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Omari Cato performing a flatland BMX trick on a city square with people watching.

Omari Cato: Flatland BMX, Community, and Self-Expression

Who is Omari Cato?

Omari Cato is many things—a professional flatland BMX rider, artist, teacher, auto mechanic… and he loves doing it all at the same time. What ties it all together is not only his endless willingness to help and share, but also: the bicycle. As part of the global urban cycling and flatland BMX scene, he uniquely combines movement, style, and community.

Omari Cato appears in the film Mr. Cato as part of the Bike Film Tour SEASON 2. You can find more information about the film here: Mr. Cato film page

The beginning of a special film project

“If more people were like Omari, the world would be a better place”—a phrase that stuck with filmmaker Ryan Ross when he first visited Omari Cato.

Ryan rounded up a small film crew to travel from Boulder to Houston to shoot some footage of this flatland BMX rider he’d heard about and whose riding style had so fascinated him. “We knew he was doing a bit for the community there, but we didn’t know exactly what,” Ryan recalls.

Omari Cato sitting on a BMX bike wearing a helmet, representing urban cycling and flatland BMX.
Professional Flatland BMX Rider Omari Cato
Filmmaker Ryan Ross smiling in a portrait photo, director of the film about Omari Cato.
Filmmaker Ryan Ross

From a weekend shoot to a long-term documentary

What started as a small weekend shoot turned into a four-year long-term project—with a very small budget but great depth of content.

“Omari is like an onion,” says Ryan. “After our first meeting, we knew there were still many layers to discover.” He was particularly impressed by Omari’s selflessness: “He doesn’t ask himself what he can get out of it for himself, but how he can help others.”

Flatland BMX, Art, and Telling Your Own Story

Omari agrees to take part in the film project: “It was an opportunity for me to tell my story. And I asked myself: What could I do to make sure the film crew comes back? Having my life documented gave me a real boost of motivation, but I also wanted to help shape my story. That might also be because of my art studies. I see life as a canvas that I can design myself.”

Omari Cato performing a flatland BMX trick on a city square with people watching.
Precision and control: Flatland BMX as an expression of movement and style.
Omari Cato in action – flatland BMX in an urban setting in front of a live audience.

It’s like dancing on a bike.

Ryan Ross

How Omari Cato Got Into Flatland BMX

But let’s rewind: Omari’s father introduced him to BMX. “My father grew up in New York and rode his bike around a lot there. It was also a form of therapy for him, and even after my parents separated, it was very important to him that I ride a bike.” His first encounters with flatland, as Omari puts it, were “anything but organic.”

“There was a dirt road in front of our trailer where I’d come up with my own BMX tricks, without realizing those tricks were already 20 years old! When I was about 14, I got access to the internet and just typed in ‘wheelie on a peg’—and suddenly tons of flatland BMX videos popped up. From then on, I tried to copy those tricks from the videos. I rode flatland for two years without ever meeting another flatland rider in person. I thought it was just something that only happened somewhere else. Until I suddenly saw a flyer announcing that BMX pro Terry Adams was presenting his new DVD in Houston! My mom packed my sister and me up, and we drove there!”

What I love about Flatland is that it teaches you a lot of valuable life lessons.

Omari Cato

Omari Cato riding a BMX bike with children in a neighborhood, teaching and inspiring young riders.
Film Mr. Cato ©
Omari Cato shares his passion—riding bikes with children around the neighborhood.

Flatland BMX: More Than Just a Sport

When Omari talks about flatland, his passion is palpable: “If it were up to me, everyone would ride flatland BMX. It’s so tough, so unrewarding, so hard. But when you finally land a trick—it’s a feeling you can’t compare to anything else.”

Although the sport is underfunded, he shares it with his students: “What I love about flatland is that it teaches you so many things for life. It’s not a team sport—you alone bear the responsibility. You have to perform under pressure because you only have three minutes in a competition. It demands ambition and perseverance because it really takes years before you finally nail a trick.”

It’s a safe space to make mistakes—and that’s exactly what many children need.

Omari Cato

Omari Cato presenting BMX skills to children in a community center, inspiring young riders.
Film Mr. Cato ©
Inspiration on two wheels: Omari Cato shows children at a community center the possibilities of BMX.

Community, Teaching, and Sharing

Throughout the filming, Omari not only teaches children flatland BMX, but also pursues his own goals as a professional flatland BMX rider and beyond: “I want to help the children understand that life isn’t linear. I’m a teacher, but I’m also a professional athlete—and so much more. You can take people along with you on your journey. I don’t want to inspire people to become the next flatland BMX rider, but maybe they’ll take something away for themselves, for their own path.”

A New Path: From Teacher to Auto Mechanic

Omaris path has changed in recent years. He no longer works as a teacher but is pursuing another passion—working on cars. It was his students, in particular, who encouraged him to take this new path. “You know, I’ve always taught my students to forge their own path and create something on their own. It only makes sense to put that into practice myself.”

Omari Cato performing a flatland BMX trick in front of an audience in an urban square.
Flatland Live: Omari Cato shows off his skills in front of a live audience and brings BMX culture to the streets.
Omari Cato and filmmaker Ryan Ross on stage during the Bike Film Tour event.
Omari Cato and filmmaker Ryan Ross on stage at the BIKE FILM TOUR.
Omari Cato performing a flatland BMX trick on stage during a Bike Film Tour event.
Flatland BMX live: Omari Cato shows off his tricks on stage at the BIKE FILM TOUR.

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Omari Cato performing a flatland BMX trick in an urban industrial setting at sunset.
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