Category Archives: Interviews

Jean-Francois Boulianne: The Southern Escape / The story behind a Must Watch!

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Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photography: Matthieu Metivet, Simon Warsan, Jean-Francois Boulianne.

This past winter, Jean-Francois Boulianne made his travels south to Peru and Colombia to avoid the harsh cold Canadian winter.
No one could have anticipated the Covid 19 pandemic that was to follow, and JFB has held onto this edit for a couple of months.
When Jean first hit me up with the edit, I asked what he had been up to during the winter, as I had seen a few posts on social media and was curious what his story was, and he seemed to be away from home for a long time.
After a few conversations back and forth, it became apparent to me that I should showcase this amazing edit a little differently than your normal Must Watch video breakdown.
Without further ado, it’s time to learn a little more about Jean’s travels and enjoy this edit, as the story goes deeper than just tricks, and captures for me what BMX is all about….

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Flat Snitches: Episode 4 / 360 Bike flip with Steve Mulder

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Intro: Effraim.
Interview: Effraim, Pete Brandt.
Photo/Video credits: Steve Mulder, Chris Rye, Mark Eaton, Rob Dolecki.

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since Episode 3 of Flat Snitches with Tim Treacy discussing the Backyard, so it’s time to get back to it, and take a little break from the regular FM exclusive clips (we return to the exclusive clips on Wednesday)…
Myself and Pete Brandt have been talking about switching over to video for Flat Snitches to document, and show visuals of the trick creations and provide some historical context also. Editors note: Steve is camera shy, so enjoy the video and the written interview…

For episode 4, we go back to the 90’s.
And a 360 bike flip move that begins in a peg wheelie, throw the bike 360 degrees and land in a switch-b, aka switch foot caboose! It’s time to show its creator, Steve Mulder some much deserved respect!

The concept of the bike flip has become trendy as of the last few years, but the 360 version has not. Myself and Pete discuss a few heads that have stepped into the arena, but as we delved a bit deeper, it came to our attention the straight line version is untouched. Mad respect to Steve for this timeless creation!

We catch up with the man himself to discuss this amazing move, and dig into some of the background information on it. Enjoy the episode and interview, it’s time to learn more about this amazing creation and give props to one of the best riders to ever do this artform we call flatland….

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Dom Nekolny: Winning the UCI World Championships

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It’s a shame there isn’t a translation for what Dom Nekolny is saying in this edit, but judging this one by the clips and the fact Dom is rocking the UCI rainbow jersey i’m pretty sure Dom is discussing his UCI World Championship win last year. The riding clips keep this one flowing along regardless…

Yasuyuki Takeo: The Flatmattersonline Interview

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Intro/Interview: Effraim.

It is hard to put into words the influence that the King of Ground contest has had on flatland since it’s inception, from all sides of flatland, the groundbreaking riding styles, the inside wooden contest floors, use of the battle format, waving of the flags for the judges result. I feel like no matter what I say, that would be only the tip of the iceberg.

I hit up Yasuyuki Takeo, one of the people behind the scenes that helped get the King of Ground up and running along with Takashi Ito, Kotato Tanaka, York Uno and a few others. I’ve lost track how many times I’ve posted a KOG video, and hit rewind numerous times just see what the hell happened. I wanted to know more about behind the scenes information of one of the most influential contest series to happen in flatland history.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Yasuyuki Takeo interview! In true Flatmattersonline style, it’s a long read, so grab a cuppa and get educated on all things KOG. So stoked how this came out, thank you Yasu for taking the time to do work on this interview.

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Last Times with Zimmi Akhmad

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Travelling is one of the best things about the flatland lifestyle, you get to meet fellow flatlanders you might not ever meet. Last year when I was attending the UCI World Championships in Chengdu, China, I got to meet a fresh face to the flatland scene I hadn’t seen before, Zimmi Akhmed! Flatland crosses many boundaries, and we shared a funny moment out for lunch trying to translate a Chinese menu along with Dustyn Alt, Sietse Van Berkel, Gilles van de Sompel (and afew others) at a restaurant close by to the UCI World Championship venue. I wanted to give Zimmi some shine on the site, he lives in Bali and is the only flatlander there. It’s time for second edition of “Last Times”. Much respect Zimmi!

