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Welcome to Jesse Puente.com! Fansite dedicated just for Jesse Puente. Jesse "the crouching tiger" Puente interviewed!
Big thanks & Props to CREAM Magazine!
Also, check out this EXTREME SPORTS newspaper article about Jesse!
Who are you, where you from ? What's your life ?
I originally was born in Oregon City, Oregon but I moved to Los Angeles when I was 16 to live. I started riding when I was very young but I started to get serious about riding was when I was 14 with BMX racing and jumps and then I started to try ramps and flatland. I looked in the magazines and I saw riders do How-To's and showed flatland tricks, I watched videos of Kevin Jones and Mark Eaton. There were a lot of contest in Oregon and California, I saw riders like Aaron Dull, some guy name Fish, Pete Brandt, Eric Emerson, but in California (late 80’s – early 90’s) alone there were so many dope riders I can’t name them all, the just the Southern California area had dope riders that I rode with like Edgar Plascensia, Richard Zabzydar, Sean McKinney, Ivan Plascensia, Leo Dumlao, Steffon Shultz, Day Smith, Andrew Arroyo, Mark Makee, Chad Jhonston, Stewart Arragon, Chris Day, and that’s just to name a few riders from back in the day. Some still ride and some don’t but their styles I can’t forget. They are the ones that influenced me in many ways, at the same time they pushed me to be more unique because they were. There were a lot of unique riders I came in contact with people that mirror the way European contests or jams are today. Back then, the people were very hungry to learn new tricks and express themselves with style. There wasn't as much attention focused on flatland in the media, almost how like it is looking right now. Less publicity is what pushed flatland to be more unique. I would ride in cold rainy weather in underground parking lots all night. Late nights is when we were at our best, it was all about bringing something to the group that was constructive it wasn’t about jealousy. It took me years to find riders that I can feel comfortable with new tricks and concepts without worrying about someone taking from the group or myself, we always had each others back and that is what kept us inspired.
Why the BMX, why the flatland ?
The reason why I chose Flatland over any other was because I wanted to try something new that was different in BMX. Now I have no regrets because flatland has become the foundation of ramps and street. A lot of tricks and concepts actually came first from trying it on flat groundwork incorporating it with the laws of physics. Flatland is like science, humans learn through trials and tribulations. Through physics we learn the right balance point and in turn it helps us balance out our lives through artistic creation or by imitating it. Credit: KHEBikes.com
Continued... What's the story of Graveyard ?
The story of Graveyard, I met Richard Zabzydar in the late eighty’s – early 90’s. I met him at the Pete Karney ride contest, the contest was a riders-judge-each-other contest. Ever since the day I met Richard we were like brothers. Everyone that knew him had something good to say about him. He had a mind that remembered everything, so if he said something he would come through for you. He never made up excuses or anything. He was a creator, designer, and innovator – Richard was the dopest rider I have ever seen in my life, he wasn’t scared to try anything. His tricks would be the most creative and surreal, fastest, and all you would see was a blur. I’m not just talking about just spinning but I’m talking about rolling at about 100 mph with no brakes. At the same time he was modest, he would just grin – it’s too bad that hardly anyone had the chance to film him. His brother, Anthony, was really close with Richard. Anthony used to weld all of Richard’s creations. Welding was like art for him. If people broke bike parts they would not only fix it but they would make it better even if it took them all night with minimal tools. Anthony and Richard were like yin and yang. From their creativity, Graveyard was born. Flatland wouldn’t be the same without Richard and Anthony, they came up with lollipop chain tensioners, small gear 11”,12”,13” rear coaster brake sprockets welded, very strong handle bar design that companies still to this day copy, stainless steal bar ends, titanium neck, oversized axles, and among other things for flatland, ramp, and street riders. We traveled to many places in a bucket (car) called the “potato,” a potato brown mid- ‘70’s Toyota station wagon that would never stop running. It was the most ugliest car but we could fit all of our bikes in it and it ran all the way from the west to the east coast and back. But actually, it never made it to the east coast but Richard and I was sure that it would make it but since it stayed on the west coast we had to abuse rent a cars bringing them back smoking. Since the rent a car place always made Richard to pay to get insured, Richard would always bring the car back smoking and with bald tires. But Richard was a guy that would follow the contract down to his signature, where he would bust out the contract and the rent a car guy couldn’t say a word. We couldn’t wait for the next road trip. Day Smith had a potato too, but that’s a different story. The whole time we would listen to hip hop music because like flatland it don’t stop. Tragically the July 1st, 1994, Richard passed away in a car accident but his legacy still lives on. I still run into people that knew him and they said that when they met Richard, he changed their lives.
Are you west coast ?
I am born and raised on the west coast, the reason for the W hand gesture came from underground hip hop it is a symbol of giving props to one another for being unique in a cipher (late nights saying something conscious in a circle of different minds with different perspectives). Others had turned that image into something negative like gangster styles that ignorant fools had emulated to be from the streets but forgot about the trueness.
Do you have a story about Venice beach ?
