After many years with Hoffman Bikes, British rider Sebastian ‘Bas’ Keep joined Cult in 2010. He took the opportunity to move to Austin, Texas, and the changes only cemented his status as one of the living legends of BMX. Now also sponsored by brands such as Red Bull, Seventies, Stay Strong and Primo, he has been on the Vans team since 2002.
Born in Hastings, Sussex, Bas quickly developed into an incredibly talented rider with skills on any terrain – indeed, a documentary for Red Bull in 2013, which featured archive footage of Bas doing flips at age 11 and some classic footage from the ‘Reservoir Dogs’ Ride UK cover shoot, was called ‘Sebastian Keep: The all around BMX rider’.
From early on in his career, he travelled overseas on a regular basis on a never-ending search for unique riding spots, and he quickly became well-known to US BMX fans as well as those in Europe. A 2010 edit for Cult, filmed by Joe Rich, in which he blasts around the T1 ramp in Austin, showed his liking for big transition vert walls and massive high airs.
He continues to notch up top results in global competitions, including a 12th place in BMX Park at the X Games in Los Angeles in 2012, and eighth place in the GoPro Big Air contest in Barcelona in 2013. In 2014, he was invited to take part in Red Bull Dirt Conquers in Mexico, and he walked off with the Best Line award for a double cradle ride to downside whip out.