Photos/Interview: Matt Ware
Intro: Losey
(Click here or any photo to see the Aaron Behnke Photo Album)
Somewhere around 1989, I ran away from the dreaded Illinois winter and moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Riding was nearly all I cared about, and I was in luck because Florida had a contest series going on all over the state (Thanks Ms. Swoope!). That meant it didn’t take long to meet other riders, and I became pretty tight with a crew of, shall we say, interesting personalities (Dave Brumlow, Rob Nolli, Dave Mavro, and Aaron Behnke). The trips we—and assorted others—went on and the hilarity that ensued made for some wild stories, and we gave Florida an interesting rep on the BMX circuit (I was never the instigator, but guilty by association, I swear).
Fast-forward to today and every one of the Florida crew is doing their thing in BMX, even if it’s not in Florida anymore, including Mr. Behnke. On top of riding, Aaron is also a baker, landlord, and a dad, so he’s got his hands full. Aaron’s good friend Matt Ware shot some great photos of Aaron in action and came through with a great interview to let you see what he’s up to.—Losey
You're a Midwesterner by way of Florida now living in West Virginia. How in the world did you find yourself here?
Lust or love. Wanderlust or wonder. To be a bit more specific, I was living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for a while before moving to Morgantown about seven years ago. Chapel Hill is where I met my lady, who is now my wife. She was moving to Morgantown to work on another degree at WVU. I tagged along for what was thought to be a short stay. After she finished the degree, we just never left. It's home now, and I'm happy about that.
You've had a pretty busy seven years, and this past year may have been your busiest: you've had a new addition to the Behnke family.
I'd say this has definitely been my busiest year ever. I guess I like to be productive. The new addition to the family is our daughter. She was born in May and is pretty amazing to me. The past six months has been a blur. I don't feel completely exhausted anymore, though⎯just really tired most of the time.
What is The Venerable Bean?
The Venerable Bean is an all-vegan baking company located in Morgantown, West Virginia. I am the baker and owner. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. The timing was right and I got it started officially July 31st. So far it's moving along just fine. The stuff I bake regularly would be an assortment of muffins, scones, cookies, granola bars, cakes, and cupcakes. I have a website, but it just takes you directly to a blog. Check it out if you like: www.venerablebean.com.
So you change diapers, run your own baking company, and keep up a house and a rental property. How and when do you still find time to ride?
You make it sound like I'm busy! I guess that I do have a lot going on. As for how and when, I can find or make time to ride because it's something I like to do. There’s ebb and flow. It gets really hectic sometimes and I don't get out to ride. A few days later, everything can be mellow again and it's easy to get out and ride. Having a baby to take care of is wild, and everything revolves around that.
You seem to have a pretty organic approach to life in general. How does that carry over to your riding?
Riding bikes can be as simple as just riding a bike. It can be fun, stressful, ridiculously complex, or completely outrageous. I'd say, for the most part, I stick to the fun or more simple and natural aspects when I'm riding. Not sure if that actually answers the question.
There's a small scene in Morgantown, but you're the only one who rides flat. Is it hard to motivate yourself to get out to the parking lot?
The only time that it's hard to get motivated is during winter. Other than when it's cold, I usually feel pretty motivated to get out and ride flat. For the majority of the time I've been riding, it's been solo, for the most part. It may sound strange, but I kind of like it that way. It's normal to me. I do like riding flat with a few other people now and again, though.
You really take pride in keeping things original. Is that something you find yourself working at, or does it seem to work out that way?
I'd say that I try to work at it a bit. From that, it probably just falls into place now. Or maybe it's the other way around⎯hard to say. It really keeps thing interesting for me. I do my share of stock or ordinary tricks and lines. Some things are really fun to do just as they are. I like to see if there’s something else I can do, though. [I] think about it and sometimes it works out and feels good.
You've been involved with a few video projects [FlatCrap, Video Name, and Same Thing Daily] in the past few years that have taken a different approach to flatland in general. Do you see flatland moving in that direction?
