Spotlight: Caleb Ruecker

Date of Birth?

Scorpio. 11/03/1984

Hometown?

Portland, OR

First memory of BMX?

Just in the late 80s to the mid 90s seeing dudes on BMX in the neighborhood doing tricks and thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever seen - and that’s when I knew I wanted one for myself.

How old were you when you first really started to get into BMX?

I was 11 or 12 right during my love for skateboarding. But after my skateboarding accident, I fell in love with BMX and still to this day I feel the same feeling as I did when I was 12.

What was your first legit BMX bike?

I had a Murry and other random trash bikes for a long time, but then I got a redline RL 340, then a Hoffman George.

In your OPINION… when do you think the Golden age if BMX was or is?

I would definitely say 1996 till 2009.

How do you feel about social media? Do you think your life is better for it or would you rather leave it if you could?

It’s ruined peoples lives and forced us into this imaginary world that is full of fakes and narcissistic sociopaths. Yes, yes I would leave it for sure in a heart beat again cause it’s not real life. I think the next trend should be to delete it.

What are your must haves for a roadtrip?

Like a BMX one? If so definitely the right crew, sleeping bag, tubes, extra socks, a filmer, and anxiety meds. Haha. And for a normal one I don’t worry cause living in my van I have everything I need and more!

Have you ever owned and/or tried one or more of these…..

• Cassette tape

• Mini disc

• IM screen name

• Surge soda

• POGS

All of the above. Haha used to smash surge and rock a tape player while riding. And pogs and slammers were the shit until your teacher took them away. Ha

Do you know the weight of your bike? Do you even give a shit?

I don’t give one shit and never really even think about it really. BMX needs to be a little heavy and not full of plastic.

Do you think if Sid Vicious and David Bowie could have had a child you would have been it?

Haha that’s awesome and could be true, which I wouldn’t be bummed at all, but having Sid and Paul Simon make me would make more sense... unless Bowie came in on that for a threesome.

If you could be in a food eating contest, what food would you want it to be?

Eating ass.

Who are your biggest inspirations in BMX and also in life?

Definitely Mike Escamilla, Dave Young, Brian Castillo, Chris Toth, Lucas Pozorio, Lou Rajsich, John Gorny, Shad Johnson, pizza, fudge, Dennis Emerson, Garret Reynolds, Ratboy, the Gonz, Geoff Slattery and Dave Butler. And in life I would just say my close friends who have been there for me and always have fun together.

Are you a person that is a product in which they were raised. Or did you go against the gain and did the opposite?

The complete opposite. I’m the black sheep - or the lucky one that broke that shit and live life my way.

If you could be saved by a super hero, who would it be and why?

God. Hahahahaha.

Do you seek out sponsors or do they just come to you offering?

I have never once had a sponsor reach out to me and want me. I have always reached out and been my own agent with all the opportunities I have had.

What is your favorite way to blow a bubble?

• gum

• spit

• bubble wand

• pipe

• snot

A snotty creampie.

Tell the kind 3 or 4 people reading this what you do for a living and how long you have been doing it.

I usually don’t ever talk about work cause it’s something we all have to do. I like talking about goals and passions and happiness. But I do auto upholstery and been doing it for a few years off and on. I don’t believe in doing just one kinda job in life so I have lots of trades.

If you had one song to play at your funeral to leave everyone with one last message from you, what would it be and can you tell us why?

I wanna say "My Way" by Sid Vicious.

Deal or no Deal?

Is that a game show? I don’t watch tv.

How do you feel the world is changing for the better, but also how can you see it changing for the worst?

Oh we are fucked and trying to un fuck it at the same time but it’s not balanced so we are kinda doomed.

What BMX part do you replace more than the others?

Tires and tubes. I rarely break stuff but it’s important to get new forks every 3 to 4 years and get a new chain every pair of new tires I get.

Do you listen to music when you ride? What are some of the songs in your mix if you do?

