The Pinkbike Podcast: Getting to Know Taj Mihelich

Jul 21, 2023
by Henry Quinney  
photo
Art by the man himself, Taj Mihelich

In our Getting to Know series we're taking time to sit down with Pinkbike contributors and staff and getting to know them better. If you're familiar with our website, you've probably spent a great deal of time looking at Taj's drawings. In this podcast, I take the opportunity to sit down with him while he's in Whistler and learn a little more about his life in cycling.

We talk BMX backgrounds, concussion, life as a pro, and I wildly misquote philosophers that may or may not even exist.






Featuring a rotating cast of the editorial team and other guests, the Pinkbike podcast is a weekly update on all the latest stories from around the world of mountain biking, as well as some frank discussion about tech, racing, and everything in between.

Subscribe to the podcast via your preferred service (Apple, Spotify, RSS, Megaphone, etc.), or visit the Pinkbike Podcast tag page for the complete list of episodes.

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33 Comments
  • 23 0
 Thank you taj
  • 17 3
 Looks like a BMX background
  • 16 5
 Love these staff interviews. Do Levy next.
  • 9 2
 Taj was one of my favorite riders growing up, his thoughts on MTBs from the previous Pod he was on is right in line with mine. BMX was so simple and based on just having fun and being creative, and learning. MTB could learn so much from the BMX industry/culture. keep things simple. I wish a BMX company would branch out and make some MTBs and show big bike how it can be done. a simple 4 bar steel frame for 800ish sounds so feasible. Geo is sorted the 4 bar is sorted, 4130 is cheap, despite "Boutique" brands charging so much for it.
  • 7 0
 It you may accept aluminium instead of chromoly, I would encourage you to take a look at Airdrop bikes. Not only bikes but they approach, captured in their blog and other website pages.

Discovered them for myself not that long ago, feels like when you discover a great music band or a movie director Smile
  • 9 0
 Taj=Legend.
  • 4 0
 Amazing, thoughtful interview. Confronting fear is always enigmatic, and I must admit something that draws me to mountain biking. Over time, I've come to wear more and more protective gear, and my riding friends and I always argue about whether it makes us push even farther than we used to. That said I can't say wearing knee pads, back protector, and a full face when riding park has changed anything about the way I ride; I go to the same levels as I ever have. What's happened is that when I am not wearing them, I don't feel safe pushing my riding the same way I used to.
  • 3 0
 Taj, there was a bmx clip, possibly from a longer video, where someone wrote a miniramp with a little side-carriage and their dog in it. Fugazi - afterthought was the song, was that you?? I was looking for a long time trying to find it recently!
  • 10 0
 That was the Roscoe video which was an extra on the Etnies Forward DVD. It was online for a while but it never really explained to the viewer that it was a fake dog for all the stunts. It kind of came off looking like animal abuse so I took it down. I wish we would have got across that it was not a real dog in the clips where I was jumping and stuff. It was pretty cool though, Dave Parrick filmed it all on real film.
  • 1 0
 @Tajlucas: thats hilarious. I thought it was obvious it’s a fake dog even as a kid.
One of my favourite pieces of bmx media!
  • 2 0
 Listening to Taj makes me proud to have a BMX background. He hit the nail on the head on the perspective of a BMX rider jumping into the MTB world. So relatable. I rode his signature Hoffman frame as a kid and later some T-1’s. Now I own a Gen 1 Fairdale. Needless to say. I am a fan boy! LOL. Keep up the good work Taj.
  • 1 0
 My best friend from high school was an editor (photographer) at a BMX magazine and we talked about how awesome Taj was several times. He had Taj do a trick a few times for a photo burst down some stairs. Taj slammed HARD. Went to the hospital, thought it was the end. My friend called me that day said he may have killed Taj. He felt horrible. I'm glad Taj lives. The flow of his riding was so, smooth. Effortless in motion. Just rad all day. A lot of us old school BMXer's have that smooth flow, even after the gray kicked in. Wonder if Taj has flow and style on a mountain bike. Don't think I've ever seen an MTB edit. Just a thought.
  • 4 0
 Taj was and is the man!!!
  • 1 0
 Taj’s part on the UPG Face Value video got 13 year old me so hyped to go ride! Used to watch on repeat. Still have the VHS somewhere. Great interview with a BMX legend.
  • 4 1
 Wasn't he on pink bike podcast once earlier?
  • 1 0
 I rode bmx in the 90's and remember the Props series fondly. I also live in Southampton- check out the Southampton Bike Park at the sports centre.
  • 1 0
 Just catching up with this.
Loved listening to Henry Quinell insult the intelligence of one of the most influential BMXers of all time.
Mountain cyclistics eh?!
  • 2 0
 youtu.be/arHhAbkcU9I

Taj is the best. This part is an all timer.
  • 1 0
 Getting to know Henry Quinney *Absolutely slams the UK for 50mins and rightly so*
  • 3 0
 totally awesome jumper!
  • 2 0
 I always wanted the Taj signature model Hoffman frame
  • 1 0
 They recently did an updated version, you could probably still find one out there
  • 1 0
 That was quite a story bud! Nice to meet you! Kinda epic! Alos, i would love to hear about Trevor!
  • 1 0
 Rad vid, I bet the Chromag gets its fair share of action.
  • 1 0
 Taj, I always wondered why did you choose Olympia for the Thunderdome?
  • 1 0
 The bicycle world will always need Taj Mihelich.
  • 1 0
 I like taj's art and humor. tup
  • 1 0
 Superb
  • 1 0
 Thanks!
  • 1 0
 I miss Brian, Mike, Mike
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