"Is BMX Actually That Fun?"
A correspondence between Mike Hinkens and Richard Mungall
March 26, 2019
March 26, 2019
Mike Hinkens <imprimaturbmx@gmail.com>
Wed, Mar 20, 7:19 AM
to Richard
Hey Mung,
Remember that card your mom had hanging on her bulletin board when we were kids? The one that said something about life not being about having fun, but rather being about doing something useful or something that matters?
I remember looking at that as a know-it-all teen and thinking: “That is so wrong. Written by someone who clearly was brainwashed to work some boring job until they die…blah, blah, blah.”
But just the other day, that card popped back into my head.
I was an hour into trying a complex combo and on my way to over 90 attempts and eventual failure. I was struggling to catch my breath, flip-flopping between the strategy of clearing my head of all thoughts and, conversely, playing out every portion of the line over and over again in my head. Neither was working. I just couldn’t put it all together.
Yet, after every attempt, I looped around and sucked air deep into my lungs and then shouted: “DO THIS! NOW! YOU HAVE THIS!”
I was determined. I was committed. I was where I wanted to be.
But was I having fun?
The definition of fun is: “something that provides mirth or amusement.”
I would say I felt neither of those things during this experience.
And, after my body finally forced me to sit down and stop for a break and the setting sun made it too dark to continue riding, I started to think about what I had just done. All the time I had just spent, the energy I had just expelled, the mental ju-jitsu I had struggled through.
And I didn’t even get the trick.
I was disappointed.
But, I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t frustrated. I’d been there before.
As a matter of fact, I was a bit satisfied. A bit energized.
I smiled to myself. “I like doing this. This is BMX to me.”
I don’t think many people would call my hour and a half long battle “fun,” but so many of us riders put ourselves in this position all the time. Some of us do it in silence with a stony face and clenched jaw. Some of us scream obscenities and throw our bikes. Some of us talk it out (in our heads or out loud) like a puzzle that must be solved. And in the end, so many of us do this over and over again, day after day, year after year.
Thinking about that longevity, and realizing that my disappointment was only fleeting and would not stop me from trying something hard again the next day, I came to a conclusion:
BMX is not all about fun.
Even though I often experience fun while riding my bike, BMX is more than just that. Its bigger than mirth or amusement. Its deeper than just what a three letter word can define.
To me, a big part of BMX is doing something that matters. Something you can be proud of. Something worth doing. And that isn’t always fun, but it sure makes me feel alive.
Mike
Wed, Mar 20, 7:19 AM
to Richard
Hey Mung,
Remember that card your mom had hanging on her bulletin board when we were kids? The one that said something about life not being about having fun, but rather being about doing something useful or something that matters?
I remember looking at that as a know-it-all teen and thinking: “That is so wrong. Written by someone who clearly was brainwashed to work some boring job until they die…blah, blah, blah.”
But just the other day, that card popped back into my head.
I was an hour into trying a complex combo and on my way to over 90 attempts and eventual failure. I was struggling to catch my breath, flip-flopping between the strategy of clearing my head of all thoughts and, conversely, playing out every portion of the line over and over again in my head. Neither was working. I just couldn’t put it all together.
Yet, after every attempt, I looped around and sucked air deep into my lungs and then shouted: “DO THIS! NOW! YOU HAVE THIS!”
I was determined. I was committed. I was where I wanted to be.
But was I having fun?
The definition of fun is: “something that provides mirth or amusement.”
I would say I felt neither of those things during this experience.
And, after my body finally forced me to sit down and stop for a break and the setting sun made it too dark to continue riding, I started to think about what I had just done. All the time I had just spent, the energy I had just expelled, the mental ju-jitsu I had struggled through.
And I didn’t even get the trick.
I was disappointed.
But, I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t frustrated. I’d been there before.
As a matter of fact, I was a bit satisfied. A bit energized.
I smiled to myself. “I like doing this. This is BMX to me.”
I don’t think many people would call my hour and a half long battle “fun,” but so many of us riders put ourselves in this position all the time. Some of us do it in silence with a stony face and clenched jaw. Some of us scream obscenities and throw our bikes. Some of us talk it out (in our heads or out loud) like a puzzle that must be solved. And in the end, so many of us do this over and over again, day after day, year after year.
