Albert is a self-proclaimed boring guy that works hard and rides even harder. Al has flown under the radar, but he seriously kills it…and apparently with one eye. Epic. —Ryan
Kinked wedge footjam whip...
Lil Dan: You did a double peg stall on a ledge today that was the height of my shoulder, how can you hop so freaking high?
I…don’t understand the question [laughs]. You’ll understand when you get older. You’ll develop these things called muscles and you’ll just be able to bunnyhop higher. Practice, practice, practice!
Ryan: What’s your normal life like here in San Diego?
I wake up at 4:30am to go to work at 6am, because I don’t have a car. I’m usually off of work at 2 or 3, where I stay in the area I work to try and find something to ride or just head home and go to sleep because I’m tired [laughs]. That’s my normal week. I work at Walmart…Corporatemart. I build Mike Spinner signature mountain bikes and Nexts [laughs].
Not-really-a-rail-hop toboggan.
Lil Jon: Albert, what the fuck happened to your teeth?
[Laughs] I was riding with Chris “Rock Climber” Hervan and I was trying to feeble-to-hop over on this rail with a little bank on the other side of it. I did it once and put my foot down, got super confident, and then I just blew it. My front wheel missed completely, it shot me straight over, and I basically bit the handrail. I went to the emergency room and when I finally get called up, the doctor didn’t do shit. He left me in the room and I pulled the broken teeth out of my gums by myself, and he eventually came back with some gauze and they charged me my $50 copay even though they didn’t do shit. I’ve gotten some of the internal stuff fixed, but I just don’t have the veneers, yet. I’m too poor [laughs].
Jay: How did you feel about getting on Kink and then shortly after, getting a full part together for Safety First?
When everything just went through, I was talking to Darryl through e-mail and he told me he wanted me to try to put together a full part. So I went on the east coast trip and I just tried to get as much as I could—the same in Arizona—but I ended up getting hurt. But, I guess I got enough clips to put it together and it worked out pretty good.
Web photo mandatory barspin at the Etnies TF.
Jay: [The recorder accidently turned off, but the question was something like, “How long have you had glasses?” before Albert drops a bomb]
I’m legally blind…even with my glasses [laughs]. I can’t really see out of my eye…obviously, look at it [laughs].
Darryl: How the fuck do you jump on handrails with one eye?
[Laughs] I don’t know. I have really bad depth perception at night, way worse than a normal person, and I’m blind in my right eye.
Eight stair invert of ridiculousness.
Ryan: So is that why you don’t drive?
It’s just harder for me to get my license. On top of a regular driving test, they extend it to make sure I know everything on point. I just went a couple months ago and failed it. I’m blind, I can’t see shit. I mean, I can see shapes and shit. The optometrist was doing my evaluation for my driver’s exam and she made a really big note that said, “Do not drive at night.”
Ryan: So has it always been like that?
Yeah, I’ve been legally blind since I was only 11 months old…I started wearing glasses when I was two.
Ben: Why don’t you wear an eye patch?
I’m now with Jay about not liking Hittle [laughs].
Ride up the ledge 360 tabes.
Ride up the ledge 180 bars.
Double foot jam.
Bike Check
Name: Albert Mercado
Age: 23 years
Location: San Diego
Sponsors: Kink bikes, Shadow Conspiracy, and Lotek.
Frame: Kink Outfit 20.75”
Fork: Kink Empire
Bars: Kink Badger
Stem: Shadow Attack
Grips: Kink Alpha
Barends: Fremont
Headset: Kink integrated
Seatpost: Shadow pivotal post
Seat: Kink Slim
Pedals: Shadow Ravager plastic
Cranks: Shadow Torrid v2
Sprocket: Shadow Ravager
Chain: Interlock v2
Front Tire: Shadow Belter 20×2.1
Front Wheel: Shadow Stun rim/ Raptor hub
Rear Tire: Shadow Undertaker 20×1.95
Rear Wheel: Shadow Stun rim/Raptor cassette
Hub Guard: Shadow
Pegs: Kink Light
Modifications/Other/Extras:
Cut off flanges on grips. That’s about it.
Do you remember your first “real” BMX bike?
Heck yeah, it was a huffy comp from target, I think. All chrome!
Which parts do you go through the most?
Back wheels and bars.
Describe your bike setup and how you like your bike to feel…?
I try to keep it rattle free but other then that if its solid I’m set.
What part are you most particular about or do you feel makes the biggest difference on your bike?
Nothing really. Bars have to be in a pretty decent place…without my bars being in the right place, I’m a mess.
What is one thing about your personal bike set up that you’d never change, and why?
Pegs! I can never not run pegs; it feels so unnatural.
TAGS: Albert Mercado, Kink, Kink Am