Introduce yourself Zimmi, for everyone that doesn’t know who you are?
My name is Zimmi Akhmad I’m 33 Yo and will turn 34 on May 26 this year. Originally from Sidoarjo is a suburb of the second capital city in Indonesia of Surabaya. Interesting with BMX after I watched the BMX Bandit the movie from 1983, it was Nicole Kidman and Tracy Wallace I think if I’m not wrong, and by the time my friend also introduces me with BMX bike when I was 18 YO. And in 2001 I know what is BMX freestyle is, and in 2003 I started ride flatland. I decided to move to a small beautiful island of Bali in 2014 because I love the ocean because in the city where I live before it is just a concrete jungle and no beaches. Just settle in Bali and get a job as Business Development Manager for the distribution company which sells surf products because Bali is such a big market for the Surfing industry internationally after Australia and Hawai. And also because I love to surf as well, I would go surf if I can’t go ride instead. But surely my passion is BMX.

I live in Bali with no flatlanders, only street riders and skaters here are such a struggle, to be honest, to keep motivated to ride flatland. When you get stressed trying to get new tricks, or can’t land a trick sometimes. That’s why sometimes I hang out with friends which they are street riders here in Bali, and they keep motivating me. Till now I’m the only flatland rider who lives in Bali.

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Throwback Thursdays: The Pete Brandt Flatmattersonline Interview

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If you have already been scrolling through today’s updates, you will have seen the 50th birthday teaser that Jim McKay is putting together for James McGraw’s and Pete Brandt’s 50th birthday tomorrow! This seems as good a time as I have ever had to repost the Pete Brandt Flatmattersonline Interview, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane. Real pleasure putting this one together!

The Terry Adams & Martti Kuoppa Flatmattersonline Interview

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Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photos: Martti Kuoppa, Terry Adams, Robby Klein, The Agency Photo.

To be coached is relatively a new thing for flatland, some people I have talked to frown when I mention this, others see value and results in being coached (if you are competing). Martti Kuoppa, is as far as I know, the first flatland coach in our history, that uses his personal experiences from years of commuting at the highest level to help others improve their contest riding, and thus…. results.

It was no accident, Martti Kuoppa is one of the most successful contest riders in flatland history, his preparation was in-depth and gruelling, and when you team him up with one of the current most successful riders on the contest scene, Terry Adams the mind boggles at the potential….

Terry Adams combined forces with Martti Kuoppa during the latter part of 2018, ending the the 2019 season with a very respectable 4th place at the UCI World Championships in Chengdu, China.
I wanted to know more, and get into the in’s and out’s, what can Terry Adams, one of the most consistent contest rider get out of being coached to improve his performances I wondered?

Grab a cuppa, sit down and take in this really insightful interview with two of the best riders to do it. Welcome to the Martti Kuoppa & Terry Adams Flatmattersonline Interview….

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Irina Sadovnik: The Flatmattersonline Interview Part 2

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Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photos: Sevisual, Rob Alton, Alex Lang Photo..

Great reaction to my Part 1 Flatmattersonline Interview with the first Women’s UCI World Champion in Flatland, Irina Sadovnik. I know I have said it before, the interviews are a lot of work, and probably what I enjoy producing the most, and this two part interview with Irina was no different. But it has been a whole lot of fun getting to know her, over the last year or so, and I felt the whole flatland community needed to hear her story. Thank you for all the positive feedback from Part 1 last Friday…. Let’s get into Part 2, it’s a good one and well worth a read whilst your on lockdown….

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Irina Sadovnik: The Flatmattersonline Interview Part 1

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Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photos: Nao King, Rob Alton, The Agency Photo, Stefan Csaky, Irina Sadovnik.

As many of us prepare to go into lockdown (some of you may already be) with the corona virus pandemic that already is causing havoc to our daily lives and routines. It’s hard to find something to be positive about, but then I think about the UCI Women’s Flatland World Champion, Irina Sadovnik. Irina is able to bring a smile to everyone’s faces on the tense contest floor, her positive energy is infectious.
It struck me that throughout the last 11 years of running Flatmattersonline I haven’t interviewed many female riders if any at all?! As I discussed with Irina, I felt awful about this, and decided it was time to do something about it.
We have been working on this interview since the UCI World Championships where Irina not only won the world title, but she did it a ruptured meniscus in her right knee!

Travis Collier once said “if you so spread positive energy, nothing but positive energy will comes your way”…
I can’t think of anyone who deserves some positive energy, than the woman that makes all the flatland community smile with her personality. and positive outlook on life.
It’s time to get into it, and find out all about this incredible woman. I asked Irina to dig deep, and she came through with an in-depth insight into her life of which I knew hardly anything about. I am sure I speak for everyone in the flatland community, when say I hope Irina makes it back to riding asap, she is already missed!
Show some respect, ladies and gentlemen this is part 1 of the long overdue, Irina Sadovnik FLATMATTERSONLINE INTERVIEW!

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