In a recent Instagram post talking about the R&D on the 2019 Verde Spectrum 22 (photo below), Scott Towne dropped an interesting tidbit/soundbite.

Apparently, Mark “Lew” Lewman (of Freestylin’ magazine fame) floated the idea of a 22″ bike to Chris Moeller (of S&M) more than 20 years ago!

Back then, Lew was a lanky magazine editor that rode one of the larger 20″ bikes of the time, the Redline RL-20II.

According to Scott:

It should be noted that Mark Lewman, AKA Lew AKA @superlewman proposed the idea for an “in-between” sized bike with “maybe 22-inch wheels” as a new concept to Chris Moeller in the mid-1990s, but it just wasn’t yet the time. Lew was always ahead of the curve.

I guess the BMX world wasn’t ready then.

We sure are now.