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Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Freestyle (frame stands and kickturns galore!) => Topic started by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 03:20 PM

Title: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 03:20 PM: I have just read that Neil Ruffell passed away...........
Is this true?
What happened to him?
Please tell me it is a different guy, he was my hero back in 1985 when he beat Eddie Fiola in the Kellogs freestyle..On that memorable orange Skyway.

Regards
Tom
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: piper on September 14, 2006, 03:36 PM: Nah its true i`m afraid,nearly two years ago to the day i think,he was awesome :'(
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 03:42 PM: How di it happen?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: lazychubs on September 14, 2006, 03:50 PM: i fink it involved a big building and jumping
could be wrong tho
deffo jumped tho
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 03:52 PM: Bloody hell...
Was he still involved with bmx when it happened?
Do you now what made him do it?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: lazychubs on September 14, 2006, 03:54 PM: dunno to the both i sure some one on here enliten us
with the true reason .as i cant remember
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: rom_kid_04 on September 14, 2006, 04:04 PM: i think he lost the plot after being attacked with some sort of weaponary but not sure?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 04:05 PM: I am shocked by that,
wonder what he was doing as a career after he finished with BMX
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: FuNMoNsTeR on September 14, 2006, 04:28 PM: Wow.... I did not know this. Poor Neil :'(
Rest in Peace Radlad... you are fondly remembered and truly missed :-\
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 08:35 PM: Yes, RIP Neil....Never to be forgotten.

Does anyone know if he had a family?

I am gutted, knew the guy pretty well back in the good old days
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: WizardWeb on September 14, 2006, 09:01 PM: Check out the tribute on his brothers page.

http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/index_2.htm
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: tricknuts on September 14, 2006, 09:05 PM: well, he had a brother. You may have heard of him. ;)
check out andyruffell.com

Seriously, I don't know if he had a wife or kids.

see an earlier thread on Nieil. What a legend.

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=2262.15
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: theRuler on September 14, 2006, 09:05 PM: Quote from: WizardWeb on September 14, 2006, 09:01 PM
Check out the tribute on his brothers page.

http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/index_2.htm

props

(http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/images/KOSP%2085.jpg)

i have ridden in that bowl and it is scary. getting that much height in 85 or 2006 requires balls of steel
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Radracer on September 14, 2006, 09:07 PM: So what exactly happened to him after his Freestyle days?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Stodgy on September 15, 2006, 11:02 AM: Quote from: theRuler on September 14, 2006, 09:05 PM
Quote from: WizardWeb on September 14, 2006, 09:01 PM
Check out the tribute on his brothers page.

http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/index_2.htm

props

(http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/images/KOSP%2085.jpg)

i have ridden in that bowl and it is scary. getting that much height in 85 or 2006 requires balls of steel

Awesome pic that. Rad as fook.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: sawzall on September 15, 2006, 08:25 PM: :'(man he was good , that is one cool pic :Great_Britain:
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: RATTY on September 16, 2006, 12:39 AM: RIp bud :'(
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Trev on September 16, 2006, 08:51 PM: Neil was the reason I got into BMX. :4_17_5: Kelloggs 85.

I think I only ever got to see him ride a couple of times.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Trev on September 16, 2006, 10:41 PM: How rad was Neil Ruffell? Check this out!

(http://andyruffell.com/for_neil/images/BMX%20Racer.jpg)
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: LucyLastic on September 16, 2006, 11:06 PM: That is so sad. Why do all the good people die young?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: RATTY on September 16, 2006, 11:25 PM: Quote from: LucyLastic on September 16, 2006, 11:06 PM
That is so sad. Why do all the good people die young?
I hope theres a halfpipe in heaven :'(
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: fischflo on September 16, 2006, 11:42 PM: (http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v521/fischflo/neilruffell.jpg)
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 23, 2006, 02:11 PM: Did he have any family?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: jeff spicoli on September 23, 2006, 02:22 PM: If he was around today he would have been one of the few riders that could mix it with todays big guns. I was in awe of that bloke when I saw him ride.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Radracer on September 23, 2006, 02:25 PM: WHAT DID HE MOVE ON TO AFTER BMX?

