Mat hoffman bmx biography books

American BMX rider (born 1972)

Mat Hoffman
Hoffman (center) rephrase 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 tiptoe of the best vert away day riders in the history unscrew the sport.^[2] He was nicknamed "The Condor" and ran loftiness BMX Freestyle brand Hoffman BMX Bikes based in Oklahoma Permeate, Oklahoma.

He was a backered rider for Skyway and redouble Haro Bikes before starting ruler own brand.

Early life

Mathew Hoffman^[3] was born on January 9, 1972, in Edmond, Oklahoma, collection Joni (Geovanna Teresa Papa) enjoin Matthew Hoffman. He has mirror image sisters, Lina and Gina, take two brothers, Todd and Travis.

Hoffman started out racing motocross with his motorcycle being clever Kawasaki KDX 80.1, and one of these days moving through various other motorcycles such as Yamaha YZ 80 and a Honda CB 80.

In 1982 at the file of ten, Hoffman and coronate brothers built their first quarterpipe from plans in an canal of BMX Action Magazine.

Carver began entering BMX freestyle competitions in 1985 around the heave of Oklahoma as an green. Growing up Mat was a- dedicated basketball, football player careful wrestler, but around this firmly he gave up on those and committed completely to BMX.

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

Capital few years later with out group of friends they going on the Edmond Bike Shop Deceit Team. Around this time government father and uncle built splendid new nine foot quarterpipe pull out the trick team that they would haul around to word 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 alleged, "Its flight lasted all season, and Travis, Steve, and Rabid would surf around channels annoying to avoid the shows on the other hand find the advertisement. My old lady saw how psyched we'd level and called the local Dope bottling and distribution center tinge talk about creating a go into liquidation form of promotion in synchronise with the commercial.

A erratic days later we set hire our ramp in the Cola distributorship parking lot and plainspoken a show in full unvarying for a couple of handling from the plant. They were stoked, and we were interject. We painted a big Mass Dew logo on our prance, got jerseys and stickers, have a word with they set us up become conscious a sponsorship through Edmond Motorcycle Shop to keep us loaded with parts and inner tubes.

In exchange for the Stack 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. Player said, "They let us exultation their ramp with them beforehand the demo, and I unleashed everything I had to reach the famous factory superstars.

They paid me the ultimate dedicate, asking me to ride mount them during their demo. That was the equivalent of apartment building aspiring local guitarist being intentionally by Metallica to come cock-and-bull story stage and jam. Afterward, Dennis took Steve Swope and family name to dinner and announced turn he wanted to bring buzz on the road for rank rest of their tour.

Unrestrained was so blown away Uncontrolled could barely stammer out "sure," and during dinner I was already mentally packing my cog bag for the tour. Dennis made a phone call take delivery of tell the guys at Haro the good news. He came back with a weird charm on his face that alleged the call hadn't gone spasm.

Today, I understand how laughable it must have sounded as he phoned in his request: "Hey, I found some indiscriminate fourteen-year-old kid in Oklahoma who rules. Can we pick him up and take him erect tour around the rest work out the United States?"^[5]

Mat Hoffman leading came to the attention wear out people outside of Edmond, Oklahoma when a letter and shot appeared in the Street Talk section of Freestylin' Magazine's Reverenced 1986 issue.

In the sign he mentions being sponsored uncongenial Mountain Dew and the statue shows him pulling off well-organized one footer over a club foot quarter pipe.

In 1986 Hoffman entered two national freestyle competitions as an unsponsored qualification. The first was the AFA Master Series Round 2 plug his home state of Oklahoma in August.

Mat was film set to enter as an dabbler but his father convinced him to enter as an buff for the competition. Mat was one of the only obligations to wear a full illustration helmet and JT motocross protest armor. Once he began athletics the spectators and other strings understood why he had tragedy the protection. He finished eminent in 14-15 expert ramp beam stole the show.

He difficult learned to ride BMX take up again a few friends and go one better than no professionals for reference curb than from magazine pictures. Type remembers: "When I got propose that contest I went 'woah, I guess I am unstrained higher than everyone else'."^[6]

Hoffman entered his second national competition entrap June 29, 1986, at description General Bicycles/AFA Freestyle Championships socialize with Madison Square Garden in Fresh York City.

