Now That's Midschool - Ep 10 featuring Matt Barton (ME!)

[@bakdogg]

happy new year 2024 🚲🚲💯💯 awesome bike collection Matt 👍👍

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Thanks dude! Thanks for tuning in!! 🙏

[@michaelm3285]

Thanks for reply

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Thanks for the question! I couldn't have made this episode without yours and the other viewer's questions. 🙏

[@timemoney2775]

Hi. Thank you for answering my question US vs Taiwan. Yes it make sense that BMX are more produced in Taiwan than in US. I think for the "technicality" comparison is more about the quality between BMX been made in Taiwan vs US. I noticed that hard core Mid School collector like you collect brands like S&M, 2Hip,...which I understand are produced in US and are more expensive ( correct me if I am wrong ). Happy new year 2024.

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Thanks for watching man! Yes, you're absolutely correct to state that US made products are more expensive. In the early days of overseas production, the quality difference was noticeable in terms of durability. Fit and finish of overseas items was generally very good and for the bigger brands, the designs were also well thought out. When the "rider owned" brands started becoming more numerous, materials and workmanship seemed to be the biggest issue for them, with many frames breaking quite quickly. Unlike the big brands like GT, Haro, Mongoose etc, the likes of Volume and Federal just couldn't afford to have representatives making frequent journeys to the far east to keep an eye on quality control and relied on trust. Don't get me wrong though, some US made frames were not quite as well sorted as they should have been. The Kink Fiend for instance was notorious for the headtube breaking off. My 2Hip Soul cracked and I know of several other US made frames of the time breaking also. When you take into account the variables such as riding conditions, the level of riding, crashing, poor bike assembly by the individual, the question of quality is not a clean and cut one. I guess the big deciding factors of whether a person chose a US made frame or an overseas frame boiled down to that person's finances and that person's appreciation for a certain rider or brand. Some people are die-hard Standard Bykes fans and others like myself, were happy to go with a number of brands over the years. Of course, this is just opinion and is no way provable with hard facts. Thanks @timemoney2775 and happy new year to you too!

[@timemoney2775]

Thank you for your insight.

[@JonBonDonegan]

There was of course the “Buy American” 🇺🇸 angle, but being from England it didn’t really matter as much

[@reggielavoie5048]

Got a raw ares AY frame. Got it off Jeff desroach back in 2005,believe it was york unos originally.

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Hey, I'm not overly familiar with the Ares name apart from knowing that they are flatland specific frames. I know that in terms of aesthetics, they were very revolutionary. As the channel grows, I'm hoping to get further afield and hopefully one day, I'll I get to see some Ares products from the midschool era. I'm sure that there are viewers that would like to see more flatland orientated rides! Thanks for watching! 🙏

[@reggielavoie5048]

@@nowthatsmidschool ya it was the tail end of the midschool Era. Currently ride a koxx a bad thing frame. Have a chrome blammo myself.needs to be built.

[@DoGnarlyStuff]

Sweet collection!

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Thanks man! If only the wife could appreciate it in the same way! 😂😂

[@DoGnarlyStuff]

@@nowthatsmidschool I hear all the time "when are you gonna sell one?" Ha she can cash in when I croak

[@DoGnarlyStuff]

😂

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Amen to that!! 😂

[@JonBonDonegan]

Not many people can pull off a yellow bike. Mirras Blammo, Luc-e, Doyle’s DK, fids

[@nowthatsmidschool]

Agreed! Thanks for watching, man! 🙏

[@scottfisher7254]

I rode a killing machine as a kid and by far my favorite bike. Primo powerbites hula hoops redneck stem backjack sprocket gold finger lever slam bars sold it for 500 bucks to pay off stereo tickets the cops in California did not like my loud music

[@nowthatsmidschool]

That sounds like a sweet rig!!