Vert riders are getting older, comps are fewer, sponsorship for riders and events is harder, ramps are being taken down all over the world, I’ve no doubt it’ll eventually die out unfortunately.
But as long as I can ride a bike and get to a vert ramp I’ll always ride it.
Paul Meacher
Age?
40
Bike?
Custom Lairdframe with mainly Total, Profile and Colony parts.
Why the hell would you want to ride that?
I’ve ridden various frames over the years and fancied something custom to my own spec as there wasn’t anything out there with the features I wanted. I saw the frames Mike Laird started building and really liked the look of them. American made, by a pro rider in any size I wanted with the features I wanted, all at a good price too.
I like my bike reasonably light, simple and fast. But it had to have a rear brake and gyro too.
Where do you ride?
Mainly Skaterham in Caterham, Surrey. That is my nearest indoor park and they have a lovely decent sized vert ramp. Also working 5 days a week means I can get there easily for evening sessions.
I do try to travel a bit and ride The Base, Bletchingley mini ramp, Creation and various other parks when I can.
How did you get started riding vert?
I had always nibbled at vert as years ago most parks had a vert ramp, Leigh-on-sea, Rom, Bristol, Southsea, etc. So growing up my Dad used to take me to these parks and I’d just ride everything that was there. My local ramp growing up was a 6ft metal miniramp which was lovely. There was also a really tight 10ft ish vert ramp in Sutton which was fun.
It wasn’t till Skaterham built their vert ramp I really started riding vert on a more regular basis, one of the main bonuses was your rarely had to wait to get a run in!
You’ve had an amazing year so far and you really seem to be riding at your best. What do you attribute your current form to?
Why thank you!
I personally don’t think I’m riding at my best at present, I think I’m a few years past that now, mainly being I just don’t ride as much as I used to. I had a small back operation a few years ago now and even though I’m not in pain anymore I’m not as flexible or as strong as I was, I also can’t ride for long periods of time anymore which at this stage in my life isn’t too big a problem.
For the past 3 years I’ve been doing Pilates at least once a week to help me strengthen my core and gain some flexibility, especially as I knew my back was giving me grief, other than that just staying fit and active really.
You went to San Diego to ride in the X games vert qualifiers earlier this year. How was that experience?
They’ve rarely held X-Games qualifiers for bmx vert so when it was announced they decided to hold one I made the decision to go but it wasn’t actually worried about qualifying for X-Games…. I went for the same reason I attended the Dew Tour qualifier years ago which was to hang out and ride with a bunch of like minded vert dudes and have fun.
Vert comps are so rare these days I like to try and support any event if I can and I’d never get to meet guys like Alex Landeros, Mykel Larrin, etc if I didn’t go. I went to have fun and support the scene.
What was it like to Ride/hang out with the likes of Hoffman and DMC?
I’ve ridden alongside Mat in a handful of comps before, it was pretty cool to see him pick up his bike and join in the comp in San Diego too, always a treat to watch Mat ride. Same with Dennis as well, it’s a bit nervous riding with guys like that as they are so legendary I just end up a little star struck!
You rode so well at that comp. Were you gutted not to qualify for the X Games?
Not at all. I never thought I would qualify to be honest. Too many good riders out there that are better than me. I’m def not X-games material. I rode pretty good at that comp, tailwhips were plaguing me the whole time but I stuck a good run in the end and it was enough to land me 5th place and in that field I was more than stoked with that.
How do you feel about the whole limited number of vert competitors at the X games and the way in which they are selected?
I think it sucks, massively.
To only have 6 riders in this years comp was terrible. That was cut from 8 the year before which still isn’t acceptable in my opinion. I could name 10 really good vert guys (not including myself) easily. To have only 6 is insulting but that’s all they would allow.
I don’t mind the top three being taken automatically from the previous year as that’s the same across all disciplines and let’s be honest if your in the top three you deserve an invite back the following year.
The worldwide Vert community seems very strong. Is there a good vibe amongst the guys who ride vert?
100%. Everyone I’ve met at vert comps, jams, etc, all over the world are super friendly. I think we’re all just stoked to see more people sessioning a vert ramp that’s normally pretty empty. It’s a rare thing these days but these guys riding vert know how fun it is which is why they do it, it sure as hell ain’t for the glory!
Do you feel vert riding is dying?
It is dying, 100%.
Vert riders are getting older, comps are fewer, sponsorship for riders and events is harder, ramps are being taken down all over the world, I’ve no doubt it’ll eventually die out unfortunately. But as long as I can ride a bike and get to a vert ramp I’ll always ride it.
