Stunt star Matti has fans in a spin at Big Bike Revival event

By Tony Upfold
Friday, 09 September 2016
BMX stunt star Matti Hemmings shows his skills in Sholing
Professional BMX flatland rider and Guinness World Record holder Matti Hemmings wowed spectators with a special demonstration of his bike stunt skills in Sholing, Southampton, as part of Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival.

Local charity Monty’s Community Hub hosted the special BMX-themed event, which thrilled young fans. 

As well as putting on a show, Matti stayed to teach local kids some tricks, hopefully inspiring the next generation of BMX riders.

He said: “It was great to see so many young people out on their bikes today and trying their hand at some tricks.

“I hope it will inspire them to take the sport further and see a future in it. The flatland BMX scene continues to grow in the UK and I’m happy to see more people getting involved.”

Flatland is a form of freestyle BMX riding, performed by spinning and balancing on a specially adapted bike. It doesn’t use ramps or rails, but is performed on a flat surface.

Matti holds the Guinness World Record for most BMX cliffhanger spins (one foot on handlebars) in one minute, with 56 spins.

Josh Allen, team leader at Monty’s, said: “Our Big Bike Revival events this year were about encouraging more local people to get on their bikes and try cycling.

“We fixed lots of bikes this summer, got lots of kids riding more confidently and even got a few riding their bikes for the first time. The Big Bike Revival helped us to achieve this and we hope to continue delivering more work locally like this into the future.”

The Big Bike Revival Summer of Cycling has helped people to bring their bikes back into use by providing cycle health checks, sharing maintenance knowhow and giving people more confidence in the saddle, helping many deprived communities in the process.

Cycling UK Development Officers based in Southampton, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sefton (Merseyside), Reading, Plymouth, Surrey, Hampshire, Yorkshire and Essex have liaised with dozens of bike recycling centres and other venues and groups to put on 1,500 events during the summer, with over 30,000 people benefitting.

These events will be followed in October by hundreds of led rides organised by Cycling UK member groups for the thousands we have helped get back into cycling or to ride for the first time.

The Big Bike Revival also rolls out across Scotland for the first time this year, launching in Stirling on 19 September.

 

Promotion and encouragement Big Bike Revival