Are you down to learn more about Dakota Roche through his profile and best BMX videos?
His creativity and insanity make for TIMELESS parts and edits that will never grow old.
Dak has been in the BMX industry for a long time now and is known as one of the hardest-working dudes. Fun fact: His first real BMX bike was a GT.
Growing up, Dakota was heavily influenced by skateboarding. He was a skater first, but everything changed when he discovered BMX.
Even though he is now in his thirties, there’s no sign of stopping for Dak – age is just a number.
Instead of me telling you how awesome, good, and simply amazing, all-around BMX rider Dakota is, let the videos do the talking.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the madness unraveling right before your eyes.
This post covers:
Dakota Roche Profile
1. Dakota Bio
Date of birth: July 21, 1987
Place of birth: Huntington Beach, California
Height: 5’6″
Stance: Left foot forward
Instagram: @dakroche
2. Dakota Sponsors
Vans Shoes, Cult Crew, Source BMX, Cinema and Sol-ti.
3. Dakota Bike Check
Don’t miss the latest and greatest Dakota Roche bike check.
4. Parts Dakota Rides
Featured photo by: Veesh.
5. Best Dakota Roche BMX Videos
Cult – To Be Continued
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from a video titled “To Be Continued.” One thing’s for sure, I didn’t see this coming.
This video/documentary starts with some insane bike riding from Dak, killing and murdering streets, until the very nasty crash at 2:45.
At first, I didn’t think it was that serious, but Dak sustained a burst fracture in my spine, causing temporary paralysis. He also had an emergency surgery because the longer they would wait, the chance of not walking again would increase.
Luckily, Dak has a very supportive wife and crew, so his recovery is incredible even if it’s only five months after the crash.
I can’t wait to see Dak murder the streets again! (Which I’m sure will happen pretty shortly.)
Checking In With Dakota Roche
Behind-the-scenes videos are my favorite, riding or non-riding.
Source BMX caught up with Dakota at his Orange County home to see him iron patches on his button-down, showcase the new Source designs he did, give his little one sparkling water, and more.
In addition, they also went out for a session with Nathan Williams to get two clips.
Big success!
Vans – Low & Hi
I clearly wasn’t expecting this one to be so insanely good. Two songs, eight and a half minutes of Dakota madness from the streets of California, Copenhagen, Houston and New York.
I’m speechless. This one has it all. From the traditional Dak-stuff to lots of new Dak-stuff – you’ll enjoy it all from start to finish.
While the song choices give this Vans web video a somewhat calming vibe, the riding is not, making a fantastic contrast.
Filmed and edited by Calvin Kosovich in fourteen months.
Filming For Low & Hi
This is WAY too good to pass and not add to this collection of the best Dakota Roche videos. An in-depth look into the hard work and challenges Dak went through when filming for his unbelievable Vans “Low & Hi” web video project.
From taking a clip to a photo and finding spots – there’s a whole process that goes into it, which everyone who ever filmed a video knows damn well about.
And we all know Dak is heavy on just cruising around and searching for spots: “If you don’t have unique spots, you’re video part is going to be lacking.”
Dak also shares that prepping and putting a little work into a spot is perfectly fine – but you don’t want a “build a spot” because that’d not be a real street spot anymore.
It’s so worth spending ten minutes today to watch this one – very educational.
Vans – Low, Hi & In Between
Do you want to see what fourteen months of hard work looks like? Here you go!
Here is thirty minutes worth of second angles, crashes and all the other stuff that went down during filming for Dak’s unbelievable Low & Hi Vans web part.
If you need something to get hyped on today, this is definitely the one video to watch.
Dak’s unique approach to spot usage inspires me, so I’m always stoked to watch all his content multiple times.
It’s no secret that Dak is one of the most hard-working dudes out there.
Dakota Cult X Vans Wafflecup Tire Promo
Cult and Vans came out with a new version of their widely popular Waffle BMX tire, the Wafflecup version.
And Dakota’s promo is an epic watch that I rewatched three times already and will give it another go.
This tire is inspired by Vans’ superb BMX shoe outsole pattern that holds really well! I’ve tested it thoroughly and won’t use any other shoe (at least for a while).
