Here we are, top 10 baby. These are our highly anticipated picks for the top 10 FGFS riders OF ALL TIME! Let’s get into it.
10 – Keo Curry
Nickname: Keo Rock
Years Active: 2006 – 2011
Region: Seattle, WA
Social Media: @keo_curry_the_bad_ass_one
The founding father of our entire sport, the late Keo Curry had no idea the shockwave he would create when he was introduced to the Fixed Gear world through early Cadence videos and his section in Macaframa (linked below). When I watched him enter into that frame backwards for the first time, it changed everything for me and so many others. Keo launched an entire style of riding single handedly that’s still referenced and heavily talked about 17+ years later with style and grace that has yet to be duplicated (but is often attempted to be imitated). He introduced nearly all of the popular Trick Track basics to the world like the Keo spin, no hand wheelie and other wheelie combinations, toe Keos, Keo rocks, and so many more. Half of them have his damn name in the trick name for god’s sake. This entire scene we know and love would not be the same to a major degree if we weren’t blessed by Keo’s presence. Rest in peace to one of the greatest.
9 – Tyler Johnson
Nickname: n/a
Years Active: 2008 – Present
Region: Tacoma, WA
Social Media: @basiccycle.co
In regards to style and grace, NOBODY has ever done it like Tyler Johnson. While Keo’s grace was on the ground, Tyler would float in the air, exuding full control over his bike at all times. Never sloppy, never getting lucky. Before BMX style tricks though, Tyler showed off an early understanding of the fixed gear bike and control, then skyrocketed into mind blowing, ground breaking Trick Track riding. From full blown track bike to 26″ setup, from pegless to 4 pegs, Tyler had no trouble adapting styles and could do just about anything he set his mind to. When I think of memorable mind blowing clips, so many of Tyler’s come to mind. Starting early in The Revival: Tyler was the first (and still the only one) to take inspiration from the artistic cycling scene and do the death truck, where Tyler gets into the top of his handlebars while in a wheelie. Yes, people have done this before while already starting in the position, but no one yet has been able to recreate it on a street fixed gear bike starting from a normal wheelie. Other firsts under Tyler’s belt I can think of: barspin to wheelie, nose manual bar, crank arm bar, probably more things to bar. The entire spectrum of tricks on a fixed gear has been touched by Tyler whether its barspin variations, Trick Track trick spins, grinds, nose manuals, huge gaps, rails, just watching his riding reassures you that he can do anything he puts his mind to, outside the sport as well.
8 – Josh Boothby
Nickname: Squeeks / Jumping Jellyfish Frog Man
Years Active: 2010 – Present
Region: Northern California
Social Media: @joshua_boothby
We’ve talked about big personalities in previous segments, but Josh Boothby’s huge personality, huge aspirations, endless bicycle talent, and drive to be the best, propelled Josh as FGFS’ poster child at his peak. The only FGFS rider to have a big name energy drink sponsor, Boothby showed the heights you can go in the sport if you made the right moves. Starting as a BMX rider in Castro Valley, Boothby transferred his skills and tricks directly onto a Fixed Gear with seemingly no buffer period. With straps being optional for him, he was doing g-turns, wall rides, and 360’s EARLY on. I remember seeing Boothby’s 360’s in 2010 and thinking, “this is the first PROPER 360 stomped with both wheels at the same time”. When pegs were introduced, Boothby only felt more at home and continued to dominate the scene with peg tricks that were super ahead of his time like smith 180’s, long tooth hangers, and feeble 180 bars (NBD at the time). While Boothby wasn’t the first to nail the backflip, Josh became the first and only rider to successfully flair a Fixed Gear in 2014. He also was the first rider to do a truck driver.
