Features

BRIDGED: Urbside

UNDER COVER DIY BMX

Music above by CHALK.

Words, photos and video by Robin Pearson

DIY spots are notoriously difficult to ride. Rather than being equipped with all the proper tools, mixers, screeding bars and so on, the builders have to make do with bodged equipment and limited materials. Of course some guys are better prepared than others, but for the most part the transitions won’t be as smooth as they are in a professionally-built skatepark. That quality makes DIY spots more difficult to ride, which is no bad thing – it’s part of the charm.

DIY skate spots and DIY BMX spots are often quite separate. You hear stories of BMX being banned at many skate spots and skaters being less welcome at BMX spots… It’s obviously a very personal thing but sometimes it’s simply not suitable for one or the other. For instance, I’ve seen plenty of DIY skate spots that have transitions too tight for BMX wheels – we are working with different scales, after all.

All this said, sometimes there’s a good crossover. Look at The Spot, built by both skaters and BMX riders over many years. Both can enjoy it, both are welcome. In the case of Urbside, it was built by local skaters but they don’t mind BMX riders showing up too. I’ll let Kelvin Waterman explain more…

Look at that transition. Kelvin, up there.

– Give us a brief history on your local spot. How long it has taken to get to this point?

“As soon as the bypass was built this place became a spot. Originally it was just an undercover flat bank with plenty of run up and a small stair gap in the middle, basically one of those flat banks you drive past on the motorway and think to yourself, ‘I wish I could ride that.’ Then, about three or four years ago the local skaters started to build stuff.”

– Do you ever have any run-ins with the council? What do they think?

“When it was first built it was all kept low-key but eventually the council found out. They weren’t too impressed that a lot of the paving slabs from the bank had been lifted to make ramps, it ended up being a story in the local paper. The skaters got a petition together to keep the place, which ended up working and also helped the image of Urbside a lot as the council were then kind enough to re-concrete the bank and install some concrete posts next to the river.”

– DIY spots sometimes attract some strange folk. Ever had any trouble down there?

“Luckily it’s in a fairly quiet town so you don’t get the usual scumbags you would expect to be hanging out under a bridge. There is a green lane that runs past it though and you did get the odd 4×4 or motorbike that thought it would be a great idea to drive across the river and make the spot muddy as hell. Since the council installed the posts at least it stops the 4x4s.”

That quarter pipe has all kinds of different transitions... Ant Pearson with the footjam whip.

– Who takes care of the building and maintenance?

“The local skaters take care of the place but to be fair most people that show up are pretty respectful by sweeping or just generally tidying up.”

– Urbside is a skate spot but they are cool with BMX riders using the place too. Is there much of a BMX scene around Urbside? Or is it too weird for most people?!

“Yeah all the local skaters are cool and don’t have a problem with BMX, I’ve never seen any bad vibes down there as long as you’re respectful and people aren’t snaking each other, I think most people get on.

The place is a lot harder to ride then it looks… Lots of tight and strange transitions that look like normal quarters in photos. I’ve had a few people ask me about the place and after riding it change their minds about something they’ve eyed up from a picture! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about the place at all as it’s fun to ride stuff that’s a little different and if the skaters hadn’t put all the effort it would just be the local mental skatepark to ride and nobody wants that!”