(Still from video by California is a Place on Vimeo)
-Watch video below-
“I’m a big shot. Scraping on my bike. I don’t need a car gas price too high… Blue, yellow, orange wit bling, scraper bikes is on the scene.”
That’s a line from a rap by Baybe Champ, the Scraper Bike King, who started the movement from his hometown of Oakland, California. Champ, his friends, and his growing legions of fans spend their days painting, decorating, and riding their bikes through the streets. They prove it’s possible to have fun and get attention and respect by cruising on two wheels instead of four.
Champ and his friends were recently at the Maker Faire in San Mateo and it gave me a reason to hear about them again since I first mentioned their YouTube video sensation back in 2007.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Why there aren’t more scraper bike clubs in Portland!? We’ve got all sorts of bike clubs, but so far I haven’t seen many kids doing scraper bikes. To see why I’m so jazzed up on this, watch the excellent “Scrapertown” video below to learn more about Baybe Champ and how his bikes are saving kids lives on scraper bike at a time.
Scrapertown from California is a place. on Vimeo.
And yes, I have a policy crush on Baybe Champ.
Learn more about scraper bikes and donate to keep Champ’s work alive at the Original Scraper Bikes blog and follow them on Twitter at @ScraperBikeTeam.