interview by thomas fritscher – Photos: Hoffman Bikes

why do you ride?
It’s the purest form of self expression I know of, and it offers more mental,
physical and imaginative challenges then anything else I’ve ever experienced…
it’s my life. It’s just become a part of me like breathing is.
which riders have shaped the way you look at bikeriding and your approach at it?
A lot of riders have inspired me, but riding is such a personal thing to me…
I guess I have my own personal ways I look at it and my approach to it. I owe
bike riding it doesn’t owe me a thing…
what’s your earliest bmx-related memory?
Hitting my head and loosing my memory… That’s terrible isn’t it? …that and trying to convert my coaster brake into a free wheel on my mongoose motto mags.
how do you see the current state of riding? compared to back in the days where you could basically do whatever, because only a couple of hundred people would see it, do you like
the (new) professionalism?
There are some things that bother me about the commercial state of bike riding,but I’m sure they bother everyone that seen the sport evolve… but
as long as you keep a good sense of humor, and don’t subscribe to it it’s all good. Hell, remember the 80’s… riders wearing goggles during a
flatland run on a freshly swept floor is as strange as riders wearing sunglasses with clear lenses in comps now. My personal perception of the state of bike riding stays pretty consistent. Bike riding is bike riding to me. The main change
is my vert ramp has about a foot more vert and a foam resi vert ramp attached to it, and my “big ramp” got bigger…
are there things/people/opinions that make you question riding; make you want to quit? what are those?
I would have quite a long time ago if I let the negative things/people/opinions shape the way I value riding. If I start letting politics effect what bike riding means to me I realize that I’m overlooking what riding really is. Things/people/opinions may make me want to ride more secluded or by myself… but never make me
want to quite.
what’s your biggest fear?
Right now it’s my lack of fear… You take it for granted when fear works as a natural instinct by telling you what is possible and what is not.
I’ve spent my whole life to try and master and/or control fear, but the only bad thing about that is if you succeed at mastering and/or controlling fear then you loose your natural instinct that tells you when you may be over
your head, and should take some caution… which I think makes you end up in the hospital more…
what stresses you out?
Most everything… I’m pretty high strung, but I’m trying hard to relax more.
i’ve heard people in skateboarding are blaming the videogames (thps) for some of the newer tricks
and loss of respect towards crazy stuff. aren’t you scared that people will take mhpb too seriously?
I don’t really care too much. It’s a game. It’s so funny now. There’s this digital parallel universe now in bike riding that has never
experienced our sport first person, but knows all the tricks and is a pro in there mind through the video game. I had no idea that the best way to promote the sport would be to come out with a good video game… There are so many virtual bikers now. I think it’s the start of a new era in bike riding. The sport is now immortal.
do you think that there might be another hoffman coming up sometimes, giving the sport another push like you did or will bmx vert riding stay the way you shaped it?
There’ll be other riders, I hope. It seems like vert riders are a dying bread, but I hope that foam pits and resie ramps help vert to be a little less knarly for the new jacks and help recruits a new generation. Foam pits and resie ramps are already pushing the sport. Look at all the stuff going down now at comps… everyone is going big!
i guess your life centers around bikeriding. do you have any hobbies/activities to get you
away from bikes or don’t you need that?
I’m a dad now. It’s the most rewarding experience ever. I’m having such an awesome time watching my daughter. Jaci (my wife) and Giavanna (our baby) went on the Hawk tour with me this year. We rented our own RV and followed their bus in our family wagon. It was great. I also like to play music, I’ve written a few songs, make tv shows represents bike riding the way I see it for
all those out there in tv land, I’ve skydived for about 13 years, but my shoulder is pretty weak now… it’s dislocated twice during free fall.
When I was in Germany earlier this year on the Hawk tour Tony and I rented a Ferrari on the autobahn and got going over 300 kilometer/hr and that could turn into another hobby…
what will you be doing in 10 years?
I live life by instinct. I don’t really have a game plan. I know I want to finish up my flying lessons and get my license some day. My dad and both my brothers are pilots, so I’m the slacker… I also want to learn to hang glide. I think that will be a more passive way to enjoy some airtime…
I want to ride as long as I physically can. It’s funny now because I can say when my body is too jacked I can still ride virtually through my game…
that rules! Other then that I’ll be watching my daughter grow up, and see what else interests me and comes a long.
Thanks Mat!

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