Thinking about that longevity, and realizing that my disappointment was only fleeting and would not stop me from trying something hard again the next day, I came to a conclusion:
BMX is not all about fun.
Even though I often experience fun while riding my bike, BMX is more than just that. Its bigger than mirth or amusement. Its deeper than just what a three letter word can define.
To me, a big part of BMX is doing something that matters. Something you can be proud of. Something worth doing. And that isn’t always fun, but it sure makes me feel alive.
Mike
Richard M <XXXXXXX@gmail.com>
Wed, Mar 20, 2:26 PM
to Mike
Mike,
That’s a good story to jump off from and it sounds like we are in agreement that bike riding is more than just fun. For me I’m more interested in feeling satisfied, and I feel satisfied when I have a complete experience of whatever it is I’m doing. So, that means fully experiencing the fun of a trick, the concentration in trying it over and over even if I fail, or posting up and people watching later on. It’s all part of the total experience of freestyle/life.
But I’d also say that fun is an essential part, because when I don’t have fun for too long, I stop riding. So at least for me, I’d say that fun is the most important ingredient. It’s the fuel for the journey. And by “fun” I mean feeling totally present and alive and enjoying that flow deeply, whether doing a trick or just cruising and hitting jibs with some friends.
It’s like any love relationship, the highs are what we enjoy most and they keep us committed through the lows. It needs to have a balance. Fun is the payoff when things flow well. Learning and developing as a person is what happens when they don’t. It’s all good.
I have so much to say about that quote you mentioned. It’s emblematic of one major rift between our generation and our parents. For them, being happy was mutually exclusive with being of service. It’s this Christian sacrifice ethic that seems to measure our work based on how miserable it makes us. What I’ve found in my own life is radically different: that what is of most value to others is my gifts in their fullest expression.
Bike riding matters, but how it matters depends on your life stage. If you are under 20 or 25 I would think your most important purpose is simply to have uninhibited fun, to discover and kindle that flame inside you so deeply that it never gets beaten out of you by the farce of “adulthood.” Just embodying that kind of joy is the medicine the world needs, maybe more than anything.
But at a certain point of maturity, if you are anything like me, you’ll come to realize that it isn’t enough to just be having your own fun all the time while the world is on fire all around you. You’ll start to have the same aspirations for everyone else, that instead of them being victim to that terrible quote on my mom’s wall, they too can contact the same essence of feeling free, alive and happy. Can you imagine a world where that was the status quo? What could be more useful, meaningful, and fun than to help others discover that essence in themselves? If you’ve ever helped a kid at a skatepark pull a trick, or been a parent getting a kid stoked on something at playtime, you know what I mean. So personally I need to have my fun and I need to share it to feel complete, through things like writing, making videos, doing podcasts, or practicing psychotherapy. Whether I’m good at it or not, I’d say my purpose in life is to get people more stoked. Of course I’m not saying everyone should start riding, but they obviously don’t have to in order to be inspired to discover their gifts in whatever form they take.
Mung
Wed, Mar 20, 2:26 PM
to Mike
Mike,
That’s a good story to jump off from and it sounds like we are in agreement that bike riding is more than just fun. For me I’m more interested in feeling satisfied, and I feel satisfied when I have a complete experience of whatever it is I’m doing. So, that means fully experiencing the fun of a trick, the concentration in trying it over and over even if I fail, or posting up and people watching later on. It’s all part of the total experience of freestyle/life.
But I’d also say that fun is an essential part, because when I don’t have fun for too long, I stop riding. So at least for me, I’d say that fun is the most important ingredient. It’s the fuel for the journey. And by “fun” I mean feeling totally present and alive and enjoying that flow deeply, whether doing a trick or just cruising and hitting jibs with some friends.
It’s like any love relationship, the highs are what we enjoy most and they keep us committed through the lows. It needs to have a balance. Fun is the payoff when things flow well. Learning and developing as a person is what happens when they don’t. It’s all good.
