LIGHT OF DAY: PAUL BUCHANAN

Not many people have any insight into the man, the myth and the legend that is Paul Buchanan. As the saying goes, he’s an enigma wrapped in a riddle. We do know he’s a Canadian with Scottish (Glasgow born) parents, he has (or had) a van that was nicknamed the ‘Mystery Machine,’ and he’s traveled extensively throughout North America, dividing his time between Austin, Texas and Vancouver, BC. He’s also been known to randomly appear in the UK on occasion.

As for his riding, well, it’s legendary. Paul looked at riding in very different ways from everyone else, usually producing tricks that were 3-4 years ahead of their time. Bunnyhop whips over gaps? Yeah, he did those before the dawn of the new millennium. Crank arm grinds? Same thing. Frankly, the list could go on and on. If you’re lucky enough, you might own a copy of T-1’s You Get What You Get or that issue of Props with Paul’s T-1 commercial in it. Both capture rare glimpses into the wildly progressive riding of Paul.

As luck would have it, Paul’s name came up on a BMX message board not long ago, so we’ve got some updated info on Paul’s status. According to a riding acquaintance, Paul still rides; he broke his leg really badly about 2-3 years ago on a tranny roof in Vancouver; he never cared about coverage or anything special; he doesn’t like to compete; he works for a furniture and cabinetry company in Vancouver. And finally, he just does his own thing.

As for this photo, it was taken at the second Urban Games from London in 2000. It was a Sunday afternoon after the dirt comp had ended. And in true Paul fashion, not too many people knew who he was or even noticed his attendance, but that didn’t stop him from quietly destroying the dirt course…


Photo: Ricky Adam

Words: Brian Tunney