[an error occurred while processing this directive]

This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.

28 October 2014

	BBC Homepage England

»	BBC Local Birmingham Things to do People & Places Nature History Religion & Ethics Arts and Culture BBC Introducing TV & Radio Nearby Sites Black Country Coventry Hereford & Worcs Stoke Related BBC Sites England
	Contact Us

Features

Farrah and Ian with their lowrider

Pimp my bike!

By Sarah Loat
Ditch your BMX or mountain bike - the lowrider is here. It's urban, it's pimped out, and this bad boy screams 'look at me!'.

Lowriders

The phenomenon of lowriders is huge in the States, and although lowriders have been here for a few years, the UK has been slow to pick up the trend.

In Birmingham city centre however, you might just see a group of Birmingham lowrider owners cruising the streets with their unique bikes.

Ian Cumberbatch and Etienne Amion are into the urban hip-hop scene and are the first to bring lowriders to Birmingham.

Lowrider phenomenon

Etienne, Ian and Farrah

Lowrider bikes began back in 60s America. Cars were customised with hydraulics to allow them to ride low and 'bounce'.

Mexican and Puerto Ricans wanted to get involved in the lowrider movement, but most couldn't afford the expense of customising a car.

They began to customise bikes by bending the forks to allow the frames to be lower, and then added colour, mirrors, bells...the lowrider bike movement was born.

Michael with his 7ft chopper

Michael Parinchy, 18, rides with Etienne and Ian on a Chopper lowrider;

"Getting lots of attention is the main reason you go for something like this is the attention you get. My BMX gets me from place to place but sometimes it's good to get the crowds going on my lowrider."

So what's the appeal of a 70's style bike to a teenager or twenty-something growing up in a technological age?

Bling up your bike

"It's urban, hip hop style and pretty unique here" says Michael. "I haven’t seen any being rolled around in Birmingham apart from the ones we go around on. Maybe next summer we’ll have everyone rollin' around on them.

"The wheels remind me so much of the American lowrider cars and it's very hip-hop - that’s what I love about them. Especially the idea of rolling in big groups."

Farrah

The lowrider is definitely not just a means of getting from A to B. They're a bike made for cruising - they need to be looked at. Hip-hop stars like Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams are encouraging the appeal of the lowrider scene, often featuring them in their videos.

Ladies love lowriders

It's not just a hip-hop 'rude-boy' that's hooked on these bikes. The ladies are loving lowriders too. Not only the bikes beautiful to look at, but they also have mirrors perfect for touch-ups, or applying lipgloss, as Farrah demonstrates...

And it's not just mirrors that adorn the lowrider, they can be personalised in just about any way imaginable.

Farrah takes advantage of the lowrider mirrors

Farrah takes advantage of the mirrors

"You can twist frames, paint them, have different wheels, spokes, mirrors, forks, peddles, spinning wheels. Each and every bike is different and everyone adds their own touch to their bike. There are 7 or 8 frame types in any colour you can imagine and you can customise it to your own style.

"You can get hydraulics for them which lets the bike bounce and lowers them a whole lot. You can put soundsystems and boomboxes on them, hook up your iPod or mobile phone - even add neon lights." says Ian, who has owned his lowriders for over a year.

Farrah, Ian And Etienne

Ian Cumberbatch, 21, and Etienne Amion, 18 are such lowrider enthusiasts they have created their own company, BabyBoy Lowrider, to bring the bikes to Birmingham and the rest of the UK.

Urban culture

"Basically lowriders represents the urban culture that people wanna be a part of" says Etienne. "Nowadays as life is so fast moving, relaxing on a bike is not part of most people's day. Once people have a go they're hooked, and the attention that you get from being so unique is amazing. It’s unique to Birmingham and there are only a few stockists in the UK and we’re the only ones in Birmingham.

Ian Cumberbatch

Ian is keen to make the lowrider Birmingham's must-have accessory, "Everyone is fashion conscious here, its like kids who can’t afford a car, or are too young to get a licence are gonna look cool on a lowrider.

"A lot of people buy them to display in their house but we wanna hit them out to people with a cool urban background coz that's where they start from.

