The Bonebell is an intimidating bell – large in size, an actual cowbone as its ringer, and has the number 69 stamped on its handle. It is the harbinger of all enthusiastic mayhem that one can muster swinging it on the sidelines at any race – and this site is a reflection of that beautiful bell. The Bonebell Crew is made up of three dirtbaggers who one day decided – “It’s time to get dirty!”
Brian Parker aka “Stiggity” – Brian has been dirtbaggin’ since he was a wee tot in the fine land of Michigan. He made his way to Chicago and never lost the desire to keep the dirty spirit alive. He has a race bike that needs no introduction – and it’s a portly XC and endurance racer being a steel freeride bike – but that’s how he rolls and keeps rolling. Stiggity brought the ‘Derka Derka’ to the dirtbags of xXx Racing-Athletico of which he is the Director for the MTB Program.
Paolo Urizar aka “El Maya” – Paolo caught the dirtbaggin’ bug when Van Halen 1984 ‘erupted’ on the scene in Chicago. He never really raced, but really liked to go really fast and fly through the air. He came back to mountain biking in the early 90s when ‘fully rigid’ was the only option available. He met Stiggity through the xXx Racing-Athletico team – when they were the only two mountain biking on the squad at the time. He currently teaches young riders to appreciate the finer points of balance as the Director of the Juniors Development Program.
Dave Norton aka “Nevada Dave” – Dave is an enigma. He came from the west – by way of the east, or was it the south? Who the hell knows but he came this way by bike. He has logged more miles than any sane human being should ever log, and he wasn’t even training. He was just riding along this great country of ours. That’s right – he doesn’t ride cross-country, he rides across the country. Dave is a bastion of the great hope of doing it to keep it real, the truest dirtbagger. Oh yeah and he’s something of a competitor.
Greg Heck aka DaDoubleG – is a fine gentleman from down over yonder south. He’s as smooth a rider as is the Kentucky bourbon in his bloodstream, and a lover of music that propels his kindred soul into the wonderfully dirty fiasco that is Cyclocross. Greg by trade, knows a little thing or two about landscape design and utilizing natural resources to create a sustainable greenscape, to that end, its no wonder that he can design a mad CX course like the one he is most known for designing, the season opener of the annual Chicago Cross Cup in Jackson Park. He is one of the largest proponents to keeping knobbies on dirt throughout the winter season in Chicago.
What Are We Trying to Do?
We want to increase the awareness of off-road cycling by providing you information about the off-road cycling community (ala the dirtbaggers!). We also want to highlight the great organizations that have put a lot of time and effort also acheiving that awareness. There are many off-road cycling opportunities that aren’t well recognized or known and we’d like to bring you those experiences to encourage more off-road participation. We’ll have interviews, product reviews, race promotion, and community highlights posted regularly to keep you in the loop. We do this in addition to our busy lives because we feel its important to bring the dirtbagging community together to celebrate the awesomeness of the adventures of a knobby tire. Chicago may be flat – but it has plenty of dirt riding that is not just for a racer, but for an entire family to enjoy.
How You Can Help?
Help us keep the rest of the community informed! You have an event that needs to be broadcast? Have thoughts about a places we should get mapped out for riding? Have a special place in Chicago that has great dirt riding potential? Let us know! We’re regulars at off-road cycling events – and have a great community of off-road racers who spread the word about great opportunities to ride off-road.
Support The Cause!
You’ll see we have three logos on the bottom of our site – World Bicycle Relief, C.A.M.B.r, and I.M.B.A. – all three are organizations that make what we do possible in the first place, and help spread the word of good cheer and respect for off-road endeavors. WBR specifically has a team dedicated to Mountain Bike Endurance events that give it their all to bring a bicycle program to life in the remote areas of Africa. We’ll have promotions and products to help support those organizations (coming soon!).
