The BMX scene, generally, has always felt more than a little discomforting to me. Purportedly counter-cultural, BMX was once a reaction to the inherently confining nature of racing bikes more or less in straight lines but now seems vague and muddied under a fog of self-conscious 808 beats, ironic video editing and an overwhelming volume of content.

Maybe this is fine. Maybe this perspective is little more than a creeping comprehension that BMX will never possess the laconic ease of skateboarding or extricate itself from its genesis in middle class, white suburbia. Maybe I’m overthinking it.

This video, superbly shot by the folks at Grande Rue Mag, emphasises some of BMX’s best attributes to my mind. The wonders of a well built transition when landing front wheel first, the difference riding with friends makes and superfluousness of gears and brakes…

For more in this vein, roll back to the mid 2000’s with Fly Bikes below, and for Grande Rue’s photo essay––and to poorly translate an overview from French using google––head here.