air time by riding obstacles.Can you describe your riding style?
Bommel: I think my riding style is hard and creative.
You seem to have fun while you are riding in a contest. You do some funny stuff during your runs. Do you think it's important to show everyone that riding BMX is fun and not a serious business?
Bommel: I think the BMX business today is destroying the roots of BMX. Every day I see kids trying to copy somebody and forgetting the main thoughts of this sport: the feeling of freedom and having fun. Every time at an event you seem to have learnt a new trick. What motivates you to learn new stuff?
Bommel: I don't know, maybe that's the result of my ambition. I MUST DO IT FOR ME!!!
When did you start your own park?
Bommel: We started building the skate park in November 2005 and opened the hall in February, 11th 2006 at 2 pm.
Can you tell us what sort of things you have to do to keep the park running? Bommel: I have to make the organisation of the club, build and repair the ramps, do some workshops with kids and make videos.
Do you think having your own park helps with your riding or does the working part get in the way too much so you cannot ride as much?
Bommel: Although I have my own skate park, I don't have really time to ride.
Which pro riders do you like (riding style/attitude)? Bommel: I like the style of Danny Hickerson, Joe Rich, Sergio Layos Paul Käpernick, Paddy Rohn, Hans Friedrich.
Which riders do you think push BMX the most (new tricks....)?
Bommel: Every rider in the world pushes BMX.
Do you think that people who are starting to ride BMX now have it easier to get well (more parks, videos, internet, foampits, events)? Bommel: To ride BMX now is easier but only for the first steps. When you want to start with hard stuff you need bike control, something you can´t find on a DVD cover or in a foampit.
What tricks are you working on at the moment?
Bommel: TOP SECRET
Are you looking forward to this summer? Bommel: Yes, in the summer I want to travel to Russia with my friends from the RooF BMX club and build a miniramp for kids living on the street overthere.
Which events are on the program?
Bommel: I don't have any plans, I make spontaneous decisions.
Thanks to: RooF BMX Team, Mellowpark, Zwanzig Zoll Mag, Mankind Bikes, Unity BMX, Profile, KingKong BMX, Etnies, T-Mobile Special Thanks to: Hans Friedrich, Jens Werner, Uwe Heide, Alexander Lahl, Paul Käpernick, Jan Bekurtz, Ben Tetzner , Michel Stauss, Paddy Rohn, Cristoph Huber, Kenny Bopp, Marcin, Tony Haupt, The BMX Mafia,Tobias Wicke for showing me the first dropin, all good session and my girlfriend I love you!
Pics by: BdJ/David Ulrich/Robert Tilch
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.