Cenk BİLGİN

I grew up in Bakırköy Zuhuratbaba and Ataköy. I have been riding bicycles almost all my life now. I would be lying if I said when I was younger there was something more important than bicycle. My first bike was a Raleigh girls bike inherited from my cousin. I was about 9 then. I used to use that bike and beat it even at that small age. I used to jump from high pavements, and jump back. That was the limit of that bike. Moreover I didn't have any idea what else I could do with a bike. Poor bike didn't last long. 

In 1986 when I was 12, after watching the movie RAD I barely managed to convince my parents to buy a BMX. I liked the one piece crank Bisan but they bought me a "Cenk" brand (same with my name) bike which was cheaper. That wasn't a problem, it was a BMX at the end... 

I was very happy with my Cenk BMX and trying to do the tricks I saw in RAD. Just at that time I met Boğaç who was a skateboarder. I can't recall how we meti but two vagabong boys had met each other. I remember myself and Boğaç dismantling the steel construction of a bus stop, carrying it for kilometers on the skateboard all the way to Ataköy to make a ramp.

One day when I was doing a wheelie with my "CENK" BMX a man called me who was standing by his car. He told me I was very talented and gave me his business card and told me to drop by his work place. He lived a few blocks away from us and owned a factory in Merter. And the factory was manufacturing Cenk BMX Bikes!!!

Next day I found myself in his factory. It was a 5 storey building and the facory was using only one floor of it. I met everyone and did some tricks. Then the guys renewed all parts of my bike and told me that they would renew the parts whenever I wanted. So unintentionally I had a sponsor. I was yet 12 and was the first rider with a sponsor. I got my bike renewed a lot of times.

When I was at college I met Murat, Enver, Öge, Sinan, and Kaya in Ataköy who were all riding BMX. They names themselves as Rad Dogs. Until then I wasn't even aware that someone else rode BMX so that was quite a surprise. They used to ride in a tennis court in Ataköy 2nd Stage. I was kind of a shy guy so I did my tricks on the far end of the court alone. After I started doing Cherrypicker, Endo and Bunnyhop 180, the guys accepted me to the group.:)))

After each Cherrypicker and 180 I had to get my bike parts renewed as they mostly got bent or broke. So I bought a Raleigh Burner which was the end of my contract with Cenk BMX.

After a short "zoid" period (zoid is the word we used for newbie or novice) now I was a part of Rad Dogs. Sinan helped me a lot to socialize with the other group members and to find parts. Later I became friends with Ediz, Oğuz (Facik), Melih, Hakan (nigger). Kemal who had created the group had quit BMX and started making music (Metaphor Kemal).

We really had fun and happy days. In 1989 da we met with French riders who were brought by Beldesan company. They made a show in Gülhane Park. That was a breaking point for our BMX activities. After the show Beldesan gave us the ramps for free. We made many shows on those ramps. Long story short, now I am 43 and I bought a newschool BMX and I still ride!

And you dont believe it? Watch my video below: