Just prior to the Coronavirus pandemic gripping the planet, Sunday took a team trip to Las Vegas, Nevada for 10 days. This was possibly the last company BMX team trip to happen since then. While news that SXSW had been cancelled and many more events soon to follow, Vegas was still business as usual. We caught up with Aaron Ross and dove into all the specs of his personal ride, just before everyone flew home, and mere days later most cities (including Vegas) went into lockdown mode, and social distancing rules went into full effect.
Keep an eye out for more from the trip; the upcoming edit filmed and edited by Zach Krejmas is going to be a good one.
NAME: Aaron Ross
Sponsors: Sunday, Odyssey, Empire, Burn Slow, and I do some work with this drink company called Clean Cause
Age: 33
Height: Just under 6’
Frame: Sunday – I’m about to change frames, but I’m still riding one of my signature frames, and this is painted and has stickers like the Forecaster, 20.75” TT
Fork: Odyssey R32
Bars: Odyssey Boss V2
Grips: Odyssey Keyboard V2
Bar ends: Odyssey Par Ends
Stem: Odyssey Boss
Seat:Odyssey Keyboard
Seat Post: Odyssey pivotal
Clamp: Sunday
Cranks:Odyssey Thunderbolt, 175 or 170mm- I have no idea.
Sprocket:Odyssey Utility, 28T
Pedals: Odyssey Grandstand PC
Chain: Odyssey Keychain
Rear Wheel:Odyssey Clutch with Hazzard Lite, 9T
Front Wheel: Odyssey Vandero Pro with Hazzard Lite
Pegs: Sunday Seeley
Tires: Odyssey Boss 2.3 in the back, 2.4 front.
Weight of bike: No idea.
Modifications:
Usually I cut the steerer tube; haven’t done that yet. Max slack in the hub. Other than that I don’t mess with anything.
Describe your personal bike setup.
I set it to be comfortable manualing. Every year the bars get taller, and I take another spacer out.
What part do you wear through the quickest?
Grips. Usually just the left one, when I have brakes.
Why no brakes right now?
Brakes have been off for four or five months. I was shooting a whip with Devon Hutchins, and as soon as I landed my cable snapped and I took them off with full intention of putting them back on. I just haven’t done it. I feel more chilled without them. I don’t want to fakie too much any more. I’ve done enough reversing; people know.
Cassette or free-coaster?
Originally I wasn’t a fan of a free-coaster. But it did help my ankles, and I could start 180-ing drops again. You could keep up speed in a line. I feel like I pedaled a lot more when I had a cassette. At first I missed the noise a lot, and now I just don’t care.
You’ve had numerous signature parts over the years; what has been your favorite?
The original Keyboard grip and the tires- it left words in the ground. It wasn’t even my idea. Steve Crandall had an idea for text messaging kind of stuff. FBM wasn’t up to making the grip, so Odyssey did, and the tire came quickly after.
Plans for 2020?
Kind of staying home and learning how to take care of a human being (his new baby girl, Honey James Ross). I know Odyssey may be doing some stuff in the summer. I got a bunch going on with the food truck; trying to open a new one. After a couple of months, (hopefully) should be getting back to normal.
When was the expected due date for the baby?
My wife Bethany sent me a google calendar Baby Ross due date, and it was April 12th. It’s on a Sunday, it’s National Grilled Cheese Day, and it’s Easter. Busy day. I knew what I was doing. (Laughter)
Ed. Note- Aaron's baby girl was born two days after on the 14th; congrats!
