In many ways, Dylan Devitt is an archetypal representation of a Generation Z baby. Born in Kingaroy in 2003, Dylan has risen meteorically; learning to lift his front wheel off the ground in 2015 to slingin' double backflips at the Nitro World Games qualifiers a mere 5 years later.

While the kid might not be a familar name to many in the 'core' biking scene, he has travelled the world as part of the Nitro Circus and Freestyle Kings touring companies and continues to build a presence in the action sports performance space.

Developing a trick selection becoming of an arena based spectacle is not however what makes Dylan unique, rather his steadfast optimism, unbridled ambition and enterpreneurial spirit.

Having met him at R Willy land in late 2024 and in progressing the discussion around this article, Dylan is without doubt a cut of the R Willy cloth; proudly so. A less intense but equally driven biker of the modern era, determined to succeed and with little care for the patterns and trends of what makes core BMX 'cool'.

To succeed in this landscape, one must embrace the celebration of tawdriness, to dismantle and redefine the pillars of 'core' BMX as an alternative form of authentic expression. A curious idea to ponder, when you reflect on what makes something 'core' you are ultimately talking about the embrace of foundational values and their authentic and persistent embodiment.

Reflecting on Dylan's approach to biking, it's clear that there is a genuine love for the craft and a self-assuredness as to his own unique style. So while the juncture of 'core' and performative BMX can often appear vastly disparate, I'm not so sure that it is.

In chatting with Dylan, his commentary was largely familiar, full of similar ideas and concepts; from growing up riding one foot kickers with neighbourhood grommets to that first realisation of what it feels like to be in control of your bike and make it do what you want, how you want.

There was however one comment that struck me as foreign, as Dylan describes when talking about the realisation that biking could be something more than a hobby:

"...when I was younger I never knew you could actually make a career or a living from riding. I just loved riding—learning new tricks with my friends, pushing each other, and having fun.

Then things started to shift. I began looking up to all my favourite riders from the stickers on their helmets to the clothes they wore and started thinking, "I want to be a pro rider. I want to be famous." Haha. But let’s be real… that’s what every kid dreams of."

In my experience, that is not what every kid dreams of. This does not resonate nor align with historical or present eras from which 'core' BMX exists.

Similarly, another comment that helps frame the deviation in the approach to biking:

"...like most riders, I grew up wanting to do a world’s first trick."

Again, this is not a motivation that pervades the 'core' BMX scene. It is however, to my key point, only a subtle variation. The underlying and connecting value here is what attracts and connects all bikers; a pursuit for individuality and freedom. The language used (in a trick being a 'world first') is an important part of the barrier, a modern phrase and even a labelling of something which was perhaps still a goal, but not in that way.

No doubt most bikers are motivated to learn new tricks, to put their 'spin' on something that's long existed or to create something new altogether. This was however often done in a localised and personal way, i.e. with your homies and for your own internal benefit; to experience a sense of accomplishment having overcome a challenge and to then share it with your friends in real time. This then translates to a feeling that can be described in various ways; fun, happiness, love, fulfilment etc. This was and still is, central to the why of biking.

There is inevitably an acknowledgment that there may be wider praise and accolades that come with consistent improvement, but it was a side-effect of the principal motivation. As one would learn from the wisdom of influential stalwarts such as Mat Hoffman, T1ers, Moeller and S&M alumni etc, (which then trickled down into the wider BMX zeitgeist) the 'fame' and sponsorships will happen to those who deserve it, all you need to focus on is having fun. More often than not, even if these things were obtained, they were superfluous to the principal drive as abovementioned. 

Having grown up on a diet of Scotty Cranmer, Adam LZ and Ryan Williams - in parallel with social media's pernicious influence, it is not a surprise that a variation to the 'core' BMX culture exists. These guys are all highly proficient at promoting themselves and communicating BMX in a way that suits algorithmic tendencies. You'll recall that Adam LZ is arguably one of the first dudes in BMX to champion the 'vlog' style approach (i.e. video log) and to monetise content. 

The influence of role models in one's formative years is acknowledged as being significant in moulding identity, values and behaviours. That Dylan rides and interacts with the world the way he does is a naturally occurring reflection of this phenomenon. 

My argument is that this does not then represent the downfall of 'core' BMX via the corrosion of it's central values. Rather these values continue to flourish, grounding and unifying all those that partake in biking. The aesthetic has undoubtedly changed, becoming much more challenging to those who are familiar with an established way of doing things. It is after all, tried, true and tested. 

But alas, it is wise to be open to and accepting of differences. This we know. You'd be brave to want to argue otherwise. From helping develop social networks, enhancing problem solving skills and emotional reslience; empathy is a super valuable quality and one that is severely lacking in a culture that rewards focussing on the self. 

END.

In Part 2, we'll explore how Dylan embodies the core values of what makes BMX sick.