I have so much to say about that quote you mentioned. It’s emblematic of one major rift between our generation and our parents. For them, being happy was mutually exclusive with being of service. It’s this Christian sacrifice ethic that seems to measure our work based on how miserable it makes us. What I’ve found in my own life is radically different: that what is of most value to others is my gifts in their fullest expression.
Bike riding matters, but how it matters depends on your life stage. If you are under 20 or 25 I would think your most important purpose is simply to have uninhibited fun, to discover and kindle that flame inside you so deeply that it never gets beaten out of you by the farce of “adulthood.” Just embodying that kind of joy is the medicine the world needs, maybe more than anything.
But at a certain point of maturity, if you are anything like me, you’ll come to realize that it isn’t enough to just be having your own fun all the time while the world is on fire all around you. You’ll start to have the same aspirations for everyone else, that instead of them being victim to that terrible quote on my mom’s wall, they too can contact the same essence of feeling free, alive and happy. Can you imagine a world where that was the status quo? What could be more useful, meaningful, and fun than to help others discover that essence in themselves? If you’ve ever helped a kid at a skatepark pull a trick, or been a parent getting a kid stoked on something at playtime, you know what I mean. So personally I need to have my fun and I need to share it to feel complete, through things like writing, making videos, doing podcasts, or practicing psychotherapy. Whether I’m good at it or not, I’d say my purpose in life is to get people more stoked. Of course I’m not saying everyone should start riding, but they obviously don’t have to in order to be inspired to discover their gifts in whatever form they take.
Mung
Mike Hinkens <imprimaturbmx@gmail.com>
Wed, Mar 20, 3:28 PM
to Richard
Mung,
I really like your idea of “fun” being the “fuel” for riding. And I am glad you mention that it was kind of the original impetus to get on a bike. I don’t think many of us picked up a BMX bike and began ramping off of shit because we hoped that someday we would be extremely technically proficient and able to link together complex lines of innovative tricks (well, at least in our generation). But, as you mentioned, like most people, we matured and with maturity came new perspectives on all things in life, especially the most important thing to us: riding BMX. Now, apply that mature mindset to a rider who has years of skills and experience under his belt and suddenly you have a recipe for a dedicated and serious BMXer who works hard to do cool stuff on a bike. Yet, the specifics of that change from youthful simplicity to mature excellence are where this idea of riding “simply to have fun” breaks down.
For example, imagine a young kid seeing other kids ramping off of stuff in his neighborhood. He thinks it looks crazy and fun, so he tries it and he is hooked. It is fun, it is thrilling. But, for most kids who aren’t just “naturals,” soon after that, he is faced with a reality: I am getting bored with just ramping off this one thing. I can only do so many things on my bike without actually intentionally learning through trial and error and practice. At this moment, he has to make the decision: is the “fun” I want to have on this bike worth the “work” or practice I need to put into this activity? I think this is a critical turning point. At this moment, BMX becomes more than fun. Sometimes fun is something sought out as an end result, but other things have to happen in order to achieve that fun. Suddenly “trying” becomes part of the equation. And with trying comes new and fun successes, but also failures. And in search of more successes there are also more failures and more frustration and disappointment. Now fast forward 15 or 20 years and you have a whole culture of grown adults trying and failing as well as experiencing frustration and disappointment probably more often than actually pulling tricks. Yes, they are being successful, they are pulling tricks, they are accomplishing the never-before-done. And they are creating pieces of art in the form of photos and videos. But the truth is, for most of us, those things only come with tons of hard and repetitive work. We spend hours, days, and years working on and trying things sometimes.
So here weare, riding BMX in a way that doesn’t always look fun, and may very well not be fun by many people’s definition; yet we keep doing it. And in the midst of it, I often hear: “Why bother getting all worked up learning hard tricks? Just ride your bikes and have fun!”
Now, that used to make me so angry--partially because I didn’t have a good answer. But here, it seems like you and I might be fleshing out a response to that sentiment:
The accomplishment and creation inherent in BMX that has become so much more important to me (and many others) doesn’t just happen while doing whatever is fun and easy. The BMX that I love and care about isn’t always fun. It's hard--yet rewarding--work and I love it for that reason.