I'd like to see it move in that direction, but that is simply not going to happen. Solo videos, battles, pumping tricks, pumping fists, and bent tubes are where it's at. I see those things maintaining the direction of flatland for a while. That's cool. I'm just not into it. FlatCrap, Video Name, and Same Thing Daily show another side of flatland, and I'm happy to be a part of those videos. I think it's important that they’re out there and thank Dane Beardsley for putting the time and effort into releasing them.
In one of the "Defgrip Originals" web videos, Catfish talks about the term “freestyle” and what it meant 15 years ago and how it's changed or maybe even evolved. What do you think that has meant to flatland?
You never hear anyone say "freestyle" anymore. I prefer "BMX" just because it's simple. As for what "freestyle" meant, I think the meaning of it was lost with the term. It seems like there are more clones than ever in BMX at the moment. How your bike is set up and how you ride and look are way too important to a lot of people. Freestyle is fun or loose, and Catfish is a good representative of "freestyle." I think that the flatland community wants separation from BMX, and it's pretty far out there right now. I guess that’s evolution.
Big contests seem to have lost some of the importance within the BMX community as a whole⎯the X Games dropped flat in 2004. Does that general lack of mainstream exposure affect flat in anyway?
The lack of flatland in the big-money TV contest series certainly has had an effect on flatland as a whole. I always thought it was good that flat was a part of the X Games. A lot of people felt like it was a sideshow to the rest of the BMX events. That's pretty much what it was. There were no bleachers, JumboTrons, or lines of people waiting to see flatland. I think the people with HSA [Hoffman Sports Association] were doing a decent job and fighting to keep flatland involved. Maybe someone from the flatland community could have stepped up to play a larger role in the organization or presentation of flatland in those contests. Ultimately, flatland just wasn't very TV-friendly. That has caused a sort of rebirth in flatland. There are a lot of jams being held around the world and a new style of contests happening. A handful of people have been organizing these flatland-only events. Those events are pretty wild. Flatland is the main focus, and they seem to be getting bigger all the time. There is even a worldwide series. Check it out at www.bmxflatlandworldcircuit.com.
Don't you actually have one of those X Games gold medals?
Yeah, I have a gold medal from the Latin American X Games 2003. I think Matt Wilhelm and Nathan Penonzek got silver and bronze, respectively, so there was some legit competition. I did get booed by the crowd when they announced the placings. I guess they wanted a Brazilian rider to get the gold. ESPN did an interview with me and asked what I thought of the crowd’s reaction. My response was that I really thought they were into my riding. The interviewer looked baffled. How many people do you know that have been publicly booed?
At least none of the Brazilian media threw their shoes at you! That was also right around the time when you just started riding for DK. How did that all come about?
I think I had already been on DK for a little while on that trip. I was riding a prototype of my frame at that contest. I guess it all came about from good timing. I was talking to Steve Buddendeck at a contest, and at the time he was doing a lot of work with DK. I've known Steve for a long time, and he asked me how things were going with WTP. I don't think he was looking for DK riders at the time. My answer was that it was starting to suck. The sad part is that it had nothing to do with WTP products or the owners of the company. I still really like Harry, Klaus, and the products they put out. The short answer to why it sucked was due to dealing with [the US distributor at the time]. I talked to Steve again a few weeks later and I was on DK.
Having a signature frame is like a dream for most kids, and you had that opportunity. Was that something that was part of the deal, or did that come up after you had been on DK for a while? I don't think they had a flat-specific frame when you made the move.
It was a very cool opportunity to have. It was part of the deal, since DK didn't make a flat frame already. DK also did another version that was an entry-level complete bike. It's called the Signal, and I think it's still available. The Transmitter frame was American-made. Unfortunately, the complete frame looked a lot nicer than the U.S. frame. It was frustrating because the U.S. manufacturer just didn't get it right. I explained how it needed to be and why over and over. It was the details that mattered. The answer I'd get was always, "Yeah, I see what you mean. I understand." I'm sure I was very picky about everything. I needed it to be perfect⎯it had my name on it. Ultimately, it was never quite right, and the manufacturer just blew it.
