Video: Florida's 51-Year-Old Wheelie Master

Jan 6, 2021
by Alicia Leggett  

From SE Bikes:
At 51 years old, Luis “Wicho” Rodriguez is proving that age isn’t anything but a number. This Puerto Rico native is using his passion for SE Bikes to not only have fun on his own, but to inspire everyone around him. You can expect to see Wicho raising it up around Daytona Beach and Puerto Rico for a long time to come. “When I sit on my bike, I forget bills. I forget problems. I forget work. All I’m focusing on is riding this bike.” Now get out and RIDE!

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78 Comments
  • 98 0
 THIS is why I ride too, a wheelie great quote.

“When I sit on my bike, I forget bills. I forget problems. I forget work. All I’m focusing on is riding this bike.” Now get out and RIDE!
  • 14 21
flag Scottybike36 (Jan 6, 2021 at 12:24) (Below Threshold)
 Can’t. We’re in lockdown.
  • 13 0
 @Scottybike36: pretty sure exercise is allowed.
  • 27 2
 Too bad that most of the bills are bike specific...
  • 8 3
 @Scottybike36: Go protest on a bike
  • 3 2
 @likeittacky: protest isn't a reason to be out of your house right now in the UK

@kyytaM: THIS!
  • 7 0
 He's wheelie not over the hill yet either
  • 25 0
 This is so awesome to see. What a solid dude, I love his attitude towards getting others out on bikes.
  • 15 0
 It's amazing how being grateful for what you have can change your life.
  • 12 1
 Good on ya SE! Wicho makes a great brand ambassador, this sort of child-like love and genuine appreciation for riding is exactly the reminder I needed today. It's winter, I'm back in the midwest US for the first time in 8 years, all the trails are closed... this dude brightened my day, for sure. Wheelie on, Wicho!
  • 13 3
 Part of me thinks that the wheelie riding is goofy, but I'm sure many other bike riders of different disciplines look at the riding I do and think I'm just as goofy. We're all goofy and most of us are just trying to have fun on two wheels.
  • 6 1
 What are you dong that you look goofy to to other riders now... You riding with no seat??
  • 18 4
 @kymtb0420: He rides an E-bike...
  • 5 0
 pretty sure this guy is trying to have his fun on one wheel.
  • 2 0
 @kymtb0420: haha I'm just a guy in my late 30s who rides MTB and BMX at a solid intermediate skill level. But hardcore DH/freeride riders will look at me like I suck at jumping or tech, XC or road riders will look at me like my fitness is terrible (and they wouldn't be wrong), and very skilled BMX riders will look at me like I barely know what I'm doing. It's all relative.
  • 9 0
 I dont know if Im more jealous of the wheelie skill or the beautiful weather...
  • 6 3
 Just wait until their summer though. No thanks.
  • 8 1
 Weather is only like that 1/3 the time. The other 1/3 is always afternoon thunderstorms, with the other 1/3 borderline unbreathable humidity.
  • 4 2
 @extratalldirtrider: What does not kill you will make you stronger
  • 3 2
 @DaveBethea: that’s cute, but heat and humidity is a no go for me.
  • 2 1
 @DaveBethea: You must not have come here in the summer before
  • 5 0
 If you don't have a Big Ripper in your stable, you are missing out. LOL At one point I got stupid and had like 8 of them in the garage. Everyone giggles at me until they ride one and then that nastalgic smile kicks in and you are 12 all over again. We put in miles too....15-20 mile fun rides are the norm.
  • 2 1
 100 Percent, these bikes make old guys, young again, so fun and comfy.
  • 1 0
 Well it’s 10pm, 28’F and I’m going to go wheelie down the street right now..... Wicho has won this round!
  • 1 0
 really wanting to get my '85 black PK Ripper back
  • 7 0
 I can see the headlines now: "Florida man can still get the front end up at 51"
  • 3 0
 Feelin the F out of Wicho's vibe. I recently started building jump lines in a ditch near my house that I ride BMX style even though I'm on a FS MTB, Couldn't be more stoked. I've been back there no gloves, no helmet, no chamois, no worries just like a kid on a BMX decades ago. Point is Wicho fully embodies the feeling I'm after in that ditch, every one should try to ride like a kid again, at least sometimes.
  • 1 0
 Would this be an okay time to tell you your PB handle is one of my dogs nicknames? Smile
  • 4 0
 1979 got my second PK Ripper (Perry Kramer)
Had a 24” OM flyer in 1983 /landing Gear fork in blue
3 SE frames in 6 years
  • 1 0
 PK Ripper 1982......silver with blue anodized components and landing gear fork.
It was my dream bike, used to take it to my room at nite.
If Scott Breithaupt is somewhere around and somebody has his contact will thank if you say hi to him. Met him in a NBA national race in Bakersfield CA back in 1983. Cheers from México
  • 1 0
 Anyone taking bets on how long it takes for the "Foot on the Saddle Manual Training Machine" to show up on either Kickstarter or MTBHopper.com? My money is on sometime this weekend.
  • 3 1
 SE Bikes, What a great idea to sponsor this guy. What a spokesman. Awesome video. Awesome attitude. Thank you for sharing this.
  • 3 0
 This dude is help keeping Scot Breithaupt's dream alive and well. Nice move by SE and Todd Lyons to put him on the team.
  • 2 0
 Lyons is a trip on insta......tells it like it is........or isn't.....depending on your point of view.....one thing is for sure....SE bikes have branched out from the BMX only scene from the 80's
  • 1 0
 @bamabang: idk - if anything SE is bringing it back to the early days - wheelies and big wheeled bikes:

