All Photos: Zach Shipley
Bobbie Altiser has been on my radar for quite a while. He’s been classified under the front brake magic file and that’s a real good thing. There’s not a lot of riders out there that run front brakes (or brakes in general) these days. It blows my mind how more people don’t run front brakes with how fun it looks. Either way, I’ve been wanting to find out a little more about Bobbie for a while now, so I finally shot him over a few questions. Let’s find out a little bit more about the dude…
Name: Bobbie Altiser
Location: Hannibal, Missouri
Sponsors: Tree Bicycle Co., Cement Face (CEM)
Years riding: 10
What was it that first got you into BMX? Any early memories come to mind?
I had a few relatives that rode BMX. I thought it was really cool so I just started jumping stuff.
How are things going with Tree these days? Do you have any trips or anything going on with them you are getting psyched for?
Everything is going well. Tree is sick; Sam, Nathan, and Joe have been on top of things. Those dudes always help me out when they can. Sam is driving a few of us to Las Vegas for Interbike and then I’m planning on going back to Long Beach for a few weeks or more. Should be a pretty good trip.
Any other sponsor news you can tell us about?
I’ll be working on some web content for CEM pretty soon.
You are one of the very few riders out there these days that has front brakes and can kill it with them. When did you start running front brakes? I hear you had Eben Fischer as a coach when you started going.
I started riding a front brake in the winter of 2006. Eben is the reason I put a front brake on! That dude helped me out a lot; he pushed me to learn a lot of stuff.
Could you ever see yourself going brakeless?
I can’t see it happening anytime soon. If I were to lose a brake, it’d be the back one.. front brakes for life.
Generally when I think Missouri, I don’t think a crazy scene with a ton of riders like L.A or something. What’s the scene like?
I feel like everyone in Missouri knows each other, not like in L.A. where you’ll run into a new person that rides everyday. I could drive a couple hours South to St. Louis and there are tons of kids that ride there; everyone of them shreds too. Then a bit further down you’ve got the Joplin/Springfield crew and those dudes are sick. As far as my local scene goes, it’s Clinton David and me.
I know you are pretty much able to ride whatever is in front of you. What kind of spots do you like?
I really do like to ride just whatever. The more unusual the spot is, the more into it I am. A sketchy and hard to ride a spot is good; I like having to try and figure out how to make it work.
You were killing the Toronto BMX Jam earlier this year with that front brake magic of yours. How do you feel about contests? Do you plan on hitting anymore this year?
Thanks! That contest was so much fun. Contests are a good time and I don’t take them too seriously. I never really know what contests are going on anyway, so we’ll see.
What’s your travel schedule looking like for the rest of the year? Any trips you want to make happen that aren’t set in stone yet?
I know I’ll be in LBC for a little while. I’m not really good at planning trips, but I’d like to make an overseas trip happen soon.
I have to ask this one. You get a fat budget to take any 5 riders and one filmer anywhere in the world. Who do you bring, where do you go and why?
Clinton David, Eben Fischer, Mike Rimi, T.J. Henderson, and John Hicks would be the dudes I’d want to come ride because I get along with all of them and I feel like we’d have a good time. I’ve never met Joe Simon, but I dig all of his work and if he’d be into going on the trip I would have him film. I know he’d do a good job with it. I’ve heard a lot of good things about France, we’d go there.
I saw you got your hands on a GoPro now. Does that mean we can expect to see some fresh edits out of you? Do you have any video parts in the works? I need more front brake magic out of you!
My boss actually let me borrow it just to try it out. I’d like to do more with it soon. When I’m back in California, Eben and I are going to work on getting another front brake magic edit going. I’m pretty excited for that.
What do you think you would be into these days if you never got into BMX?
I’d like to think I’d be doing something fun.. but it’s hard telling.
What are you usually up to these days when you aren’t riding or working?
Usually, just hang out with a few friends and kick back.
You work at a bike shop, right? How’s that going? What do you do there?
Yea, I’ve been working at CoolByke since I was 15. It’s going well, we do a lot of repairs and have good business considering how small Hannibal is. I just fix bikes and sell stuff, or what ever my boss James tells me to do.
I always figured you were a real chill guy. Do you party much? What makes for a good night out?
Not really, I don’t really like going to wild parties or anything. Too much to worry about, even if you’re being good. A good night out is made of close friends, couple girls and a few laughs. Could be anything from dipping in a pool to sitting by a camp fire.
Have you ever been arrested for anything? Any wild stories come to mind?
I’ve never been arrested. ha ha.
How do the ladies in Missouri treat you?
I can’t complain. Most girls are pretty into what I do, so that’s cool.
What’s something about yourself that might surprise people?
I’ve been hooked on playing Cee-lo since the first time I rolled the dice. I’m all about that 4-5-6
What’s the last song you heard, movie you watched and website you visited?
The Strokes- Electricityscape, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, StumbleUpon.com
If you could live like anyone else in the world for one day. Who would you want to be?
Wiz Khalifa
Let’s say you are given $1,000,000.00. What’s the first thing you buy?
A Winnebago.
What are a few things you would like to accomplish in the next 5 years?
Within the next 5 years I’d like to visit a few new countries, have a legit video part, and my own place.
One thing you need more of in your life, one thing you need less of?
More Norwegian girls, less work.
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to everyone that’s ever helped me out! my family and my friends. HD
Anything else you want to say?
Be cool.
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