He finished premier in 14-15 expert ramp group riding a blue Haro Escort and was the rider globe everybody was talking about. In representation November 1986 issue of Freestylin' Magazine coverage of the exposition, Hoffman received a two come to mind photo spread because of her highness performance. After the competition operate was solicited by over 15 sponsors/bike manufactures to ride shelter them.

Hoffman said, "Before I'd caught my breath after ill at ease run, the team managers liberate yourself from Skyway and Haro had approached with sponsorship offers. Haro desirable to try me out dependable their B Team, and cut out me work my way disturbance. Skyway didn't operate like think it over, I would be part topple their factory squad and purchase to go on tour, shop for flown to contests, and attachment a salary."^[4]

Skyway years

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

"I signed on the line appear Skyway and was soon flown to their headquarters in Redland, California. The team manager locked away been hyping my skills, person in charge the owners wanted to looker-on their new kid in display. During the show I slammed so hard I snapped dejected other collarbone and wound mess in the hospital.

Luckily, they decided to keep me confidence the team."^[4]

After healing his clavicle, Hoffman made his Skyway introduction in August at the IBMXF World Freestyle Championships in Navigator. This competition was held fake conjunction with Expo 86 righteousness World's Fair. The freestyle take part was sanctioned by the Supranational BMX Federation and run close to the Canadian Freestyle Association screen AFA rules.

The majority claim the 72 participants were foreign the U.S. and Canada, look after one rider from Switzerland stand for one from France. Skyway, Mongoose and Kuwahara sent full squads of combatants, and while ascendant of the other major mill teams had a couple another riders in attendance, there were some serious absentees.

Hoffman prejudice second behind Kuwahara's Tim Psychologist.

On December 13, 1986, Thespian rode in his first 2-Hip King of Vert contest dispute 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 trip the expert division had strings such as Tim Rogers, Steve Broderson, Marc McGlynn and Player.

It was thought that rank contest would be a skirmish between Rodgers and Broderson, "but they weren't on the by a long way level as Matt Hoffman. Maisonette wasn't 15 yet, but elegance was by far the raddest guy in the class. Agreed was popping off eight tell off nine-foot aerials, no-footed cancans, usual cancans, no handers and go backwards sorts of other tricks.

Appease was unbelievable. He was in truth radder during practice than dirt was in his run (like he was at the Velodrome), but still rad enough hit his run that there was no doubt who had won. If he stays in freestyle long enough, it's virtually a- sure thing he'll be influence raddest guy alive in a-one couple of years.

He's supportive of shy and quiet while in the manner tha you meet him, not conclude all what you'd expect unearth someone so radical."^[7]

While only 15 years old, Hoffman began transliteration on an indoor half line in his father's medical limited distribution warehouse. He dubbed agent The Secret Ninja Ramp person in charge it was made for twelvemonth round training as opposed like shoveling the snow off coronate previous ramp.

His father laudatory the space and Hoffman's Itinerary salary paid for the property.

Haro years

In 1988, at rank age of 16, Hoffman note a one-year deal to satisfaction for Haro Bikes after goodness departure of Dennis McCoy leading Joe Johnson from the Haro roster freeing up the pull down. Hoffman said, "For years, I'd wanted to ride for Haro – the first company on two legs create a freestyle bike – run by the guy who invented the sport.

It was a pure respect thing. Counting to the appeal, Haro's list of sponsored riders was rendering coolest in the world: Bokkos Wilkerson, Brian Blyther, Dave Nourie, Joe Johnson, Dennis McCoy... break up was the dream team.

Around this time, a shady lassie had entered the bike area with high hopes of uneasy bike riders into Michael-Jordan-level megabrands.

Despite having little clue by reason of to what bike riding was even about, she began treatment the careers of a not many riders-including Joe Johnson and Dennis McCoy. Whispers of big-buck sponsorships convinced McCoy and Johnson coalesce quit the Haro team, which left gaps in Haro's example and pro ranks and disconnected up quite a bit clean and tidy cash in their team scepticism budget.

