Miki Fleck - 'Mapteo' for United
Oh my god.
This has to be one of the best videos I've watched all year. I'm not just saying that either. I tend to watch most videos that make their way to the premiere BMX sites and I've been doing this for a long time. There is something really special about this kid, he oozes energy, you can't help but love watching him ride.
Probably also worth noting that I had this video scheduled as a warm up to the new Monster 'Freak' video and to be honest, I actually thought the Miki video was better. Why? Let's break it down.
Miki with United's owner, Ian Morris. Taken from the kids instagram
Boy goes fast. Countless clips in this piece start with the kid cranking his ring off, it's wholesome stuff. BMX and speed go hand in hand, they both rely on each other and those who have figured that out do themselves (and the BMX name) a great service. I think the speed element in the Miki Fleck context has extra weight in that he is combining it with technical jibbery, two elements which don't often attract one another. There are endless examples just in this video, but lets go with the duster to 180 on the out-rail at 1.50. Derek dusters are about as technical as you can get on a rail, a trick propelled by only a few. Miki not only spins a 180 out of it (which I've never seen before), but in doing so, puts in a bunch of cranks. It gives the clip so much more animation, encouraging the risk to rise to the surface.
Boy is colourful. This can be taken literally, and metaphorically. I've been touching on this with my wife, both of us noting that the world (well our world at least) seems to be averse to embracing colour, be it interior design, automobiles, urban development, office attire etc. It's 'safe' to stick with muted colours, you aren't risking anything, conservatism. Thank god for BMX and thank god for certain dudes in BMX (like young Miki here) who shun this notion, preferring to take hold of colour, of character, of a vibrant disposition. Beyond the obvious, i.e. the dude is sporting a bunch of bright colours in his attire, supported by a sprigntly landscape as well as a beautifully graded colour scheme from the video's producer - Matteo Mencuccini, there is a sense of colour to this video that exists in the intangible world. I'm talking his energy and his trick selection - the dude gives off a real 'local bowl rat' type atmosphere, you know, the young sketchy kid at the skatepark that throws bottles, heckles girls, looks like he comes from a home without plumbing and electricity and is surprisingly good. Maybe that is a little bit of a diss, unintended. Let's reconfigure that to mean Miki Fleck encompasses all the qualities of what makes BMX so weird, entertaining and straight up great. My example in this instance, the banger being the stanky ass pedal grind to bike destroyer down the 6 block 'ledge'. Brimming with colour!
Speedy boy. Also taken from the kids instagram
Boy has metal pegs. Damn it's sick to see and hear metal on metal, we all know it, yet most tend to ignore out of convenience, cost, sliding opportunities. Miki doesn't need much help standing out, but the metal pegs do aid him in this regard, I feel like he's created a proper association with himself and metal pegs, tell me another dude who comes to mind quicker than Miki Fleck? That first feeble grind got my goat so hard, what a blessing to have 22 seconds straight dedicated to harsh, gnashing grinding bliss. It's primitive, it's in your DNA as a biker, you cannot ignore it. Onya Mick.
There are many more other key points I could highlight in this video, but I probably don't need to, it will become obvious when watching this as to why I'm on the hyperbole train. Before I call it quits on this one, I will however highlight the pimp daddy prowess shown with the line at 2.57, clean truck down the 6 stair straight into a whip hop and ending with a duster down the 12 stair. The duster is of course nuts, but bringing this together is that he didn't need a single pedal or correction, just wam, bam, thankyou maam.
Quick shout out to the 'Show Me The Body' track too, incredible choice of song. Unfortunately, while the second song bangs in the context of this video, it does have a real cereal vibe, juxtaposed with the fatty bacon of that first song.
Let it be known that young Miki here rides for a bunch of G level companies, including United, whom this video is branded for. From a LUXBMX perspective, we stock tonnes of United gear, including the signature Miki Fleck frame - the 'Zuin'. If you're toey for some United products after seeing this, I get it and I applaud you - I would also then encourage you to take a browse of the LUXBMX online store to sus all the best United gear in one place.