Venice beach has everything, ghetto drug dealers live side by side with upper middle class and the homeless. There are no lower class just homeless. I hate it and love it. There is no place to ride because it is so crowded. But when I had stop riding for a long time Venice beach helped me break out of that fear of riding in front of large crowds. The reason why I moved to Venice beach from LA is because of my family. My wife was born and raised in Santa Monica and she is completely opposite from me. It is a challenge to find a perfect place to ride in Venice therefore every weekend I go to east LA (about 30 miles through rough neighborhoods) to ride at CAL state with my friends. Cal State is a sanctuary for flatlanders. The cops don’t bug and crazy drivers don’t zoom by that often. Flatland is respected there for now.
What's your way of riding ?
My way of riding depends on how I feel, I have to find the balance or improvise with new balances. But most of the time I would like to be improvising, most of my styles come accidentally. The most important thing is that I try to be different than anything than I have ever seen. I hope not to take from anybody, if I do I will change. I want to push flatland not take something to make someone feel bad. But don’t take my kindness for weakness.
Do you think the brakeless is the future ?
Brakeless is the future and it is here to stay but it depends on the person. Someone can take flatland and take it many different directions. Look at Vikki Gomez, he uses breaks but he always surprises you.
Where do find your inspiration ?
What inspires me the most is that natural high that you get when you do something new that no one has ever seen before or thought was possible. What pushes me the most is when people say I can’t do something and to make them eat their words. Sometimes when I watch my friends we use reverse psychology on each other and tell each other we suck where in turn we think our friends are the dopest and that just makes us work harder. But the whole time we just make each other laugh and we try harder anyways.
Do you invented a tricks (time machine ?)
Time machine is just spinning, what I invented was different ways of spinning but basically it stems from spinning – I’m getting dizzy now I need to change my style. I invented bank roll time machines, which is spinning on the front no handed; no handed death truck time machines etc…etc…other tricks I invented include cross footed hitchhikers, G-Turn Backpacker to cross footed hitchhiker (but I always scrape the bars on this trick, I’ve seen Ali do it perfect before anyone), plastic man, crack packer time machine and also a half packer on the seat no handed. For junk yard I added G-Turn no handed and cross footed no handed. Pivot rolling pedal tricks, G-Turn pedal tricks. There are many floating styles with the front and back wheel (Crouching tiger), floating walks…these are some that I love right now. I want to advance on this and some other concepts especially after coming from the Flattime King Contest. That was a lot of inspiration.
When you think we are too old for riding ?
I’m not trying to think like that but maybe… 80 years old.
Do you know France and Europe ?
Yes, I’ve been to France three times and to Germany twice. French people drive crazy as hell. When they take off at stop signs everyone screeches their tires especially in the morning. And they park their cars crooked and backwards all over the place and sometimes in the middle of the street. At least there are no drive-by shootings by crazy Mexicans, no sink holes in the streets, and no homeless. And French people LOVE French bread and so do I. German people love their schnitzels and their bikes. In 1817, in the city of Karlsrule the first bicycle was invented by Freiherr Von Drais, and the bike was called “Draisine.” The first car was buile in Karlsrule, too. Overall, Europeans are just normal people like us being run by the government.
What do you think about the japan riders ?
Japanese like to run naked in the cities but the Japanese riders are some of the dopest riders in the world. At this time, everyone is talking about how creative and stylish they are. When I went to Osaka, I couldn’t believe how much they love flatland. Now from what I hear, in the last contest they had 180 people riding in the contest. I love to see flatland getting bigger especially with their dope mind state. Respect due to all hardcore Japanese riders out there fucking shit up! Peace!
Do you know that you revolution the flatland frame (with KHE)?
Don’t understand your question but the KHE frames have a lot clearance on the bottom and the top. I learned from the Standard Shorty Frame and the S&M Sabbath that to have the headset and the rear drop outs unaligned in order to balance in the front or the back of the balance point easier with more leverage to work with. At first the lagger frame had many problems with the makers. But I think KHE has learned so much that now they have the BEST parts for flatland.
Who help you ?
My friend Jon Mata drew the design on paper as I described it to him and Sean White put it on CAD. Thomas (KHE) continued the prototyping. But now Thomas and I are working on a new design to come out in 2004. The new KHE frame (name not yet decided) is going to be even more advanced.
Do you ride every day ?
My riding is in spurts, some weeks I’ll ride day and night and sometimes I won’t ride for a couple of days. Due to the complications of life, having a family, and living in Venice with no perfect place to ride my life seems to be chaotic. The downtime makes me more hungry for flatland.
Do you have a message ?
For all those struggling in flatland, I just want to remind you about how the popularity of flatland comes in cycles. Now is the time to make up crazy styles our kids are going to do and take it to the next level with originality. I want to give props to the KHE team, Ali, all those I met in Grenoble, France that are pushing flatland, and the people I ride with now – Anthony, Tohnr, George, Moses from S.Central LA, and Richard from Southgate. Ride hard, life’s too short not to enjoy it!!! Credit: KHEBikes.com
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cool man..........!