How I got sponsored - Nikko Jow

Something I’m really good at is riding fixed gear freestyle bikes. I am a sponsored rider and get paid to travel. I ride for Xlife bikes, Startnectar beverages, LAG clothing, Area cycles bike shop in castro valley, Boombotix portable speakers and Gnarcotix team. Riding bikes is something ive always had a eye for. It started with mountain biking and eventually I got a track bike. I use to just ride around and bomb hills and stuff but I eventually got bored of it and started to do tricks on the side. As time passed I started getting band better til I eventually broke the bike I was riding. I then picked up my first FGFS bike at Area cycles in castro valley. I rode that bike for a good 2 months and then I broke the frame and had to get another one. They sent me a warranty frame and it was a newer version of the bike. After that I started to get really good and progressed faster than most of the guys I use to ride with. After finding out my hidden talent I entered my first competition in San Jose CA where a local portable speaker company called skullyboom and a local drink company called Starnectar saw me riding. After that competition I sent the ceo of skullyboom a email asking him about a sponsorship and he agreed to sponsor me giving me full access to company product, clothing, transportation and well needed money. After that had happened, I received a email from starnectar beverages asking about a sponsorship and if I’d like to join the team. Of course I accepted and was added as the newest addition to the starnectar team. After that first competition everything started to rise and go the way I wanted it to. I then got sponsored by area cycles which gave me full access to the shop tools, much needed parts and a bike stand. After all of that I started getting more and more sponsors which helped me travel to LA for various competitions and a higher level of riding. After my first trip to LA in july of 2010 it opened my eyes to the next level of fixed gear freestyle which was go big or don’t even try. After watching all of the LA riders I picked up on some new techniques that gave me a 1 up in the fixed gear scene in the bay area. I recently got sponsored by a company out of Taiwan called Xlife bikes. They then sent me a complete pro model bike with newer better geometry and the full line of pro model Xlife parts. This gave me more incentive to get better and kill the scene. Anmd now I am where I am.