Vans x Supercross BMX 35 Year Anniversary Collection — Old Skool BMX & Era DLX

By Bill Ryan — Founder of Supercross BMX · 37+ years in BMX · Designer of 8× Bike of the Year race frames 

It was the summer of 1989. We were sitting in the back shop of Power Plus Cycles in Stanton, California — the little all-BMX shop I owned and ran TECH BMX out of. We were helping Tommy with Brackens, Billy with Redline, and building custom bikes. It was a true BMXer's paradise.

Eric Carter was knocking back Horchatas and Pepsis. Brian Lopes was showing off his new stereo in the Blazer he'd had custom painted by Santini. Todd Anderson had the Vans Pro Motion rig out front and was practicing on the quarter pipe blocking up 7-Eleven's parking. But it was about time to get serious.

First, Billy Harrison laced up his Vans. Tight. Then Kiyomi Waller, Jon Agnew, and Richie Carrero — the grunts who got to drag out the gate — did the same. It was time to get on the gates, and every pair of Vans in the shop was laced tight.

That night, on that start gate, the idea for the first Supercross BMX frame was born. A way to put more power into the pedals. A way to kill the flex out of the gate. A way to go faster. A way to have more fun.

Vans were there. I was wearing a custom pair of purple ones they'd made for me to match my custom-painted purple bike. Vans have been in our DNA from the very beginning, and 35+ years later I couldn't be more proud than to announce this collab and these two new shoes. And they are RAD.

Why This Vans x Supercross BMX Collab Is Different — Vans Has Been Here Since the Early 80s

This isn't a brand slapping its name on a shoe. This is 40+ years of history finally getting its shoe.

Back in the early 1980s, when I was a kid racer dreaming of national glory, Vans co-sponsored me. Everett Rosecrans from Vans believed in me long before anybody else did. He'd help me out any way he could — shoes, support, a pat on the back at the races. Later, when I got my first team off the ground, Everett was still in my corner. That's not something you forget. Everett believed in me. I've believed in Vans ever since.

Fast-forward a few years. Todd Anderson was my roommate. Eddie Fiola was at the house most days. Danny Hubbard too. I was helping run the Vans Pro Motion Freestyle Team for all three of them. The ramp and the team truck were parked in front of my house on the same block as Power Plus Cycles in Stanton. The truck was a Vans billboard. The ramp was a Vans ramp. And every rider on that team came back from shows and demos with grip-worn soles and stories.

So when Steve Van Doren called me at Christmas 2023 and said, “Hey Bill, let's talk after the new year and make this happen,” I was humbled. We've worn Vans since we were kids — since before we could afford to buy a pair and had to buy one shoe at a time. Being asked by the Van Doren family to do a Supercross collab, after all of it, is the honor of a lifetime.

The Vans x Supercross Collab — Designed by Bill Ryan and Sons

Steve's in-house team started sending over designs. They were good. But a lot of BMX collabs just end up being billboards — huge logos slapped on the side of the shoe. I told Steve I wanted something different. I wanted shoes that a collector would want. Shoes a current-day BMXer would actually wear. And shoes the average person on the street would see and go, those are some cool Vans.

When BMX has been on your mind for over four decades, you need a shoe designed with BMX in mind.

Steve said, “OK, here are the templates. Go for it.” He had his team dig out patterns they hadn't used in years. The Old Skool BMX is the same pattern Vans built for Larry Edgar — one of the best BMX shoes ever made. And they opened the door on the Era DLX, with the padded ankle, that had been sitting in the vault.

From there, the two shoes were designed by me and my sons, using the Vans patterns Vans sent over. Colorways, trim, eyelets, tongue — every Supercross touch on both shoes was drawn up in-house at Supercross. Steve and his team at Vans built them.

We wanted to launch at Dirty Fest, but lead times on Vans production are long, so that didn't happen. A summer launch ended up being perfect — Supercross was born in the California sun on a summer day, and summer is Vans weather. Perfect timing to birth two new shoes.

The Supercross Old Skool BMX — Vans' First BMX-Specific Shoe

The Supercross Old Skool BMX is built around a brand-new Vans outsole: the Wafflecup BMX. First of its kind. BMX-specific. Made with VDFPR — Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe — a proprietary gum rubber compound formulated to grip pedal pins and last.

It's reinforced with Duracap underlays in the high-wear zones to add durability and prolong the life of the shoe. And inside, the PopCush energy-return footbed — Vans' best cushioning — protects your feet and keeps leg fatigue down through long sessions.

Shop the Old Skool BMX →

The Supercross Era DLX — A Year Before Vans' 60th Anniversary Era

Then there's the Era DLX. Oh, the Era DLX.

