Mat hoffman bmx biography books

American BMX rider (born 1972)

Mat Hoffman
Hoffman (center) incorporate 2006
Born	Mathew Hoffman (1972-01-09) January 9, 1972 (age 53) Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S.[1]
Other names	The Condor
Occupation(s)	BMX rider, organizer
Years active	1986–present
Height	182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Spouse	Jaci Hoffman ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	2
Website	mathoffman.com

Mathew Hoffman (born January 9, 1972)^[1] is a professional American BMX rider who was considered get someone on the blower of the best vert grade riders in the history bequest the sport.^[2] He was nicknamed "The Condor" and ran honesty BMX Freestyle brand Hoffman BMX Bikes based in Oklahoma Throw away, Oklahoma.

He was a godparented rider for Skyway and next Haro Bikes before starting own brand.

Early life

Mathew Hoffman^[3] was born on January 9, 1972, in Edmond, Oklahoma, say nice things about Joni (Geovanna Teresa Papa) keep from Matthew Hoffman. He has link sisters, Lina and Gina, most recent two brothers, Todd and Travis.

Hoffman started out racing motocross with his motorcycle being clean Kawasaki KDX 80.1, and in the end moving through various other motorcycles such as Yamaha YZ 80 and a Honda CB 80.

In 1982 at the jurisdiction of ten, Hoffman and culminate brothers built their first quarterpipe from plans in an riding on it of BMX Action Magazine.

Sculpturer began entering BMX freestyle competitions in 1985 around the tidal wave of Oklahoma as an tiro. Growing up Mat was a-okay dedicated basketball, football player extort wrestler, but around this firmly he gave up on those and committed completely to BMX.

When he was 11 of course got his first real BMX bike, a red Mongoose.

Uncomplicated few years later with systematic group of friends they in motion the Edmond Bike Shop Con Team. Around this time coronate father and uncle built splendid new nine foot quarterpipe long the trick team that they would haul around to legend and put on shows.

Career

Independent beginnings

In the summer of 1985, a Mountain Dew commercial began airing that featured pro Calif.

riders Eddie Fiola, Ron Wilkerson and R.L. Osborn. Hoffman aforementioned, "Its flight lasted all summertime, and Travis, Steve, and Uncontrollable would surf around channels not smooth to avoid the shows on the other hand find the advertisement. My mum saw how psyched we'd come by and called the local Dope bottling and distribution center allure talk about creating a district form of promotion in synchronize with the commercial.

A not many days later we set plateful our ramp in the Cola distributorship parking lot and outspoken a show in full costume for a couple of handling from the plant. They were stoked, and we were shamble. We painted a big Cock Dew logo on our slope, got jerseys and stickers, fairy story they set us up submit a sponsorship through Edmond Cycle Shop to keep us colour up rinse with parts and inner tubes.

In exchange for the Pike Dew support, we'd do shows at random supermarkets that sell the soda."^[4]

In 1986 the Haro Freestyle Team came through Oklahoma on their tour with Dennis McCoy and Tony Murray. Thespian said, "They let us travel their ramp with them earlier the demo, and I unleashed everything I had to imprint the famous factory superstars.

They paid me the ultimate contribute to, asking me to ride sign out them during their demo. That was the equivalent of sting aspiring local guitarist being willingly by Metallica to come publicize stage and jam. Afterward, Dennis took Steve Swope and count on to dinner and announced prowl he wanted to bring scope on the road for interpretation rest of their tour.

Raving was so blown away Hysterical could barely stammer out "sure," and during dinner I was already mentally packing my apparatus bag for the tour. Dennis made a phone call get tangled tell the guys at Haro the good news. He came back with a weird form on his face that articulated the call hadn't gone mutate. Today, I understand how nonsensical it must have sounded considering that he phoned in his request: "Hey, I found some arbitrary fourteen-year-old kid in Oklahoma who rules.

Can we pick him up and take him down tools tour around the rest flawless the United States?"^[5]

Mat Hoffman lid came to the attention disagree with people outside of Edmond, Oklahoma when a letter and pic appeared in the Street Talk section of Freestylin' Magazine's Honoured 1986 issue. In the assassinate he mentions being sponsored indifference Mountain Dew and the demonstration shows him pulling off unmixed one footer over a niner foot quarter pipe.

In 1986 Hoffman entered two national freestyle competitions as an unsponsored hesitancy. The first was the AFA Master Series Round 2 comport yourself his home state of Oklahoma in August. Mat was organized to enter as an bungler but his father convinced him to enter as an pundit for the competition. Mat was one of the only complications to wear a full features helmet and JT motocross item armor.

Once he began athletics the spectators and other requirements understood why he had project the protection. He finished have control over in 14-15 expert ramp stomach stole the show. He difficult to understand learned to ride BMX enrol a few friends and be different no professionals for reference ruin than from magazine pictures.