To these guys lowriders aren't just transport, they're a way of life, a style statement, a culture, or in their words "pimped-out".

Etienne Amion

"We wanna introduce people to the lowriders and represent the culture with the bikes" says Etienne. "We wanna organise meetings of lowrider owners to relax and celebrate the culture in Birmingham."

"The urban scene in Birmingham is getting ready for lowriders and people want to be part of it," concludes Ian, "It’ll take off."

See what all the fuss is about - take a look at lowriders in pictures.
Lowrider gallery >

last updated: 24/10/05

Have Your Say

Into lowriders? Tell us about it here.

Adrian
I think that these bikas are cool

Syms
So when we having a show in Brum then, I've got a few chops and cruisers!Sym.

partridge
were do ya get the mad spinners from

auto-ade
nice bikes, i have a few custom choppers, they are fun to ride and look cool, bring then down south.

[[LiL aLe]]
maynneee...these look P-I-M-P

HarvMoon
I gotta 26" mtb gold rims pedals chrome craks fully pimped and it can go up and down hills steps etc. lowriders are a phenomonon but can never be a sport either way keep ridin

the nuts
hey nice bikes i like wut u have done with them!!!!!

J 0161
A got A Mongoose Bmx chrome plated with 20inch chrome spinners, blue and red neon lights with controlls in the handle bars. Head turner

akeechy
i have just imported a ladies pink nirve beach cruiser and i love it to bits there is no other bike i would consider riding now. Now my 7 yr old son wants a lowrider instead of a bmx or montain bike.

defaz
old school as it gets ive been building mine for a year its sick spinning rims hydrolics and neons, twisted chrome baby

Gabriel Rodriguez
Low Riders are the best thing's ever created. I think the best way to cruze the street's is in youre low rider.

KRI$ aka LIL PIT
yup these boys r hot i got me three a trike wit a system the other two r 2 wheelers 1 black wit red neon and 1 wit blue wit green neon

ed74
AGREE WITH LLOYD I AM THE ONLY ONE ROUND HERE WITH ONE AND I'M 32!!

lui figueroa
hay i am going to make a bmx bike in to a lowrider bike got any tips

snoop dog
i dig ur ride homie, its classy and tight. u know what i'm saying?

shadow
damm those bikes are cool keep it up with does low lows

lloyd
the lowriders bikes look smart i have 1 if u live in my town im the only 1 who got 1 i want to be different from every 1 else

Deuce
Low lows are kool bikes ihave 1 my self..

block naught dog
ay man dese thangz is hot i got me one

arthur aka: king arthur
sweet bikes i gota get me one of those lowriders

l.m.s
yeh low riders r hot, but not practical especially gng up curbs.and rollin thru birms on dese is not a big idea if you want to keep dem.

lil smoke
yo word up i like dem bikes alright i'll hit u up lata holla.

Primo
dese bikes are crazy man! i have been wanting 1 for years but i havent been able to get 1.. keep up the good work!

cristian diaz
my bike sucks and i always wanted a lowrider bike so please pimp out my bike

mike without the m
ive been riding my lowrider round birmingham for over a year. i didn't get it cos i wanted attention, i got it because 'I' wanted it. the only other one i have seen is my friend daves. where are all these other ones?

francisco from chicago
them bikes r hot

ozarell howard
it's clean and it ride smooth u feel me

kiz
bikes are wiked

LM
GET YOURSELF A ORIGIONAL RALEIGH CHOPPER I HAVE 7

Dave UK
Indeed Lowrider bicyles do inspire one to customise ones ride as do beach cruiser cycles. In between Lowrider projects some may consider learning to write, spell and grasp the English language as well.

Marlon Clifton Whiteley Junior
Man you bikes are real hot

Lovelle
I see the love that you and your people put into the bikes

Spike
I also got a lowrider and i love it but not nobody here has one. And when they see me rollin they just freek. Also i have always loved lowriders. But yours are the best that i have ever seen.

adrian herrera
i love lowriders send me the coolest one with spiners

joey
i have a mongoose and im not into lowriders that much

Levi Patino
I want 1

tommy
Ilovelow riders

valentina
i think lowriders are the best style in cars. and they have more potential in any other modle it also has class.