So other than the frame manufacturer, things seemed good there.
Yeah, having a signature frame was definitely a good thing for me. It was really cool because when I got my frame, everyone on the DK pro team had a signature frame: myself, Chris Doyle, Colin Winkelmann, and Robbie Miranda. Each frame suited its own style of riding.
You got to go on some cool trips and be a part of one of the System videos, which may be one of the most epic videos in recent years. What happened?
I think the System video just had a good feel to it. For me, that was just a good period of time captured in a video. The trips, people, places, and riding just worked well. I guess it helps make a good video.
Not too long after the System video, you and DK parted ways. What happened there?
The DK team was co-sponsored by Right Guard Extreme Sport while I was on the team. The short version is that DK lost the deodorant co-sponsor money and team cuts were made. Those cuts included myself. So it goes….
You're still without a bike sponsor. What are you riding these days, and who else is helping you out?
I'm riding an FBM Equilibrium Flatland frame. I have been riding a WeThePeople street frame for a long time now. I actually am in the middle of putting together a Verde Cartel frame with WTP Helium forks. I'm waiting for a new BB to come from Profile. So I guess there are a few people helping me out. Verde, WTP, Profile, Animal⎯and Etnies has been putting good shoes on my feet for a long time. I've been around a while and know some good people behind quality companies. Thanks, dudes!
We're just barely two months into 2009. What's next for Mr. Behnke?
Not sure⎯nothing new in the immediate future. Just keeping up with the things I have going on, I guess. Who knows, if you keep the door open.
Any final thanks?
Yeah. Beth, Zadie, family, people I ride bikes with, people I like, people I don't like for showing me another perspective, the people and companies that currently help or have helped me out, VitalBMX, and as always, good food, good coffee, good beer, good people, and good times! Thank you very much.
Intro: Losey
(Click here or any photo to see the Aaron Behnke Photo Album)
Somewhere around 1989, I ran away from the dreaded Illinois winter and moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Riding was nearly all I cared about, and I was in luck because Florida had a contest series going on all over the state (Thanks Ms. Swoope!). That meant it didn’t take long to meet other riders, and I became pretty tight with a crew of, shall we say, interesting personalities (Dave Brumlow, Rob Nolli, Dave Mavro, and Aaron Behnke). The trips we—and assorted others—went on and the hilarity that ensued made for some wild stories, and we gave Florida an interesting rep on the BMX circuit (I was never the instigator, but guilty by association, I swear). Fast-forward to today and every one of the Florida crew is doing their thing in BMX, even if it’s not in Florida anymore, including Mr. Behnke. On top of riding, Aaron is also a baker, landlord, and a dad, so he’s got his hands full. Aaron’s good friend Matt Ware shot some great photos of Aaron in action and came through with a great interview to let you see what he’s up to.—Losey
You're a Midwesterner by way of Florida now living in West Virginia. How in the world did you find yourself here?
Lust or love. Wanderlust or wonder. To be a bit more specific, I was living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for a while before moving to Morgantown about seven years ago. Chapel Hill is where I met my lady, who is now my wife. She was moving to Morgantown to work on another degree at WVU. I tagged along for what was thought to be a short stay. After she finished the degree, we just never left. It's home now, and I'm happy about that.
You've had a pretty busy seven years, and this past year may have been your busiest: you've had a new addition to the Behnke family.I'd say this has definitely been my busiest year ever. I guess I like to be productive. The new addition to the family is our daughter. She was born in May and is pretty amazing to me. The past six months has been a blur. I don't feel completely exhausted anymore, though⎯just really tired most of the time.
What is The Venerable Bean?