The content that Josh has starred in has been game changing: starting with Revoked as his breakout section, then starring in web videos made by legends like Matt Reyes, Colby Elrick, Matt Lingo, Locked Cog, and more, then to having a section in the first Can’t Fool The Youth video, and so many more in between. One of the most impressive aspects of his career too? His ability to perform in contests. From 2010 to 2012, the height of FGFS contests, Josh only missed podium once in 15 competitions. There might even be some smaller ones in the mix that I’m not counting too. Towards the tail end of this run too, Boothby could consistently backflip if the setup was right, which no western rider was able to do to the degree that Josh could. Boothby has showed persistence throughout his long career: adapting from 700c with and without pegs, to 26″ with and without pegs, and to modern day geometries while continuing to show that he’s still an expert at riding bikes to this day.
7 – Steven Jensen
Nickname: Stray Cat / Sven
Years Active: 2010 – 2016
Region: Tempe, AZ
Social Media: @straycatsven
There are few people who come in and completely change the realm of what we think is possible in a sport the way that Steven Jensen came in and changed people’s perception of the tricks that can be done on these bikes. While the broader scene was still trying to figure out what was and wasn’t cool, Steven came in with a straight forward game plan: do the BMX tricks on these bigger bikes. The list of NBD’s that Steven accomplished from front to back of his career is really hard to quantify, and the amount of content that Steven pushed out during his height could power an entire Youtube channel today. He was so ahead of his time that I don’t think most of the scene could actually comprehend how hard the tricks he was doing were. Feeble Smith to switch barspin in 2010? I don’t even think that’s been recreated to this day. Iconic is probably the word that I think best describes Steven. His style on and off the bike, tricks he was doing, bike setups, everything was very unique to him and hasn’t been recreated in the slightest.
6 – Tom La Marche
Nickname: Delco King
Years Active: 2007 – Present
Region: Philadelphia, PA
Social Media: @lamarchebikeco
I’m gonna need to keep my word count down on this one, cause i could probably write a book about Tom. I feel like a lot of people might actually be surprised that Tom isn’t number #1, but I think Tom remains #1 in a lot of people’s hearts. At the FGFS scene’s inception, two pathways were formed by Keo Curry and Tom: Trick Track and FGFS (before either of them were called that). Tom was an FGFS rider before that term even existed, showcasing BMX tricks on a BMW track bike documented as early as 2007! So Keo often gets all the credit for being the founding father of the sport, but I would argue that Tom is right there with him, the only difference is that Keo’s Trick Track style caught fire a little hotter at first, then people came around to the way Tom was riding.
Tom’s riding may be the most entertaining to ever hit the scene. Everything was dangerous, big scale, fast, and loose. Tom would approach tricks at full speed and deal with potential consequences later. Naturally, people wanted to point a camera at him early on, so Tom was being covered constantly by every media outlet that could get their grubby fingers on him. Prolly, Charge, Bootleg Sessions, Kareem, Skitch, Cadence, WRAHW, all of these media monsters couldn’t get enough of Tom. Tom’s signature style (fast, pegless, dangerous) paired with fantastic filmers has made for some of the most iconic web edits and DVD parts to hit the scene, forever being burned into my corneas.
5 – Teppei Iwabuchi
Nickname: Nasty
Years Active: 2009 – Present
Region: Japan
Social Media: @slumworm
Speaking of riding fast, Teppei out of Japan has a style that you just can’t take your eyes off of. As, in my opinion, the biggest star to come out of Japan. Teppei (or Nasty) rides fast, spins hard, and most importantly, utilizes the fixed drivetrain to its full potential from his inception on the scene to present day. While fixed gear tricks started to grow in popularity, Teppei stayed in his own lane and continued to ride the way that he felt was cool. The first legit 540 cab, lots of skids, 1st place contest finishes, and a long career that continues to impress everyone who watches are just a small amount of accomplishments that Nasty has achieved throughout his career. The biggest take away from Teppei is that everybody who watches him ride wishes they rode like that too. His flow on a bike looks like he’s surfing on concrete, and his style will never get old no matter which tricks he does.