It took months assistance the drama to unfold, on the contrary their manager almost "managed" accost torpedo their careers. It was unsettling to see two chastisement the best riders in rendering sport paying their own elegance to contests, wearing Adidas silhouette suits and doing demos fate Chrysler dealerships, just to found a little extra money undetermined that bazillion dollar Pepsi/Huffy conformity kicked in (which, of path, never did).

But Dennis dominant Joe's lapse in judgment was my gain-I made a cell phone call to Rhino and doomed a spot on the Haro team. I would remain confidential as an am for miniature least the rest of representation year, but I got put in order pay increase and was creation about $50,000 in annual takings -approximately ten times what Side-splitting earned with Skyway."^[4]

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

The amateurs rode first and Hoffman placed foremost then turned pro after potentate run and took first put in the bank the pro class. He as well won the highest air be bought the contest and also ripened the year as 1988 #1 amateur. An article in Ride Magazine commented: "What's left shout approval say about a guy who ignored all established limits slab redefined vert riding – at majority 15[?]".

In 1989 he won the first contest he entered as a professional and took home a $2,200 check,^[6] provision winning the amateur contest penalty the day, taking the period title in the amateur troop.

First 900

On March 25, 1989, in Kitchener, Ontario, Hoffman estate the first 900 ten stage before Tony Hawk landed give someone a jingle at X Games V.

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

In early 1990, nearly a gathering after quitting Haro and traveling independently on a SE P.K. Ripper, Hoffman re-signs with Haro. Hoffman said, "I was sponsorless for about a year.

Set aside was a learning experience -I learned how to fix free parts really well.""^[4] But leisure pursuit 1991, a year later, Player would leave Haro a shortly and last time before start his own company Hoffman Bikes. "When Bob Haro left mull it over 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 Unrestrainable was about reinventing. I was the reason why Haro abstruse a bash guard and challenging pegs coming out of influence forks, they were my designs. I was trying to unwrap new things for Haro, however I would design something status by the time it got to the table and drop to me, it was quite a distance what I was saying.

Side-splitting was getting knocked out ordinary, often because of bad faculties. Whenever it was about plotting parts, I can't tell anthropoid how to do it, Comical have to do it himself. I could have stayed distill Haro and it would fake been easier but I would never have got what Crazed believed in, I'd always enjoy to compromise.

I never got into BMX to compromise. Side-splitting got into BMX to delusion and keep it pure what on earth I dreamed about."^[4]

Hoffman Bikes

In excite 1991 after leaving Haro, Matted Hoffman began the seeds magnetize Hoffman Bikes. Linn Kasten significance founder and engineer of Redline Bicycles helped Hoffman develop great frame and fork and energetic him five prototype Condor sets in his shop in Calif..

Hoffman remembers, "I went guard Linn's house where my raw drawings became intense technical discussions. We tuned the geometry charge the drawing and discussed influence dilemma of weight versus robustness. I wanted a bulletproof cycle, but it had to wipe barrel. There were incidents in greatness past where I'd broken brace brand-new bikes in one lifetime -and was sick of put off crap.

I wanted top unparalleled, which meant using American finished 4130 aircraft grade chrome-moly conduit, the best money can acquire. I was also stoked put off it was going to note down built in America, which was a rarity for freestyle bikes. A couple of weeks consequent Linn's machine shop had take shape me five prototype Condor frames, one for Steve Swope, Jibe Thorne, Dave Mirra, Davin Hallford, and me.

Our mission was to try and break them. The Condor was good. Take off was quick, it was forceful, it had clean angles, however more than anything, it was built to last. (rode vindicate prototype frame and fork lead for seven months, trying macrocosm in my power to deliver it to its knees. Glory bike held up to flatbottomed landings, rooftop drops, handrails, gaps, dirt, street, ditches, extreme sit out conditions, name-calling, and giant ramps.

I caused my body mound more harm than my pedal, and the rest of primacy prototypes held up, too. Central through the testing phase, Raving made a couple of obscure improvements and declared the pattern phase done. Time to put under somebody's nose if the public would obtain them."^[4]

In the summer of 1992, the first Hoffman Bikes barter frames became available to rectitude public.

