STREET RIDING AIN’T DEAD. IT JUST NEEDED A SMALL BOOST HERE IN CHIANG MAI.
Bikezilla saw the situation of the Thailand National Sports University Chiang Mai Campus Skate & BMX Park and was deeply saddened. We are aware of the good times when the bike park was at its prime. It is now a forgotten place. The riders are gone… We want the street ride culture in Chiang Mai to come back!
Ride everywhere. That’s our dream. When we have more time, we go up to the mountains and shred our way down. On days we just wanna hangout with friends in the neighborhood, we bring out our BMX or street bikes and have some fun on the streets. That’s bike life.
Besides being full-fledged riding disciplines of their own, street trial and street BMX are the best ways to get your skills dialled (for other cycling disciplines). Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate wanting to level-up with better bike handling skills, riding around your hood is definitely the fun way to do it.
(Ed: We are well aware that there are bike schools to take care of training up those skills the right way, and moving from motocross or other mechanized sports disciplines may have their benefits on your riding discipline of choice. Today’s story is about street riding. So, chillout and read on.)
STREET RIDERS ARE BAD BOYS?
Let’s not let a few bad eggs spoils the whole spread now. There would be black sheep in every kind of group. Street riders just happened to be more flamboyant. And we really suspect statements like this subtitle are said by protective parents to scare their kids from taking up the sport.
What is there to dislike about street riding? For a start, it keeps the kids strong and fit, develop agile minds, reflexes and problem solving skills. It also keep them off unwholesome deeds (like dr*gs). (Ed: With their money spent on buying their bikes, components and apparels, they would be too broke to start any money-draining bad habits anyway :D)
As long as the kids were taught to ride responsibility, street riding actually adds color to the city.
COMMUNITY CLUBS CAN’T DO IT ON THEIR OWN
Let’s be realistic here. We do agree there is an element of “freedom’ in street riding. Some may translate that to being “rebellious”. Whichever way you see it, it shows that the regular government community agencies would not be able to project the right image for this sport. Community clubs’ street riding events always end up looking like a “stunt performance” by the riders with little understanding of the hard work being put in to get to that skill level. We just do not feel the resonance in passion.
That’s why we prefer to do things our way – but responsibly.
BRING BACK THE PARK, BRING BACK THE RIDERS
Bikezilla saw the situation of the Thailand National Sports University Chiang Mai Campus Skate & BMX Park and was deeply saddened.
We are aware of the good times when the bike park was at its prime. It is now a forgotten place. The riders are gone.
The riders are gone not because the sport died. They are gone because there is nobody to help organize the sport in the right direction, right language and right understanding of the culture.
We want the street ride culture in Chiang Mai to come back!
With the help of Chiang Mai’s veteran riders, Bikezilla wants to rebuild the ramps at the Thailand National Sports University Chiang Mai Campus Skate & BMX Park. And hopefully, encourage the veterans to promote the sport again.
WORKING IT STEP BY STEP
First and foremost, we have gotten the permission from Center for People and Youth Chiang Mai Municipality Stadium to rebuild the park. (Thank you Center for People and Youth Chiang Mai Municipality Stadium)
Our next step is to rebuild the ramps at the park. For this, we would need to kickstart our fundraising (or sponsorship) drive to raise the money for the raw materials needed. Other expenses include operating cost for the building of the ramps and a mini-event to mark the relaunch of the park. Any leftover funds from this project would be saved for future repair works for the park.
The mini-event would mark the re-opening of the park with the restored features, and also give us the opportunity to promote street riding to the community again.
FUNDS TO REBUILD THE PARK
Our target is to raise at least 40,000 Baht by the time we start the rebuilding. (Ed: Due to the current pandemic our start date got postponed from March to a later month. But the project will not change, we will carry on with the project once the park opens again.)
All contributors’ names would be updated and published on our facebook event page, Facebook Group, Facebook Page, Instagram accounts and Website. we will update that regularly.
For corporate contributions, we would also add in other publicity efforts in appreciation for your kindness. These include advertisement at our website and social media sites, write-ups on products, etc)
Please contact us at our facebook event page via facebook messenger for contributions. Thank you very much for your attention and kindness.
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Photos and video by Bikezilla and Chiang Mai riders community