Tate Roskelley Bike Check 1

Is this paint job something you thought out or did it just end up this way?

I had a vision - let’s just say that. I’ve wanted a white bike for a while and I’m always a sucker for neon green tones, so it just kind of came together. As most of you know, bike manufacturing has slowed down a bit, so it’s not like I could simply request a color. I’m happy with the way it turned out. Subtle 80s vibes!

Tell us about the front wheel... Was it hard to find? How long have you been on it? Do you have a closet full of them?

Most bike shops don’t carry them, but you can definitely find them online. I had one mag that lasted me over two years, but usually they last around a year. I’m not necessarily hard on my front axle other than basic smiths and double pegs, so I haven’t really had too many issues with them breaking. 

Funny you ask - I do have a small collection of mag wheels laying around from over the years. I can’t get myself to throw them away and I always have a fresh one on deck just in case.

What's with the double axle nuts?

The double axle nuts are really just because I haven’t cut my axle down and I don’t want the threads to get ruined. Now that you pointed it out, I’ll have to try some sort of double axle nut grind. Thanks a lot, Kyle. 

Your pegs look pretty ground down. Are you aware of this?  

Holy shit - I didn’t even realize! Haha. All jokes aside, the downside double peg slides I do really eat the corners of the pegs down quick. If you ever see me do one in real life, you’ll probably note the distinct smell of burning asphalt/metal as the pegs slide over whatever I’m sliding on. Good thing pegs are easy to replace and the GT Real Steel pegs are built for the challenge. These particular ones have lasted me over eight months of brutal grindage. They’re doing better than the blacktop, let’s just say…

Are you weight conscious at all with your bike?

Nowadays, I feel like most top-end BMX bikes are ready to go. The only thing I really do to save weight is cut my seatpost down, but I think that’s just an OCD thing or something. It makes no sense to have all that extra pipe in your seat tube.  

What’s the oldest part on your bike?

Probably my headset. I have no idea how long I’ve been running it, but it’s holding strong.

What part do you end up replacing the most?

100% without a doubt tires. If I’m doing a specific slider trick, I’ve burned through a tire in a day - but usually they last me a couple of months. I’m probably one of the few riders that goes through more front tires than rear.  

You've been on GT for a little over two years now. Any signature parts in the works?  

Well, I heard through the grapevine that I do indeed have some signature stuff in the works. I won’t say too much other than keep your eyes peeled for some cool things coming up!

What do the next few months have in store for you? Any projects on the horizon?

I do have some video part stuff I’m going to start working on really soon. As you shot this bike check with me, we were discussing how after a band puts out an album, they’ve gotta take a little time to separate from the project - and I couldn’t agree more. Any time I put out a section that I’ve worked hard on, it feels like I’m starting from ground zero - I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like that - but I like to start building up with new ideas and brainstorming. It’s exciting, but the first clip for any project feels like the hardest one sometimes.