Features

Jay Miron is literally a living legend in BMX. He's been on top of the game since the early ‘90s, and he’s had a huge impact on the sport with his riding (540-tailwhips, 360-double-whips, etc.), his company (MacNeil), and the events he promoted. We caught up with Jay to do an interview about his company, riding, and the future of the Metro Jam and Elevation.





When did you first start putting on freestyle events?
The first big one was in 2001 at the Toronto Bike Show. It was called the La Revolution but I really consider it to be the first Metro Jam.

What were your goals with your events?
Metro started at a time when the X Games was really popular, and in my opinion, really cheesy. So our goals were to promote the sport in a way that best represents what we do, and give the riders a fun weekend to look forward to.

Looking back at all of the contests you've put on, do you have any favorites, or just favorite moments?
The first Elevation was probably my favorite. Red Bull basically gave me the opportunity to put on my dream contest. I feel lucky to have done four of them.

What are your plans going forward with events? Are there any more Metro Jams in the works?
Actually we have probably done our last Metro Jam. It was a good run but we just don’t have the time or resources to do it anymore. I think that showed in the last one. It was a pretty lame event. Red Bull has also decided not to do Elevation for 2009. So it looks like we won’t do any big events next year. We are planning some amateur jams for Canada next year, though. They should be fun.

Since you are not tied up dong so much work on events, has that allowed you to do more with MacNeil? What type of stuff do you there on a daily basis?
Truthfully, I haven’t had much to do with MacNeil in the last three years. I was always working on events. When I’m out of town working on events, Darcy and Harrison get overwhelmed taking care of things that I should be doing. So it’s been great to get back into the office every day and contribute. Darcy and Harrison are going to have a lot more time to be creative this year. When those two are feeling creative, good things happen.

The economy around the globe sucks right now. Do you think we will see an impact in BMX in 2009?
Yes I think it’s going to have a significant impact on BMX, as it has in other industries. It’s already been tough on us, but I don’t see this as a bad thing. The time of making crap products and selling them based on false advertising is over. This recession is going to weed out all of the hype companies, and help companies based on innovative, quality design. In the end I think this recession will be looked back on as a positive.

Do you find any time to ride with all that you have going on these days?
This is a hard question to answer without sounding like I don’t care anymore. I’m not the kind of person who can just go to the park and have a chill session. If I’m not riding as hard as I can, it’s not fun for me. I’ve tried to go to the park and chill a few times but I always end up pushing it, and almost getting hurt. With the injuries I had over the years and the fact that I’m coming up on 40, it’s stupid for me to do that. If your head’s not in it, you can get f***ed up. So a little over three years ago I chose to put the bike away. It’s really tough to not ride but it’s so cool not having scabs on my shins and elbows anymore!

You were responsible for some of the craziest riding ever to happen in BMX. When you look back on your pro career, anything in particular that makes you smile?
The last Backyard Jam I rode in 2004 was super fun for me. I had just come back after a year-and-a-half of bullshit with injuries. I didn’t know if I’d be able to ride like I used to. I was really bummed that I’d end up retiring without ever having the feeling of laying it on the line again. Then at the contest everything came together. I qualified in the top group of the finals with Alistair [Whitton], Bas Keep, and Gary [Young]. I have absolute respect for all three of those guys, as riders and as people. If I’m in a group with guys I like, it makes me ride way better. The crowd was so into it, and so loud. It was one of the best sessions of my life. The whole way through the finals I was thinking, “This is it. I can retire now with no regrets.” Gary wasn’t even on MacNeil yet but that’s the contest where we got to hang out and become friends. He was riding for MacNeil three weeks later. Actually, now that I think about it, it is probably my favorite session ever.

What's your take on the modern state of BMX, the riding, the scene, and the industry, or just choose one?
The street riding these days is so badass. Guys like Garrett Reynolds, Dennis Enarson, Sean Burns, and Sean Sexton are amazing to watch. I can’t believe some of the stuff they do. I think dirt is amazing too. Elevation is so much fun to watch. The scene seems good, but I’m not really in it anymore, and I think I answered the industry part of the question earlier.

We poked around YouTube and found a couple of videos from Jay's events. To see Jay in action, track down a copy of the MacNeil team video. Amazing.