"Then and Now" with Justin Robertson

A lot of you know him now as one of the up and coming best all around riders in the sport. Justin Robertson has proved time and time again that he is going to keep progressing at an amazing rate. Whether that be in the parks or the streets. He is the first rider of the new pieces I will be starting which are going to be called "Then and Now" I am going to give you guys a look at some amazing riders and how they were when they started out riding..and how they are today. Starting with one of my personal new favorite riders, Justin Robertson. Justin is 16 years old from Tillsonburg, Canada, and believe it or not hasn't even been riding for 4 years. I was able to catch up with Justin and get his opinions on the video you'll see below, which is the oldest mini video of Justin..filmed about 3 years ago.. Here is Justin Robertson, Then.


THEN


Steven: How long had you been riding for, when you made this video?

Justin: Well i started riding right near the end of school that year like late june early july, and i finished that vid late october so about 3 months




Steven: Now at that time, what did scootering really mean to you, what did you see it as?

Justin: Well i didnt really know about sr or the whole scooter scene or anything at that time and i never had a good skateboard or bmx so i just scootered instead, it was pretty much a way to keep in touch with all my friends cause they skated at the time and i was the only one that scootered, i also loved the thrill of it and how it was so unique and different from all my friends

Steven: Nice dude, So at this time, how dedicated were you? How did you push yourself to learn new tricks?

Justin: I scootered every single day for hours each day all through summer and after school started, i'd always just do like tailwhips my super long 1 footed manuals and everyone would be like "OMG your crazy good", i never really thought it was good since thats just basic stuff so it pushed me pretty hard to learn new stuff cause i wanted to see peoples reactions after i learned harder and more difficult tricks,, that was kinda hard though cause i didnt have a skatepark, i rode flat and street sets mostly

Steven: So if you can please watch the video, can you tell me your favorite clip in it? And what time in the video that clip is?

Justin: Without a doubt at 1:14 when i tailwhip the 7 set without any catch,, i remember being sooooo happy after that cause that was pretty big for me at the time, i was scared to just hop that thing and after i whipped it whether i caught it or not i was pretty proud of myself for landing it

Steven: For sure dude. Ok, now if you can change anything about this video, what would it be?

Justin: well theres a pic at the end of it with me just looking like a retard haha if that could disapear it'd be cool, other then that i wouldnt really change anything,, if i had to pic something i guess it'd be that when i hop off those high drops i actually woulda hoped instead of pretty much rolling off them





So there you have it a young, new to scootering Justin Robertson. Now lets fastforward to the Justin Robertson we know today. This is Justin Robertson, Now.


NOW


Steven: Your latest video, has become an instant classic, were you expecting the reaction it's gotten from the community?

Justin: not at all, i was expecting a few good comments and then a bunch of critique of how it could have been better, but honestly i didnt expect that kind of reaction it all, reading all those comments shocked me haha it made me pretty happy though.



Steven: What changed for you from your "Then" video, to this video? Did you see the sport differently?

Justin: not a whole lot really, i still ride to be with friends and stuff, i do see the sport differently though, back then i didnt even think other people rode scooters and when i did find out about sr the only aftermarket parts were like sr forks, micro metal cores and like barley anything,... now i know theres a whole world out there of riders just like me and the amount of aftermarket parts/companies that have started since back then is crazyyy, the sports definitly grown a lot in just those few years and its good to know that its been growing and people are respecting it more

Steven: Yea def. You take a LOT of really gnarly slams, when you were trying those 360 whips down that 11...and kept slamming, what was going through your head?

Justin: everytime i fell i was pretty much yelling inside my head just land the damn trick already so its done with cause i knew i wouldnt stop trying untill it was landed, thats just the way i am.. also i wanted to do that trick since last october down that 11 and i never really got the chance till that day to do it, so i knew if i gave up it would just bug me constantly that i couldnt land it when i finally got a chance to throw it down

Steven: So once again, Favorite clip in that video? and time it takes place?

