One of the biggest influences on my “biking career” has to be my dear ol’ Dad. Since I first picked up a BMX, he’s been my go-to guy. From fixing my bike, driving me to races and displaying an incredible knack for bringing beat-up/broken bike parts back to life, he gave me the kind of support that no bike company sponsorship could provide.
When other fathers would get worked up at the track yelling at their kids, he would shake his head and say he was just glad we were having fun and going home in one piece.
He’s the guy who taught me to ride a bike in the first place.
I still remember him running alongside me, one hand on the seat post, encouraging me to “pedal, pedal.” I pedaled as fast as I could. After a while I realized he wasn’t holding on anymore. I looked back and saw him standing there, a little nervous but with a slight smile on his face.
I kept pedaling.
It felt scary but so good at the same time. I was on my own but my Dad was still there if I needed him.
Some things never change.
Thanks Dad.
Vintage photo of my Dad working on my bike. (Check out how scrawny I was back then.)
cruiser revolution 
great article. My dad was my factory sponsor as well LoL. I remember during the big races there would be a bike shop trailer at the track and my dad would watch me take practice runs and when i go back to him he would always have some new part for me like a new tire for grip of a new chainring to switch up my gearing. the best was when he surprised me with the sweetest set of crupi pedals, the square ones. No factory could ever take care of me the way my dad did. I miss ya dad r.i.p
Proper fathers day memories!!
Great Fathers Day Post! At 45 I still appreciate my dad. He set an awesome example for me to model after with my son. My dad was disabled and never could do any of the things I could do. That didn’t slow him down at all. When I raced professional motocross as a teenager, we would spend hours together working on the bikes and enjoying our time together. He was my mechanic, my coach, my promoter and my trainer. He did it all even though he couldn’t ride himself. My goal as a dad was to try and take that a step further. I wanted to do whatever my son was interested in. Fortunately he choose bmx. It’s been 7 years now of us riding together and we have a blast everytime we ride!
my dad drove me to races, never yelled at the track, and took me to the hospital as necessary without complaint or scolding.
he helped me lace up a 3 speed hub for my bmx bike back in the 70’s. that thing ripped!!
my dad is 85 now. still loves his sturmey archer 3 speed hubs. still rides his bike around town. he is an active pilot- both fixed wing and rotor, and was just inducted into the coast guard hall of honor for his work as an aviator, rescue pilot, and test pilot.
love ya pops!
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