STUSSY: How has your life and work changed over the past few years since the growth of MASH SF?
MASH: Well things have definitely changed. We wouldn't go so far as to say work or life, but the aspects of having the opportunity to travel and meet new people have been great. It's weird to get used to people knowing your name and who you are. At the same time, we love going to different places and having people appreciate what we have done in the MASH video. But at the end of the day, I'm just another person on a bike who loves to ride and meet new people.

STUSSY: MASH SF has contributed to an international phenomenon in recent years. In your opinion, what is the ultimate reason for this activity escalating into a new sport? Is it here to stay or will it ghost?
MASH: It is undoubtedly here to stay. It will take on several forms. Some more gross than others, these bikes popularity has escalated more rapidly due to the internet. It's the first core interest that we have seen get magnified due to the globalization of the internet.

STUSSY: What's the relationship between Cadence, MASH and other fixed gear crews in comparison to messenger crews? What's the beef with OG messengers vs. fixed gear riders?
MASH: There is no blanket statement for this. This project opened doors and took heat so others won't have to. Only a handful of messengers were on track bikes before these bikes were rediscovered by several non-messengers as efficient forms of city bikes. It's not fair for one generation to lay claim to these bikes as their own as they have been around for over a hundred years. Most of the disappointment comes from a working group of messengers who evolved these bikes, honed their skills for street riding and laid the foundation for what we know as functional street skills on these brakeless bikes. I hope some of the ego swelling goes down and at the same time, kids educate themselves historically and hone their skills. We see a lot of kids throwing themselves into traffic and it's clear they don't have the control it takes to avoid serious consequences if they arise. Also, wear a helmet.

STUSSY: Fixed gear bikes have become almost a fashion accessory for hipsters across the country. Does the saturation have a negative impact on messenger culture or is it cool that hipsters have adapted this activity into their lifestyle?
MASH: Take care of yourself and don't worry about everyone else. There is going to be a cut away of all types. If some kid got a $3,000 bike to bounce from coffee shop to bar, then that's great. Money went into the cycling community and ultimately that kid is on a bike.

STUSSY: Where did the idea come from to take track bikes to the streets and push the freestyle innovation?
MASH: Bike messengers are first credited with riding track bikes on the street. The simple nature and relative reliability of the track bike, its few moving parts, was appealing to people whose livelihoods depended on their bikes being fail-safe and dependable. As with most sports that happen on the street, a natural evolution toward tricks and freestyle arose as a matter of course.

STUSSY: How did the idea of MASH form and how long did it take to start a buzz? Was it meant to just be a bike crew or was it created as a company? What contributed to the success of what MASH has become today?
MASH: Simply put, MASH was started as a means for a group of friends to view one another's riding. As footage and the progression of riding increased, it became evident that the project could be extended and evolved into something more. With the internet, word of the project seemed to spread pretty quickly. There was never a conscious decision to start a 'crew'. The members of MASH are friends, first and foremost. Some members ride with one another. Simple. Maybe it was everyone's commitment to both bicycle riding and the project itself that lead to MASH's success. We are all committed to riding bikes- as commuting 'tools'; as working 'tools'; as 'tools' for exercise- and this simple fact pushed things to where they are today. I like to think that in MASH's absence, the riders would still be riding with the same level of intensity as if we had never met one another. Similarly, I imagine that long after MASH has ceased to be a topic of interest, the riders will continue riding their bikes.

STUSSY: How long does it take to steal a bike?
MASH: It depends on the lock. There is an underground market up and down the west coast. You will find your bike stolen in SF show up at the bike swap meet in San Diego. I think kids have been toning down their bikes, maybe in hopes of not standing out. The flip side is that if you bike stands out in an original way, your chances of finding it again are better. My plan is to not travel with a lock, so when everyone goes in a bar, I can skip out and ride.

STUSSY: Can MASH riders agree on a top 5 list of bands? If so, then what are they?
MASH: All of the music in the video was picked by the riders. Some of it is local like The Mall and From Monument to Masses. Each rider picked what they wanted to ride to: MF DOOM, Gang Starr, Flin Flon, Japanther, Tool, Blondie, Bill Cosby, Ideas and Abilities, The Thermals, Richie Rich, The Meters, The Oblivians, what else?

STUSSY: What member of MASH SF could claim the worst crash- what happened?
MASH: We were all lucky to make it through this project relatively unscathed. Andy picked up a cast on his leg; Demarco came out the worst with a lacerated liver. None of these crashes were from taping. Igei separated his shoulder taping. That was fucked.

STUSSY: What are certain elements that most MASH SF riders possess? Are you guys ex-bmxers or skaters? IE Jovantae Turner and John Igei?
MASH: All of the riders possess a love of moving freely and unfettered from restrictions whether literal or figurative. As kids, riding a bike is, for most of us, the first glimpse we have of freedom and independence. That first time we sat in the saddle and the incredible feeling of movement and the union of body and bike is something we've all managed to carry with us in life. Without getting into specifics we are: messengers, designers, photographers, film makers, philosophers, graffiti artists, veterinarians, bag makers, anarchists, hippies, window washers, parents, mechanics, cyclocross racers, road racers, bmx dirt jumpers, skaters, snowboarders, lovers and fighters.