Justin: without a doubt its at 1:43, the 360 whip down the 11, that was my dream goal for over a year now and now that i finally did it, it makes me feel proud that i never gave up on it or chickened out from doing it

Steven: Last question, what can we expect from Justin Robertson in the future?

Justin: more vids forsure, maybe not as many since i do tend to make one like every month or so haha but hopefully bigger and more original tricks that people havent seen before,, there will forsure be atleast one more vid of me this year which im saving clips for untill it snows so you can look forward to that.



That concludes our first "Then and Now". Be sure to check Inside Scooters Blog for more "Then and Now's" and other new content. Thanks to Justin for taking the time to do the interview.



-Steven Tongson

Newport DE Comp

Entry fee: 15 because it's 10 to get in, 5 to enter.
Best Trick: 5 dollars to enter, half of the best trick money will be given to the winner in addition to a french id fork or some other prize.

C4 Scooters has donated a box of prizes including shirts, eagle wheels, bars, and even a French ID fork. These prizes will be given away to the winners.

Sky High Team Update

First off, Sean Cardwell has been added to the team. Sean's sponsor video somehow slipped by Tommy, but he managed to hook him up in the end. To the left is Sean toothpicking on a quarterpipe.

Also, Bobby Gurba has been named Team Manager. Tommy is kept super busy simply running the Sky High business, and would rather have someone else helping him with the team. I can imagine why, it must be stressful running one of the most legit scooter companies out there, at the age of 16! Props to Tommy for doing that, I know he'll continue to keep up the good work.

Ramp Rats Upcoming Competition Article

On August 22nd, the Fuzion, Raise the Gnar Tour makes it's second stop. The first stop was on the East Coast in New York, at the Xtreme Wheels Skatepark. However, they are now going all the way across the United States to the West Coast, in Petaluma, California to the Ramp Rats Skatepark. So let's find out about the owner of Ramp Rats shall we?





Ramp Rats was opened by a Bmx'er by the name of Mike Krnaich. Mike lives in Petaluma, and is a Pro Bmx rider, a Wakeboarder, and a Bass Fisherman. Mike first started to notice the sport of scootering when he saw some local kids riding at his skatepark. After watching them for a while and seeing their dedication and skill, they earned his respect. It was around that time that he started thinking about holding scooter jams or competitions. To the left is a picture of Mike riding at RampRats.



They had a small jam earlier this spring. Which is most likely going to be outdone by their upcoming competition. A lot of riders are planning to show up and represent the Nor Cal scooter scene come the 22nd. The Nor Cal scene is extremely lucky to have someone like Mike here. The fact that he opens his park doors to us, and to anyone who is respectful and dedicated says a lot about who he is. Mike's most memorable moment so far involving scooters, was when he saw a 12 year old kid, do a backflip over their box jump. If you asked him who is favorite riders are, his answer is simple. He respects anyone who is out there having fun doing what they love.




For the future of Mike's involvement in the sport of scootering, he will continue to do his best to help push the growth of the sport. By putting on more jams, and he really hopes that this Fuzion tour, becomes an annual thing. Future plans for the Ramp Rats skatepark include a complete remodel in the winter. Which will include a bowl, and a step up. I think all of us need to be thankful that we have Mike backing our sport, and supporting us the way he is, has been, and will continue to do in the future. So from Inside Scooters, Thanks Mike, and to everyone at the Ramp Rats competition on the 22nd, Good luck from Inside Scooters!



A few of the riders scheduled to be there are:

The RAD Crew
Jake "Spicy McHaggis" Pellegrini
Rayan Simian
Gino Troian
Jay Magee
Eaglesport US Team Rider Jason Beggs




-Written by Steven Tongson

Flair to Manual?!?!

lolwut. Crazy.

Dan Holm Micro XT

Beast. I want to see him ride the vert ramp again though...

