» Daniel's signature parts:
The DaFu Flatland Bar

Biography / Interview

How old are you?
I was born on february 7th, 1984. Umm, twenty-one?
Tell us when & how it began.
I started riding BMX in 1999 and since 2000 after the Worlds 2000 in Cologne espeically Flatland. In my hometown Eberswalde I saw some guys riding bmx on the market place. They were doing crazy things with the bikes like jumping over some things and spinning on the backwheel. I was fascinated. They were Cristian Manns and Raiko Biering. From this moment on, these two guys were my mentors and teachers. A little later I had enough money for my own bike. It was a Hoffman "big daddy". And so I started riding with Christian and Raiko. In the beginning it was freestyle, because I was jumping and grinding. After the Worlds 2000 in Cologne I started to get more into Flatland because I liked the different styles of this kind of bmx riding. After that I started to learn some more basic watching the KHE Flat School.
What are you doing when you don't ride?
In Eberswalde, there are many good riders now. They are all my friends and if we don´t ride then we hang out all together and watch Flatlandmovies. Or swimming. Or party. Also, there's another freetime activity : in my life: my girlfriend Antje.
Who do you ride with? Any favourite places? riding everyday?
I ride really often. I think everyday. I ride on the market place in the center of Eberswalde. I hate this floor because the ground is very bad. There are lots of small stones so it's crap. If I do rollingtricks I get problems to pull the tricks. But hat is the only place where I can ride Flatland in Eberswalde.
What about bmx shows?
I like to ride BMX shows because you can do some simple spinning tricks and the crowd's happy. Easy money :
Any new combos or new tricks you're working on?
I did more crossfooted stuff in the last time. I love that because it's a new and difficult challenge for me. About combos, I don't really have Combos. I think it's not good to say "ok, this trick, that's the start of the combo - and that trick is the end". I go out and ride and I got fun - that is what I want to do.
Flatland only?
I ride BMX but the most tricks that I´m do are Flatlandtricks. But I love to feeble grind and some 360°s. And so I'd say I'm a bmxer.
Married?
No, not yet. I've got a girlfriend and that's ok for now.
You moved to Stuttgart this Summer? Together with your girl? Because of Flatland?
I'm in Stuttgart since August now and I'm very happy to be here! OK, sometimes I think about moving into a foreign country like the Netherlands (to Eidhoven) or France (Paris). We will see. First I will finish my Zivi stuff, then I will absolve a voluntary social year, just to have the possibility to ride the whole year long. After that, I want to study but I don't know which city I move to. It's obvious that I will go there where flatland pushes me to. Here in Stuttgart it's perfect now because there are so many motivating riders like Seppl, Flo Sailer, Roman Rommel and so on… (there will be no end when I try to mention all the flatlanders of Stuttgart)
OK, with my girl everything's superb - I live with her in one room, but it's still fine! I think that riding BMX is a part of the fact that I have no problems with her. I'm out for riding nearly the whole day, so we don't spend so much time together and we like to see each other. So anyone living together with his girl in one room - start riding flatland - it works for sure!
You think Flatland will change somehow or will go in another direction in the future?
No, I don't think there's any direction in flatland. Everybody has his own style and his ideas.
What about some Street or Dirt Jumping?
I like it.
What do you think about the Flatlandscene in Germany?
The scene is nice - like a family. I think it is a very good scene because it is like a family. There are many good riders Chris Böhm, Daniel Hennig, Mike S., Matti Röse, Markus Reich, Seppel, Frank Lukas, Alex Schönfeld and so on. When I go to a contest or a jam, everbody is friendly - I like it. There are also many talents and newcomers in Germany. For example from my hometown Eberswalde - Oliver Radunz, John Krämer and Benjamin Hill. They will start in Pro class soon, I know it. In Germany also many contests like "Flatland für Arme und Beine" in Friedland, BMXMasters in Cologne, German Open in Coburg and many more...
Last words?
I wanted to thank my family, my riding friends John Krämer, Oliver Radunz, Steven Stawicki, Benjamin Hill, Raiko Biering,Christian Manns, Hartmut Martin, Florian Schirmer, Kriztian Kalina, Kevin Brabant. I thank KHEbikes and ChicoClothing for supporting me. And my Girlfriend Antje. Ride on!!!