The Venerable Bean is an all-vegan baking company located in Morgantown, West Virginia. I am the baker and owner. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. The timing was right and I got it started officially July 31st. So far it's moving along just fine. The stuff I bake regularly would be an assortment of muffins, scones, cookies, granola bars, cakes, and cupcakes. I have a website, but it just takes you directly to a blog. Check it out if you like: www.venerablebean.com.
So you change diapers, run your own baking company, and keep up a house and a rental property. How and when do you still find time to ride?
You make it sound like I'm busy! I guess that I do have a lot going on. As for how and when, I can find or make time to ride because it's something I like to do. There’s ebb and flow. It gets really hectic sometimes and I don't get out to ride. A few days later, everything can be mellow again and it's easy to get out and ride. Having a baby to take care of is wild, and everything revolves around that.
You seem to have a pretty organic approach to life in general. How does that carry over to your riding?
Riding bikes can be as simple as just riding a bike. It can be fun, stressful, ridiculously complex, or completely outrageous. I'd say, for the most part, I stick to the fun or more simple and natural aspects when I'm riding. Not sure if that actually answers the question.
There's a small scene in Morgantown, but you're the only one who rides flat. Is it hard to motivate yourself to get out to the parking lot?
The only time that it's hard to get motivated is during winter. Other than when it's cold, I usually feel pretty motivated to get out and ride flat. For the majority of the time I've been riding, it's been solo, for the most part. It may sound strange, but I kind of like it that way. It's normal to me. I do like riding flat with a few other people now and again, though.
You really take pride in keeping things original. Is that something you find yourself working at, or does it seem to work out that way? I'd say that I try to work at it a bit. From that, it probably just falls into place now. Or maybe it's the other way around⎯hard to say. It really keeps thing interesting for me. I do my share of stock or ordinary tricks and lines. Some things are really fun to do just as they are. I like to see if there’s something else I can do, though. [I] think about it and sometimes it works out and feels good.
You've been involved with a few video projects [FlatCrap, Video Name, and Same Thing Daily] in the past few years that have taken a different approach to flatland in general. Do you see flatland moving in that direction?
I'd like to see it move in that direction, but that is simply not going to happen. Solo videos, battles, pumping tricks, pumping fists, and bent tubes are where it's at. I see those things maintaining the direction of flatland for a while. That's cool. I'm just not into it. FlatCrap, Video Name, and Same Thing Daily show another side of flatland, and I'm happy to be a part of those videos. I think it's important that they’re out there and thank Dane Beardsley for putting the time and effort into releasing them.
In one of the "Defgrip Originals" web videos, Catfish talks about the term “freestyle” and what it meant 15 years ago and how it's changed or maybe even evolved. What do you think that has meant to flatland?
You never hear anyone say "freestyle" anymore. I prefer "BMX" just because it's simple. As for what "freestyle" meant, I think the meaning of it was lost with the term. It seems like there are more clones than ever in BMX at the moment. How your bike is set up and how you ride and look are way too important to a lot of people. Freestyle is fun or loose, and Catfish is a good representative of "freestyle." I think that the flatland community wants separation from BMX, and it's pretty far out there right now. I guess that’s evolution.
Big contests seem to have lost some of the importance within the BMX community as a whole⎯the X Games dropped flat in 2004. Does that general lack of mainstream exposure affect flat in anyway? The lack of flatland in the big-money TV contest series certainly has had an effect on flatland as a whole. I always thought it was good that flat was a part of the X Games. A lot of people felt like it was a sideshow to the rest of the BMX events. That's pretty much what it was. There were no bleachers, JumboTrons, or lines of people waiting to see flatland. I think the people with HSA [Hoffman Sports Association] were doing a decent job and fighting to keep flatland involved. Maybe someone from the flatland community could have stepped up to play a larger role in the organization or presentation of flatland in those contests. Ultimately, flatland just wasn't very TV-friendly. That has caused a sort of rebirth in flatland. There are a lot of jams being held around the world and a new style of contests happening. A handful of people have been organizing these flatland-only events. Those events are pretty wild. Flatland is the main focus, and they seem to be getting bigger all the time. There is even a worldwide series. Check it out at www.bmxflatlandworldcircuit.com.
