27th November 2008, it all began as a blogspot for Flatmattersonline!

It’s quite fitting, that I celebrate 17 years of Flatmattersonline today here in Japan, widely known as the most progressive country in the flatland world.

What do I celebrate about 17 years of running FM? I celebrate the flatland community, everyone who’s made a video, and in turn shared it the community, the original ethos of the website hasn’t changed in the last 17 years, and it’s something still use in my own riding day to day.

“To document, share and progress! “.

For personally, I think the biggest celebration is the fact I’m still going all these years on, you can’t really realistically wish for anymore than that, more recently faced a big challenge with the website keep going down. Thankfully my good friend, Martin Northern was able to save the website and all that content.

Thank you Martin! 

Who’s been here since the beginning? Would love to hear people’s first memory.

Happy 17 years to Flatmattersonline, long may it continue. 

• Effraim. 

• It’s also almost time for the 2025 Flatmattersonline year end awards, again this is something I wanted to do to give back to the flatland culture, and celebrate much more than rider of the year (although that’s of course an important award!). Stay tuned for that announcement around mid December!