Chase Gouin: Odyssey Frequency G Tyre

Chase is one of the riders who helped show how aggressive and creative flatland could be. His riding was fast, physical and completely committed, with the bike being used in ways most riders had never considered. That influence reaches well beyond flatland. Flatland can look like a completely different language if you have never spent time around it. The bike is moving through tiny balance points, the rider is changing position constantly and a small mistake can end a combination that took ages to build. What makes the best riding stand out is that it does not look like a maths problem once it is rolling. There is speed, rhythm and a real sense of personality in the way the bike is handled. That control carries into street too, especially around the front end. It is a reminder that BMX is much wider than one kind of obstacle and that technical riding does not have to mean slow or robotic. That is the bit we wanted to celebrate with Chase Gouin. The riding has a clear point of view and you can recognise it without needing a name slapped across the screen. Plenty of people can copy an individual trick. Copying the way somebody sees a spot, carries speed or puts a line together is a completely different job.

Odyssey Frequency G Tyre. Horizontal tread grooves give shoe traction when you actually need to use the tyre during tricks. Tyres change more of the bike than people give them credit for. Width, casing, tread and pressure all affect grip, speed and how harsh the ground feels. A smooth park tyre, a dirt-focused tread and a big street tyre can all be good, just for different jobs. The useful part of a signature tyre is seeing what the rider needed from that contact patch. It might be predictable grip, lower rolling resistance or enough volume to take the edge off rough spots. The sensible move is still to match the tyre to where you ride, check the clearance on your frame and fork, and run a pressure that suits the surface. The video link is worth hitting before staring at the product page for too long. Watching the bike being used gives all the numbers some context. You can see where the rider wants stability, where they need quick movement and which parts are clearly earning their keep. It is also worth remembering that style is not something you can order with the parts. It comes from time on the bike, the spots available and the way a rider chooses to use them. The gear can help the bike feel right, but the interesting bit still has to come from the person holding the bars. Watch: Chase Gouin - Part 1 of 2 Hero image: Odyssey BMX archive.