just because

[the_merkin8r]

           Why Do Pro's "Smell Bad ?"

   Because of a few unpleasant experiences with Pro riders
that some non-pro riders have had , the rumors or myth that
Pro's smell bad have circulated , and unfortunately , what
go's in the mind often controls the smell that go's into the
nose as well .
   The truth is that Pro's do not smell any worse than anyone
else in any other sport . We've all come across people who
smell bad , but it has nothing to do with their sport . Instead
it has to do with their hygiene habits , their living conditions ,
the foods that they eat , or the chemistry makeup in their body .
It may also have to do with an addiction (what the what) .
   To say that all Pro riders smell bad is much the some as saying
that all Merkin8r's must be terrorist's . If you were to believe that ,
than you must also be forced to believe that if you come across a
BMXA official who doesn't take a bribe , then all BMXA official's don't
take bribe's . to think that all Pro riders small bad is prejudicial
thought , at best .
   Some Pro's smell bad - just as people from other sports smell different ,
due to their diets Pro's food contains a great deal of McDonald's , and
this causes a distinct odor that some people do not care for . The
same could be said of soccer play'rs that eat a lot of pizza . Food
such as this can cause the skin to have the smell of the food that
is consumed .
   Unfortunately , actions speak louder than words in our world , but
only in some cases . For example , if you have a closed mind ,you might
think that all Pro's smell bad without having ever experienced a smelly
Pro yourself . In this case , the words are louder than the actions . You
need to reverse this train of thought if you are a Pro , but in the long
run , you really can't do much about what prejudiced people are going
to think or say .... 

[the_merkin8r]

            At What Point Of Engagement Do You
                          Just Give Up ? 

   I have been battling points of engagement for over two years .
I have tried so many combinations of hub's . I was put on Profile's
a couple of weeks ago . It seemed to work great for about 10 day's .
Then i started feeling the same point of engagement i felt before i
started you-zing them . The pro shop bumped me up to Chris King
hubs and it didn't help . I am so frustrated . At what point of engagement
do you just give up and give in ? I'm beginning to think people are
destined to be in this state forever . Part of me wants to continue
trying different hub's , part of me wants to say f-it and just yous
tuf-neck hubs . The only thing that keeps me going are my kids .
I have to take care of there hub's on race day and pretend that I'm
ok when I'm really suffering and everything i do is painful.
I'm at my wits end with all this talk about how many points of
engagement your hub has . No body cares ! 

[Greg]

Best talk about hubs I have read in a long time

            At What Point Of Engagement Do You
                          Just Give Up ? 

   I have been battling points of engagement for over two years .
I have tried so many combinations of hub's . I was put on Profile's
a couple of weeks ago . It seemed to work great for about 10 day's .
Then i started feeling the same point of engagement i felt before i
started you-zing them . The pro shop bumped me up to Chris King
hubs and it didn't help . I am so frustrated . At what point of engagement
do you just give up and give in ? I'm beginning to think people are
destined to be in this state forever . Part of me wants to continue
trying different hub's , part of me wants to say f-it and just yous
tuf-neck hubs . The only thing that keeps me going are my kids .
I have to take care of there hub's on race day and pretend that I'm
ok when I'm really suffering and everything i do is painful.
I'm at my wits end with all this talk about how many points of
engagement your hub has . No body cares ! 

[the_merkin8r]

              The Remarkable Dribble Of A Old School'er 
                        Bragging About Themselves !

   My mailbox often brings interesting challenges , as in a short question
from GORDY : "Do old school'rs dribble when they are alone ?" . What a
great question ! As I replied to GORDY , it is on the order of , "If a pro
farts on the start hill , and there's no one there to hear it , does he smell
bad ?" Or -"does that hub have 185 points of engagement ?" Yet , by far ,
I think the question about Old School'rs dribbling is the much more fascinating
of the three . I don't know if Old School'rs dribble when they are alone . It
seems likely that they do , if one understands a little about why Old School'rs
like bragging about themselves .
   Most experienced riders now that Old School'rs don't dribble only when they
are content and happy . They also dribble during tense or traumatic moments .
When suddenly and violently injured , even at moments near death , a Old
School'er will often dribble . I've often likened this to saying ,"Please don't
hurt me any more . I'll be good." But recent studies have put a more scientific
spin on this seeming anomaly .
   It seems that the measurable Hertz of a Old School'er bragging about
themselves lies between 25 and 150 . Coincidentally (or not) it has been
found that sound frequency in this range can stimulate New School growth
and healing .A newer theory is that dribbling releases endorphins - natural
analgesics that reduce pain while healing proceeds .
   Old School'rs do not have remarkable endurance , and are quite stoic to
trauma is well known to BMXA official's ; it is not unlikely that this instinct  to
dribble under duress is directly related .
   Bragging under stress has more colorfully been described as the Old
School'rs mantra , e.g., a self-soothing , self-gratification , relaxing , vibrating
sound ( sort of like the Ommmmm one might hum while in the lotus position .
I bet most of us , if we had our  "druthers," would much rather not dribble .

