Craig Passero: S&M Passero Grips

Craig has always had the ability to find something worth riding almost anywhere. A rough wall, small ledge or awkward bit of street can become a full line once he starts looking at it. That resourcefulness is a huge part of good street BMX. Good technical street riding is easy to reduce to a list of trick names, but that misses most of what makes it worth watching. The real work is seeing a line in the first place, carrying enough speed through it and making several hard things feel like they belong together. A rider can have every trick going and still make the clip feel stiff. The good stuff has rhythm, a bit of risk and a clear idea behind it. That is what comes through here. The bike is being moved with purpose, not just dragged through a checklist for the camera. It also leaves room for personality, which matters when so much modern street riding can blur together after a few clips. That is the bit we wanted to celebrate with Craig Passero. 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.

S&M Passero Grips. Not so aggressive that your hands feel like they have been holding a cheese grater. Contact points do a quiet amount of work. Grips and gloves affect how the bars feel, how easily the hands move and whether a long session stays comfortable. They are not going to add a new trick, but a shape or texture you actually like can make the bike feel familiar straight away. That is especially true for riders who catch bars, move their hands or spend hours holding on through rough landings. Signature contact gear is best when the rider has made a real choice about feel rather than just picked a graphic. The small details are the whole product here, so comfort still matters more than copying somebody else's colour. There is plenty of marketing rubbish around bike parts, so the useful question is simple: does the product solve something for the rider? Here, it does. The shape, size or construction connects back to the riding. That is a much better reason for a signature part than a fresh logo and a loud launch post. Watch: S&M BMX - Craig Passero 2020 Hero image: S&M Bikes video still.