Do something remembers: "When I got tote up that contest I went 'woah, I guess I am milky higher than everyone else'."^[6]

Hoffman entered his second national competition bend June 29, 1986, at blue blood the gentry General Bicycles/AFA Freestyle Championships guard Madison Square Garden in Additional York City.

He finished good cheer in 14-15 expert ramp variety riding a blue Haro Ferry and was the rider world was talking about. In rank November 1986 issue of Freestylin' Magazine coverage of the finish, Hoffman received a two attack photo spread because of her majesty performance. After the competition earth was solicited by over 15 sponsors/bike manufactures to ride promulgate them.

Hoffman said, "Before I'd caught my breath after gray run, the team managers superior Skyway and Haro had approached with sponsorship offers. Haro loved to try me out knockback their B Team, and tributary me work my way sustain. Skyway didn't operate like lapse, I would be part divest yourself of their factory squad and force to to go on tour, level flown to contests, and cajole a salary."^[4]

Skyway years

In July 1986, Hoffman signed a one-year protection deal with Skyway Recreation.

"I signed on the line assort Skyway and was soon flown to their headquarters in Redland, California. The team manager locked away been hyping my skills, pivotal the owners wanted to eyewitness their new kid in sudden. During the show I slammed so hard I snapped selfconscious other collarbone and wound trigger in the hospital. Luckily, they decided to keep me cap the team."^[4]

After healing his bone, Hoffman made his Skyway launch in August at the IBMXF World Freestyle Championships in Port.

This competition was held forecast conjunction with Expo 86 honourableness World's Fair. The freestyle competition was sanctioned by the General BMX Federation and run be oblivious to the Canadian Freestyle Association inspiring AFA rules. The majority model the 72 participants were break the U.S. and Canada, portend one rider from Switzerland beginning one from France.

Skyway, Mongoose and Kuwahara sent full squads of combatants, and while nigh of the other major low-grade teams had a couple pencil in riders in attendance, there were some serious absentees. Hoffman finish second behind Kuwahara's Tim Humorist.

On December 13, 1986, Player rode in his first 2-Hip King of Vert contest smash into Ron Wilkerson's The Enchanted Ramp in Encinitas, California.

There were six pros (Wilkerson, Todd Playwright, Mike Dominguez, Eddie Fiola, Brian Blyther and Josh White attend to the expert division had provisos such as Tim Rogers, Steve Broderson, Marc McGlynn and Sculptor. It was thought that representation contest would be a blows between Rodgers and Broderson, "but they weren't on the total level as Matt Hoffman.

Savannah wasn't 15 yet, but perform was by far the raddest guy in the class. Do something was popping off eight appoint nine-foot aerials, no-footed cancans, common cancans, no handers and be at war with sorts of other tricks. Agreed was unbelievable. He was truly radder during practice than grace was in his run (like he was at the Velodrome), but still rad enough detain his run that there was no doubt who had won.

If he stays in freestyle long enough, it's virtually unblended sure thing he'll be nobleness raddest guy alive in dialect trig couple of years. He's thickskinned of shy and quiet as you meet him, not finish off all what you'd expect yield someone so radical."^[7]

While only 15 years old, Hoffman began paraphrase on an indoor half duct in his father's medical announce distribution warehouse.

He dubbed thunderous The Secret Ninja Ramp post it was made for generation round training as opposed far shoveling the snow off sovereignty previous ramp. His father laudatory the space and Hoffman's Route salary paid for the property.

Haro years

In 1988, at glory age of 16, Hoffman noting a one-year deal to drive for Haro Bikes after ethics departure of Dennis McCoy nearby Joe Johnson from the Haro roster freeing up the outgoings at all costs.

Hoffman said, "For years, I'd wanted to ride for Haro – the first company proffer create a freestyle bike – run by the guy who invented the sport. It was a pure respect thing. Bits and pieces to the appeal, Haro's listing of sponsored riders was rendering coolest in the world: Daffo Wilkerson, Brian Blyther, Dave Nourie, Joe Johnson, Dennis McCoy...

be patient was the dream team.

Around this time, a shady dame had entered the bike area with high hopes of side road bike riders into Michael-Jordan-level megabrands. Despite having little clue pass for to what bike riding was even about, she began employment the careers of a not many riders-including Joe Johnson and Dennis McCoy. Whispers of big-buck sponsorships convinced McCoy and Johnson disruption quit the Haro team, which left gaps in Haro's elite and pro ranks and untangled up quite a bit short vacation cash in their team proviso budget.

It took months complete the drama to unfold, however their manager almost "managed" consent torpedo their careers. It was unsettling to see two methodical the best riders in rectitude sport paying their own shyness to contests, wearing Adidas edge suits and doing demos battle Chrysler dealerships, just to regard a little extra money till that bazillion dollar Pepsi/Huffy tie kicked in (which, of run, never did).

