RADBMX.CO.UK
Old School BMX 1980 - 1988 => Old School Freestyle (frame stands and kickturns galore!) => Topic started by: dordymush on September 24, 2005, 02:10 AM
-
one year today if im not wrong we lost the best in my opinion uk freestyle rider of the early 80's NEIL RUFFELL.my thoughts today are with his family.
r.i.p neil.
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v229/dordymush/neilruffel1.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v229/dordymush/neil_southsea_4_72dpi.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v229/dordymush/neil_southsea_6_72dpi.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v229/dordymush/neilwithbike2.jpg)
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v229/dordymush/neilwithbike.jpg)
-
If it hadnt been for Neil then i would've never have met my mate Dordy!! Thankyou Neil God rest in peace to you....
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v235/radhab/RuffsCanCan.jpg[img])
-
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/v235/radhab/Negative1-05-011.jpg[img])
-
Legend! Respect.
-
yeh props to neil he ruled in his day.
let's hope heaven is a halfpipe
-
RIP Dude.
-
Wow a year already.
RIP Neil, sadly missed.
-
RIP Neil
-
NOW THAT IS A VERY(!!!) COINFIDENCE!! Man, almsot unreal. I have these huuge amount of UK BMX magazines and thought just to pull out 1 mag and started reading about this freestyle guy in the UK by this name. And look at this, really up to the very day I haven't read that article and now it is 1 year he passed away. Unbelievable.
Really unbelievable. RIP NEIL!
Very sad day today.
SAND N DIRT
-
Lets be honest, the guy ruled.
Never mind all the Bestwick and Tabron nonsense if Ruffell was competing today, they would'nt get close.
RIP Neil.
ligbee.
-
Yeah I saw Neil a few times at Rom & Southsea Bitd, He was so good.
R.I.P Neil
-
had the pleasure of riding with neil in 85 the guy was atrue scholar and gentleman, rest in peace neil tho you may be gone you will never be forgotten
-
yep dordy
well good thread neil was one of the best
respect mate
stu
-
RIP fella - you're greatly missed.
-
He was the most talanted rider bar none in his prime, a sad loss, RIP Neil
-
what they all said
R.I.P
Dave
-
RESPECT R.I.P :'(
-
Rode with him at Rom a couple of times. Rad. R.I.P.
-
Yeah, I remember watching Neil at the UKBFA comps as well. Absolutely everyone would stop and watch that guy. He could pull some mean air. I agree that he would blow the rest of today's UK riders out the water. with the exception of Carlo perhaps. Respect
-
Respect ALL the way! But could someone tell me how he passed away? Thank you.
-
If I am not mistaken (apologies all if I am wrong), he took his own life.
-
from dale Holmes website last year..
"80s UK Freestyle Legend Neil Ruffell passes away. Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Just got the story from Tim March Skyways UK Freestyle lengend Neil Ruffell the brother of the great Andy Ruffell has passed away.Neil was a very big influence on the freestyle scene back in the day and the shoot outs between him and Craig Campbell were legendary. Very sad. Neil was the star of the UK Kelloggs TV show on channel 4 in 1985 when he beat the great Eddie Fiola to do battle with Haros Ron Wilkerson on National TV in the Freestyle finals.
From Tim
He committed suicide last Tuesday by jumping off a very tall building (12 stories apparently).
Spread the word around to those who would want to know, also anyone & everyone involved in BMX is welcome at the funeral, Mon 27th sept 1.30pm in Chingford.
Keith Wilson has been arranging for friends to attend the funeral. His email address is below.
feel free to give Keith an email for the address to anyone who wants to come and he will fill them in with the details.
For those of us who had the pleasure of meeting and knowing Neil Ruffell the following news will come as a dark cloud on a warm day. Neil took his own life on Tuesday 24th sept after a long battle with what the world has to offer, so the little buggers gone and left us. Neil was as punk as you could get and followed in his brothers (the bmx legend Andy) footsteps and then surpassed him in terms of out and out aggro style as he stormed onto the uk bmx scene in a most amazing way in the early/mid eighties. Legendary battles with Craig Campbell always raised the atmosphere at any comp and his gloves off total shootout mentality was never more apparent than when he rode at Andys Holeshot (these were the first uk comps to feature us skaters and bmx riders) events. A Walthamstow local, original Rom ripper and bloody funny bloke neil left us with plenty to smile about. Our condolences to the Ruffell family.
See you on the other side fella..
rip Tim March "
-
Thank you kindly for the information. Sad.
-
r.i.p. neil :'(
-
R.I.P
A sad time for all of freestyle. I saw plenty of pics of him riding. He was a very talented rider and from what you guys are saying, sounded like a real nice guy.
-
Ive been on this site a while now although i dont get much time to post but this is the first ive heard about Neils untimely death.
Im totally shocked as this guy was one of my heroes bitd.
Neil will never be forgotten and will be kept alive through all of our happy memories of him, this guy is a legend and to touch so many of our lives as he did is something very few people will ever achieve.
My thoughts are with his family today.
RESPECT.
-
:(if neil only new how many fans he still had one of the best british freetylers ever. 20 yrs on and still making us remember what a hero he relay was to us all in the 80s r.i.p
-
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..