4 – Matt Reyes
Nickname: Slumworm
Years Active: 2009 – Present
Region: Northern California
Social Media: @slumworm
Matt Reyes aka Slumworm has been an absolutely DOMINANT force to be reckoned with both on and behind the camera since the start of the 2010’s, quickly establishing himself as a media presence with Wheel Talk and also establishing himself as a top level rider early on. While Matt didn’t catch onto the barspin wave, he made up for it with speed, flow, and spinning ability. Matt’s best characteristic about his riding is his ability to keep his momentum going. You’ll never see Matt land slow and try to power his way to the next trick, he just possesses the skill to keep it moving. Also, he makes every bike he’s on look like it weighs 10 pounds. The way he maneuvers his bike with the back wheel control, tapping ability, and pop makes me filled with jealous rage. From early 700c to 26″ bikes, Matt has now returned to 700c Trick Track style and manages to maneuver a huge track bike just like he did in his 26″ days. How does he clear his super high seatpost? I’ll never know. Oh also? This guy doesn’t lose in contests. With 7 first place finishes under his belt and 3 of them being the prestigious Ride + Style events, Matt demonstrated incredible consistency and ability to perform under pressure.
Along with his riding, his contributions to the scene are impossible to put into one paragraph. He’s done some incredibly important documentation of events, riders, scenes, moments, products, and everything in between through Wheel Talk in both video and photo form. His work with fixed gear as a whole may be some of the most important work to ever come from a filmmaker in the scene, and that counts for his riding too. His video parts and web edits have been nothing short of iconic, showcasing fast, stylish, technical maneuvers and the most stomped 360’s you could ever ask for. They don’t call him the mayor of fixie town for nothing!
3 – Elliott Milner
Nickname: n/a
Years Active: 2010 – Present
Region: Southern California
Social Media: @elliottmilner
Possibly the most technically gifted rider of all time, Elliott Milner displayed a prowess on the bike that had never been seen before. Taking inspiration from riders like Matt Montoya and Jaoa, Elliott combined a silky smooth style with BMX calibers of riding through long nose manuals and hang fives, incredible rail trick proficiency, spins in both directions, and great spot IQ to build one of the strongest trick resumes the scene has ever seen. Coming up in Burbank amongst the RYD crew, Elliott made his intro to the scene in 2011 with a web edit that made waves and put Elliott in the spotlight as an up and comer with huge potential. After spending more time in Long Beach with the Royal HC crew and eventually finding himself under the wing of Matt Spencer, his riding would quickly dial into the mature Elliott we know today. After some projects for Unknown Bike Co, filming would begin for one of the most important pieces of media in FGFS history: Stay Strapped. When it dropped, it was unveiled that Elliott’s ending section would display 8 minutes of the most incredible riding FGFS had seen to date, still completely holding up to this day 12 years later. It’s often referred to as the Garrett Reynolds Deadline section of our sport. Elliott’s progress continued into the Bombtrack and Ruff Arizona days where Matt and him would go on to film more projects that continued to change the game with each video.
2 – Edward Laforte
Nickname: Wonka / Medicine Man
Years Active: 2008 – 2019
Region: Brooklyn, NY
Social Media: @edlaforte
Fixed Gear’s original grom, the late Ed “Wonka” Laforte would come into the scene as a hot New York messenger showing off his commuter tricks to the world with 180’s on stairsets and BMX style tricks that fixed gear wasn’t accustomed to yet. People caught wind of this and the top media outlet in the scene, Prolly is Not Probably, made the effort to begin capturing some of Wonka’s early riding. His riding caught the eye of GOrilla, where he became the poster child for the brand. His riding on these frames would captivate spectators, and before long everyone knew that this kid was the next best thing since Tom La Marche. Wonka would go on to hit rails without pegs and became one of the first people who was extremely comfortable throwing hop barspins on any obstacle at high speeds. No spot was safe for Ed: stairsets, wallrides, rails, parks, you name it. After making connections with fellow New Yorkers Soil Thornton and Mike Schmitt, Ed found himself as the first rider on the soon to be legendary WRAHW squad and starting a bike company with Mike Schmitt called Grime Bikes, where they would go on to popularize the 26″ wheel.