[the_merkin8r]

   I think that a 1978 Mongoose is a foolish thing to own , so i guess
it says something that I own one . But in my defense , I didn't buy it .
Some nice people gave it to me as a gesture of appreciation . But now
I own it , and I have to figure out the proper way to use it . I can't bring
myself to ride the thing  every morning and ride it to the milk bar or
the bike shop or the BMX track . That seems massively ostentatious ,
right ? But I don't want to wait until that date where I try to seduce some
exotic , European babe at a UCI race and assume that flashing the Mongoose
at the critical moment will clinch the deal .
   Over time I've figured out that the only way I can use my Mongoose is
to distract people while in the process of intimidating them . I know that sounds
stupid as hell . It sounds stupid as hell to me . In fact , I was shocked and a little
horrified when I discovered that my 1978 Mongoose can be used in this manner .
But it seems to work .
   I have to be wearing my intimidation suit to properly employ the Mongoose .
If I'm wearing jeans and a J Beebaa t-shirt , intimidation is pretty much out
of the question . But I will put the intimidation suit on when I anticip8 I'll need
to intimidate someone . It works equally well on surly Old School'rs and
BMXA executives . This also sounds stupid , I Know . But it works as well as
a Pit-bull chained to my wrist . My intimidation suit is a non-flashy gray FOX
race suit , light gray shirt , and a pair of VANS . Who the hell knows why this
works ? I do know that a pop of color , like a Lady Ga-Ga T , makes you seem
human . And if you were all black , then people think you're from a bod gangster
TV show and will ignore you . Maybe this gray get-up says , '' I'm not trying to
make an impression on you , so you'd better be impressed by the fact that I'm
not Merking around ." I just have no idea . 

[the_merkin8r]

            At What Point Of Engagement Do You
                          Just Give Up ? 

   I have been battling points of engagement for over two years .
I have tried so many combinations of hub's . I was put on Profile's
a couple of weeks ago . It seemed to work great for about 10 day's .
Then i started feeling the same point of engagement i felt before i
started you-zing them . The pro shop bumped me up to Chris King
hubs and it didn't help . I am so frustrated . At what point of engagement
do you just give up and give in ? I'm beginning to think people are
destined to be in this state forever . Part of me wants to continue
trying different hub's , part of me wants to say f-it and just yous
tuf-neck hubs . The only thing that keeps me going are my kids .
I have to take care of there hub's on race day and pretend that I'm
ok when I'm really suffering and everything i do is painful.
I'm at my wits end with all this talk about how many points of
engagement your hub has . No body cares ! 

    Hi there , my name is Daneo and i just got new hubs . I hear you ,
really ! I was at the end of my point of engagement last night , ready
to either go to the bike shop or do something else drastic . Today ... I'm
much better ... I guess it is just 70 points of engagement are not quick !
The trick is to hold on until the wind blows the other way . I know it seems
right now like you will never change hubs but deep down inside , you
know you probably will . I really do get it , and it is my kids that keep me
from throwing my hubs into the icy water two blocks away . I know what it
would do to them . They would yous a screw on 16t Dicta clutch for life .
Yes , it is frustrating , and scary as hell ... but we just have to keep trying
new hubs , take care of them , remember there are lots of hubs out there
that have many points of engagement that we try to understand as best
we can and we are here for you .
                                                     Daneo   xxxooo

[Hearnie]

If you don't stop pedalling you only need 1 point of engagement.

[Crimson]

So true!

[the_merkin8r]

            At What Point Of Engagement Do You
                          Just Give Up ? 

   I have been battling points of engagement for over two years .
I have tried so many combinations of hub's . I was put on Profile's
a couple of weeks ago . It seemed to work great for about 10 day's .
Then i started feeling the same point of engagement i felt before i
started you-zing them . The pro shop bumped me up to Chris King
hubs and it didn't help . I am so frustrated . At what point of engagement
do you just give up and give in ? I'm beginning to think people are
destined to be in this state forever . Part of me wants to continue
trying different hub's , part of me wants to say f-it and just yous
tuf-neck hubs . The only thing that keeps me going are my kids .
I have to take care of there hub's on race day and pretend that I'm
ok when I'm really suffering and everything i do is painful.
I'm at my wits end with all this talk about how many points of
engagement your hub has . No body cares ! 