Mike
Wed, Mar 20, 3:28 PM
to Richard
Mung,
I really like your idea of “fun” being the “fuel” for riding. And I am glad you mention that it was kind of the original impetus to get on a bike. I don’t think many of us picked up a BMX bike and began ramping off of shit because we hoped that someday we would be extremely technically proficient and able to link together complex lines of innovative tricks (well, at least in our generation). But, as you mentioned, like most people, we matured and with maturity came new perspectives on all things in life, especially the most important thing to us: riding BMX. Now, apply that mature mindset to a rider who has years of skills and experience under his belt and suddenly you have a recipe for a dedicated and serious BMXer who works hard to do cool stuff on a bike. Yet, the specifics of that change from youthful simplicity to mature excellence are where this idea of riding “simply to have fun” breaks down.
For example, imagine a young kid seeing other kids ramping off of stuff in his neighborhood. He thinks it looks crazy and fun, so he tries it and he is hooked. It is fun, it is thrilling. But, for most kids who aren’t just “naturals,” soon after that, he is faced with a reality: I am getting bored with just ramping off this one thing. I can only do so many things on my bike without actually intentionally learning through trial and error and practice. At this moment, he has to make the decision: is the “fun” I want to have on this bike worth the “work” or practice I need to put into this activity? I think this is a critical turning point. At this moment, BMX becomes more than fun. Sometimes fun is something sought out as an end result, but other things have to happen in order to achieve that fun. Suddenly “trying” becomes part of the equation. And with trying comes new and fun successes, but also failures. And in search of more successes there are also more failures and more frustration and disappointment. Now fast forward 15 or 20 years and you have a whole culture of grown adults trying and failing as well as experiencing frustration and disappointment probably more often than actually pulling tricks. Yes, they are being successful, they are pulling tricks, they are accomplishing the never-before-done. And they are creating pieces of art in the form of photos and videos. But the truth is, for most of us, those things only come with tons of hard and repetitive work. We spend hours, days, and years working on and trying things sometimes.
So here weare, riding BMX in a way that doesn’t always look fun, and may very well not be fun by many people’s definition; yet we keep doing it. And in the midst of it, I often hear: “Why bother getting all worked up learning hard tricks? Just ride your bikes and have fun!”
Now, that used to make me so angry--partially because I didn’t have a good answer. But here, it seems like you and I might be fleshing out a response to that sentiment:
The accomplishment and creation inherent in BMX that has become so much more important to me (and many others) doesn’t just happen while doing whatever is fun and easy. The BMX that I love and care about isn’t always fun. It's hard--yet rewarding--work and I love it for that reason.
Mike
Richard M <XXXXXXX@gmail.com>
Wed, Mar 20, 5:38 PM
to Mike
Mike,
As I read what you wrote I think again of the analogy of the love relationship. In the beginning couples are smitten with each other and seem like they are high on some kind of drug for weeks or months. Cheesy Hollywood movies glorify this part and BMX media reflects this story as well: videos are mostly just tricks, and almost always build to the glorious ender full of high fives and “no fucking way!”, communicating what is of most value in our culture, this particular brand of fun. But it’s clear from our discussion that this is a very narrow perspective compared to the rich totality of what we do and experience.
In relationships the “honeymoon period” eventually ends, and that is when relationships can often end - because of the myth we were taught that if they aren’t always ecstatic, easy and fun, we are doing something wrong. Similarly, too many BMX careers end when people can no longer do the funnest or biggest tricks all the time. But as your story highlights, and as I personally find, things other than fun are not at the expense of fun but in addition to it. The myth of pure fun tends to diminish or completely ignore the beautiful and rich complexity of real life and culture. Things of deep value, whether relationships or art, take real work, intention, love and patience, and there is a deep level of satisfaction and enjoyment available for those that are passionate and committed enough to get there.
