Taj and Monty photo by Sandy Carson
Fifteen years ago I was a BMX pro riding around Austin with a single minded focus on BMX. I’d spend all day on my bike searching the city for the next street riding spot but hardly even notice I was on a bike, thinking more about the potential of the spots I’d find than enjoying the ride there. On one ride I found a rad old 1950’s grandma cruiser hanging out of a dumpster. I dug it out and dragged it home unsure of why I’d done it. I was so completely focused on BMX at this point in my life that I was actually embarrassed to be seen riding a non-BMX bike. A few makeshift repairs later I had it rolling as my grocery getter. On my first cruise I had an epiphany; this was FUN! That old cruiser reduced cycling to it’s most simple element… just rolling. There was no desire to push myself on that bike and there was no point trying to see how fast it could go. It wasn’t a work out, it wasn’t a challenge and it wasn’t a means to any end. It was simply rolling around on a bike and that was all it needed to be.
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A few months ago I was waiting around at home for the cable guy trying to figure out what to draw. Rather then waste time planning it something out I just started going. Stumbled upon the old drawings today and dropped them into this little flipbook. -Taj
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Taj got a little interview over on the Rapha website about Fairdale. Check it out here: http://www.rapha.cc/taj-mihelich
Thanks to George Marshall of the Albion for the photo.
Uploaded a little book of a few months worth of drawings. Check it out below…
I’m freestyling a route around the country something like this.
Today I loaded up my new car and hit the road to do a loop of the eastern half of the country. I’m going to visit bike shops and show them the new Fairdales we have coming in. Thanks to a late start I only covered around 500 miles and am now holed up in a hotel in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
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ESPN wrote a really nice piece about Fairdale and me that I’m very honored by. I guess it sort of chronicles my riding career and leads into the creation of Fairdale. Thanks guys -Taj
“Over 25 years ago, a BMXer by the name of Taj Mihelich started a path through BMX that few had ever ventured to explore. A racer in his early years, Mihelich quickly discovered dirt jumping and proceeded to combine his abilities to boost and stretch jump variations with his roots as a racer. By his teens, Mihelich was sponsored by the local BMX shop and traveling to regional contests in the Midwest. Still clutching to his race setup, Mihelich stood out for more than his riding style…”
Read the full story and check out Sandy Carson’s photo gallery shoot of the Roger video here: Fairdale and Roger Create New Bike
Sandy Carson has organized a near 1000 mile bike ride from Seattle to San Francisco to raise money for the Humane Society.
Check out this link if you’d like to help some poor little puppies and kitties. We’ll be heading out for the pedal in June so look for daily updates then.
We better hurry up and put this bike out right? Geared Fairdale we are calling the “Weekender” is coming in early 2012!
ESPN’s write up here.
