The Ride of My life

It's no exaggeration to say that the sport of BMX freestyle couldn't exist as it does today without the efforts of Hoffman, the first rider to "pull a 900" (rotate the bike in the air two and a half times after escalating off the ramp). At age 17, he bought a semi truck and put together a touring team of trick riders. Two years later, he started Hoffman Bikes (it still exists) with a loan from the Small Business Administration, a few friends, and an immense amount of desire. He helped ESPN2 produce the early X Games. He's broken countless bones, had several concussions, and undergone an experimental ACL reconstruction without anesthesia.

Hoffman tells his story from the time he dropped out of school to ride in BMX tournaments professionally until late 2002, when he was 30 and he, skateboarder Tony Hawk, and many other extreme sports superstars took the "Boom Boom Huck Jam" music and sports production on the road. Nearly every page of the book has at least one black-and-white photograph showing Hoffman in action; a few color photos are also included. An appendix defines the more complicated tricks. Though Hoffman's tale will be enjoyed mostly by extreme-sports enthusiasts, anyone could find inspiration from the success and pleasure he has gotten from hard work, passion, and desire.