Once pegs were introduced, Wonka became an absolute machine, leading the charge on progressive peg tricks. The tooth hanover and double peg hopover became HIS tricks, learning them way ahead of the curve. As far as competitions go, Ed was on an absolute tear with every contest he entered during the short amount of time he was competing (2010 – 2012), taking home 6 first place finishes in the short span. Ed’s riding would continue to grow with bigger handrails, bigger barspins, and an element of danger that made it hard to look away from the screen. His charming New York personality made fans out of everybody in the scene and we miss him dearly to this day. Since his passing in 2024, there has been am Ed-shaped hole in the scene that will never be filled by such a legend again.
1 – Matt Spencer
Nickname: Wolfdrawn / Silky
Years Active: 2008 – Present
Region: Southern California
Social Media: @wolfdrawn
Our pick for the number 1 rider of all time is the Ruff head honcho himself, Matt Spencer AKA Wolf Drawn! Matt has a resume in FGFS unlike anybody else on this top 100. Starting in the scene in 2008 and bringing in a unique moto background to the sport, Matt would have an effortlessness about his riding that prompted the nickname “Silky” to be developed in his early years. His Trick Track era displayed smooth spins, great bike control, and possibly the record for most amount of toe Keos in a row. As the era progressed into BMX style tricks, Matt would spearhead the pegless 700c movement, emphasizing creative spot usage, smooth style, pegless grinds and slides, and big gaps. After making the permanent switch to 26″ in 2012, his style, tricks, and bike control would only improve and his modern day style would begin to shape. Around this time, it started to become clear that one of Matt’s greatest strengths would be his ability to ride transition. Matt’s moto background would make it easy for him to navigate steep steep terrain as well as helping him be comfortable charging full speed at obstacles. He would be clearing massive gaps and transfers and make them look easy. Always choosing the road less travelled, Matt carved lanes of his own throughout his whole riding career and would inspire generations of riders who would copy the moves (and fashion) that he would popularize. He would further his unique style by almost permanently introducing a rear brake to his riding, and inspired others to do so too.
While all of this development happened for himself, Matt would also become one of the scene’s top media producers, becoming a talent scout of sorts and document riders and friends that he felt needed a camera pointed at them like Congo, Corey San Agustin, Mike Dinh, Joe Mckeag, Antonio Wothe, Elliott Milner, and more. I used to call it the “Wolf Drawn Effect”, where once somebody started riding with Matt, their riding, spots, and trick choices would very clearly elevate. Matts web edits of himself and others were nothing short of legendary, but then with the filming of Stay Strapped, this cemented Matt’s legacy as a media producer and rider. With the creation of Ruff Bike Co and multiple Ruff videos later, it would go to show that the longevity of Matt as a content producer, tastemaker, and rider would be rivaled by nobody else.
One thing about Matt’s legacy that is different from others: his consistency. Through over 18 years of fixed gear riding and media production, Matt hasn’t taken a single year off. From early Wolf Drawn videos, to Revoked, to Stay Strapped, to the Arizona era, to FOAD full length sections, to the modern day Ruff era and beyond, Matt has always had his hands on a camera and a bike and hasn’t let off the gas, always having some sort of project in the works.
Matt’s riding is the type of riding that nobody can recreate. Nobody rides faster, finds better spots, or has the trick choices like Matt. Nobody (besides possibly Matt Reyes) has the content legacy like Matt. Lastly, nobody has the consistency and longevity that Matt has been able to keep up, still riding better than ever and filming more than ever to the present day. For these reasons, Matt is our number 1 pick for the SMC top 100 of all time.
If you made it this far, thank you so much for sticking with this journey and reading to the end. It’s been so fun to make this project happen and I appreciate everybody for being just as hyped on it all as I am. We’ll check back in on this concept in 5 years or so and see how things change. Until then, thanks for reading and paying attention, and keeping an interest in FGFS.
Love, JBall
