Taj's Team move .... your thoughts?

[SaMAlex]

I thought someone would have asked this question already today. What do you think guys?

For those who dont know, here is some of the interview from bmxonline:

You've been making some, for lack of better words, "striking" changes in the last few years...leaving behind your half of Terrible One, joining Odyssey, and now joining Giant; where do you see yourself right now at this point in your life?
I am having fun. I see myself on the tail end of a career as a pro BMXer. I don't mean I'm done riding, I just mean that as a progressive factor in BMX my time is waning. Its been an amazing experience to be able to do what I love and ride bikes for a living. I am 34 and so I feel like I should make an effort to really enjoy my time being able to ride and nothing else. It's a really good time for me.

How did the Giant gig come about?
It came partially out of a joke and partially out of a lot of thought. Through the years my focus has gone from only BMX bikes to now, where I really truly love riding all types of bikes. I was friends with Kevin Dana who works at Giant and he helped me get a mountain bike, a track bike and later a road bike. It's really struck me how much I love all these other forms of cycling. I guess I feel like my eyes have been opened in a way. To me, having fun on a bike is the same, no matter what bike I'm on. I joked with Giant about sponsoring me since I was getting so many bikes from them, and they took me seriously. I've thought about it immensely and in a way, it was about me swallowing my past feelings and realizing that I do enjoy theses other types of cycling. Riding for Giant affords me to explore all of these other types of riding as well. That's not to say I am motivated to be competitive in road biking or something, but I do like doing it sometimes and with Giant, I have that option. BMX is where my heart is and where my focus stays.

Its really strange, but I see it as a natural progression for me, even though its not one I thought I would make years ago. However, I had to admit to myself that I liked their bikes after I'd gotten my third Giant bike just for fun

[bof]

I thought it was joe rich who left T1, or am I wrong.

[Steve Shindig]

Joe still runs the show at T1.

[SaMAlex]

I thought it was joe rich who left T1, or am I wrong.

Joe is the only one that DIDNT leave T1.

Taj walked away from the company but was still on the T1 team, till this week.
Hes now moved from from T1 and Coalition to Giant and Odyssey.

[YGT]

I think Taj likes change and new challenges.
he flip flops around to whatever he enjoys, and I dont think he ever really wants to tie him self down.

[Steve Shindig]

It's pretty hypocritical though judging all the beliefs the T1 crew have promoted in the past, there I said it.

I still don't give two hoots though.

[YGT]

50p says rueben leaves within the next months

[Lazarou]

[SaMAlex]

50p says rueben leaves within the next months

Rubin has done a magic job of giving fly a leg up into the BMX top level. My guess is he will go the final step and ride their frames too.

Havin said that, I dont think Taj left cos of anything to do with T1. Joe still rules and it would be very bad if the bottom fell out of T1.

[Steve Shindig]

Excluding the Xgames pros, DO the 'older' legends image even sell bikes these days?  ooOOOOOooo

[Lazarou]

Excluding the Xgames pros, DO the 'older' legends image even sell bikes these days?  ooOOOOOooo

Good point, I don't think Moliterno and Moeller carry much weight with the girlyboys.

[Steve Shindig]

Excluding the Xgames pros, DO the 'older' legends image even sell bikes these days?  ooOOOOOooo

Good point, I don't think Moliterno and Moeller carry much weight with the girlyboys.

I sell a line of Dave Freimuth sig products, kids ask who he even is.  aha....

[Lazarou]

Excluding the Xgames pros, DO the 'older' legends image even sell bikes these days?  ooOOOOOooo

Good point, I don't think Moliterno and Moeller carry much weight with the girlyboys.

I sell a line of Dave Freimuth sig products, kids ask who he even is.  aha....

Sacrelige! Freimuth rules!

[SaMAlex]

The other day I watched Freimuths section of Style Cats. It was f-ing amazing!
Some of the style cats sections are on You tube but who ever did them cant have agreed with me cos Freimuth aint on there.

[YGT]

Havin said that, I dont think Taj left cos of anything to do with T1. Joe still rules and it would be very bad if the bottom fell out of T1.

I agree, i think taj just gets bored easily.
and enjoys to see the world without having to have an entourage

[TwoBobRob]

Amen brothers!  Freimuth is my favourite tech rider  


In my mind, Taj has always been a bit of a free spirit.  And if he's been given the opportunity to just go and ride whatever, whenever and wherever he wants and presumably pick up a salary to do it, then I'm not surprised he's taken it.

I would.......

The thing about the 'older' legends is that they almost need to prove themselves over and over.  Something thats very well achieved by going on a Road Fools.  Once the younguns are reminded just how good they are, their profiles are raised again.  Robbie Morales is one name that springs to mind.

[woody allen bars]

Taj has been on Odyssey for quite some time, so I guess that realistically T-1 was only a frame sponsor. I don't blame him for moving on to other forms of biking as he's still riding to the max in his mid 30s and I guess he's realising like all of us that yer body takes longer to heal the older you get - probably time to try his hand at earning a living with slightly less chance of injury? BTW does this mean Giant will be back in the BMX world again?

As for T-1, I still love my Barcode, just wish I had such a strong frame back when I rode harder than I do now - seems pretty indistructable!

[SaMAlex]

BTW does this mean Giant will be back in the BMX world again?

I dont follow what Giant do, but the full taj interview says that Giant already have a very strong US BMX team, and have done for ages.

[TwoBobRob]

I can't give you the specific details, but as I remember it T1 was originally started by Joe, Taj and Robbo.  Robbo buggered off quite early on leaving Joe and Taj to carrry on.

T1 was never just a sponsor to Taj, it was his firm.....

I think?  

[RyanPartridge]

"Jeez, this isn't Dylan-goes-electric."   -Bill Hicks on Taj's recent move to Giant   
 

[SaMAlex]

I can't give you the specific details, but as I remember it T1 was originally started by Joe, Taj and Robbo.  Robbo buggered off quite early on leaving Joe and Taj to carrry on.

T1 was never just a sponsor to Taj, it was his firm.....

I think?  

Its all just as you say Rob, intill a few months ago. Taj walked away from his half of T1 leaving it all to Joe, but he still rode a T1 frame, which which kinda meant he was sponsored by them.

[Miko]

It's still weird to me.  I can remember riding with Taj when he was in his late teens, he was just one of the local rippers at the track.  A Michigan kid on a bike.  A decade and a half later, he's a BMX household name and folks around the globe are scrutinizing his career moves.  A lot happened in the decade I wasn't riding.  Haha.

[SaMAlex]

A lot happened in the decade I wasn't riding.  Haha.

Yeah, TAJ HAPPENED!

(haha, sorry. I just wanted to say something dramatic)

[generallee]

wasnt there an ad recently with someone riding a spine ramp on all deffierent types of bike? IE a bmx, road bike, mountain bike etc... was that  Taj? someone told me about it...

[Lazarou]

Best Taj advert had him contemplating life while sat on the toilet, was it a Play ad?