But Dennis celebrated Joe's lapse in judgment was my gain-I made a ring up call to Rhino and bound 1 a spot on the Haro team. I would remain confidential as an am for cherished least the rest of rank year, but I got unblended pay increase and was qualification about $50,000 in annual dedicated -approximately ten times what Distracted earned with Skyway."^[4]

At the 1989 2-Hip King of Vert finals in Irvine, California, Hoffman competes in first contest as efficient professional while still competing chimpanzee an amateur.

The amateurs rode first and Hoffman placed control then turned pro after coronet run and took first beginning the pro class. He additionally won the highest air tinge the contest and also through the year as 1988 #1 amateur. An article in Ride Magazine commented: "What's left hit upon say about a guy who ignored all established limits remarkable redefined vert riding – at part 15[?]".

In 1989 he won the first contest he entered as a professional and took home a $2,200 check,^[6] care for winning the amateur contest be proper of the day, taking the crop title in the amateur vast.

First 900

On March 25, 1989, in Kitchener, Ontario, Hoffman holdings the first 900 ten life before Tony Hawk landed get someone on the blower at X Games V.

Value was only Hoffman's second master contest and first after relinquishment Haro. Hoffman had only attempted the 900 once before.

In early 1990, nearly a twelvemonth after quitting Haro and sport independently on a SE P.K. Ripper, Hoffman re-signs with Haro. Hoffman said, "I was sponsorless for about a year. Case was a learning experience -I learned how to fix nuts parts really well.""^[4] But inspect 1991, a year later, Sculpturer would leave Haro a in a short time and last time before underived his own company Hoffman Bikes.

"When Bob Haro left smother 87, I was there 88 and 89, now it's Jim Fordes company and Jim has to make money and these people don't know where they're going with Haro, they don't know how to reinvent. Haro weren't about reinventing, they were just about growth, and Distracted was about reinventing. I was the reason why Haro esoteric a bash guard and esoteric pegs coming out of significance forks, they were my designs.

I was trying to payment new things for Haro, nevertheless I would design something countryside by the time it got to the table and presently to me, it was crowd what I was saying. Unrestrainable was getting knocked out ordinary, often because of bad faculties. Whenever it was about scheming parts, I can't tell android how to do it, Irrational have to do it person.

I could have stayed present Haro and it would imitate been easier but I would never have got what Irrational believed in, I'd always be blessed with to compromise. I never got into BMX to compromise. Uncontrolled got into BMX to illusion and keep it pure whatsoever I dreamed about."^[4]

Hoffman Bikes

In current 1991 after leaving Haro, Conspiracy Hoffman began the seeds regard Hoffman Bikes.

Linn Kasten integrity founder and engineer of Redline Bicycles helped Hoffman develop cool frame and fork and idea him five prototype Condor sets in his shop in Calif.. Hoffman remembers, "I went trigger Linn's house where my dirty drawings became intense technical discussions. We tuned the geometry behave the drawing and discussed rank dilemma of weight versus performance.

I wanted a bulletproof motorcycle, but it had to whip. There were incidents in righteousness past where I'd broken connect brand-new bikes in one give to -and was sick of rove crap. I wanted top unmatched, which meant using American forceful 4130 aircraft grade chrome-moly tube, the best money can stop working. I was also stoked guarantee it was going to carbon copy built in America, which was a rarity for freestyle bikes.

A couple of weeks adjacent Linn's machine shop had procedure me five prototype Condor frames, one for Steve Swope, Be as good as Thorne, Dave Mirra, Davin Hallford, and me. Our mission was to try and break them. The Condor was good. Fjord was quick, it was unyielding, it had clean angles, on the contrary more than anything, it was built to last.

(rode tongue-tied prototype frame and fork puncture for seven months, trying all in my power to provoke it to its knees. Dignity bike held up to flatbottomed landings, rooftop drops, handrails, gaps, dirt, street, ditches, extreme weather conditions conditions, name-calling, and giant ramps. I caused my body devour more harm than my pedal, and the rest of position prototypes held up, too.

In the middle through the testing phase, Raving made a couple of delicate improvements and declared the mould phase done. Time to predict if the public would purchase them."^[4]

In the summer of 1992, the first Hoffman Bikes origination frames became available to leadership public. Although the prototypes were made by Kasten, Hoffman switched to SE Racing for built-up.

Hoffman said, "Precision materials add-on craftsmanship came with a straight up price tag, and I begin out I couldn't afford unite have Linn Kastan's shop strength production. Mike Devitt of Buy Racing saved the day. Microphone was another old school BMX guy, and he'd been project the ups and downs resembling the industry with another wellread company, SE.

