../people/Joseph North Rich

Sources: Ride BMX US, Freedom, Dig, www.mbatbmx.com, Transworld BMX, Props, www.thecomeupboard.com, ...
If you want to add any info, please contact buissonrouge@23mag.com.
1974 DOB: april 16, 1974.
early years Joe: I'm originally from Fort Worth Texas, I was born there and my parents moved away when I was three. I lived up in a town called Easton Pennsylvania, which is right next to Bethlehem… POSH was ten minutes from my parents house and that’s where I learned to ride dirt.

Joe: I started riding bmx sometime around the end of 1987.

Joe Rich, www.thecomeupboard.com, december 2007: The first person I ever saw that I was amazed by was a guy named Gabriel that rode for Kuwahara. I went to their summer tour in 87 and saw him roasting a quarter pipe. Right then and there is what made me want to start riding. As I got into it more, I looked up to Jay Longergan the most. He was a guy from my neighborhood that was a super good racer but could ride anything. Today he is someone I still look up to, hang out with, and am grateful to have as a friend. Then came Ron Wilkerson and Matt Hoffman. God Damn is all I have to say. I had those 2 plastered all over the walls in my room.
1991 Fakie at Woodward in 1991 on a Haro Air Master in fluorescent orange with an extra rear peg.
Joe, Ride BMX US may 2005: When the peg on the frame flexed and bent too far from peg tricks, the peg on the axle would provide back-up strength.
joe rich 1991
1992
1993 COVER.
No foot wheel grab on the cover of Ride BMX US #7.

STANDARD.
Joe is riding for Standard Bikes company.
joe rich  ride bmx us 10 1993


Joe Rich in the Standard Happy Days video.
1994 Interviews in Props video magazine issue 1 and Ride BMX US october 1994.

VIDEO.
Standard Fat Ones video.

Joe Rich in the Standard Fat Ones video..
1995 INSTRUCTOR AT WOODWARD EAST.

1995 BS FINALS.
The big man of am street was Joe Rich, ultra high lookdown, flips, and unbelievably stretched superman seat grabbers.
joe rich flip
1995 BS round 3

joe rich superman seat grab
1995 BS round 4
1996 ETNIES.
Mike Escamilla (Etnies team manager) called me at the beginning of 1996 and told me that Etnies was going to do a small team and wanted to know if I was interested. He and Mike Griffin already rode for them, but the small team was myself, Nate Hanson, Dave Freimuth and Brian Castillo.
1997 COVER OF FREEDOM.
Joe Rich at Posh on the cover of Freedom magazine may 1997.

Interview: Ride BMX US #29 august september 1997.
joe rich freedom bmx
1998 Props Road Fools 1.
Joe Rich, www.thecomeupboard.com, december 2007: The era that surrounded the first Road Fools was nothing short of amazing. There was alot of progression around that time and we weren't really sure even what we were doing. Just having fun and being like, " I guess I'll try this now ! " I had only lived in Austin about 2 months before going on that trip. Me and Taj had just got done filming for Anthem and were still in that mode. We would go riding every day and trade off every other day with who was going to be primarily riding that day, and who was filming. It was a good way to stay motivated. Road Fools just felt like a continuation of that. It was good times from start to finish. But it seemed more like we were all just having a session without thinking so much that it was actually being filmed. Because there was nothing prior for us to base it on. If we drove all day, cool, if we rode street, cool, if we wanted to ride jumps all day and the biggest tricks were 270's, turndowns, and x-ups, then fuck yeah it was a good day. Looking back on it all now seems nuts. To have been a part of it all . . . I can remember so much of it like yesterday.

TERRIBLE 1.
Joe Rich and Taj Mihelich are starting Terrible one.

INTERVIEW.

Interview in Ride BMX US June 1998.

COVER OF DIG.
Invert at Burnside on the cover of Dig #9 autumn 1998.

INTERVIEW FOR FRAME.
vimeo.com/bengeronimi, april 2012: In 1998 a new Brand was created by Joe Rich and Taj Mihelich: TERRIBLE ONE • T1. Here is an Interview by GRV for Frame of Joe Rich just after the launch of terrible one in 1998 at the Seventies headquarters in Hastings. Music "Bovine Funk" performed by Filla Brazilia, Pork recordings.
joe rich dig 09


Joe Rich's interview for Frame video magazine.
1999 Interview: Soul video magazine #11

Joe Rich carves an un-lookback accross an entire vert ramp at Woodward Camp on the cover of Ride BMX US october 1999. Photo by Mark Losey.

Props #34 november december 1999: cover and profile.
joe rich ride bmx us 10 1999

joe rich props bmx video magazine 34
Joseph N. Rich on the cover of Props 34. Photo by Sandy Carson.


Joe Rich profile in Props 34 from Least Most on Vimeo.
2000 COVER.
Fufanu on the cover of Ride BMX US december 2000.

SPONSORS.
Terrible One, Etnies, Primo, Fox Racing and Trend Bike Source.
joe rich ride bmx us 12 2000
2002 Interviews:
Transworld BMX #67 may 2002,
Cream #17 summer 2002.
2003 WORLD TOUR.
Joe Rich has put together one heck of a vacation. He'll be travelling around the world, along with Nate Wessel, Garrett Byrnes and Ruben Alcantara for six-and-a-half months. They left Austin on December 29th, 2002 headed for Hawai.
Joe Rich, www.thecomeupboard.com, december 2007: The world tour was a dream come true. I can remember when I was actually buying all the plane tickets and thinking, " what the fuck, this is really going to happen ?! " It was the right timing for it all. We all could make it happen at that time in our lives, and we seized the moment so to say. I wouldn't trade those 200 days for anything. yeah, it was 200 ! Seeing something brand new every day for that long will change your entire life. You can't help but see life differently. South Africa was probably the country that had the most impact on me. It was amazing. Almost impossible to put into words. But the people there are incredible and the country is so beautiful. They have one hell of a riding scene there these days as well. You will be so happy that you booked that ticket for yourself. I'd say try to see as much of the country as possible. Do everything ! But then again, that last sentence is something i try and do as much as possible. Ryan Worcester however, is the definition of those words !
2011 X Games 17 Park and Street judge.
2012 DIG COVER.
Joe Rich is on the cover of Dig september 2012.
digbmx.mpora.com, september 2012: In this issue we’re bringing you some of the people, places, and events that have inspired and shaped BMX and our magazine since our first issue in 1993. To mark this occasion we’ve produced four collectable covers featuring Brian Foster, Ruben Alcantara, Joe Rich, and Van Homan; all legends of the modern era.
joe rich dig bmx 90