bmxsociety.com/uploads/monthly_2019_10/483FF8D9-28BC-4593-A254-3CCF2BB37E09.jpeg.56940c66c5337b96bcd4c208d35c3bc7.jpeg

bmxultra.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/4-Wheelie-copy.jpg
  • 1 0
 @defconfour: History shows that Scott B and Perry K were BMXers.......not wheelies and big wheel bikes.....unless you count the OM Flyer....
  • 1 0
 @bamabang: I guess my point is that wheelies and big wheeled bikes have been around since the early days of BMX. Big wheeled bikes were called cruisers (still called beach cruisers). OM helped come up with a new class racing BMX - the cruiser class - for bigger wheeled bikes. Hence SE coming out with the OM Flyer in 1979 with 26" wheels. The cruiser class got more competitive and the bikes became lower slung and on 24" wheels as things progressed but those early cruisers certainly share a lot with the modern wheelie bike.

And the wheelie and bmx have gone together since before that photo of Breithaupt and his buddy's on Stingrays. We used to ride wheelies when riding around near the hotel at away BMX races in the mid 80's (I would actually ride my cruiser as it was more comfortable than the 20"). Shit I still crank out a manual on any paved section when riding my DJ bike to the trails almost 40 years later.

1979 Illustration from Bob Haro - wheelie on Laguna beach cruiser:
www.oldschoolmags.com/haro_art/H_art18.jpg
  • 1 0
 This guy rules and SE has be supporting all kinds of BBlock monstaz. Good on both! I need an SE now so I can go on all the rideouts the homies in my neighborhood are throwing. Problem is, there are too many models!
  • 2 0
 We have something similar in MA too - called the "old guy crew" they put most people to shame and have been riding like 4x a week for last 40 years...... respect.
  • 3 0
 Pk ripper. Now that is a bike. Congrats bro. You deserve it.
  • 1 0
 Fat bikes definitely aren’t as practical as most bikes these days but I remember when I owned a Fat Boy and it was a hoot to wheels around.
  • 2 0
 is it cam mccaul in a disguise? guy seems to have a lot of fun...nice shades
  • 2 0
 Pinkbike needs to organise a wheelie-off with Wyn Masters.
  • 3 0
 Hard to compete against those SE wheelie kids and adults. There are guys that show up with no front wheel on their bike and wheelie the ride out. Don't ask me how????
  • 2 0
 Wow...was not expecting to like this that much!!!
  • 2 0
 Best rider update in a long while. Great to see.
  • 1 0
 i was going to ask can he manual but then i saw he was standing on his seat! yeah...he can manual!
  • 1 1
 Wheelie specific bike to make it easier to learn the wheelie:
- short chainstay frame
-3" rise bars
-24/26 mullet setup
-165mm cranks
*Unsure about geometry?
  • 1 0
 Yeeha! go old (er) guys! Also, can we please have some of that sun?
  • 1 0
 Awesome share, thank you!!!
  • 1 0
 Id sign this guy in a heartbeat!
  • 2 0
 This guys is dope!
  • 1 0
 Viva my friend Wicho viva Puerto Rico and viva pinkbike
  • 1 0
 SE Bikes are nice, I recommended one to my girlfriend.
  • 1 0
 This is NoEnduro looks fun and relaxed
  • 1 0
 I'm with you man, I'm 54 and can still do a decent wheelie, stay young!
  • 1 0
 Whoa. Look at the old dude! Wait....I'm 47!
  • 1 0
 Those retro big wheel SE's are sooooooooo badass looking.
  • 1 0
 so good, much respect!
  • 1 0
 Ese bikes.. holmes!
  • 1 0
 Pura Vida Wicho!
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