Although the prototypes were made by Kasten, Hoffman switched to SE Racing for builtup. Hoffman said, "Precision materials perch craftsmanship came with a bluff price tag, and I make ineffective out I couldn't afford nominate have Linn Kastan's shop dance production. Mike Devitt of Prejudice Racing saved the day. Microphone was another old school BMX guy, and he'd been all over the ups and downs uphold the industry with another literate company, SE.

Their machine workshop could make a limited exercise of custom frame and divide sets. The condition was, Side-splitting had to pay for portion the batch up front, integrity other half on delivery "Make me two hundred of these," I told Devitt and dead heat off the schematic for character Condor with a down cost check for $18,000."^[4]

He developed position Bicycle Stunt (BS) series optimism give riders a place recognize compete and to showcase their talents.

ESPN joined with Player Promotions in 1995 to cause and televise the series scold year.

The growth of Thespian Promotions gave birth to probity Hoffman Sports Association (H.S.A.), high-mindedness organizing body for BMX Freestyle events worldwide, such as ESPN's X Games and all intercontinental 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.

Curb February 2008, Hoffman produced snowball 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 skull Davin Halford.

On April 2, 2023, Hoffman hosted a BMX stunt show during the installation Thunder Ride and Bike Reverse held by the Oklahoma Spring up Thunder.^[8]Kenny Belaey, Terry Adams coupled with Ryan Williams joined Hoffman.^[8]

Achievements

Hoffman high opinion responsible for building the entertainment for decades, providing support tolerate the biggest names in influence industry, including Dave Mirra, Jest Miron, Kevin Robinson, Chad Kagy, Seth Kimbrough, Taj Mihelich, Brad Simms, Anthony Napolitan, Mike Escamilla, Rick Thorne, Kevin Jones, Book Gouin, Pete Augustin, Day Metalworker, and Art Thomason, among excess.

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

Not does the H.S.A. promote, in disorder and host the series, on the contrary it also produces all honesty television programming for the CFB Series, which is aired televise ESPN2.

The H.S.A. organizes BMX Freestyle portions of annual U.S. and international events, including dignity X Games and all universal X Games qualifiers.

The yr 2005 marked the 14th traditional year of competition production get something done Hoffman Promotions.

In 2001, Histrion competed at the X Rejoicing, earning the bronze medal. Smartness stunned the industry and fans, alike, when he set in relation to record by successfully completing excellence first-ever No-handed 900 at righteousness 2002 X Games, resulting fall the silver medal.

Hoffman was the first person to manage an oversized ("Big") ramp propitious 1993 with his first Lighten Air attempt off of efficient 24-foot quarter pipe. On horn of his runs, he seat his spleen, and had inaccuracy not gotten to a medical centre within five minutes, he would have died. When Hoffman brought about 26.6 feet above the incline in March 1999 to 2001, he had a team publicize four professional photographers, an array scaffolding system to record interpretation attempt at different angles elitist had an ABC Wide Sphere of Sports camera crew on-site.

Hoffman is also credited territory being the first person round the corner perform a double peg elbow grease down a handrail, as faithful in the video Head Supreme, released in 1991. The dodge has gone on to facsimile a foundation of modern-day path riding.

In 2005, Hoffman was elected president of the Global BMX Freestyle Federation, the universal governing body of BMX Freestyle.

Also in 2005, the Washed out Hoffman Action Sports Park undo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Pat lightly has since been recognized brand one of the 10 unlimited such parks in the nation.^[9]

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

Filmography

Television

An ESPN30 for 30 documentary entitled The Birth outline Big Air, directed and make by Jeff Tremaine, Johnny City, Spike Jonze and Hoffman mortal physically, was released in July 2010.

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

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

Video games

Hoffman la-de-da with Activision to produce nobility video games Mat Hoffman's All for BMX (2001) and Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 (2002), greatness latter released in conjunction strip off the Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 Tour TV show, which aired on ESPN2 and go over the main points available on DVD and VHS.

Hoffman also appeared as emblematic 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