SE Crew: Matt Rickard
Nor Cal's Matt Rickard is definitely a role model for bike life riders. Ride a lot and have fun—he gets it!
How old are you?
I am 46 years old.
Where do you live?
I live in Rio Linda, California.
How many SE bikes do you own?
I own eight SE bikes: 2006 X4 Flyer, 2018 Big Ripper, 2018 City Grounds Big Ripper, 2019 Big Ripper, 2021 Big Ripper, 2021 Dblocks Big Ripper, 2021 Fast Ripper, 2022 Prototype. The first three bikes I bought out of my own pocket. And the last five bikes have been sent to me from SE.
What’s your favorite SE bike?
My favorite bike is definitely my 2018 baby blue Big Ripper. I bought that bike in 2017 so I could get back into riding. In the two years that I rode that bike I put somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 miles on it—hard miles. That was the only Big Ripper I owned so that thing went everywhere with me. The riding I did on that bike is what helped get me sponsored. There are so many wonderful memories tied to that one bike for me. I also love my 2006 x4 Flyer because that bike kept me riding from 2009 all the way to 2017 until I bought my first Big Ripper. The yoke that holds the back of the frame to the bottom bracket is milled and hollowed out…totally RAD.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
I love traveling to new places and riding. Meeting new people and riding in new places is the best. In the past few years I’ve been able to travel and ride a lot of the west coast, from Seattle all the way to L.A. and Las Vegas. I love the views that southern California has; all the palm trees and beaches have me wanting to go back super bad. I love riding downtown Sacramento. It’s my home and this is where I meet a lot of other local riders. We seldom have problems with law enforcement which makes riding stress-free. My group (@northsacbmx) tries to host a ride at least once a month in Sacramento. I also love riding in Stockton, CA. I live an hour away but every time I go down there It feels like home to me. Great people and always the best vibes. Damon and Rosie are definitely my favorite people to ride with.
What is your favorite thing about bike life?
My favorite thing about bike life is that it’s full of people from all walks of life and all levels of riding. We all gather with one common bond and that is to ride bikes. Riding bikes is something so simple that brings us right back to our childhood. It provides us the freedom we felt as kids riding bikes with our friends. It’s a healthy hobby that is great for everybody that participates. I am a very optimistic person and being a part of bike life really keeps my life moving in a positive direction.
What’s something that people may not know about you?
Something people may not know about me is that I recently became a grandpa. Little Xander was born on 2/2/2022.
What’s your secret to improving riding skills?
One of my secrets to improving my riding skills is riding alone a lot and practicing with nobody around. Practice, practice, practice. I also ride with friends that will push me to be my best. I also film myself riding so that I can learn from reviewing the footage. I ride as often as possible to maintain my skill set. Live in the moment—push your limits.
What advice would you give to someone getting into bike life?
Advice I would give someone just getting into bike life would be to reach out to people and meet as many people as possible. We are the friendliest group of people on the planet and networking with other riders is one of my favorite parts. Also smile and enjoy the ride.