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Cooper Brownlee
How long have you been riding spots in the city for?
Since 2006 when I moved here. If I’m not on my bmx, I’m usually on my commuter running errands or going to and from work.
What’s the craziest/most random thing you’ve witnesses while riding in the city?
There was a time before the lights were ‘officially’ on at city park via YMCA that things got pretty exciting, with gangs coming down to beat up people and steal bikes. One night I saw a guy get chased down and knocked off his bike, while another guy jumped on the bike and rode away; orchestrated to the fullest! Luckily the guys’ bike turned up in a northern suburbs bike shop and he got it back a few months later.
Whats the difference between winter and summer rides?
The city is dead midweek during winter, so it is much easier to roll around without much interruption. Summer is great for people watching and drinking slurpees. I prefer winter, purely because the weather is more bearable. It is easier to put on a jumper to escape the cold.
What’s your favourite spot to eat?
There is a tiny sushi place on Latrobe Street which is my regular for lunch, Badger Vs Hawk has great burgers and coffee if you feel like overindulging. That is also on Latrobe Street.
When everyone is in the city on a nice night, it is hard to go past the Nandos at Etihad Stadium, with their outdoor seating area providing a great spot to eat and people watch. Everyone seems to love Nandos as well, which is always a plus.
What’s your favourite spot to ride?
2up 2down is a great low impact spot to spend hours doing manual combos and sitting around. It isn’t the greatest spot in terms of things to ride, but we always have a great time there.
I enjoy the time between spots just as much as the actual spots we ride, hitting bump jumps and manualling across traffic islands is great.
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What makes Melbourne such a good city to ride?
It is small enough that you can ride everywhere. There aren’t very many hills. There is always a new spot being built. The weather is great most of the time. Everyone seems to visit regularly, so there is always someone new to show around.
What is your take on dealing with security guards?
It all depends on how they approach us, if they are rude and inconsiderate, I don’t mind getting into a good argument with someone who takes their job too seriously.
If someone comes and asks us to leave politely, I have no problem doing so. Not leaving rubbish and keeping noise down goes a long way in a spot not becoming a bust too early.
Do many new spots pop up these days? Do you just come up on them or is it a go out and search hard for them type deal?
There is always something being built, but a lot of the time stoppers are put in place before it is finished. Finding new spots just comes from being in the city all the time and taking note of your surroundings. If a new fence goes up, look over it and see what is behind it or take another way home to see what is down the unfamiliar street.
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