Chris
these bikes are totaly pimpin dogg

travesa
your bikes are like a dream for me the are tight

dayle
kewl cause low riders r kewl but have u seen sum of the wicked spinners u can get 4 bmx's man the only thing is that they cost so much and i would rather make sum

chris g
yeah thats tight you guys are trying to take lowrider to the U.K. I am actually the owner of my own lowrider bike i made myself

alex
keep it real

Francis.W
pimp my bike there bad ass bikes. Pimp my bike because your bikes are just wowwwww just mean.

WOLFIE
I MADE MY APPOLLO 5 SPEED INTO A 10 SPEED lOWRIDER WITH 20 INCHES SPINNERS AND I WONT GET RIGDE OF IT NO MORE THAN 2,000 DOLLAR ITS MY DREAM BIKE.

Joselito
my bike was saposed to be a work in progress and it just got all crazy and i realy want it fixed up

Demmie And Sam
YA BIKE IS FULLLI NARSSSTY NESS MAN EEEEEE HU WULD WONNA RIDE WON OV DEM BIKES YAK

Eddie Rohrbacher
My little sister has a lowrider and its purple and she said she its not cool inof for her and and every says its to cool for her

22
i think dat lowriders are the coolest in the world

Jr
this are some bad lowriders and i can tell that the raza is still putting it down.

bobby g
fat bikes how do you make bikes so cool

matt flood
its cool

Joe
great bikes!!!!

juan mota
HOW DO YOU MAKE LOWRIDERS

james bond
those bikes are tight

chico
my friend ricahard wants to show of his bike how does he do it!

skreebz
wellz, y'all should keep pimpin but yeh, definitely have a car too

dannyboy'06
wicked'pimp my bike please

mike uk
oh my god, get a car!!!

weezy
yo yall bikes look fresh.

sean
all bikes are cool

crip
i got1 it al rite im doin it up slowly

low 4 life
i got 2 lowriderz 1 red and black both r twisted as can b and each gotz a stereo and neon kits on it......they phat

Darren Brower
Your lowriders are way to pimped out. No frickin way would I spend that much money on a bike

ESE LIL D.D.D.
I'M IN A B.C. THE NAME IS (SB DON RIDE) IN SANTA BARBARA H.S. THEY'ER GOOD PEOPLE AND WORD GOOD IS NOT EASY

young blood
yo pimp my bike

wog boy
I got one to a all twisted gold one it looks sic! and it goes sic! to. yea it even has little tv screens in tha mirrors of it to. IT'S THA BEST THIG EVA!

mw fo life
watup jiggas i got a pimped out lo rida wit spinnas and a pure gold frame motha mid west reprosent peace

ricardo
thas cool i wish i can have some thing like that

thomas
great bikes

WILL BAILEY
I THINK LOWRIDERS ARE WELL COOL

curtis
neon lights there kool right cause i think so

Mystery
vatos those bikes are sweet

SKRPA KILLA
ALL DA BIKES R PHAT, NOTRIPPIN THOUGH, MINES COMIN UP SOON!!!

hi guy
those bikes r nice but a waste of money and time

Jeff Hunter
please pimp my bike i live in Bethel,Alaska

uflirttoo
I love a dude with a pimped out bike I think he is so cool

Jason Peppers
Yo i own a lowrider , and I goto college at UNCG and i love riding around campus, draws a lot of attenion.

blacky
i have low rider bike but my is green and i still trying to fix it up

tom thornton
low riders are ok but sometimes if you sit down for to long you bottom and your legs start to hurt

Gavin
at 40 years old am i to old for one?.I think they look great.Where do ibuy one?

mitch
i got a trike with dvd screens and spinners

J422Y G
nah i stick to my car. and jus chillin with some tunes and girlz, u ent getting far with bikes! lolz they for kids! jokers

nicholas meyer
yo these bikes are pimping

Triger
Yo im in prison but when i get out I will build my son one like I once had. yo bikes is slick your homeboy from the joint keep up the good work

arturo
lowrider bikes are hella pimp

jake
i have an orange patriot n i dunno how much it is worth because i want to sell it i have spent up to 800 on it customising it

fat boy
lowrider bikes are my life in the 541