23 Sep Video Round Up (2021.3)
In a world of 15-second Instagram clips and constant social media churn, here’s a silver platter of Canadian BMX videos from recent months. This is the Northern Embassy’s Video Round Up. (more…)
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16 Sep Canadian BMX Company History: Ted Efthymiadis & Seshin Bikes (2001 to 2008)
When I got to thinking about the history of Canadian BMX hardware brands, two names immediately popped into my head: MacNeil and Seshin. I reached out to Ted Efthymiadis, the visionary and jack-of-all-trades powerhouse behind Seshin Bikes from Halifax, Nova Scotia. While Seshin only existed for a relatively short while (2001-2008), it put some household names on the map, as well as went on to show that if you have the passion and drive to make your dreams a reality, nothing will get in your way. Without further ado, meet Ted and Seshin Bikes.
26 Aug Canadian BMX Company History: Kostya Chimkovitch & Crimson Bikes (2013 to 2018)
Earlier this year, ahead of the 2021 re-launch of the site, my close friend, Kostya Chimkovitch expressed interest in contributing to the Northern Embassy. We started brainstorming project ideas together and eventually a concept came to fruition: What if someone were to document the history of Canadian BMX companies? As a machinist by vocation, Kostya has a strong background in manufacturing. He also ran a small BMX frame and component company with his friend and then-business partner, Brian Kelly from 2013 to 2018. It was clear Kostya would be the perfect candidate to share some stories about past and present BMX companies in Canada. To kick off Kostya’s ambitious history project, I’d like to introduce you to the man himself. Read on to learn about Kostya’s history in BMX, experiences in manufacturing, and life off the bike.
10 Aug Catching Up with Ryan Eles
Hamilton, Ontario (Photo Credit: Eisa Bakos)
I remember a while back I got a message from Eles that he wanted to get a video pieced together for one of his sponsors. Of course, I quickly agreed because working with Ryan is always a blast. We figured out a day that worked for both of us, and it was set. On a beautiful Saturday morning a couple of weeks later, Ryan shows up at my house bright and early, having just driven 3 hours from Sudbury to Barrie. He hops out of his rental car and we immediately start going through spot options. Without much of a warm-up, we start driving around to a variety of spots. Everything that we pulled up to, he had an idea for. I’d get the camera out and within 20 minutes he was rolling away from some crazy trick that should have taken hours. This process continued throughout the day until it was too dark for my crummy VX1 to record with reasonable quality.
I think he walked away with 6 or 7 amazing clips that Saturday. I was blown away. I remember being super impressed by his work ethic and his determination to make a video happen despite living so far away. I mean the guy literally paid to rent a car, drove 3 hours, filmed all day, and then drove 3 hours home. That kind of persistence and commitment is exactly why Ryan has become one of the best riders in Canada.
-Joel Fortin
21 Jul Video Round Up (2021.2)
In a world of 15-second Instagram clips and constant social media churn, here’s a silver platter of Canadian BMX videos from recent months. This is the Northern Embassy’s Video Round Up.
12 Jul Team Luxury – Know New Friends
Wowww what a great way to start the week! The Luxury dudes have just blessed the internet with their new full-length project “Know New Friends”. This video has been over two years in the making, with multiple trips taking the crew to Texas, Seattle, Vancouver, and back to their home base of Ontario. These dudes go IN, so hit play.
08 Jul Team Luxury – Know New Friends Promo
Man, I can’t wait for this one! Guelph’s very own bmx all-star team, Luxury, has been working on their newest full-length “Know New Friends” for a minute now. Judging by their promo, it’s going to be heavy. Keep your eyes peeled on the site for the full video dropping soon.
05 Jul Northern Embassy Summer Heat Video Contest
The weather in Canada is heating up and there is no better time to get out there and film some clips. It’s also the perfect time for us to announce the first contest of our re-launch: NE Summer Heat!
26 Jun No Bikes 2018: Montana/Alberta
Often when I plan out a No Bikes trip it’s centered around visiting a single park, or a few parks that are clustered in the same area. For our trip in 2018, that skatepark that really captured my imagination was the “Thunderpark” in Montana. The park is one of the (now) many Evergreen Skateparks built in the state, and beyond the unique concepts in the park layout, the backstory behind the park was really intriguing. Throughout Montana, skateparks have been built in small towns and on reservations as part of the Montana Pool Service movement with Jeff Ament from the band Pearl Jam as the leading force. In my travels, I’ve always had the best time riding parks in small towns, and these parks look especially good.