A Community place

The World Wide Web became a necessity in the 21^st century. Everything from research, to transactions, to education, to communicating can all be done without ever leaving the place you call home. As antisocial as we have become, we have also found ourselves connected to the world outside our city limits. Websites like Vitalbmx and Soulbmx.tv tie our bmx community together with personal bios, pictures, videos, comments, and news. Other sites like Defgrip and Fatbmx bring us news, art, and interviews with names we all wanted to learn more about.

As the web grows, so doesn’t the quality of the sites. One site bringing proof to this fact is Volumebikes.com. With an all star lineup of team riders, a deep rooted history with bikes of many kinds, and a founder with an imagination beyond the lines of normal standards the internet is about to take another shift forward.

Brian Castillo is a man with a plan. Live, Ride, and Learn. After introducing his own style of riding, Brian stepped away from S&M to pursue his own company. Learning graphic design helped him create the identity that is Volume bikes and following soon after was Demolition. Brian breaks down the ideas behind the new site in the Q & A below:

Community: Since before Bmx Inferno, Bmx has been a strong force in your life. What

brought about your interest in starting a new company?

Brian: I think it was natural progression. Being in the industry for so long you realize that you have all the resources to do things on your own. You just have to make the plunge.

Community: Do you find your artistic side plays a large part in the identity of Volume and Demolition?

Brian: Probably too much. That's why they look so similar in some aspects. A companies identity is all we have these days. Now that the majority of companies use the same vendors and are essentially using the materials also. The identity is what separates companies apart from each other. Not so much their hard-goods anymore.

Community: How does the team reflect this open minded, artistic side?

Brian: Our team is an extension on how we want the companies portrayed to the public. Enns' style on his bike could reflect an artistic side to the company in some way or another. Depends who's looking at it that way. I guess a riders flair could be his own "artistic side".

Community: What does each rider bring to the company that helps set it aside from others?

Brian: Personality on and off their bikes. Every rider has his roll and own nitch.

Community: What background in graphic design, photography, etc. did you have in the beginning of Volume?

Brian: None. A high school diploma. That sounds bad but when I started at Primo I didn't even know how to turn on a computer let alone design something. If I'm interested enough in what I want to accomplish I would pick up a book and learn on my own through that route. Going into Volume I had the knowledge or rough idea on how to do things or how I wanted to do things.

Community: How has this background help shape Volume bikes?

Brian: My background before I started the company was teaching me for something else. I look at my time at Primo like being at school. I learned a great deal of things on someone else's dime.

Community: Something I noticed with Volume and other Bmx companies is your line of track bikes and cruiser bikes. Lately bike riding enthusiasts find themselves dabbling in other bicycle arenas like road bikes. What brought Volume to test the waters with the Cutter and Sledgehammer bikes?

Brian: Just being a bicycle enthusiast. Period. As I get older my interests are broadening more and more. Track bikes and 26" bmx bikes are just an extension of what we are already doing so we decided to expand our line and go out for another type of bicycle consumer.

Community: The last few years has shown a large online presence in the Bmx industry. Companies don’t exist without some site displaying their image on the internet. Magazines have split content between their printed pages and their online counter parts. How do you see this change affecting Bmx?

Brian: I'm a huge fan of print and see both rolls having their place. I think we all take the online content for granted but when it's in print it looks a lot more polished and thought out.

Since bmx is fairly small and we all don't want to pay thousands of our dollars in a print magazines, most companies will opt for the online banners and self-advertising through their catalogs and their online sites.

Community: How did the basic concept of the new website come about?

Brian: I just wanted people to come back and look at all the content instead of the front page news. It's probably too much but I definitely wanted the options to show what we are all about.

Community: How do the team riders influence the over all appeal of the site?

Brian: They are the site. Their blogs are the first thing I go to. This site really puts the team first. They have control over the content through the videos, ads, top bands and their news of what they're up to that month.

Community: Magazines and online Blog sites use interviews and videos to keep everyone up to date with what’s happening in the industry. Your site seems to bring kids a little closer than that. Between the interviews, videos, bios, rider emails, and sounds section which showcases riders top five on their MP3 players kids find themselves on a more personal level with your team. Explain how you think this will influence riders and the direction they take.

Brian: In some sort of way these guys are roll models and if a kid looks up to one of the riders and sees their top bands they are automatically influenced to see what that bands about and go out and buy it. I bought Fugazi's whole collection because of Hoffman's last part in Head First. If you like something, one way or another it will have an influence on what you like and etc.

Community: One area that stands out in my eyes is the Gypsy Catalog. Break down the concept behind Gypsy.

Brian: Too much work! No, I think it boils down to showing riders and shops who we are and what are riders are all about.

Community: Considering the path magazines and companies are taking towards converting to the internet, how does it feel to still offer an outlet so true to the artistic roots of Bmx?

Brian: I still think magazines have their place. One is free and the other costs thousands. Both reach mass audiences. I am still a believer that if I place an unbelievable ad in print it will have more impact than an ad I placed on the internet. I see a place for both and both have relevance today.

Community: Do you believe there is a lost art in printed zines and published art?

Brian: Since they are still going, no. Due to the fact that they have huge competition from online bmx sites they had to make a change. RIDE BMX has never looked better as of right now. I'm really stoked on that magazine again due to art direction and total appearance. Competition is sometimes a good thing, it makes everyone step up their game. Right now RIDE is a good example of that.

Community: You offer an art contest section on the site. What ideas have you come up with for the contests so far?

Brian: Just a t-shirt graphic contest. It's always fun to see what the guys come up with.

Community: Are you hoping to tap into some unrealized talent by offering a canvas for people to express their ideas on?

Brian: Yeah, I think so. If they blow my mind with their talent, I'll offer them a job as a freelance graphic designer.

Community: List some names of people who influence your art over the years?

Brian: Jeez, that list is endless. I don't know where to begin or end. Borders magazine section!

Community: If a young rider asked you how they could combine two passions of art and bmx what would be your advice?

Brian: Run for the hills. No, it's a hard industry and you have to be mentally prepared. Having the internet so free to users your art will be critiqued by thousands of angry bmxers around the world. I feel like crying at times.

Community: Thanks for taking a moment out of your schedule to answer our questions. Anything you would like to pass on to the other riders out in the world?

Brian: Pick up a book and learn something. It might change your world. Thanks!