Carlos Carrillo Garcia is a 7th-grader in Montbello and a 2019 student of Bicycle Colorado’s Montbello Bike Club, where he explored the area’s parks by bike, learned safe on-street and trail riding skills and practiced basic bike mechanics. This summer, he received a bike ramp built by Henry Stelloh, another middle-schooler and fellow bike enthusiast. We chatted with Carlos about the ramp, biking and the sweet bike tricks he wants to learn.

Do you remember learning to ride a bike? What was it like?
I learned when I was 5 years old. It was fun. I was kind of scared in the beginning because I would fall. I felt pretty happy and excited when I could ride without falling.

What do you like about riding bikes?
It’s just relaxing. Sometimes I use it to get around or to show off.

What have you been doing during quarantine? Do you ride your bike more now?
I ride more.

Where do you ride your bike usually?
I usually ride my bike in front of my house or I go to stores to buy stuff on my bike.

Do you bike with your family?
Yeah. Sometimes to a park.

How did you feel when you found out you were getting the bike ramp?
I was pretty excited because my friend used to have one but now he doesn’t and I always liked using the ramp, so I was pretty excited.

Any cool tricks you’ve been practicing?
I know how to do some tricks but on the ramp I’m scared to do some. I am practicing a pro hop. It’s when you lift both of the wheels off and jump high.

Do your friends ride bikes? Have you connected with them more while riding?
I basically just play with a lot of people who ride bikes, too. When we do tricks, we try to help each other learn more and our relationship gets better.

I am the one who fixes their bikes. I learned to fix bikes with my dad and [Bicycle Colorado’s Education Program Coordinator] Chris Winn. They showed me, and I watched videos. It’s sometimes hard because there’s some things I haven’t learned and when I try to watch videos it’s hard to understand. I’d rather watch people do it and do it hands on.

What do you like about fixing bikes?
It’s relaxing and I get to see different types of bikes.

Anything you want to learn?
I am still trying to learn a 360, but it’s difficult. I need to learn to true the wheels and lacing the wheels (putting the spokes in them).

Has the ramp helped you get more confident on a bike?
It has. Before I would be scared to fall, but now I got big scrapes and I’m not scared anymore.

About the bike ramp

Henry Stelloh has been building and selling bike ramps for other kids to enjoy during these times cooped up at home. Henry, who lives in northeast Denver, started his business, Ramp It Up, because he wanted to earn money for a new mountain bike and raise money for COVID-19 relief.

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