TOP BLOKE RIP
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: RATTY on September 23, 2006, 02:32 PM: Last time I heard he had an estate agents in walthamstow, I cant be sure who I heard that from so I stand to be corrected!!
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 01:10 PM: Does anyone know what Neil's famous orange bike was?
I always, at the time just thought it was a Skyway, but i notice it had a double top tube...
Correct me if i am wrong but i thought all skyways were single top tubed thats why they brought out the Skyway Platform ???
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: P0LL0 on September 24, 2006, 01:19 PM: Skyway streetbeat.......no double top tube fella.

Mail Dordymush for a pic of his replica!

Cheers

RH
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 01:38 PM: Kellogs 1985, definately had double top tube, Haro style..on the orange bike
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: FuNMoNsTeR on September 24, 2006, 01:57 PM: The Double Toptube bike was a Holeshot i think..... The company Andy started. The orange bike was a streetbeat with double tubes around the seat area like the GT Performer and one single toptube.
This is the Holeshot..... I reckon GT found inspiration here and used the design for its later Master frames: (http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/d79/funmonster/Holeshot20Ad.jpg)
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 02:00 PM: Cheers for that.

I am planning on building a replica, Never heard of Holeshot Frames????

So dordymush's replica is wrong then?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: macmark on September 24, 2006, 02:01 PM: No it was the Streetbeat. It has a single top tube in to a double top tube around the seat post area.

Take a look in the museum under skyway.

Mark
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 02:03 PM: What is a Streetbeat?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Bob_Acid on September 24, 2006, 02:45 PM: hmm, that holeshot's a new one for me. Anyone got any better pics?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: joestup on September 24, 2006, 03:22 PM: it was skyways freestyle bike which neil ruffel used to ride be4 ridin at holeshot
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Trev on September 24, 2006, 04:02 PM: Neil rode the orange skyway street beat until king of the skateparks in 1985. it was a single top tube, but it was more or less like a double top tube welded together, so the top tube had a sort of platform. it then had a proper platform area around the seat post as most of the freestyle bikes had back then. After king of the skateparks 85, Neil got sacked from Skyway and rode for his brother Andy's company Holeshot. They brought out a frame called the Holeshot RF1 which Neil first competed on at Holeshot in November 1985. A very rare bike now. I was going to buy at the time, but for some reason didn't. Hindsight is a brilliant thing...
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: TwoBobRob on September 24, 2006, 07:42 PM: Neil and Andy Ruffell turned up at Rom one day back in the late 90s. I recognised Andy pretty much straight away - he was riding a Raleigh of some description. His brother, who i barely knew back in the day, didnt look like a rider at all. Big crazy hair, big crazy beard and those glasses; I thought he was just some Andy Ruffell groupie.....

Only after speaking to my old riding buddy did I realise it was Neil. My mate went on to tell me that he had had some troubles in his life perhaps mental health issues, depression, whatever, don't really know what.

Tragic to hear of anyone who finds themselves in a place where taking their own life seems like a viable option... Equally tragic that BMX seems to attract people with these issues - Neil is not the first bmxer to take his own life and sadly i'm sure he wont be the last.

R.I.P. Neil.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Trev on September 24, 2006, 07:50 PM: Quote from: Carlo Griggs on October 07, 2005, 08:16 PM
He was an amazing rider with a great style... If you saw him with those glasses on in the street you would never thought that he could ride how he did....

i was a 13 year old kid when we rode together and it seems like yesterday... I still remember he used to call craig campbell Camps...

Riders like neil where the ones we used to look up to and gave us all great memories..

Never a truer word spoken.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 08:19 PM: Yes RIP Neil.

It was exactly 2 years ago last week.

I only found out a few weeks ago.. its really sad he felt like that was an option especially when you look back at him in the mid 80s.. All the fans he had and kids looking upto him.

I guess some really bad things must have come into his life
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: BrianP on September 25, 2006, 10:10 AM: Quote from: skywayman on September 24, 2006, 02:00 PM
Cheers for that.

I am planning on building a replica, Never heard of Holeshot Frames????

here's an old flyer showing the holeshot rf1 frame...

