A big wheel in Beijing: bicycle built in Yakima


Yakima Herald-Republic
A big wheel in Beijing: bicycle built in Yakima
GREG BAKER/The Associated Press
Donny Robinson of the United States clears a jump during qualifying rounds for the UCI BMX Supercross race at the Olympic BMX course in Beijing Monday Aug. 20, 2007. Robinson qualified 16th for the finals to be held Tuesday. The race is one of many test events being held for the 2008 Olympic Games. BMX, or Bicycle Motocross, will appear at the Olympics for the first time at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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When BMX -- bicycle motocross -- makes its debut at the Beijing Olympic Games, keep an eye on U.S. gold-medal contender Donny Robinson. He's from California, but his bike is from Yakima.

Robinson's BMX bike was crafted by Oscar Camarena, who owns Simple Bicycle Company.

Camarena, 37, is no stranger to high-level BMX racing, having competed in the world championships three times in his early 20s. Three Camarena BMX bikes have been ridden to world titles, and Yakima cycling time-trial specialist Donna Smith won her second world title on a Camarena cycle.

But this is the Olympics, and Camarena is truly excited.

"The BMX worlds, I've been there. I've competed there," he says. "But I've never been to an Olympic Games. It's just amazing, the fact that something I built will be in there."

Camarena began building frames for Robinson long before he became a big name in the BMX world. This is how big: A couple of months ago, Robinson was featured on a new line of beverage cups at McDonald's -- riding a bicycle built by Camarena.

 

-- Scott Sandsberry

 



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