While writing last weeks blog about BMX all around the world I was pretty stoked to see videos of people around the world shredding. More so than your normal videos of Americans and Canadian guys tearing it up. However it was when I watched the video of people in Jamaica riding that the wheels in my head started turning.
I started asking myself questions:
How do they get parts?
Are they new or old?
Do they need parts are they expensive?
Before I go on the reason I am focusing on Jamaica (first) is that, for those of you that don’t know, my family is from Jamaica. I am actually the only one in my family that was born in Canada, and while Jamaica is a beautiful country they don’t share the same luxury’s as you or I (assuming you live in Canada or America).
It is hard to get a handle on whether Jamaica is a third world or second world country (as that term seems to be falling out since I took world issues) or a developing nation but the fact of the matter is Jamaica (and Jamaicans) as a whole as bigger things to worry about than building a BMX scene.
Regardless of what the country’s current national situation is there are riders and there is a scene.
Whether the number or riders is 10 or 1000, I realized that I am privileged enough to be in a situation that I can help them, so help them I will.
So I got in touch with krashtestdummybmx via you tube and asked a few questions, mainly about the scene and how hard it was to get parts, his responses are in bold.
well it is very hard to get parts out here and worst the scene is just building a lot of sponsors and stuff don’t really jump in until they see something big happening..
That’s right there is enough for me to want to help the scene out, but it goes on.
also i am running a training program to get more people involve and to grow the sport..
if you have parts can donate, that would be awesome, i can get lot more people bikes with some parts.
So not only is there a scene in Jamaica, but there also seems to be at least one person who’s heart is in the right place to help build it.
In my basement currently sits a parts box, the parts are in great working order, some near new condition. Most replaced because I am lucky enough to be fairly well connected and I get parts for great prices.
Usually I sell these parts for next to nothing or give them away to riders who I think can put them to good use.
Normally it works out, but sometimes I give them to people only to find out that they sold it and purchased something else, or that it was the wrong color and sits in their basement now. Not only is this not cool, it also doesn’t help out anyone.
With this in mind I am now working on getting a mailing address and sending the contents of my parts box out to Jamaica free of charge.
Once I see that the parts are being put to good use I am going to turn to my friends and ask them for their “worthless” parts and send those as well.
I will start small and see what happens, I have ideas on how to grow this idea but I am going to start with one rider at a time and see where I end up.
And thus this is my project I have dubbed Selfless BMX.. giving parts to riders who NEED them, for the love of the sport.
I will keep writing updates as I go to keep those of you who are interested informed. If you would like to help send me an email thetrailpimp@hotmail.com
If you would like to keep updated on the project check out my blog Random As Rhyme for updates.
