7. John Stancliff went back to the bike shop and picked up a "Bicycles Today" magazine - state race

Record details

Video ID

q_3P3DEBAPc

Published

2025-12-16

Availability

Public

Duration

0:37

Transcript

YouTube automatic caption

Description snapshot

7. After riding the BMX track in Lititz, he went back to the bike shop. He got a Bicycles Today magazine. The magazine was published by the NBL - National Bicycle League. The magazine had lists of upcoming races. 

He noticed a state race coming up so he went. This is where he saw Rick Roeske, who rode for Mongoose, and he said to himself, “I want that bike.” “I want to do that.”

The two started the conversation to lead to a discussion about building a pump track in Lititz, PA. Their full-length conversation is available at https://youtu.be/atlbARdt2q4?si=V0lTnyXNX0WbpBaP 

—

Step back into the golden era of BMX with this deep dive into the National Bicycle League (NBL), the influential magazine Bicycles Today, and the legendary Mongoose BMX team.

Founded in 1974 by George Esser, the NBL was one of the earliest sanctioning bodies for BMX racing in the United States. Based first in Florida and later in Ohio, the league helped establish BMX as a structured sport, bringing together riders, tracks, and competitions across the country before eventually merging into what is now USA BMX.

Alongside the racing scene, Bicycles Today magazine chronicled the excitement of the sport. It offered readers gear reviews, race coverage, rider profiles, and cultural insights, becoming a vital publication for BMX fans and cycling enthusiasts during the sport’s formative years.
This video also highlights Richard Roeske, a dedicated BMX racer known for competing in the 41–45 cruiser class at tracks like Hazelton and Chesapeake. His passion for the sport and connection to the BMX community reflect the grassroots spirit that kept BMX thriving through the decades.

Finally, we explore the history of Mongoose BMX, the team Roeske rode for. Founded in 1974 by Skip Hess in Simi Valley, California, Mongoose revolutionized BMX with the introduction of the MotoMag One magnesium wheel, a game-changing innovation that set the brand apart. Through the late 1970s and 1980s, Mongoose became one of the most iconic names in BMX, sponsoring top riders and producing bikes like the Supergoose and California Special, which remain collector favorites today.

This video celebrates the legacy of BMX racing, the publications that documented it, and the riders and teams who made history. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the sport, you’ll discover how these stories shaped BMX into the global phenomenon it is today.

📚 About Lititz BMX

Lititz BMX is an independent BMX preservation project dedicated to documenting and preserving the people, bikes, artifacts, race history, and stories that shaped the sport.

What began as a private collection has grown into an expanding digital archive featuring hundreds of artifacts, rider profiles, interviews, educational resources, and historical research spanning BMX’s earliest days through today.

Every artifact tells a story. Every rider leaves a legacy. Every piece of BMX history deserves to be preserved. Each recording helps preserve BMX history by documenting the people, artifacts, and stories that might otherwise be lost to time. 

🔗 Discover More in the Archive

This recording is one chapter in the story of the Lititz BMX Archive.

Whether you're researching BMX history, rediscovering a favorite rider, or exploring the stories behind the artifacts, there's always something new waiting in the archive.

🏁 Explore Lititz BMX
https://www.lititzbmx.com

📚 Explore the Complete Archive
https://sites.google.com/view/lititzbmxinventorylist/

⭐ Featured Archive Highlights

🔹 BMX in Media - Movies - E.T.
 https://sites.google.com/view/lititzbmxinventorylist/in-entertainment/bmx-in-the-media/movies/e-t-movies

🔹 Musicians Who Ride - Vin Rock
https://sites.google.com/view/lititzbmxinventorylist/in-entertainment/musicians-who-bmx-or-ride/vin-rock-musicians

🔹 Rider Profiles - Todd Lyons
https://sites.google.com/view/lititzbmxinventorylist/learning-resources/profiles/rider-profiles/todd-lyons-rider-profiles

The Lititz BMX Archive is independently developed and maintained.

Sharing recordings, identifying artifacts, contributing historical information, and connecting riders with the archive are some of the best ways to help preserve BMX history.

 • Museum-quality BMX artifacts
 • BMX team and manufacturer history
 • Vintage BMX memorabilia and catalogs
 • International BMX history
 • Educational resources and historical research
 • Original photographs, videos, and documents
 • Original Lititz BMX media productions
 • Restoration projects and behind-the-scenes stories 

New artifacts, rider profiles, interviews, and historical resources are added regularly as the Lititz BMX Archive continues to grow. 

👉 Hit like, comment, and subscribe for more BMX history and vintage cycling content!

Hashtags:
 #BMX #LititzPA #LititzBMX #BMXHistory #PennsylvaniaBMX #LancasterCounty #BMXLife #OldSchoolBMX #FutureOfBMX #PumpTrack #PumpTrack #CommunityBMX #RideLocal 🚲

Transcript

I picked up a went back to the bike shop and picked up a I think it was it's been
and picked up a I think it was it's been a long time.
a long time. >> Sure. So, [laughter] it's like USA BMX's
>> Sure. So, [laughter] it's like USA BMX's magazine that they hand out monthly.
magazine that they hand out monthly. >> Oh, okay.
>> Oh, okay. >> It was for the NBL.
>> It was for the NBL. >> Okay.
>> Okay. >> So, I looked in there and there was a
>> So, I looked in there and there was a state race coming up in like a week or
state race coming up in like a week or so. So, I went up there on a Saturday to
so. So, I went up there on a Saturday to the state race and I saw Rick Rusky Road
the state race and I saw Rick Rusky Road for Mongoose and I was like, I want that
for Mongoose and I was like, I want that bike. [laughter]
bike. [laughter] I want I want to do that.
I want I want to do that. >> Love it.

Preserved files

Metadata JSON · Current description · Transcript text · q_3P3DEBAPc.en-orig.vtt · q_3P3DEBAPc.en.vtt