With respect to tricks and accomplishment, Westernized humans seem to universally seek out challenges that are difficult but achievable in order to feel fulfillment. When things are too easy we get bored. For example, our friend from back in the day, Danny, was just too naturally good at bike riding. He didn’t feel challenged by it and I think this is one reason he lacked longevity. Alternatively, when things are impossible we feel frustrated and give up - like the person that is always screaming and throwing their bike. Their egos want more than their bodies can presently achieve so there’s a misalignment there, the expectations are too high, and it’s clearly not fun to any observer. The reason why art is so special is because it gives us the opportunity to find the middle ground that works for us personally, rather than setting up external standards for performance. With riding we can locate ourselves right at that creative growth edge, no matter what our skill level, style or medium. Finding that sweet spot is the art of self-knowledge. Our challenges change over time, even by the day or the moment, with each movement we do. Fun is just one part of that rich and constantly evolving cycle.
Mung
Wed, Mar 20, 5:38 PM
to Mike
Mike,
As I read what you wrote I think again of the analogy of the love relationship. In the beginning couples are smitten with each other and seem like they are high on some kind of drug for weeks or months. Cheesy Hollywood movies glorify this part and BMX media reflects this story as well: videos are mostly just tricks, and almost always build to the glorious ender full of high fives and “no fucking way!”, communicating what is of most value in our culture, this particular brand of fun. But it’s clear from our discussion that this is a very narrow perspective compared to the rich totality of what we do and experience.
In relationships the “honeymoon period” eventually ends, and that is when relationships can often end - because of the myth we were taught that if they aren’t always ecstatic, easy and fun, we are doing something wrong. Similarly, too many BMX careers end when people can no longer do the funnest or biggest tricks all the time. But as your story highlights, and as I personally find, things other than fun are not at the expense of fun but in addition to it. The myth of pure fun tends to diminish or completely ignore the beautiful and rich complexity of real life and culture. Things of deep value, whether relationships or art, take real work, intention, love and patience, and there is a deep level of satisfaction and enjoyment available for those that are passionate and committed enough to get there.
With respect to tricks and accomplishment, Westernized humans seem to universally seek out challenges that are difficult but achievable in order to feel fulfillment. When things are too easy we get bored. For example, our friend from back in the day, Danny, was just too naturally good at bike riding. He didn’t feel challenged by it and I think this is one reason he lacked longevity. Alternatively, when things are impossible we feel frustrated and give up - like the person that is always screaming and throwing their bike. Their egos want more than their bodies can presently achieve so there’s a misalignment there, the expectations are too high, and it’s clearly not fun to any observer. The reason why art is so special is because it gives us the opportunity to find the middle ground that works for us personally, rather than setting up external standards for performance. With riding we can locate ourselves right at that creative growth edge, no matter what our skill level, style or medium. Finding that sweet spot is the art of self-knowledge. Our challenges change over time, even by the day or the moment, with each movement we do. Fun is just one part of that rich and constantly evolving cycle.
Mung
Mike Hinkens <imprimaturbmx@gmail.com>
Mar 20, 2019, 7:18 PM
to Richard
Mung,
You nailed it with:
“The myth of pure fun tends to diminish or completely ignore the beautiful and rich complexity of real life and culture.”
I love BMX and I almost always have some kind of “fun” doing it, regardless if I am riding, filming, chilling, learning, failing, or engaging in the peripherals (writing, searching, managing, etc.). But, depending on your perspective, what we do to achieve that fun probably seems pretty damn intense--maybe even bordering on not actually “being fun.” I’m happy to think that BMX not actually being that fun all of the time is actually okay.
Thanks for exploring this with me. It’s been enlightening (both in regards to BMX and to my life as a whole). It’s conversations like this that have helped make BMX such an important, fulfilling, and valuable part of my life. I hope that our sharing of these thoughts encourages others to think about their motivations in BMX and life in general so that they can get more out of both.
Talk later,
Mike
Mar 20, 2019, 7:18 PM
to Richard
Mung,
You nailed it with:
“The myth of pure fun tends to diminish or completely ignore the beautiful and rich complexity of real life and culture.”
I love BMX and I almost always have some kind of “fun” doing it, regardless if I am riding, filming, chilling, learning, failing, or engaging in the peripherals (writing, searching, managing, etc.). But, depending on your perspective, what we do to achieve that fun probably seems pretty damn intense--maybe even bordering on not actually “being fun.” I’m happy to think that BMX not actually being that fun all of the time is actually okay.
