John Heaton


High speed gappage, to brick thing, to gappage off. John Heaton gets it done, either filming for etnies or Volume, or both? Photo: David Hawthorne

1. What is your very first memory of BMX?
My first memory is me and my old friend riding bikes in his dirt bike track he used to have. We used to wear dirt bike leathers so we didn’t wreck our school clothes. We would hit the sides of the jumps and do kick outs… it was soo much fun.

2. How did you feel when you got your first bike – do you have the same feelings now when you set up a new bike?
I felt like I needed to be on it all day everyday. I was never concerned about how dialled it was or how light it was, I just wanted to be riding it… ahhh the good old days... I think now I still get as excited... I get really stoked when I change anything on my bike. If I change the grips, or a new chain, new bars… whatever, I makes me want to go out and shred… so when I get a new frame and new parts, I’m just as excited as when I used to get. Maybe even moreso…

3. What was your first bike like?
My first bike was a chrome Norco and I put Dyno Slammer bars and a Dyno Drainpipe on it with a padded GT drop-nose seat – shit was dialled!

4. What is your latest bike like?
My latest bike is a Volume Deathwish with my geometry, 20” TT and short rear end, with Volume and Odyssey components, this thing is also dialled!

5. When & what was the first time you saw a rider do something amazing on a bike?
There was this guy that lived in my hometown named Jamie Stienmetz. He was the local hero as far as riding went and he did a 360 flyout of a pavement bank – I could not believe it, and after that that’s all I wanted to do.

6. When & what was the last time you saw a rider do something amazing on a bike?
I was out riding with Osato a couple of months back and he had the idea to wallride over a dumpster out of this shitty little bank. The dumpster was so effing high and I didn’t think it was even close to do-able… but Dave ended up going way up and over it, only to have to jump off ‘cause he went too high. I don’t know, that was the last time something absolutely didn’t make sense to me.

7. If you hadn’t discovered BMX, what do you think you’d be doing now?
Well I know this is a bit of a cliché but riding saved my life, and I think I would be in jail! Haha, I was a little prick and on the wrong route until I found riding and it gave me something to put energy into on my terms. I’m lucky I found it when I did.

8. When it comes to riding, do you go for style or tricks?
I try to do both – I like doing tricks, but I like to try to make tricks look good. I hate the robotic shit you see. I think it’s very important to make things your own. Put your own little stank on it!

9. Do you have to work on progression, or does it just come naturally to you?
Ohh I have to work on it for sure. It has to be a conscious effort ‘cause I get into just doing the same shit I know how to do all the time. When I am trying to do new stuff, I usually have to spend a long time thinking about it before I go out and try it. I usually have to think about new shit for a couple weeks before I would go and try anything.

10. What state of mind enables you to progress your riding?
I guess just confidence in your own ability. That seems obvious but I really have to believe I can do it before it will ever happen.

11. What one rider has influenced you the most?
I don’t think I really have one rider anymore. I would say the people I ride with on a regular influence me.

12. What goes down if you have a bad day?
If my bike feels like shit or if I’m physically tired and I try to ride I usually get pretty worked up – I wanna be able to ride well, but my body won’t let me. Then I’m a spaz!

13. When was the first time you tried something big/burly/scary?
I can’t really remember, but I know that’s the feeling that keeps me riding... I love scaring myself and getting away with it... of course it sucks when you don’t get away with it and end up eating shit, but when you do ride away from something you’re scared of – it doesn’t get any better.

14. When was the last time you scared yourself on your bike?
Just last week while filming for the new Etnies video: this summer I have been scaring myself a lot cause I’ve been filing for both the Etnies and Volume videos.

15. What was the last bike part you bought?
I bought a chain last week from 3Ride but he gave me a bro deal, so I’m stoked! Haha…

16. What is the greatest BMX product in the last ten years?
Well for me it’s a toss up between internal headet and LHD cassette hub.

17. If you could choose two riders to go riding with daily, who would they be? Two huh???? That’s tough, there so many people I love to ride with… I can’t pick just two – the whole Vancouver scene and Rob and Nate from Cali.
18. How would you describe your riding?
I’m not sure about this one… I have fun and that’s all that matters to me.

19. What is your favourite type of riding?
It changes from time to time, but right now I’m really loving street riding... I’ve never had as much fun riding street as I have in the last year or so.

20. Describe an ideal day…
Wake up with my fiancé and go out to breakfast. Come home and take our dog out for a good run. Go ride a bunch of new street spots and get some clips for the videos. BBQ with some friends. Hang out with Andrea again, maybe watch a movie and then go play hockey around 10 o’clock. Come home and go to bed. A perfect day.

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