The Era is an evolution of the famous skateboarder's design from the mid-1970s. The Era was perfect for BMX back then, and the same holds true today. It took the low-top skate silhouette and added the padded collar. It was also the first Vans to get the iconic “Off the Wall” heel tab — and it remains the shoe of choice for BMXers worldwide.

Shop the Era DLX →

The Supercross Details Most Will Miss

Look close at either shoe and the Supercross elements are there: the single yellow eyelets, the red outer trim, and on the Era the mismatched tongue.

The mismatched tongues are a nod back to 80's BMX and skate culture. Us kids would wear out one shoe before the other — rear foot dragging, pedal pins grinding, whatever was going on — and Vans let us buy one shoe at a time. That's what we could afford. Vans was always looking out for us, and we've always looked out for them. That's the kind of thing you don't forget, and that's the kind of thing this collab is built on.

No giant logos. No billboards. Just the details the people wearing them will notice.

If that BMX kid in you is burning up and wants to get to the track and go ride, like Bubba and Lexis and the rest of the Supercross team do, join us in celebrating 35 years of Supercross BMX and Vans. Slip a pair on to your feet.

Watch the Vans x Supercross BMX Story

Coming Summer 2026 — The Next Vans x Supercross BMX Drop

The first Vans x Supercross BMX run was for the 35-year anniversary. The next one is already in motion. This Summer 2026, the Vans x Supercross BMX 2026 Edition drops with all-new styles and all-new colorways. Same DNA — BMX first, built on Vans' best materials, Supercross touches on every stitch — different look.

If you miss the first run, the 2026 Edition is the next shot. And if you're locked in on the first run, the 2026 Edition gives you something to pair them with.

Want the drop date before everybody else does? Get on the Supercross BMX email list — sign-up is at the bottom of any page on the site. You'll get the Summer 2026 drop details the moment they're live.

Shop the Vans x Supercross BMX Collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Vans x Supercross BMX 35 Year Anniversary Collection?

A two-shoe collab between Vans and Supercross BMX marking 35 years of Supercross. The drop includes the Supercross Old Skool BMX, built on Vans' new BMX-specific Wafflecup sole, and the Supercross Era DLX, reissued for Supercross a full year before Vans' own 60-year anniversary Era relaunch. A kids' Old Skool is also part of the collection.

Who designed the Vans x Supercross BMX shoes?

The shoes were designed by Bill Ryan and his sons, using the original Vans patterns that Vans provided — the Larry Edgar Old Skool pattern and the Era DLX pattern with the padded ankle. Steve Van Doren and the Vans in-house team built them.

What makes the Old Skool BMX different from a regular Vans Old Skool?

The Supercross Old Skool BMX uses a new Vans sole called the Wafflecup BMX — the first Vans outsole designed specifically for BMX pedal grip. It's made from VDFPR (Van Doren Factory Pedal Recipe) gum rubber, with Duracap reinforced underlays in high-wear areas and a PopCush footbed for cushioning and energy return. It's the same pattern Vans used for the Larry Edgar BMX shoe.

What is the Era DLX and why does the collab matter?

The Era is the mid-1970s low-top Vans silhouette that introduced the padded collar and the “Off the Wall” heel tab. The DLX version has the padded ankle. Vans is celebrating its own 60th anniversary in 2026 and reissuing the Era as part of that. Vans let Supercross BMX reissue the Era a full year early as our signature shoe — the Supercross Era DLX went before Vans' own 60-year launch.

Why is BMX on a Vans shoe a big deal for Supercross?

Bill Ryan's relationship with Vans goes back to the early 1980s, when Bill was a kid racer and Everett Rosecrans at Vans co-sponsored him. A few years later, Bill ran the Vans Pro Motion Freestyle Team — Eddie Fiola, Todd Anderson, and Danny Hubbard — out of his shop, Power Plus Cycles in Stanton, CA. The Vans Pro Motion ramp and truck were parked at Bill's house. A shoe built specifically for BMX, with Supercross on the heel, is more than 40 years of history finally getting its shoe.

Are the shoes still in stock?

The first run is nearly sold out. Sizes that are still showing in stock tend to move within days. Check the product pages for current availability.

Is there a kids' version?

Yes. The Vans x Supercross Old Skool is available in a dedicated kids' model using the same Supercross-specific build and details.

When are the next Vans x Supercross BMX shoes coming out?

The next drop — the Vans x Supercross BMX 2026 Edition — arrives Summer 2026 with new styles and new colorways. Sign up for the Supercross BMX email list to get the drop date first.

Where can I buy the Vans x Supercross BMX shoes?

Direct from Supercross BMX. Product pages: the Old Skool BMX, the Era DLX, and the Kids Old Skool.

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