    Hi there , my name is Daneo and i just got new hubs . I hear you ,
really ! I was at the end of my point of engagement last night , ready
to either go to the bike shop or do something else drastic . Today ... I'm
much better ... I guess it is just 70 points of engagement are not quick !
The trick is to hold on until the wind blows the other way . I know it seems
right now like you will never change hubs but deep down inside , you
know you probably will . I really do get it , and it is my kids that keep me
from throwing my hubs into the icy water two blocks away . I know what it
would do to them . They would yous a screw on 16t Dicta clutch for life .
Yes , it is frustrating , and scary as hell ... but we just have to keep trying
new hubs , take care of them , remember there are lots of hubs out there
that have many points of engagement that we try to understand as best
we can and we are here for you .
                                                     Daneo   xxxooo

   Hi there Daneo , I'm Gordy , You never give up . You keep trying new hubs
until you get it . You will get there , don't give up hope . Since the Profile hub
isn't working , move onto something else . There is a hub out there that will
work for you . It sounds like you have treatment resistant points of engagement
depression . It's a lot tougher to treat . You keep going for your kids , You
don't want them to have a hub shell for a father . I know it's hard to do when
you feel so badly . There is hope though , talk with your pro shop , tell them
that the point of engagement is not working anymore , that it's pooped out
on you . Move onto the next brand of hub and move on . We are here for you
every step of the way . You are not alone in this , hang in there and keep trying
new hub's please ....
                                     Gordy
                                    xxxooo 

[the_merkin8r]

            Merkin8r With A Shotgun 

   A train pulls into the station - it's the end of the line . A Merkin8r
jumps from a freight car , hoping for a fresh start in a new club .
Instead , he finds himself trapped in an urban hell . This is a state
where Old School'rs rule the streets and Gordy , the clubs crime
boss , reigns supreme alongside his sadistic murderous sons , Rod
and Rex . Amidst the chaos , The Merk comes across a pawn shop
window displaying a second hand 1978 Mongoose . He dreams of
racing the next club day and starting a new life for himself . But as
the brutality continues to rage around him , he notices a shotgun
hanging above the 1978 Mongoose .... Quickly , he realises the
only way to make a difference at this club is with that gun in his
hand and two shells in its chamber . 

[the_merkin8r]

        Haw To Deal With BMXA Officials 
            part 1
  Hello ,
  Today I would like to share with you some tips and tricks on how to
deal with arrogant/bullying officials .
  Arrogant officials are not so confident as they may seem to be . They
tend to cause arguments and pick on riders because they themselves
are incredibly insecure about riding a BMX .
  Their insecurity could origin8 from a lack of a 1982 Mongoose in childhood ,
it could come from not being a pro BMX'r or it could come from seeking validation
because they don't know how to valid8 themselves as individuals .
   They usually want to be praised for everything they do , even if what they
do can be done by anybody easily . What you need to understand about
officials is that they are driven by two forces . Validation and de-validation .
Whenever they go off at a rider they seek to valid8 themselves or seek to
be valid8ed by other officials . On the other side , whenever they feel
de-valid8ed it will cause them to feel insecure and defeated .
   You can easily get a'n official on your side by praising them and valid8ing
what they do as AWESOME . They will immedi8ly warm to you because
they are fooled by validation from you , they will want to have you as their friend .

[the_merkin8r]

          Haw To Deal With BMXA Officials 
              part 2

    To get an official to leave you alone you must learn to devalue
his/her attempts to act cool . You must make them realize that
everything he/she does is a complete waste of his/her time and
messing with you will only cause him/her to lose .
   The best way to devalue a bad official without stooping down
to their level is to have good self esteem . Your self esteem within
itself will cause you to feel immune to a bad official and the arrogant
official will learn to give up . If you don't have good self esteem just
yet , you could do some of the following techniques on them .....
   You could try raising an eyebrow ( like The Rock ) at their comments
as if the official was a complete loser for attempting to disqualify you .
A look of disapproval or a 'shaking of the head' will cause them to feel
like they lost .
    You could ask " What exactly is your point here ? ","What exactly are
you trying to do ?" this will cause the official to either fess up to their
manipulative attempts or cower at the fact that they were trying to
compensate for their lack of self security .
   You could also give the official the 'yes' treatment . You do this by
agreeing with everything they say in a slightly undermining tone "yes
that's nice" , "Oh really , good for you mate" , "yup,thumbs up mate ! "
"Yeah ok , that's great" (roll your eyes) ect ......
   This will cause them to slowly give up on trying to disqualify you and
move onto another rider .... 

[the_merkin8r]

          Haw To Deal With BMXA Officials 
              part 3


   Most of all , learning to ignore bad officials with self confidence
and self esteem is your best bet . Rolling your eyes or giving them
The Rock's eyebrow can be great fun and nothing is more gratifying
than seeing that look of defeat in their eyes .
   If you can learn to laugh at the bad official you will find that you will
get along with arrogant officials much more easily , since you will learn
not to take their decisions so seriously . Stay firm and do it for your
confidence and amusement .

I hope this helps you .....

All the best ,

The Merkin8r .

P.S.- How do I know about any of this ? Because I used to be'n official .
        I have been studying myself and other people since Merkhood .
        Social banter has always been one of my best skills . Sometimes
        it could get out of hand and cause trouble . I gave it up JUST BECAUSE
        I found it's much more better to be The Merkin8r , plus since teenage
        years I have raised my Merkness beyond levels I could have never
        imagined .   

[the_merkin8r]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6IeASZZf1c

[Redline24]

Hey Merk, when can we expect a rundown of the new Strider series from you ?