Ride UK BMX

Cambridge-born Dirt specialist Matt Priest is sponsored by Vans, Verde Bikes, Relentless Energy, Segment Clothing, The Source, Duo and Quintin Hats. One of the most chilled and friendly riders around, he spends much of his time touring Europe with his friends, before migrating in the winter to the BMX hotspot of Austin, Texas.

He didn’t start his BMX career until the relatively late age of 15, but was soon making up for lost time on spots around his home town and the surrounding area, such as Saffron Walden Skate Park. He entered – and won – his first competition at 17, and even then was impressing everyone with his great brakeless style and bike control.

He made his big breakthrough in 2008 when he won the Dirt competition at NASS at the first attempt, and he won the competition again in 2010, combining style and big tricks including two perfect 720s. In 2011, he joined up with Verde Bikes, and went on to finish joint third at NASS and be voted as the UK’s number one dirt rider of the year in the Ride UK Readers’ Choice Awards.

Now happily ensconced at Verde, he has a joint signature frame with Lima Eltham called the ‘Oxbridge’. Most at home on woodland trails with crazy technical lines and big jumps, his signature 720 is still in perfect working order, and he has recently appeared in films such as the global BMX project ‘Make It Happen’ as well as edits from trips to Oregon with Vans and Greece with Verde.