Nothing Much

Another one from the archives, though not really that deep (it’s from 2006). It’s John Parker, shot for Ride BMX Magazine. Nothings (the trick in the photo) aren’t really anything new. Ron Wilkerson did them on quarterpipes in the late 80s, and he paid the price in the form of a severe head injury, coma, and a week in the hospital. After that crash at the AFA Masters in Witchita, Kansas (1988), “Nothings” weren’t a regular fixture on vert ramps. While they were common on jumps, they always looked incredibly out of control on vert (thus Ron’s crash: it was more of a “let the limbs fly style). In 2006, Parker figured out that if you tuck it in your lap (as you would a tucked no-hander) you can control the bike, or at least keep it from dropping out from under you. The result is above: a fully extended (and controlled) nothing. I’ve yet to see anyone else do anything like it on vert. So Good. This shot ran originally in a Ride BMX Buyers Guide issue in ’06. While few people can get away with white kneepads on the outside of their pants, Parker can do whatever he wants. John is also notorious for riding the Cloud 9 vert ramp (above) at Woodward in the middle of the day, by himself, with no music on. I’m pretty sure this was shot about 1:30 in the afternoon, by ourselves, in total silence (except for the hum of the overhead lights and pop of the flashes).

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