The new Wafflecup tire features a wider waffle pattern, the Wafflecup, in the middle and the more classic one on the sides. It makes it a fast but grippy tire that’s great for all sorts of wild moves you do.
Cult “Crewsin”
I think Dakota is one of the most hard-working BMX dudes out there, dropping videos regularly. And what’s even better – you know it’s a must-see whenever he releases something new.
This “Crewsin” video for Cult is more chill but a great watch. I especially like the somewhat “raw” format, with unpulled clips and other random stuff.
But there are also so many good street stunts that’ll get you hyped to get creative with spot usage.
Cruising around, looking for spots, riding and getting clips – what else do you want in life?
ENJOY!
Cult – For What It’s Worth
This dropped, and it’s perfect. It was officially premiered on YouTube, and I couldn’t wait to watch it. I want to watch everything DAK puts out (yes, a big fan!).
The tech level of riding is pretty serious in this one.
However, Dakota is no stranger to doing some really wild gaps and drops. One in the comments said it best: “A burly tech rider.”
There’s no such thing as good and bad stuff – everything is a MUST-SEE, and you know it. Thus, I’ll reveal nothing but join you on another watch.
Enjoy!
Native Land IV
Roche’s Native Land series has been an absolutely amazing display of BMX shred for its entire existence.
The fourth entry from later 2020 is another great example of that.
Dak is one of those riders who can always find a creative way to use a conventional setup unconventionally.
The grind gaps in here are so wild!
The curved ledge he hit all the way to the end to tire slide down is incredible and it was followed immediately by a grind down a cascading ledge that very few would touch.
These are just a few examples of the amazing riding in this eight-minute video.
Shimmer & Haze with Dakota Roche
In 2019, Vans released a team video called Shimmer. In early 2020 they released some behind-the-scenes footage from that with Roche.
Dak is an awesome person and a true professional in the BMX world, so seeing his process is great.
He repeatedly ends up on his backside on the first trick we see him try and even through some rough-looking falls on the exact same thing he keeps his composure until ultimately landing the trick multiple times.
It’s also awesome to see the process of some of the wild roof grinds and tricks he does.
Cinema signature sessions
In this installment of Signature Sessions from Cinema from early 2020, we have a look at Dakota Roche’s signature Dak Pegs in the spotlight.
Dak goes to work using his pegs in many different ways on both sides of his bike in a perfect example of a product promo.
If there’s one thing that’s for certain, it’s that Dakota uses his pegs enough to know what he needs.
If the insane amount of grinds on both sides of the bike in this video is any indication, his signature pegs are good enough for him and anyone else who might use them.
Cult “It’s Later Than You Think” part
Here is Dakota Roche’s section from the Cult Crew DVD “It’s Later Than You Think.”
With the way Dak goes in for everything he does, you know that a bigger project like a DVD will bring next-level riding from someone already at the top of the game.
From the song choice to the filming and editing, the vibe in this BMX video is great from the very start.
There’s just something about how Dak finds a way to use spots in his own ways that is always awesome to see.
The wallride down the 2 stairs to 180 backlash down the next 2 stairs directly followed by a massive wallride gap at the same spot in the same line shows this perfectly.
This is most definitely a solid DVD part.
Monster Energy “Above Below” part
Monster Energy released the ABOVE BELOW DVD in 2014 with sections from an all-star lineup of riders. Here is Dakota Roche’s section.
At four minutes eighteen seconds, it is nothing but fire.
The video starts out with an absolutely insane wallride to euro table out and is followed up by an impossibly long fakie pegs to turndown to fakie out.
We also have a few guest clips from Ty Morrow in here which do not disappoint.
Dak went in for this video and it shows with no filler and every single clip being of the best quality.
Also don’t miss “Above Below” parts from Nathan Williams, Ed Zunda and Dan Lacey.
Native Land 3
Here is the third chapter in Dakota Roche’s Nativeland series with Cult.
The video starts with a band in the form of a seriously huge feeble grind off of a roof followed by a giant wallride.
There are also plenty of signature Dak technical grind and manual combos in here to make for a well-rounded video where you really just never know what might come next.
The soundtrack here makes this one feel like a journey and as always, Dak comes through with another fantastic video.