Inside Scooters TSI One Piece Deck Review

Recently I was sent a TSI 4.5 Deck, to ride and review. There has been a LOT of hype about these decks. Considering they are one of the first one piece decks to be released to the public for sale. It was easy to see why. I did not however receive this deck directly from TSI. It was sent to me from Inward Scooters, who installed deck pins in the deck for me to also review. So this review will be on the TSI 4.5 size One Piece Deck + Deck Pins.


The first thing I noticed when I got my TSI was that there were no instructions of any kind on how to put the deck together. Now for myself, that wasn't really a problem, since I am pretty good at assembling things like that. However, for younger riders, or less experienced riders, I think some instructions would help. A simple printed out piece of paper with step by step instructions should do the trick. Putting the TSI together was a fairly easy task, if you got a basic set of tools you should be fine, some allen keys will be the main tool you will use to install the deck plate onto the frame. The back axel that comes with the TSI has been difficult for other riders to install, because of the lack of space to tighten the nut onto the bolt that comes with the TSI. This can be solved by using a back wheel axel from a Pro Model, or B Model, and using some spacers. I found it a lot easier to use this, instead of the bolt and nut provided with the TSI. When you buy a TSI One Piece Deck from Inward Scooters.com, they include the Pro Model Back Axel, for the easy installation. Once you have your deck put together, get your forks, bars, and wheels on, and you're ready to go ride.


So I went outfront to ride the beast...I soon noticed I wasn't just going to be riding it... I had to tame this beast of a scooter! Tame what you ask? The headtube angle. This is the TSI Headtube angle compared to a Pro model angle

This might be an issue for most riders that are used to an angle that isn't as steep or high. Having rode scooters for over 8 years, the basics when I go out and ride consist of things like; tailwhips, double tailwhips, tripple tailwhips, and fingerwhips are all tricks that come pretty easy on flat with my old pro model. This was not the case on my TSI. Even tailwhips took a couple tries before I figured out how to deal with the headtube angle. Shortly after that I had doubles back but without the catch I'm used to with my double tailwhips on my old Pro. Overall, I think whipping the scooter at all will take some time for any rider to get used to, that is, if they are coming from a stock angle Pro Model/Other Scooter. Second day riding the TSI 4.5, I had no problems catching double whips on flat or anything, everything starts to just feel natural again. So for all future buyers of the TSI deck, if you get discouraged early on riding your TSI because of the headtube angle, just keep riding it, it will soon start to feel natural. Also I noticed almost no change in weight coming from a Pro Model with a Dominator Deck Saver, so I wouldn't worry about the weight of the TSI deck at all. It is a much more solid ride, and with the strength of the deck, you just feel really comfortable on it. For a rider of my size, being 6'4 the 4.5 deck was amazing. That small bit of extra foot room, goes a long way.


Now on to the deckpins that were installed on my deck. I first saw deck pins on fellow rider Alex Steadman's Pro Model a few years back.

Alex Steadman's old scooter that you can see the deck pins installed in.

I was always interested in them, because I heard they added a LOT of grip to your deck. So when Inward Scooters asked me to review the deck pins installed on a TSI for him, because he had been getting requests for them, I agreed to do so. My first impression of them, was that they really do add a lot of grip. However, I think for some riders it might just be too much grippiness. For riders that tend to shift their feet before tricks like a lot of riders do. You might not like these deck pins on your scooter. Because they make shifting your feet pretty difficult, due to the fact that they add THAT much grip. Most riders shift their feet, even if it is slightly, before doing whip tricks. So if you are a rider who does a lot of whips, scooter flips, or bri flips..deck pins might not be for you. Although, I think a lot of park riders would possibly really like these. Riders like Dan Holm or Stan Smirnoff, who are some of the best big box, and tranny riders might find these useful. The grippiness that they add make you feel a bit more comfortable if you are just flowing a park or riding with a lot of speed because you get a feel that your feet won't be slipping off at all.

