Life & Work with Dakota Bratt of Colorado Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota Bratt

Hi Dakota, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started off by riding dirt bikes in the deserts of Arizona and then switched to a BMX bike in my early teens. I was playing basketball at a local park that happened to have a skatepark. I saw a rider do a backflip on a bike and it was the first time I had ever seen that in person. It blew my mind and my best friend ended up getting a bike, which made me want to do the same. After several months, my parents helped me get a bike and I never put it down. I was already a competitive athlete and with riding BMX, it meant so much more to me because I was in control of how far I could really take it. I was quiet kid in school and when I started riding BMX, life had opened up more for me. I rode everyday after school and spent countless hours every session to learn something I thought would be cool. I wanted to be the best I could be and the more fun I had, the quicker the progression rate became. I started to meet some of my closest friends, travel to places I had never thought Id go to and it just became more than a hobby, it was a full on lifestyle. As I got older, I had some accidents on the bike that were pretty serious and the recovery was brutal each time. These injuries would take 6 months to a year to heal and every time I would heal, I would jump right back on the bike and push it even further than I was before. I really learned about fitness and how to take care of myself during these times which has inspired me to get an education with fitness, nutrition, and self care. BMX made me realize how important those things are and has allowed me to continue riding my bike at a level I want to be at for many more years.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all, but that is the way it should be. It wouldn’t be a story if I were handed things and it was smooth sailing over the years. I had to fight for respect in the early days because I was that kid that wanted to ride BMX at a skatepark and not skate. I would also face tons of criticism for my style of riding and I would read hate comments all the time, which was a bummer to read when you are barely figuring it all out. After time, that changed and the bigger struggle were the injuries. I broke my foot super bad, had surgery, bounced back from that, then I broke my face apart two years later. I had to get reconstructive facial surgery and the recovery was one of the worst ones I have ever had to go through. I did not think I was ever going to be able to ride my bike the same again. My equilibrium was off, my mindset was weak, I was scared to get back into it. After some time, I started to feel better and I was able to get through. I made it back to a level I was happy with, conditioned myself for a few years, then boom, another injury. I tore my knee, did PT for awhile, got healthy again, then tore my other knee. Felt like I had to restart all over again. Spent some time doing things outside of BMX, then jumped right back on once I was able to. At the current moment, I just healed from a broken foot that had complications for 10 months, and now I am feeling great! I have just never given up on myself and have loved BMX too much to stop.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I do not do BMX as a primary job, but since this is an interview about my BMX riding, I can say it is some sort of an art form. A rider can ride however they want and create amazing videos because of it. I am known for my BMX riding, and outside of that, I am just a human who is getting an education in the healthcare system, who hopes to be able to land a career that helps sport minded individuals like myself. I am most proud of never giving up with my BMX journey and being able to inspire other athletes to pursue their passion. I do not have an answer of why I might set apart from others, but I have been told that some of my BMX riding has been different than what some have seen.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can collaborate with me by simply asking and explaining what they would like to collaborate on. Support can be anything from watching videos, sharing content, talking to me about BMX, and helping me achieve goals. Any amount of support I have gotten has never been forgotten and I am grateful for each one.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: dakbratt
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dakridesbikes

Image Credits
Adam Legal
Nick Zue
Carlitos