In 1982 Bob Morales started up the ASPA (Amateur Skatepark Association which would later become the AFA or American Freestyle Association) and began the legendary king of the skateparks competitions in the USA.[2] Eddie Fiola would go on to win it a total of 5 times along with 4 freestyle Nora (Number One Rider Award) cups including the first one ever to be awarded in 1985 and with having the idea for the potts modification or hollow stem bolt.[3][4] This led to him becoming one of the most famous and highly paid freestyle BMX riders of his time reputedly earning around $100,000 dollars in a year and appearing on the cover of countless magazines.[5][6] Later he became a stuntman in films such as The Dukes of Hazzard, The Italian Job and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Career in BMX
In the spring of 1981 I was hearing occasional rumours of a guy in Lakewood who rode skateparks and was really hot. So I tracked him down. In my opinion, in my time, NOBODY was better in skateparks than Eddie. He and I came to be good friends, NOBODY was a better guy.
—Bob Osborn publisher of BMX Action magazine, vintagebmx.com, March 2005
My first sponsor was Premier helmets, then Torker (they just gave us bikes)
—Eddie Fiola, Transworld BMX April 2003
In 1982Haro Bikes rider Bob Morales helped with a deal to get Fiola on the team, however determined to go it alone they both leave Haro and sign for Kuwahara to help design and promote the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial BMX bike at the end of the year. Fiola wins the first 16+ expert class in the King of the Skateparks.[7]
In 1983 after leaving Kuwahara (bicycle company) he signs for GT Bicycles alongside Bob Morales and then goes on to co design with Morales one of the most iconic BMX freestyle frames, the GT Performer.[8] He performs a show with Bob Morales at the Super Bowl of motorcross in the Anaheim Stadium in front of 40,000 people. He is a judge for the World Amateur Championship of BMX and wins the 17+ expert class King of the Skateparks series.
In 1984 he becomes the first member of the renamed ASPA which is now known as the AFA. He wins the GT-BMX summer freestyle championship in Venice beach California and visits the UK to take part in the televised Kellogg’s freestyle BMX competition alongside fellow country man and main competitor in the King of the Skateparks series Mike Dominguez. He wins the series with the commentator naming him “the flying banana” due to his all yellow bike and apparel with “TRIX R 4 KIDZ” printed on the backside of his pants. Just after he visits Livingston skatepark with Dominguez for an article in BMX Action bike magazine and is interviewed for the Edinburgh Evening News. Later he visits Paris for a demonstration with fellow American freestyler R. L. Osborn at the 1st Bicross International in the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy arena. He wins the first pro class at King of the Skateparks series, also winning the BMX Plus! and BMX Action bike magazine freestyler of the year.
In 1985 he embarks on the GT freestyle world tour alongside fellow GT rider Dave Breed visiting 15 countries (Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the United States, including Hawaii) over a 3-month period from May through July performing shows and making television appearances. Whilst on tour he enters the second UK Kellogg’s Frosties televised competition finishing 4th overall. He appears in the Freestyles Raddest Tricks video and wins the Freesytlin’ magazines NORA cup and the BMX Plus! freestyler of the year. He finishes 2nd in the King of the Skatepark series to his great rival Mike Dominguez.
In 1986 he is hired as a technical advisor and stunt rider on the Hal Needham film Rad with actor Bill Allen having to dye his hair to match Fiolas. It is said that the film is loosely based around Fiolas life.[9] He stars in the GTV video and is one of the riders in RAD TV: The Sequel video. He wins a controversial IBMXF Freestyle World Championships in Vancouver and finishes 2nd overall in the AFA Masters Series. He becomes the BMX Plus! freestyler rider of the year and wins the Freestylin’ magazine NORA cup. He also wins the pro class King of the Skateparks series, the last one ever to be held.
In the history of freestyle competition there has probably been no call more controversial than the one made against Fiola at this contest. Even after taking away his win in pro ramps because he didn’t wear a mouthguard, the judges still had to give him the overall Pro title.
—BMX Plus! magazine December 1986
In 1987 he takes part in the GT Demo tape video and then leaves GT and signs a deal to promote Citicat bikes which is shortened due to production problems. He takes part in the 101 freestyle tricks video.
In 1988 he is testing bikes for BMX Plus! magazine.
We don’t know how many of our readers will remember this, but back around four years ago Eddie Fiola spent a brief time as a test rider for this magazine. He only did it for a couple of months or so before GT decided to sponsor him. GT didn’t want it’s riders testing bikes for any magazines, so Eddie had to leave us. All the same, we have learned over the years we’ve known him, that Eddie is one of the most knowledgeable freestyle riders in the world. He’s incredibly bright about bikes, extremely innovative, and an extraordinary rider. We asked him a couple of months ago if he’d be interested in testing bikes for us, and he said “yes”.
—BMX Plus! magazine July 1988
I was at the AFA finals in Kansas in late 1988. From what I know, that was Fiola's last competition after having been gone for nearly a year. I saw his flatland run and it was really cool, though he didn't do anything new (and did touch several times) - but he just did everything with a ton of style. He ended up getting 5th (which was last, a very low Pro turnout). I think the crowd booed that.
—Josh Marsele, www.vintagebmx.com
In 1990 he is riding for Vans and Bully touring with Josh White and Scotty Freeman.[10]
In 1992 he is still doing shows with some support from GT and Vans.
In 2004 he hooks up with Redline BMX.
In 2005 he is interviewed in the film Joe Kid on a Stingray, the history of BMX.[11]
In 2008 he is awarded with a white GT pro Performer at the OS-BMX gathering as a tribute to his achievements.[13]
In 2009 he is inducted into the American Bicycle Association (ABA) Hall of Fame (Freestyle Pioneer)[14] He also takes part in the OS-BMX Old School Reunion 2009 at Peck Park California[15]
In 2010 he takes part in the old school reunion at Woodward West camp in California.[16] He is riding Faction 22" BMX bikes and part of their test team.
In 2011, he appeared on the front cover of Classic BMX Magazine issue 6 with an interview inside.[17]
In 2013, he launches his own frame and handlebar combo called the EF|Proformer, limited to 250 sets.[19]
Personal life
Fiola married Mindi Neill on his birthday in 1991. They have one daughter named Audrey. On December 14, 2021, Fiola announced his biography was in the works and the book was being written by lifelong fan and author Billy Henrickle. In September 2023 a documentary film on Fiola’s life went into production with filmmaker Billy Henrickle producing and directing the film. [20]
Mat Hoffman is an American BMX rider who was considered one of the best vert ramp riders in the history of the sport. He was nicknamed "The Condor" and ran the BMX Freestyle brand Hoffman BMX Bikes based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was a sponsored rider for Skyway and then Haro Bikes before starting his own brand.
David Michael Mirra was an American BMX rider who also competed in rallycross racing. He set the record for most medals in BMX Freestyle at the X Games and earned at least one BMX medal at the event in all but one year from the competition's inception in 1995 until 2009. He also competed for several years with the Subaru Rally Team USA as a rallycross driver. Mirra rode for and was fully sponsored by Haro Bikes from the mid-1990s until he started his own bike company. He was a member of the team which won the 2014 Race Across America four-person male category. Mirra died by suicide on February 4, 2016. He was inducted into the BMX Hall of Fame on June 11, 2016.
Freestyle BMX is bicycle motocross stunt riding on BMX bikes. It is an extreme sport descended from BMX racing that consists of five disciplines: street, park, vert, trails, and flatland. In June 2017, the International Olympic Committee announced that freestyle park was to be added as an Olympic event to the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Harry Clarence Leary Jr. was a professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer.
Gary Leo Ellis Jr. was one of the last American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982 to 1996. He was nicknamed "The Lumberjack".
Eric Fitzgerald Rupe is an American professional bicycle motocross (BMX) racer. His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1990.
Tommy Lee Brackens is an American former professional "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer. His prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1988.
GT Bicycles is an American company that designs and manufactures BMX, mountain, and road bicycles. GT is a division of the Dutch conglomerate Pon Holdings, which also markets Cannondale, Schwinn, Mongoose, IronHorse, DYNO, and RoadMaster bicycle brands; all manufactured in Asia.
David "Tinker" Juarez is an American former professional BMX and cross-country mountain bike racer. His prime competitive years in BMX were from 1978 to 1984 and in mountain bike racing 1986 to 2005. Since late 2005, he has competed as a Marathon mountain bike racer. In all three disciplines, he has won numerous national and international competitions. Most recently, Juarez finished third in the 2006 Race Across America Endurance bicycle race.
Luther William Grigs is an American "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996.
Eric Robert Carter, is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998. He had the nickname "The Golden Child," and later in his BMX career, acquired the moniker "The Earthquake." More recently, he has been known simply as "EC." Beginning in 1996, he converted fully to mountain bike racing (MTB) and has become one of the most respected racers in that discipline of bicycle racing.
Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike (MTB) racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.
Michael Felty formerly Miguel Juan Miranda is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981 to 1986. His previous surname which he is still widely and most familiarly known by, "Miranda", was his stepfather's name. There seem to be two stories on how he got his nickname "Hollywood". It was either coined by Bicycle Motocross Action (BMXA) editor Steve Giberson because he liked to "show off"; or he had pretty much gave himself the moniker by having a name sticker under the visor of his helmet reading "My name is Hollywood", which was noticed at the 1981 NBA Roncho Nationals. Here is how he tells it in this 1982 quote:
"This guy I know that races motorcycles in Southern California is a real jerk. Every time you did something stupid, we would call you by his last name. 'You're such a Smith.' And at the Super Bowl of Motocross three years ago, he raced and had "Hollywood" on the back of his jersey. From then on, whenever you did something stupid, we would say: 'You're such a Hollywood'. It was meant as a putdown but now I guess it's compliment. I just tell people that they call me that because I like to show off. Steve Giberson started it." -----Mike Miranda Super BMX April 1983.
China Krys Darrington is the first sponsored female Freestyle BMX rider. In 1986, she rode for GT Bicycles in Huntington Beach, California. She started riding in 1983 after finding a BMX Plus! magazine in the locker of another junior high school student at Old Trail School.
Timothy Judge is a former American "Old School" professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1979-1985. When he was a young racer his given name was used in the diminutive "Timmy". His nickname was "Da Judge" a play on an on the 1970s catch phrase "Here come da judge" first popularized on the 1968-1973 comedy Variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. The show was off the air for about six years when Tim Judge first came to national BMX attention, but due to the show's popularity and his name lending itself to be associated the phrase "Here comes Da Judge" was quickly associated with him. The fact was that Judge was fully rad in an era when not that many pros were.
Robert L. Morales is a former freestyle BMX rider turned promoter, designer, inventor and business executive. He is the founder of DYNO Bicycles, the American Freestyle Association (AFA), Auburn Cycles, KORE Bicycle Components, Morales Bicycle Co., Carlsbad Motocross Racing (CMXR) and ASV Inventions. He is currently president and CEO of ASV Inventions, Inc.
Craig Campbell is a retired British freestyle BMX rider and disc jockey.
Robert Lewis Osborn is a BMX rider. His father Bob Osborn started BMX Action magazine. He, along with Mike Buff and Bob Haro are considered the forefathers of BMX freestyle, a style of BMX bike riding that involves flatland and ramp tricks.
DYNO is a BMX bike and bike products company started by Bob Morales in 1982.
Edwin De La Rosa is a Panamanian-American BMX rider and photographer. He was born in Panama and moved to Brooklyn at the age of three. He has been riding BMX since the age of 13. He has been referred to as one of the most influential BMX riders of a generation, such as by ESPN who stated that he is "credited with making street riding look smooth."
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