Solid Bikes Rider & Welder Jase Knack Q&A

                                            Jase with a steep vert wall carve to over barspin.
                                                              Photo credit -Cubi


The Bay Bmx was yet again stoked to do a Q&A with all around bad ass rider & welder Jase Knack.
Jase is originally from Montana,But he made his move out west a few years ago.Jase began his work in the bike industry at S&M bikes.Eventually working his way up in the shop and learning how to weld and fabricate frames and parts.He eventually moved up to Nor-Cal. He is now Solid Bikes lead welder for the past couple years.When Jase isn't welding frames and parts at Solid, He spends the rest of his time riding all over the Sacramento area as well as the occasional trip to the Bay Area,Kickin it tough with the homies,Or just chills and enjoys a cold one after a long day of welding and riding.

Jase has a unique and smooth riding style,He is an all around type rider.Jase sticks to the pegless style of riding.He does some bad ass pedal and pegless grinds on the street.He also isn't afraid to throw the bars out of pretty much anything or just style out a nice table over a set of trails.So without further introduction here is what Jase had to say when i sent over the questions.Thanks again to Jase for taking the time to do this.

                        Jase with a burly pedal grind down a spooky ledge over in Berkeley.
                                                        Photo credit TD-Photography




#1. What's your Name, Age, And where do you currently reside?

Jase Knack, 24, Sacramento Ca ....And wherever I end up sleeping at night..


#2. Do you have any hook ups?Also what is your current bike set up?

I ride for Solid bikes,Get flow from Cult,and Auviq clothing ...I ride the prototype Solid k.i.l frame, Solid 8.666 custom get lit bars, Solid cranks, Animal rims with an Eclat female rear hub and a Simple female front, And cult everything else .....


#3.Tell us a little how you got into riding and what kind of riding do you enjoy most?

Well i grew up in Billings,Montana. Not that keen of a place to ride but i had fun... I was into anything that was an adrenalin rush and i finally settled on bikes, It was the most fun to me ... Me and about three of my friends started off building dirt jumps down the street from my house we just had fun jumping and learning what we could then like most trails spots it became hot and the city actually made me and my friend tear the jumps down ourselves and threatened us with big fines when we were like 15... So then the streets came.. We just cruzed around jumping anything we could good times no worries.... Then one of the most og bmx riders in Montana opened a bmx only shop in town and started a box jump team.. I ended up getting asked to ride on it when i was 16 and he was like a second dad to me fosho brought me in to bmx for real... And its been my life ever since..Now days i love the streets more then anything ... Streets are talking

                             Jase at Solid in between finishing up welding a batch of frames.
                                                          Photo credit-Stephan Hawk

#4.Do you have any favorite spots?Also any recent memories of spots you enjoyed?

All of Oakland and really the bay as a whole, Endless amounts of spots .. I also really like Az and Portland Oregon ...All the Solid trips are the best time on my bike we dodamost and kil kil kil awawawaw.


#5 If you could change anything about bmx what would it be and why?

Some of the drama could go away but other then that i'm stoked on bmx and always will be ..


#6. Who inspired your style of riding and who did you look up to coming up in the game?

I have looked up to so many riders!!! I'd have to say when i was young it was Joey Garcia,Joey is the man and Van Homan ...Really so many um, I'd say BF , Mike Aitken, Chase Hawk, Chase D, Eddie C, And the list could go on and on and on. To many amazing good riders and reasons to look up to them all ...

#7.How do you feel about the Nor-Cal bmx scene?

Wedodamost !!!!!! The north is the shit, We got it all be it the streets, Fun parks, Or trails. Nor-Cal has it all !! And we keep it mad lit!



#8 How did you get into welding frames and parts?Also whats a typical day at Solid for you like?

I always liked to make things so i got into welding in high school. I figured i might be able to make bikes one day ...When i moved to So-Cal from Arizona i thought hey S&M is down here. I'll see if i can get a job there. So i applied saying i could do lite welding and whatever they wanted.. After 2 months of just working a cooking job i tried again. They ended up hiring me to box orders for shipping i did that for about a year. Then I just mentioned to Chris that i had metal shop past and could kinda weld but i had never TIG welded before ... So he got me cutting parts in the shop for a while and i would stay after and practice welding everyday until i got it. I've been welding ever since...


A typical day at Solid i roll in anywhere from 630 to 9 depending on how hard it is to wake up in the morning lol... Talk to Aaron for a bit, Get a game plan for the day, And start building lil kids bikes.. lunch some where in there and some lil brakes here and there. I try to leave to go ride any where between 5 and 7...

                  Jase getting ready to lay a tack weld and then a bead on a frame up at Solid.
                                                   Photo credit-Stephan Hawk.

                     Jase laying down a bead with the Tig welder on a headtube of a frame at Solid.
                                                           Photo Credit-Brent Everitt



#9 in your opinion why is American made frames and parts better then Overseas made frames and parts?
   
I got 99 Problems but Taiwan ain't one... I'd say our materials for one are a lot better. Plus the fact that if you are building lil kids bikes for a living you probably like them a lot and actually care about making a bad ass products!! Where overseas they don't care what their making. Their just throwing it together.Theres no passion or love for the sport. One day they are making kids bikes and the next they are lawn chairs or something ... I love lil kids bikes, I love the sport.I care a lot about the company i weld for and try my best to put the best finished products out i can... It's really satisfying seeing all your homies on something you put blood, sweat, And possibly almost tears in to lol...


#10.Would you like to give any shout outs?

 Shouts to Aaron Huff and all of the Solid crew, You know who you are ehehehehehe awawawaw KIL KIL KIL.. Robbie and Neal down at Cult for all their support and love, And the whole Cult crew for being homies.. Kyle Frazier ,Eric Mesta, Bama,Crazy Chris, And all the bay area homies doing the most we out here.. Definitely gotta thank John Ivers for getting me set up with Aaron and Solid , Lee Brinkman and all the Montana bmx homies, My Montana family you know who you are ... My Mom and Dad for their support over the years ...And to all the homies out there you know who you are. Thanks to all y'all, Keep it Lit!!!!!!


To check out some of Jase's work head on over to the Solid site and hook yourself up with a new pair of bars or a frame.Jase also has some bad ass flicks over on Stephan Hawk's Photography.
Jase has some clips is Solid's most recent road trip up north to Oregon.