What is your full name and age?
My full name is Matthew Taylor Rickard.
What's your Instagram?
@rlmattrickard. The "rl" is for Rio Linda. It's a small town just north of Sacramento that I grew up in.
How old are you?
I am 48 years old.
Where do you live?
I live in a small town north of Sacramento, California called Rio Linda.
What's it like riding for SE Bikes?
I have been riding for SE Bikes for a little over four years now. It makes me super-proud to be able to represent such a legendary brand.
How did you get into bike life?
I was in Lake Tahoe and I bumped into the 6061 BMX Crew in June of 2017. I immediately purchased a 2018 baby blue Big Ripper when I got home. I have been rippin’ up the streets ever since.
How far can you wheelie?
I can keep that wheel up for miles and miles…I’m not sure how long my longest wheelie is, but I did ride a wheelie for six-and-a-half minutes one time.
What is the bike life scene like where you live?
The bike life scene where I live is amazing. I spend most of my time riding in downtown Sacramento. We have a great mix of older and younger riders. @therealelkgrovebikelife has been riding for the past four years on Wednesday nights, also.
What is your favorite thing about bike life?
My favorite part about bike life is traveling and riding my bike in new places. I love meeting new people and seeing all the smiling faces.
What's the best rideout you've ever been on?
The best rideout I’ve ever been on has to be the three-day So Cal BMX Ride. Riding 140 miles in three days down the coast of Southern California is priceless. It is most definitely the most challenging and rewarding ride I’ve ever attended.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
My favorite place to ride is in Stockton, California. Stockton bike life has the best vibes. I have ridden down there on countless occasions over the past six years.
How may SE bikes do you own?
I currently own eleven SE bikes: 2006 X4 Flyer 26”, 2018 Baby Blue Big Ripper, 2018 City Grounds Big Ripper, 2019 Shiny Red Big Ripper, 2021 Ball Burnished Big Ripper, 2021 DBlocks Big Ripper, 2021 Fast Ripper, Prototype Big Flyer HD, 2022 Yellow Sparkle Big Ripper (blue and teal parts), 2022 Yellow Sparkle Big Ripper (red parts), 2022 Vans Big Ripper (blue).
How many followers do you have on Instagram?
I have 14.4K followers on Instagram. I truly appreciate all of the support that I get from my followers.
What is your favorite SE bike?
My favorite bike is my 06’ X4 Flyer. I bought that bike in 2009 at my local bike shop (Elite Bike Shop). I spent almost eight years enjoying that bike before I bought my first Big Ripper. I love all of my Big Rippers, as well. Each of those bikes have lots of happy memories tied to them.
Are you part of a riding crew?
My local crew that I am a member of is called North Sac BMX. We host local rides as often as possible. I am also a member of Elk Grove Bike Life.They ride every Wednesday night. That ride has been going on weekly for four years now.
What is a fun fact that people may not know about you?
A fun fact that people may not know is that I have a dog. He is a ten-year-old pit bull named Thor.
What advice would you give to someone getting into bike life today?
The advice that I would give someone that is just getting into bike life would be to smile and enjoy the ride. Reach out and make friends with as many people as you can. We are some of the friendliest people in the world.
What's your secret to improving your riding skills?
My secret to improving on the bike is lots and lots of practice. I also attend a lot of rideouts. And I like to ride with other people that are pushing their skill sets and working on improving their own wheelie skills.
What would you be doing if you had never found bike life?
If I had never found riding bicycles or bike life, I would probably still be playing slow pitch softball or competitive soccer. I like to find hobbies that keep me healthy physically and mentally, and I have definitely found that in bike life.
Will you ever stop riding?
Riding bicycles has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. I honestly feel like my life would be a lot different if I never had bicycles in it. Riding bikes has always been an outlet for me and I don’t know what I would do without it. I don’t think I will ever stop riding.
