Product Description

At only thirty years old, Mat "The Condor" Hoffman is the Tony Hawk of BMX biking. BMX, like skateboarding, is one of today's most popular extreme sports. Its popularity is enjoying the same resurgence as skateboarding, and now, thanks to BMX activists such as Mat Hoffman, BMX biking is here to stay. Mat is a 10-time BMX World Champion. Mat has brought BMX freestyle riding to a level many thought wasn't possible. He's an innovator who has accomplished amazing feats such as base-jumping his bike off 3,500-foot Norwegian cliffs and clearing 26.5 feet above a 24-foot-high vert quarter pipe-exceeding the world record of 15 feet. Since the early 1980s he has invented more than 50 tricks, many of which are being duplicated by today's riders-and a few that only he has been able to master. He began riding at the age of thirteen, and within three years was the youngest professional rider the sport had ever seen. In 1991 he started his own promotion company, Hoffman Promotions, which sponsored many riders in addition to him. He assembled a team of the best freestyle riders and began organizing tours. He started his own bike manufacturing company, Hoffman Bikes, when his riding skill surpassed what conventional BMX bikes were able to handle. And he did it all by the age of twenty. In the past 10 years, Mat has been a key player in building the sport. He's developed numerous competitions as a way for professional and amateur riders to showcase their abilities. He organized Hoffman Sports Association, which is the organizing body for the X Games. He and his riders were selected to take part in the closing ceremonies at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA. His action figure and finger bikes are top sellers in their field. His video game, which was released in May by Activision, is a bestseller. He has produced, directed, and hosted several television shows focused on alternative sports. Now at the age of 29 - after 14 operations, 50 broken bones, more than 50 concussions, and flatlining due to a BMX-related injury-he has retired from competition but continues to perform in demos worldwide. As he shares his stories, he unfurls the bumpy history of BMX riding.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #616467 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Customer Reviews

An inspiring read
I started riding in the mid-eighties and saw Mat ride at comps on a few occasions. Mat and I are of the same age and it was inspiring to read about his journey and how he has managed to remain true to his mantra: "live to ride, ride to live".

I'd still be riding if it weren't for an accident, although, after reading about Mat's injuries and all the times he rode with taped-up broken body parts, I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a girl's blouse! Reading Mat's book has got me missing the biking all over again.

The book is made up of short chapters and makes ideal toilet reading.

For those thirty-somethings out there who lusted after Hutch Trickstars, videod every episode of BMX Beat and could do the perfect switcharound, you'll enjoy this book.

The ride of my life
This is easily the best book I own. It is a great addition to anyones collection even if they hate bmxing. If you do like bmxing it is even better as you get to find out about one of the best bmxers in the world. At the end it tells you all about different tricks which I found useful and interesting. Overall i have 3 words - buy this book