Overall, I am really happy with the TSI 4.5. I don't see myself going to back to Pro Models anytime soon. With this deck, TSI might have very well opened the new big door to aftermarket scooter parts. It has been known for awhile that a few other companies are planning and already designing their own one piece decks. I'd like to wish them all good luck...because the quality, design, and company behind the TSI One Piece Deck, has set the bar pretty high.





-Steven Tongson

New 110 Eagles and A Look Inside Making Eagle Wheels

Fresh out of the oven. I'm liking the black on black, and the purple and yellow. Actually I like them all haha.

Marcel also took some pictures of the process of making wheels, its pretty interesting to see what all goes into it. It shows how every wheel is handmade to perfection. Check it out here on the C4 forum.

Brendon Smith

Every time he puts out a video I wonder how he can ride wearing that jacket, especially in Australia.

MACBA on a scooter

Micro Xtreme - Javi Trepat & Marc Pauls from milton termi on Vimeo.

As you may have heard, the famous MACBA 4 block in Spain was recently demolished. At the end of this video is a scooter rider doing a trick over it, the only footage to my knowledge of someone doing it on a scooter. RIP.

Razor Ultra Pro Model Pictures

Some pictures of the deck...they're saying everything about it is thicker than normal pros. They're up for pre-order now on titetoyz for 90 bucks, they should start shipping in September. Doesn't look too bad, I'm gonna reserve final judgement until I've ridden one.

Grand Theft Scooter

Boy allegedly tries scooter holdup with toy gun

Shared via AddThis

Hahaha wow, watch out ohio kids!

New Layout, Logo

As you can see if you are reading this, Inside-Scooters has recently undergone a change of layout. A sweet new logo was also made for us. Both layout and logo were made by our favorite scooter chick, Margaret! Thanks a lot :)

Also, I hope you guys like the logo...you might be seeing it somewhere else...cough*t-shirts*cough...ahem.

James Bull

This was uploaded back in June, yet somehow I missed it...dunno how I did, with a banger like that.

Sky High Official Team!

Sky High Scooters owner Tommy Daddano has picked the final roster for the Sky-High team, which is as follows:

-Jesse Macaluso
-Jordan Jasa
-Tom Kvilhaug
-Jon Meadows
-Dalton Mazzante
-Jake Carney

Tommy says this of his new team: "I'm excited to have sponsored such a great array of riders. I hope to influence many more people to ride even harder and progress our sport."

I'm sure everyone on the team is excited to be on, I know I am. More info here.

Sky-High News

News from Sky-High Scooters...

• TSI decks Are now available in 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0.
  

• Video Submissions regarding sponsorships are no longer being accepted, team riders will be announced shortly.

• Another shipment of 100mm Eaglesport Snowballs will be arriving this week.
  

• Blade brakes will be available late August.
  

• VNC Forks Are now available.
  

• Yak 100mm, Yak 110mm, and Yak Scat Metalcores all now all back in stock.

Adam Rouse

Mini 3. Pretty sick Aussie rider, loving all his manual stuff.

DSA Fork Contest Winner Selected

The winner of the first giveaway on the Inside Scooters Blog is Dalton Kennon! Dalton will be receiving a Dominator HD fork very soon. Congrats Dalton! Here are some pictures that Dalton sent me in his email.

Perth Amboy Results

Amature Results:
1st: Joey Kish
2nd: Zig Short
3rd: Kyle Tolentino

Pro:
1st: Josh Kish
2nd: Greg Cohen
3rd: Robert Regad

Inward Scooters is proud to have done so well, with Zig Short being 2nd in am and Josh Kish placing first in pro!

Eaglesport was also represented well with American Team Rider "Hep" Greg coming in 2nd in pro!

Congrats to all who entered, sounds like it was a fun time!

Bryant Walker throwaway

SCOOTER TRICKS > BRYANT FLAT SESSION - JULY 30TH (THROWAWAY) from Bryant Walker on Vimeo.

Bryant continues to innovate, combining old school with the new school in the last clip.