Don't you actually have one of those X Games gold medals?
Yeah, I have a gold medal from the Latin American X Games 2003. I think Matt Wilhelm and Nathan Penonzek got silver and bronze, respectively, so there was some legit competition. I did get booed by the crowd when they announced the placings. I guess they wanted a Brazilian rider to get the gold. ESPN did an interview with me and asked what I thought of the crowd’s reaction. My response was that I really thought they were into my riding. The interviewer looked baffled. How many people do you know that have been publicly booed?
At least none of the Brazilian media threw their shoes at you! That was also right around the time when you just started riding for DK. How did that all come about?I think I had already been on DK for a little while on that trip. I was riding a prototype of my frame at that contest. I guess it all came about from good timing. I was talking to Steve Buddendeck at a contest, and at the time he was doing a lot of work with DK. I've known Steve for a long time, and he asked me how things were going with WTP. I don't think he was looking for DK riders at the time. My answer was that it was starting to suck. The sad part is that it had nothing to do with WTP products or the owners of the company. I still really like Harry, Klaus, and the products they put out. The short answer to why it sucked was due to dealing with [the US distributor at the time]. I talked to Steve again a few weeks later and I was on DK.
Having a signature frame is like a dream for most kids, and you had that opportunity. Was that something that was part of the deal, or did that come up after you had been on DK for a while? I don't think they had a flat-specific frame when you made the move.
It was a very cool opportunity to have. It was part of the deal, since DK didn't make a flat frame already. DK also did another version that was an entry-level complete bike. It's called the Signal, and I think it's still available. The Transmitter frame was American-made. Unfortunately, the complete frame looked a lot nicer than the U.S. frame. It was frustrating because the U.S. manufacturer just didn't get it right. I explained how it needed to be and why over and over. It was the details that mattered. The answer I'd get was always, "Yeah, I see what you mean. I understand." I'm sure I was very picky about everything. I needed it to be perfect⎯it had my name on it. Ultimately, it was never quite right, and the manufacturer just blew it.
So other than the frame manufacturer, things seemed good there.
Yeah, having a signature frame was definitely a good thing for me. It was really cool because when I got my frame, everyone on the DK pro team had a signature frame: myself, Chris Doyle, Colin Winkelmann, and Robbie Miranda. Each frame suited its own style of riding.
You got to go on some cool trips and be a part of one of the System videos, which may be one of the most epic videos in recent years. What happened?
I think the System video just had a good feel to it. For me, that was just a good period of time captured in a video. The trips, people, places, and riding just worked well. I guess it helps make a good video.
Not too long after the System video, you and DK parted ways. What happened there?The DK team was co-sponsored by Right Guard Extreme Sport while I was on the team. The short version is that DK lost the deodorant co-sponsor money and team cuts were made. Those cuts included myself. So it goes….
You're still without a bike sponsor. What are you riding these days, and who else is helping you out?
I'm riding an FBM Equilibrium Flatland frame. I have been riding a WeThePeople street frame for a long time now. I actually am in the middle of putting together a Verde Cartel frame with WTP Helium forks. I'm waiting for a new BB to come from Profile. So I guess there are a few people helping me out. Verde, WTP, Profile, Animal⎯and Etnies has been putting good shoes on my feet for a long time. I've been around a while and know some good people behind quality companies. Thanks, dudes!
We're just barely two months into 2009. What's next for Mr. Behnke?
Not sure⎯nothing new in the immediate future. Just keeping up with the things I have going on, I guess. Who knows, if you keep the door open.
Any final thanks?
Yeah. Beth, Zadie, family, people I ride bikes with, people I like, people I don't like for showing me another perspective, the people and companies that currently help or have helped me out, VitalBMX, and as always, good food, good coffee, good beer, good people, and good times! Thank you very much.
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