The Alvaro Articles

By Alvaro P. Urizar



 I am an avid writer on many topics, and as of late, a writer on a particularly interesting scene in Chicago, IL.  I am a Chicago born native and have been into the MTBing scene much before anodized purple was the rage on a parts kit.  I have successfully traveled and MTBd in various parts of the United States, Mexico, and Central America.  In Chicago, there appears to be a very distinct culture of freeriders and huckers that are a conglomerate of veteran tricksters and racers turned urban freeride guerrillas.  They are associated with several local bike shops (unofficially) but have been receiving their notariety through small articles in rags across the U.S., as well online sites.  The scene is particularly interesting as the freeriding (or urban riding) is done in the heart of the Chicago at the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave.).  Many stunts, tricks, flops, and drops are performed not only in front of monumental arenas (Soldier Field, The Museum Campus, Buckingham Fountain to name a few), but also in front of some of the most exquisite backdrops (as in hucking down the Nordstroms stairfront on Michigan Ave.).
 
There are many opportunities for writing about this scene and most importantly the product reviews and what serves the 'urban' guerilla in the midwest as free/urban ride is becoming more and more distinctive to those who do not particularly reside close to a 'natural' freeride experience.
 
I am a Network Technologist by day in downtown Chicago, and am looking forward to presenting to you a valid and unbiased review of what the Urban/MTB/Free Ride scene is really like in Chicago as well what those particular groups depend on to perform some urban artistry of the Chicago kind.
 
I would love an opportunity to present this vantage point to Mountain Bike Tales.  As I stated previously, many of these riders are already associated or work for local bike shops that service and cater to this type of arena, so it makes for an ideal perspective on what and how they use their rigs (including myself on my own rig!).