of their new logo for the brand.

Toby, Michael and Michelle are obviously spending their time this Santa season making their list and checkin it twice–with a major scroll of “to-dos” getting checked off before the initial rollout in Reno next month.

Stick with BMXNEWS.COM for all the latest on Box Components and BMX Industry News in general.

—Mike Carruth

The Speed Bicycles brand has been rebadged to Speedco Bicycles to work around a possible trademark issue. The brand name change is effective immediately, though there will be a transitional period until all the products are updated with the new branding. The general look of the brand remains unchanged and the company will continue to produce the winning frames that brought Marc Willers and Dominique Daniels their 2011 ABA #1 Pro Titles. There is no need to discontinue the use of the original Speed Bicycles brand by teams, vendors, or consumers, as this change is being made only as a preventative measure.

BMX News will keep you posted on further news out of the VSI camp, as it develops.

Some industry scuttlebut this weekend has it that VSI Marketing Chief, Michael Gamstetter and Sales Manager, Michelle Enriquez gave notice to management that they would be leaving–destination: Toby Henderson’s new company, “The Cycling Group.” It was decided internally that this past Friday should be their last day, and official word should be coming from both companies on their respective go-forward plans, sometime Monday.

Check in with News throughout the day for updates on this story, as they become available.

Photos pinched gently borrowed from Facebook

Well, the truckstop wasn’t necessary, and it ended up being about three months, but today we got the interview. Toby, on the record, speaking candidly and openly about his plans for a new line of “Lamborghini-quality” BMX Racing components, and some later forays into “big wheel” stuff (MTB, Road, CX, etc). He even drop the name of the new brand here publicly, for the first time.

Toby’s trademark timing was helped along today by some news that broke on the Dale Holmes Podcast yesterday. TonyD dropped the big bomba that Marc Willers would be wearing Toby’s jersey in 2012 (012, 013 and 014, as it turns out).

In a 20-minute interview, Toby talks about the vision for his product line, the over-arching goal of bringing a higher degree of sizzle to BMX Racing, and what he sees 2012, with all its changes and big events, netting out to look like.

Listen Now

iPhone users, paste this directly into the URL area of your phone’s browser

http://www.bmxnews.com/podcasts/at_045_toby_henderson.mp3

—Mike Carruth

VintageBMX.com Discussion on this Topic

We are always stoked when riders make the jump from the track to the “front office” of an industry stalwart. Lee Lewis has been on the road with Burlin Harris and the Supercamp posse for the past year or two, replacing Karl Clark (who’s back and making A Pro mains again, by the way).

Lee is a great instructor, very patient with the kids, and knowledgeable enough to talk turkey with the “gear chart dads” (like me) who are on his jock from the moment he sets foot out of the van, asking about optimizing gear inches, which frame has the shortest back end, and “should my bars be this wide?” (Note: in Gear Chart Dad parlance, when you say “my bars,” or “my” anything, related to the bike, it is universally understood that you are referring to your seven year old’s bike).

Back to Lee…it takes a certain kind of guy to coach kids, handhold BMX parents, and still train to make a splash in the A Pro ranks. So when VSI was looking to add some bench strength to the sales force, Lee’s talents in the above were all over their radar.

Lee joins Sales Manager Michelle Enriquez (NAG 1 Cruiser), Erik Engstrom (pro freestyler), Robert Burgos and fellow A-Pro Brian Schrimpf on the sales floor.

No word if VSI has “Glengarry Glen Ross” style sales contests…but remember the golden rules of sales, Lee:
 
1). Monster is for Closers Only
2). Second Prize is a set of steak knives…third prize is “you’re fired!”
3). Always Be Closing
4). It’s a sin to say “SINS” (esp. if Toby or Michelle are in earshot)
5). Never take out a rider who’s sponsor you have to call for an order on Monday

Speaking of Glengarry, we are reminded of this educational video clip, which Lee can use to stoke his motivation (CAUTION: Contains adult language, turn sound down if other sales reps are closing deals in the next cube, or if young ears are nearby).

Lee with be racing what he sells at the upcoming ABA US Nationals in Bakersfield. Watch for him in the lead aboard a Speed M-Series 20″ bolted up with the full catalog of Sinz Elite, Sinz, THE and ITS SKUs.

Congrats to both parties on getting together!