Leader had been talking for quite some time about bringing out Addison to San Diego, so naturally I was excited when they finally confirmed dates and I’d have my chance to pick his brain while snapping a few photos of him on his bike. Addison Zawada flew up to Red Bull Ride + Style not knowing a single soul, but after it was all said and done everyone knew who he was. Placing first in the minidrome event and then going on to take first against Walton Brush in the finals, Addison stirred some major waves so obviously everyone was curious who was the guy that came out of Florida and beat out some of the world’s best?

Starting three years ago, fixed gear was originally a way to train to become faster for his real passion: bmx racing. “Basically I would go on rides with friends to build leg muscle, cross training for bmx” he says. Zawada would go onto make his way into Florida’s fixed gear scene through 904 Fixed as well as Burro Bags which would ultimately lead him to his first minidrome event in Orlando where he placed first. From there he would travel across the United States as well as Canada to win six out of the seven minidrome events he’s attended, building a reputation for himself.

“It was fun and I think I proved my point that I can do it,” Zawada says “so now unless it’s a really big event like racing one of the other winners around the world I’m not going to focus on the minidrome.” Hoping to capitalize on the bike control and sprinting that he honed through bmx racing he plans to compete in more fixed gear races, and hopefully have similar results as his first place win in the non-courier class at NACCCs this year. “A huge goal of mine is to make a living riding my bike,” he says hoping to turn his passion into a career, “and after winning Ride + Style it really feels like I can make that happen.”