(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/g1/brian4130/holeshot-01.jpg)

Bp.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: SaMAlex on September 25, 2006, 12:42 PM: This kind of ties in with the "hook up" conversation but also goes well here as its about Neil Ruffel

I was riding at a contest in the 80s and the whole skyway UK team were there. I was riding in the under 16s group as was Carlo Griggs, Frasier Campbell and Randy Shohara. Hawkins pulled all his riders out and wouldn’t let them ride (why is a whole other story). Neil had just left skyway and was riding for Holeshot. Hawkins didn’t want Neil to ride and told him that if he stayed, Hawkins would take all the bike parts off his Holeshot that he had been given when he was on skyway ... and even the vans that he was wearing, cos they were also given to him by Hawkins. I didn’t really get involved with it all but that’s what I heard at the time. Who knows what other crap Neil had to go through.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Bob_Acid on September 25, 2006, 01:06 PM: With crap like that going on it's no wonder BMX went the way it did a few years later. :(
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: FuNMoNsTeR on September 25, 2006, 04:00 PM: Hawkins was notorious for that sort of 'behaviour'.... I think Craig Campbell got similar treatment when he moved on.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: RATTY on October 23, 2007, 09:04 AM: Its now over 3 years since Neil Passed away, I think we should keep this thread alive in memory of a true great in bmx :'(
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Lazarou on October 23, 2007, 09:20 AM: I just read through it, was Skywayman taking the piss?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Swivel on October 23, 2007, 09:32 AM: Yep I thought that too! :shocked:

Anyway, Neil was fantastic to watch and one of the best riders i've ever seen will be dearly missed for sure. RIP mate.

Quote from: Lazarou on October 23, 2007, 09:20 AM
I just read through it, was Skywayman taking the piss?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: stumpy on October 23, 2007, 09:36 AM: (http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/s123/stumpy0711/NeilR.jpg)
I remember when he got picked up by Ammaco, he was stoked! Then the skyway thing happened. Wow. He remained down to earth though.
I agree with Ratty, keep the memory alive, we rode together bitd, along with his brother Robert and friend Marvin Browne.

R.I.P Neil.
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: pickle on October 23, 2007, 11:39 AM: Quote from: mattriz on October 23, 2007, 09:32 AM
Yep I thought that too! :shocked:

Anyway, Neil was fantastic to watch and one of the best riders i've ever seen will be dearly missed for sure. RIP mate.

Quote from: Lazarou on October 23, 2007, 09:20 AM
I just read through it, was Skywayman taking the piss?

I might be stupid here....but i just read his post and i can't see why you think he's extracting the urine? i have to admit thought to not knowing the in's and out's of Neils situation :-\
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: stumpy on October 23, 2007, 11:52 AM: I thought it was more to do with the questions re streetbeat and twin top tubes.....
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: pickle on October 23, 2007, 11:53 AM: ooops sorry i didn't go back that far :-[
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: stumpy on October 23, 2007, 11:53 AM: Quote from: skywayman on September 14, 2006, 08:35 PM
Yes, RIP Neil....Never to be forgotten.

Does anyone know if he had a family?

I am gutted, knew the guy pretty well back in the good old days

Especially when he said he knew him well....
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: SaMAlex on October 23, 2007, 12:08 PM: this was a thread I read when I was very early to radbmx. I wasnt sure if it was a bit much, calling myself "S&MAlex" and then I read this guy, calling himself Skywayman when he had never heard of a streetbeat?
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: stumpy on October 23, 2007, 12:15 PM: Exactly my sentiments too Alex, Kinda lost its way when the question whats a streetbeat came up. That why i posted the scan of Neil (newcomer of the year)
Title: Re: neil ruffell
Post by: Maurice Meyer on October 24, 2007, 07:44 AM: I was just poking around on YouTube few clips later found myself watching Neil ride for the first time. Holy F'ing hell he was good. I logged on here and was going to start a thread called "Neil Ruffel was bad-ass" and saw this thread so I figured I'd say it here. Wish I could have seen him ride back then and even more, wish he was still around.

Metal illness is a really messed up thing. One of my brothers (not Ray the skater) had this stuff start up in his early 40's and made an attempt that left him disabled. The guy was a star athlete and top grade getter in school day but it got him nevertheless. It can happen to anyone. Really sucks to lose people to this kind of thing.