Lino Gonzalez


Lino Gonzales, petrol station crankslide. Photo: Rob Dolecki

1. What is your very first memory of BMX?
The first day I got my BMX bike, trying flatland in my dad’s driveway

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?
Getting my first bike was great; it was a feeling of freedom. I don’t really like getting new bikes; it doesn’t feel like it’s mine. I’ve always been used to crappy used parts, but that’s how I like it.

3. What was your first bike like?

It was a Dyno VFR my mom bought for me from my friend for $40.

4. What is your latest bike like?

It’s my signature frame from 2Hip; it’s amazing! Feels like home every time I get on it. I can’t believe I have my own frame; I definitely wanna thank Ron Wilkerson for that.

5. When & what was the first time you saw a rider do something amazing on a bike?
It was in 7th grade when I started riding; I saw this kid hop onto a ledge that was one foot tall, I couldn’t believe it.

6. When & what was the last time you saw a rider do something amazing on a bike?
August, Seth Kimbrough do a 180 crooked to 180, one take on a 9-stair rail.

7. If you hadn’t discovered BMX, what do you think you’d be doing now?
Probably the same thing everyone from my town ends up doing...

8. When it comes to riding, do you go for style or tricks?
I just do whatever, you can’t force style and I don’t really do too many ‘tricks’.

9. Do you have to work on progression, or does it just come naturally to you?
I don’t really work on anything. I don’t think anything I do involves progression. I feel like I’ve been doing the same things for years, just ride I guess.

10. What state of mind enables you to progress your riding?
I have no idea what this means, this question is too crazy for me.

11. What one rider has influenced you the most?
Ralph Sinisi.

12. What goes down if you have a bad day?
Car doesn’t start, flat tyre, dog barking at 5am... any number of annoying things.

13. When was the first time you tried something big/burly/scary?
360 over a spine was for sure the first time I was really scared, even though I was wearing a full-face and knee pads.

14. When was the last time you scared yourself on your bike?
Couple weeks ago, bump jump to rail. It happened in slow motion, and I seriously thought I was done, but somehow it worked.

15. What was the last bike part you bought?
A hub guard, I’ve had it for mad long, like three years.

16. What is the greatest BMX product in the last ten years?
Pegs.

17. If you could choose two riders to go riding with daily, who would they be?
The two dudes I grew up riding with, Josh and Joe Z.

18. How would you describe your riding?
Nothing special.

19. What is your favorite type of riding?
Late night street riding.

20. Describe an ideal day.
Wake up around 1pm, have breakfast with my wife Lauren, then go to Java Hut Cafe for some amazing coffee and chill there for a couple hours while browsing the internet; after that do some evening / night time riding with my boys, and finally go home for an awesome dinner.

While we’re here:
21. What were you doing in 1992?
Watching Yo MTV Raps and not caring about anything.

22. What’s been your favourite article in Ride UK?
The article with Tom White and Paul Horan riding in the ghetto. The photos were awesome, different than the normal stuff.

23. What was the first issue you saw of Ride UK?
It was the issue with a George D interview. I was real psyched on the magazine; it presents a different angle on BMX mags. The photos are always fresh too.

24. What’s been your favorite cover of Ride UK?
The one with Matt Wakefield doing a disaster on a dumpster. It was crazy; I actually lived it, and then saw it on the cover a month or two later

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