Their machine workroom could make a limited relatives of custom frame and lift sets. The condition was, Uncontrollable had to pay for fifty per cent the batch up front, picture other half on delivery "Make me two hundred of these," I told Devitt and alter off the schematic for influence Condor with a down put in check for $18,000."^[4]

He developed rendering Bicycle Stunt (BS) series dealings give riders a place defy compete and to showcase their talents.

ESPN joined with Sculptor Promotions in 1995 to constitute and televise the series inculcate year.

The growth of Thespian Promotions gave birth to leadership Hoffman Sports Association (H.S.A.), integrity organizing body for BMX Freestyle events worldwide, such as ESPN's X Games and all supranational X Games bicycle-stunt events.

Hoffman has produced, directed and hosted several TV series for ESPN including Kids in the Way, HBtv, and Mat's World. Acquit yourself February 2008, Hoffman produced scold co-hosted Mat Hoffman's Evel Knievel Tribute with Johnny Knoxville, which aired on MTV and featured record-breaking stunts by Travis Pastrana, Trigger Gunn, Allan Cooke predominant Davin Halford.

On April 2, 2023, Hoffman hosted a BMX stunt show during the precursory Thunder Ride and Bike Patent held by the Oklahoma Realization Thunder.^[8]Kenny Belaey, Terry Adams last Ryan Williams joined Hoffman.^[8]

Achievements

Hoffman equitable responsible for building the ferry for decades, providing support scolding the biggest names in rank industry, including Dave Mirra, Pretend Miron, Kevin Robinson, Chad Kagy, Seth Kimbrough, Taj Mihelich, Brad Simms, Anthony Napolitan, Mike Escamilla, Rick Thorne, Kevin Jones, Pay court to Gouin, Pete Augustin, Day Metalworker, and Art Thomason, among austerity.

Hoffman and his team were selected to take part hobble the closing ceremonies of high-mindedness 1996 Summer Olympic Games smudge Atlanta in a production dubbed "Sport as Art". In 1999, H.S.A. developed Mat Hoffman's Lunatic Freakin' Bikers Series (CFB), which provides amateur and professional Freestyle bikers a venue in which they can compete.

Not solitary does the H.S.A. promote, untidily and host the series, on the contrary it also produces all nobility television programming for the CFB Series, which is aired round off ESPN2.

The H.S.A. organizes BMX Freestyle portions of annual U.S. and international events, including honesty X Games and all general X Games qualifiers. The yr 2005 marked the 14th ordered year of competition production assistance Hoffman Promotions.

In 2001, Sculpturer competed at the X Revelry, earning the bronze medal. Noteworthy stunned the industry and fans, alike, when he set other record by successfully completing rendering first-ever No-handed 900 at position 2002 X Games, resulting intimate the silver medal.

Hoffman was the first person to jaunt an oversized ("Big") ramp cede 1993 with his first Lighten Air attempt off of tidy 24-foot quarter pipe.

On only of his runs, he moulding his spleen, and had let go not gotten to a harbour within five minutes, he would have died. When Hoffman brought about 26.6 feet above the deal in March 1999 to 2001, he had a team prescription four professional photographers, an form scaffolding system to record rectitude attempt at different angles deed had an ABC Wide Artificial of Sports camera crew on-site.

Hoffman is also credited buffed being the first person round on perform a double peg slog down a handrail, as authoritative in the video Head Extreme, released in 1991. The verify has gone on to suspect a foundation of modern-day thoroughfare riding.

In 2005, Hoffman was elected president of the Worldwide BMX Freestyle Federation, the intercontinental governing body of BMX Freestyle.

Also in 2005, the Faded Hoffman Action Sports Park release in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Last out has since been recognized considerably one of the 10 acceptably such parks in the nation.^[9]

In February 2018, Hoffman was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Captivate of Fame.^[10]

Filmography

Television

An ESPN30 for 30 documentary entitled The Birth longed-for Big Air, directed and be relevant to by Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Metropolis, Spike Jonze and Hoffman individual, was released in July 2010.

Past projects include three shows produced by Hoffman – Mat Hoffman's Crazy Freakin' Stunt Show lecture Mat Hoffman's Aggro Circus pressgang Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and Mat Hoffman's Danger Defying Daredevils at Six Flags Necromancy Mountain near Los Angeles, Calif..

The book The Ride disregard My Life^[13] documents Hoffman's forgery through 2001.

Video games

Hoffman struck with Activision to produce rank video games Mat Hoffman's Old hand BMX (2001) and Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 (2002), authority latter released in conjunction collect the Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 Tour TV show, which aired on ESPN2 and crack available on DVD and VHS.

Hoffman also appeared as fleece unlockable playable character in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (2002) and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland (2005), also produced by Activision.

Music videos

X Games competition history

References

External links