Thanks for exploring this with me. It’s been enlightening (both in regards to BMX and to my life as a whole). It’s conversations like this that have helped make BMX such an important, fulfilling, and valuable part of my life. I hope that our sharing of these thoughts encourages others to think about their motivations in BMX and life in general so that they can get more out of both.
Talk later,
Mike
Responses
"Orange"
9.22.19
I would just like to say that different forms of riding come with different kinds of fun. I used to ride a lot of trails. Trails were fun for me because they felt nice. The kind of movements that were made were physically satisfying. It was a beautiful sensual bicycle experience. A bit scary but not too difficult. Bowls are kinda the same. Street riding to me does not feel nice in the way that trails do/did. Street riding requires a different mindset. It took me a while to get into it. The battle was not something I was used to or even looked for very often. I enjoy them now, but l have had to have a few successful battles with tricks l really wanted before I "got it."
9.22.19
I would just like to say that different forms of riding come with different kinds of fun. I used to ride a lot of trails. Trails were fun for me because they felt nice. The kind of movements that were made were physically satisfying. It was a beautiful sensual bicycle experience. A bit scary but not too difficult. Bowls are kinda the same. Street riding to me does not feel nice in the way that trails do/did. Street riding requires a different mindset. It took me a while to get into it. The battle was not something I was used to or even looked for very often. I enjoy them now, but l have had to have a few successful battles with tricks l really wanted before I "got it."
Ethan Grothe 4.19.19
This was one of the best pieces of writing I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Bmx has been the biggest part of my life since a young teen for the last decade. It’s been one of the greatest experiences I think any young person can truly enjoy and grow from although it’s not for everyone. I have a little brother that’s 13, he’s 10 years younger than me and I wish he could have the same experience I had when I was his age so bad. I want him to have that thing he can call his own and work from sun up to sun down dialing in and learning more skills. I’ve built him an awesome bike and spent the time to teach and encourage him to keep pushing himself and that none of it comes easy. I can see the rush and joy he gets from that small amount of air time he can manage but as soon as he faces adversity I can see the dissatisfaction and the towel thrown in. He sees where I’m at in my progression and can’t fathom how he can get there himself and because of this he gets discouraged and won’t put in the work on his own time even after I remind him that he can’t compare himself to me when I’ve spent everyday of the last decade doing this. Bmx may not be the best for my little bro but I really hope he can find that thing he truly loves so when the obstacles come in front of him he has the determination and will to keep failing until he succeeds. This article literally hit home for me and it was really inspiring. There needs to be more content like this in bmx. There’s so much more to bmx than just tricks and brutal crashes that needs to be covered. This is something I think about very often and want to implement in my art practice to shine light on how great bmx truly is. Thank you Mike! Keep up everything your doing. This really was great and made my day!
This was one of the best pieces of writing I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Bmx has been the biggest part of my life since a young teen for the last decade. It’s been one of the greatest experiences I think any young person can truly enjoy and grow from although it’s not for everyone. I have a little brother that’s 13, he’s 10 years younger than me and I wish he could have the same experience I had when I was his age so bad. I want him to have that thing he can call his own and work from sun up to sun down dialing in and learning more skills. I’ve built him an awesome bike and spent the time to teach and encourage him to keep pushing himself and that none of it comes easy. I can see the rush and joy he gets from that small amount of air time he can manage but as soon as he faces adversity I can see the dissatisfaction and the towel thrown in. He sees where I’m at in my progression and can’t fathom how he can get there himself and because of this he gets discouraged and won’t put in the work on his own time even after I remind him that he can’t compare himself to me when I’ve spent everyday of the last decade doing this. Bmx may not be the best for my little bro but I really hope he can find that thing he truly loves so when the obstacles come in front of him he has the determination and will to keep failing until he succeeds. This article literally hit home for me and it was really inspiring. There needs to be more content like this in bmx. There’s so much more to bmx than just tricks and brutal crashes that needs to be covered. This is something I think about very often and want to implement in my art practice to shine light on how great bmx truly is. Thank you Mike! Keep up everything your doing. This really was great and made my day!