Do you think the Midi ramp needs to make a comeback to allow riders a gateway to vert?
That would definitely help yes, I think there’s definitely a lack of 8-10ft midi ramps in skateparks, even if people didn’t wanna convert to riding vert a decent midi ramp is still good fun.
What would you like to see happening in BMX to help encourage riders to ride vert more often?
I do think ramps got far to big. No one needs to ride 14ft vert ramps. You can do just as big an air on an 11/12ft tall ramp. Bigger ramps can be safer as there is more transition to catch you if you do fall but most people see the 13/14ft tall ramps as being far to scary in the first place.
Ideally parks needs 11/12ft tall vert ramps. I think the main issue is everyone is spoilt for choice now, go to almost any park and there are ramps ranging from 3/4ft up to about 7/8ft and nothing above that. No one finds those ramps scary so everyone rides them, people don’t wanna get hurt riding a 14ft tall ramp.
Landing smooth, high airs on vert also takes time, years infact, no many have the patience nowadays, they could spend that time riding smaller ramps and have a similar amount of fun.
Whats your plans for next year? Are you going to go for the X games again?
I doubt they’ll hold a qualifier again next year but if they do and I have the funds available to go then yeah I’d like to attend, just for an awesome vert session in the California sun ha ha.
How do you fit riding in with work/life/family/whatever?
Well I work full time 5 days a week so evenings and weekends is when I can ride. I don’t have kids and my better half is fine for me riding whenever I wish. I try to get to local parks a few evenings a week and once or twice a month at the weekend I’ll take a trip to another park further away, probably gonna be At Creation as much as possible now as they have resurfaced their vert ramp in skatelite and it’s a perfect ramp.
How do you approach vert riding progression? It seems like its one aspect of the sport that takes so so long to master!!
I don’t really progress much ha ha! I do some tricks now I’ve never used to do but also there’s tricks I’ve done in the past that I don’t do at present. What takes so long is going high and keeping it smooth, coming in front wheel first an inch away from the coping, that takes years, trying to not land flat or hang up is the tricky part.
Once you can master that it’s just a matter of throwing in tricks you can do. It was so handy when Adrenaline Alley had their vert resi ramp as it was the only one in the whole of Europe, that’s where I learnt flairs and even tried double whips and a few 900’s.
It’s an immense shame they tore that ramp down and a huge loss to the scene and many that ride vert, bmx and skaters alike. I doubt I would try big tricks like that again on a proper ramp as it will just break me off if I crash something hard. I would like to re-learn 540’s again though, apart from that I’m happy doing what I do.
Whats the story for you and injuries now that you’re an older dude?
Like everyone of age I def notice how long it takes to recover from injuries now, even the smallest of injuries can sometimes take weeks to heal, I have a physically job so it sucks when I’m hurt but I just try and carry on. I don’t ride often or super hard so my crashes are fairly minimal, but injuries are inevitable so it’s just trying to manage them as best as possible.
As I mentioned briefly before I had a small back surgery a few years back on two discs in my lower spine, I’ve had back trouble for years and it got to a point where I was in agony and couldn’t ride. My back will never be the same as it was 10 years ago but it’s a lot better than 3/4 years ago so it’s just trying to manage it as best as possible, it’s sore a lot of the time which can be more frustrating than anything as it feels so stiff as well as a little painful.
I try to be fractionally more sensible these days and try to stay rubber side down. Other than my back I’ve not had many big or other significant injuries, touch wood….
Do you do any exercise or stretching to help with BMX fitness and/or injury prevention?
Yeah def stretching, trying to stay flexible really helps, I attend a Pilates class at least once a week which helps with my back and general core strength, that’s about it really. I will ride injured too which can be a bit of a no no sometimes, but if I can manage it I will!
I think the best way to stay fit is to ride as much as possible, being bike-fit is key. I know people that run and go to the gym etc etc but once on their bike they are still knackered after a few runs.
What about Eating and Booze? Do you try to watch these so you can keep on riding BMX?
Honestly, I eat whatever I want, I’m lucky in that I don’t really put on much weight, I don’t eat loads, never have, so maybe that’s a key part to that. Again drinking I don’t do much of it, I could go weeks or sometimes months without alcohol, usually only drink if I’m out for the night or on a social meet up etc, I don’t handle hangovers well either ha ha!
Any last words?
Thanks to my better half Vicky who puts up with all my shit and accompanies me to a lot of bmx events and sessions, she’s like my manager!
Thanks to yourself for firing these questions over to me and running one of the best pages on Facebook.
Thanks to anyone that ever helped me out, or supported me.