Welcome to the Dan's Comp Pro Team: Matt Ray
1) You are one of the most dialed and technical riders in the game. Always linking lines on one wheel (front or rear, forwards or back). Is there a trick that you struggle with or find more difficult than it should be, or are you so dialed that everything is as easy as you make it look? If not, is there one that took you awhile to get dialed?
Haha I appreciate that! I definitely have tricks that I struggle with, I think every rider has something that just doesn’t click as easy as it does for others. For me I’d say crank arm grinds and switch grinds have always felt weird. They feel great when I’m always doing em but still I never feel all that comfortable using my fourth peg.
2) You’ve been able to travel and ride with a lot of the other top riders in the world. Who is another rider that you enjoy getting to session with? It could be someone that pushes the limits and makes sessions heavy, or someone who just brings a good/chill vibe for a fun session.
My buddy Case Taylor is definitely one of my favorite people to ride with. We grew up riding all over the east coast and weather it’s a heavy session or we just goof off, it’s always a great time. But honestly, at the end of the day riding nothing beats riding with any of my close friends. We always push each other and have one another’s back when it comes to filming.
3) What are your proudest moments as a pro rider? This could be contest results, sponsorships, video parts, trips, memories, etc.
Hmm, that’s a tough one. It’s hard to chose one but my top three would have to be:
1. Winning Gatorade Free Flow Tour at Rye Airfield which resulted in getting flown (for my first time ever flying) to Portland Oregon with my dad to compete in the finals at Dew Tour.
2. Planning and executing clinics in Boston, MA with the support of Clif Bar to donate bikes to underprivileged kids.
3. Nose manualing the green bridge while filming the Boston Massacre video.
4) Do you have any goals moving forward? Any contests you want to win? Any tricks or spots you want to film at? Places to visit?
So for contests, I definitely have expectations set for myself moving forward. As for goals within BMX I just want to keep having fun making while memories with my friends, sponsors, and daughter for as long as I can.
5) Final question, outside of BMX, what are you in to? Any hobbies, goals, interests not on two wheels?
As of the last two years most of my time off the bike is spent adventuring with my daughter Lana and our dog Vivi. It has been the most fulfilling chapter of my life yet. I do love hiking, investing, and learning about health/nutrition as that’s something I think you’ll never know enough about.
