Critical Mass. Freestyle Team Formed in Ken Stranahan's backyard during a late night ramp riding session, The Critical Mass. Freestyle Team traveled and performed across New England from 1984-1987. The show was a mixture of BMX flatland, mini ramp, and aerial stunts (much like the stuff on the X-Games today- but ten years earlier!) The team traveled with its own sound system, trailer, and portable 8-foot quarter pipe ramp and was sponsored by Family Bike and Sport, of East Longmeadow. Aside from the core members, the team employed other bicycle performers as well as a unicycle artist and a skater from time to time. The team broke up in 1987, but most of its members continue to ride and/or perform, in some capacity, even today. Founding Members: Jim - Show announcer, flatland specialist. Ken Stranahan - Flatland specialist, small ramp. Brett Marshall - Aerialist, small ramp, jumper in the bunnyhop finale. Will Raymond - Flatland, aerialist, small ramp, bunnyhopper, announcer. Other Members: Doug Moomjian, Jon Garner, Luke Malone, Mike Scalzo (BMX) Gary Spear (Unicycle) Jerry Lang (Skateboard) About The Name: Will Raymond had thought of the name years earlier. He said he originally offered the name to a band but they didn't use it. When the trick team was trying to come up with a name, Will said, "Critical Mass" and explained that critical mass is the "amount of a given fissionable material necessary to sustain a chain reaction at a constant rate or to achieve a significant result." The rest of the guys just thought "Critical" was a cool word (at the time, 1984, it was synonymous with 'awesome' or 'rad') and "Mass" was neat because we were from Massachusetts. "Critical Mass." it was. (*With a period after Mass., for Massachusetts.) We even got a trademark on the name. Later, we found out Aerosmith had a song called Critical Mass, but they didn't have the period after 'mass' like we did.
		Part of the team at a show at The Big E, Eastern States Exposition in 1985. (L to R - Jon, Doug, Jim, Will)
		I took this shot of Brett Marshall from the top of one of his quarter pipes in his driveway in 1985. We had the ramps set up facing each other, making a virtual halfpipe. In the bottom of the shot is Ken looking up and in back, sitting on the car is Will, with Ben Spinney (Son of Carol Spinney, who is Big Bird... for real.)
		Brett Marshall with a huge aerial on Jon Garner's backyard ramp circa 1986. Brett was getting 8-foot airs on that ramp before the city of Longmeadow made them tear it down after only a few months.
		Jim(l.) and Will(r.) doing synchronous drop-ins on the big (semi)-portable 8-foot quarter pipe at a show for a camp in Wilbraham, MA. 1985.
		Jim doing an aerial during his competition run at the AFA East Longmeadow Comp in April, 1985. Jim placed second that day (behind Ken Stranahan.)
		Jim in a "Cherry-Picker" at the Big-E Fairgrounds in front of one of the biggest crowds Critical Mass. ever had. 1985.
		Jim doing a "Vander-Roll" (forward somersault) at a camp show in Wilbraham, 1985.
		Ken Stranahan doing a "Tailwhip-Flyout" during his run at a competition in Guilford, CT. 1984.
		Will Raymond in the air, warming up, high above the crowd at the Big-E Fairgrounds, 1985.