Bob Haro | The Freestyle BMX Story, Haro Bikes and Haro Bikes by Rad Season

Apr 11, 2022

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 2113 times

Bob Haro is the Father of Freestyle BMX and the founder of Haro Bikes and Harodesign. Bob grew up in Southern California riding motocross and skateboarding. When he ran out of money to continue racing dirt bikes he turned to BMX. Drawing was Bob's first passion and started illustrating for BMX magazines and brands. He became the staff artists for BMX Action Magazine. At 18 he started his own business, manufacturing BMX Plates and selling tens of thousands in the process.

Bob was racing BMX and riding skateparks at night which became the birth of Freestyle. Parks were starting to close down so he was building his own ramps. They would take their ramps on the road doing Freestyle demo shows across the US and then worldwide.

Bob designed the first frame and fork for freestyle BMX. Then partnered with Torker to build the first freestyle bike called the Freestyler and Haro Bikes was launched. Haro Bikes grew rapidly turning over 7 million before Bob got an offer to sell it. He took the offer and started Harodesigns in 1993, a brand and marketing company for the action sports and motorsports industries. Bob went on to design the 2008 and 2012 US Olympics BMX Team kit and continues to be an instrumental figure in the BMX world.

Tune in to find out how Bob mixed his love of design with BMX, starting businesses, touring the world on his bike, the boom of Freestyle, BMX in the Olympics and loads more!

Do you have any questions for Bob?

LINKS & INFORMATION

Bob Haro
Website: https://bobharo.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bob_haro/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobharo