There’s No Community Quite Like The Lowrider Community

As Speedhunters, one of a handful of moral dilemmas we find ourselves in is how strictly we adhere to the site’s name.

Post a low car and people are quick to remind us that we failed to hunt speed. Genuinely hunt speed though, and that same group has seemingly lost their internet connection. Sometimes it feels like people would rather complain about a lack of speed content than applaud the speed content that does exist.

But, we’ve all got our own custom-made flame-retardant suits, and appreciate the fact that we need to also adhere to the site’s tagline: Global Car Culture Since 2008.

If we solely focused on speed we’d miss exploring niches of the genre with incredibly rich histories. So at the risk of testing the UL-94 rating of my own flame suit, I am going to go ahead and reiterate the title: There’s no community quite like the lowrider community.

I’ve floated around a few lowrider events over the years, and the diversity, family ties and sense of community is hard to rival. Say nothing of the music and absolutely phenomenal food that more often than not comes as part of the package, too.

The cars could suck, and you’re still going to have a blast at a lowrider event – if you approach it with an open mind.

Thankfully the cars don’t suck, and many walk the extremely fine line between car and art.

If you’re willing to put aside the fact that lowriders are not built for any practical purpose, and certainly not any sort of timed competition, then you’re ready to appreciate everything they have to offer. You want to talk attention to detail, panel gaps, cleanliness and preservation? Lowrider enthusiasts live it.

The grouping of cars above might not be what you’d typically associate with ‘lowriders’. They don’t have wires or loud sound systems and the steering wheels are not made of chain, but they’re the predecessors of the cars you are likely familiar with.

If you look close you’ll see carefully placed, highly sought after accessories, show chrome, and subtle pin striping.

Keiron is a lot of things, but one thing he isn’t is a lowrider guy. But he’s also not that guy to say no to any type of car event. After attending Love 4 The Streets’ ‘The Take Over’ show in Anaheim, California, he knew the photos needed to be showcased here. “Dave, we should do something on this event… but I’m not sure what”.

While he’s not a diehard lowrider fan, I most certainly am. I think the best way to present lowriders here is with genuine passion for the cars.

No angles, no clickbait, just a lowrider fan going full fanboy.

Over the course of a few posts I am going to share my love of lowriding and general appreciation of everything that surrounds this community. There are definite reasons why parts of this community have transcended into practically every other genre of car culture.

Those same reasons are also why lowriding’s influence has also become global. Lowrider-inspired levels of fit and finish are universal, and more importantly there are lowriders basically everywhere. You just have to know where to look.

But if you can’t look yourselves don’t worry, because Keiron and I have you covered. We’re going to kick things off with classic lowriders – or bombs – before transitioning to the cars on wires you all know and love, and concluding with an offshoot of lowriding that’s sure to set the comments section on fire.

Stay tuned, but more importantly, stay low.

Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom

Photos by Keiron Berndt
Instagram: keiron_berndt

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