Eastern Bikes has been in the news almost nonstop for the past month. It all started with Randy Brown leaving the team. Shortly after Randy's departure, they announced two new additions to the team, Craig Mast and Brian Wizmerski, and also introduced their new Inside/Out online video project. With so much going on in such little time, we found it necessary to get in contact with Eastern team manager Leigh Ramsdell and get the low-down on what's going on and what we can expect for the rest of the year.



Ever since Randy Brown left Eastern a few weeks ago it seems like you've been in the news nonstop. Did Randy's departure influence you guys to get anything done or had all of these changes been in the works beforehand?

We were working on a lot of things before Randy left, like the Inside/Out series, but once he decided to make a change I realized it’s probably time for us to make one as well. Getting some new riders was number one. Randy was a big influence with Eastern so I knew we had to get some riders that wanted to help Eastern with more than just riding, the same way Randy did.

There were a lot of rumors about new riders Eastern was looking at and then both of the new team choices seemed to come completely out of nowhere. Was it a difficult decision to choose the new riders?

It’s a real hard decision to find the right people. It was important that the riders could get along with the current team, and it had to be someone that just liked to have fun on a bike. I actually wanted Wiz on the team before Randy left, so that was an easy one. I’ve known him for a long time and know that he shreds. I just wish he still had dreads. Plus, now I can hit him up for some Orchids. Ha. Red please.

I had seen Craig at a lot of contests and I knew he was good on a bike, but needed to hang out with him more just so see what his personality was like. I gotta say, for such a young guy, he’s got his shit together.

Who all had an influence in the new team selections?

It was a little bit of everyone at Eastern. I made a list of potential riders and talked to everyone at Eastern and to the team guys; we even had our international distributors in mind. Then the tooth fairy came to visit me and we had quite a good chat and told me whom to pick. Nice gal.

Brian Wizmerski and Craig Mast seem to be pretty much complete opposites. Was that something you considered when choosing them?

I agree, but that’s what Eastern is all about. We don’t really care about a specific image to portray we just want the outcome to be the same. Have a good fucking time on your bike.

Eastern hasn't really had a "contest" rider for quite sometime. What made you decide to get back into that genre of BMX with Craig?

That’s true. We had already planned on sending Kelly Bolton to some comps this year and then when Craig came along it just made sense to have a few guys there to really represent. Shamone it.

What should we be expecting in the months to come from Brian Wizmerski and Craig Mast?

Riding bikes. Taking trips. Maybe have them do a few whittling demos.

Do any of the Eastern riders, old or new, have any signature products in the works?

Everyone on the team has the opportunity to design they’re own shirts, which they each get royalties from. Also, we are talking about a few signature products, but nothing nailed down quite yet.

Is the Eastern team officially full or should we be expecting more additions?

I’d say right now it’s pretty full, but you never know.

The new Inside/Out video seemed to have higher productions values than any other videos we've seen from Eastern. Tell us a little bit more about this project. Who all is behind it?

Inside/Out was an idea I came up with because I didn’t just want Eastern to release web videos with only riding in them. I wanted people to get to know the riders personalities more and to have the whole thing feel like a little entertaining TV show. Mike McQueen is the man behind the camera and does all the post-production work. Mike’s a hard worker and shares the same ideas as I do. He rules!

What other Inside/Out trips are currently planned?

In a few weeks Eric Holley and Wiz are heading to Charlotte, NC to visit Zach Rogers and Seamus McKeon. After that, it’ll be Kelly Bolton and mostly likely Adam Banton or Craig Mast traveling to Minneapolis to ride with Eric Holley and Nick Anderson. There will be two more after those.

Are there any other Eastern trips in the works? Anything the whole team will be on?

The next thing besides the Inside/Out trips will be an actual Team video. We have a kickass team and feel like it’s time for Eastern to make a video with them. Filming will last a year so it should be out by next Interbike.

What's next for Eastern?

To keep making innovative products, to promote our riders, and mostly to remember what BMX really is… fun. Well we’ve always known that.

I think I lost my cross-eyed wolf shirt. Could you send me another one?

Heck yeah! What’s your size, I’ll send you two.

Anything else we should know?

Yup, we are going to start cutting holes in our riders to make them lighter.




Part One of Eastern's Inside/Out online video project.