I do listen to music when I ride but I don’t listen to it when I do tricks. I need to focus and be serious when it comes to doing something that all that math takes that the music interrupts. But I listen to all types cause I want new memories to new songs and artists.

Were you ever Amish? If not, what do you have against them? Lmao.

Haha. Nope I wasn’t, but they do make good furniture and the men have cool style, but I have nothing against them. If anything they are wining when it comes to time in a way.

What would you say is your most impressive quality?

Ummm hhmmm….. maybe being one of the last of my kind I guess.

If you had to lose one of your senses for the rest of your life. but could pick another to be enhanced. What would they be?

Probably smell less and see even better.

Would you consider yourself an all round rider or just a street assassin?

I would like to say yes for sure cause I just love riding my bike on everything. We don’t have dirt jumps around here anymore so my trail days have faded, but I love riding wood ramps and putting in street lines or just seeing something different at the park. Me and transition don’t have a tight relationship, but I know my limits.

Is there anything that people assume of you that surprises them when they find out you aren’t what they think?

Yes, for sure and it’s a big one. I don’t do drugs and never been drunk. Some even thought I would be a arrogant prick. Definitely got a lot of those vibes and rumors from strangers and my piers over the years before they met me in person. I break stereo types everyday.

How are you coping with your metal struggles day to day? What is your biggest motivators to stay on track with it? When did you start noticing that your mental health was more of an issue than something that would just pass? How has BMX help with your anxiety also?

Well, first off it’s all balance. If you’re doing something you don’t like or feel forced, you’re not gonna have a good time. I do what I want when I want. I have carved my own path that works for me with my anxiety and depression. What motivates me to keep going is to know I saw the darkness and then the light. I wanna see me grow old and that also motivates me. I want the full meal of life.

I almost didn’t make it out the last dark episode and that was the scariest time of my life - and that’s saying a lot since I have had this since I was 5. I think I was just born sad and just have to fill my life with as much fun and love as I can. BMX has saved my life everyday since I have started. So me riding and getting the nickname “the hucker” wasn’t because of wanting to be someone or be the best and do crazy shit, it was to use physical pain to hide the anxiety. So jumping off roofs, doing crazy gaps and handrails I found were - and still are - a cure. Weather I land it or not, it takes it away and during that moment even cruising I’m free and nothing matters. I found what people look for there whole lives. I won.

Have you ever received a chain letter? If so did you keep it going or just say fuck it, people are stupid?

Oh I kept it going for sure. I like to keep things interesting and entertaining In life.

Who are your sponsors and why do you think they care about you?

Well, I hope they care about me. Ha. I ride for Metal Bikes, Etnies, Junkyard Parts Co, CBD Boneyard Elixir, and a few other I don’t think care anymore. Ha. I think cause I’m a good hearted person, passionate, and caring but also kinda good at riding my bike. I’m relatable and real and do my own things and don’t follow what’s “cool”.

Is there anything about BMX that annoys you? That if you personally could change it you would?

There's always something in everything that people do that will be annoying. I hate parts that are plastic, and some of the new school vibes with these riders. The arrogance and cool guy shits gotta go. You’re not a rapper or thug so stop. It’s BMX and I stay away from the political side of it all and always have, but I think down the line BMX lost its ways of its history line of respect. I just would like to see new riders knowing their history for what they love to do, and for BMX to show the love of the riders that are still out there later in age still doing it.

Given one power of your choice to use one time what would it be?

Time travel for sure.

This is yours to say and promote whatever you want brother. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this. Means the world.

No, thank you. We need more of this in BMX. I just wanna say BMX doesn’t owe me anything and I owe it everything - it’s saved my life thousands of times. Still love it to this day, 25 plus years later and wouldn’t change it or who I am and what it’s giving me and that’s true passion of happiness. But thanks to the ones who really support me and have always had my back always. Thanks mate❤️