The deep North and Manchester scene was overflowing with BMX talent in the 1980s, and that’s where Andy Preston began his journey in the world of BMX riding.
It’s obvious that Andy Preston belongs in the Hall of Fame. He was about as close to an ’80s BMX freestyle superstar as you could get, although he’d probably hate that term both then and now. But it’s true. Andy Preston was absolutely one of the leading freestylers in the early days of UK BMX.
You would see the BMX Bi-Weekly trick team, Andy and teammate Mike Pardon, featured in almost every issue of the magazine for years. Multiple magazine covers followed, along with a photo in the infamous Freestyle Magazine first UK scene report.
Andy was overflowing with sponsors and soon went on to release his own AP products, distributed through the then major BMX distributor Ron Kitchen. Andy and Mike were constantly on the road with their quarter pipe hitched to the back of Andy’s Land Rover, performing demos around the UK.
He featured on multiple TV shows throughout the BMX boom years, and he and Mike Pardon even landed their own slot on a Saturday morning kids’ breakfast show. Set to the hippest sounds of the time against a cool backdrop, they somehow still managed to make BMX look cool.
By John Dye
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