Monster Energy “Bay Roam” video
In this video called Bay Roam with Dakota Roche from Monster Energy, the premise was simple; “to pedal around the greater San Francisco area in search of the spots less traveled in an unsystematic but thorough way.”
This is how Monster defines Bay Roam in the description of the video and wow, does this one start out heavy. With some breathtaking b-roll and even more breathtaking slams from Dak.
After the intro, things stay heavy as Dak does his thing on every spot he could find, from guard rail halfcabs into a bank to gnarly rails, ledges, gaps, and more.
Vans “Illustrated” video part
Seven minutes fifteen seconds of straight-up savagery on a BMX bike is what you’ll find in Dakota Roche’s section from the full-length Vans Illustrated video.
The fact that this video was filmed in only two years is a testament to Dak’s riding and it does not disappoint!
From the intro to the end, Dak is putting his tires and pegs in places that are not only difficult to put into words but also places few others would dare try.
Dakota comes through with a well-rounded display of amazing BMX riding with this two-song section for Vans, from burly gaps and grinds to extremely technical combos.
Ride BMX “Insight” part
Ride BMX had a history of making some incredible full-length BMX videos. Their Insight full-length video was released in 2008 and with that, Dakota had a part.
Dak’s part was the first in the video, so the YouTube upload also includes the DVD’s intro.
The beginning of his part is a little bit of insight (pun intended) into the struggles of filming a video part.
This part definitely shows how much Dak has killed it forever.
It’s awesome to see how his riding has developed over the years with his signature tricks like grinds to nose manuals, huge gaps, massive wallrides and more.
Dan’s Comp web edit
At one point in time, Dan’s Comp had a full BMX team of which Dakota Roche was on. With that came this web edit for them in 2016.
This video is fast-paced and heavy with heavy trick after heavy trick with a few technical lines thrown into the mix as well.
A few standouts are definitely the wallride 90 to fence ride and the rail shop wallride to 180. It also can’t be a Roche video without a roof setup.
Dak certainly doesn’t let us down with the last clip, which you need to see to understand.
Cinema video (2017)
It seems like every single Dakota Roche video starts with a gnarly bang. His 2017 Cinema video holds true to this with an enormous wallride down an enormous stair set to flat.
Unfortunately, he slips a pedal which gets his shin and toe pretty bad.
Bad enough that he says they have to go to the hospital, so if you don’t want to see that part or the other gnarly falls that follow, skip a minute in and watch the successful madness begin.
Dak has always been one of the most hard-working riders in BMX and it certainly shows in all of his videos.
We all know and love his wild wallrides, gaps, technical combos, and his affinity for roofs.
While there aren’t any roofs in this one, there is definitely enough of the rest to make up for it.
2016 X Games Real BMX video
The concept behind X Games Real BMX is to pair 6 riders with 6 filmers, then give them a set amount of time to come up with the best 1 minute 30 second video they can and then judge them of certain criteria to find who made the best video.
The first-ever Real BMX contest was in 2016 and Dakota Roche found himself working with resident Cult filmer Veesh on his part.
Although they didn’t make the top 3, they both killed it to make an awesome video.
The last two clips in this one are two different roof setups that you do not want to miss. Or if you saw them before, check them out again! Dak is BURLY.
Welcome to Vans
It’s crazy to think that Dakota Roche was welcomed to the Vans team back in 2010.
His welcome to the team video was a bit of an adventure, following Dak from his house out to ride for the day.
The day starts with coffee before hitting a few awesome spots for some wallrides down stairs, grinds down rails, and of course a roof setup.
The last two clips are pretty nuts being a wild wallride from one level of a roof to another then dropping to a different roof before landing flat and a pegs to hop over which was a big gap!
Cult Cultifornia frame promo
Back in 2014, Dakota had a signature Cultifornia BMX street frame from Cult and this video served as a promo for it.
The video starts with him building up the Cult frame and transitions directly into a full-speed as well as massive wallride to tabletop.
Between gnarly gaps and grinds, Dak gives us a great display of his technical riding before returning straight to the full-throttle burly riding we have always known from him.
Naturally, there was a roof setup here, which is seriously insane when you imagine sending a 180 of that magnitude off a downward slanting roof.
Interview with Dakota Roche by Scotty Cranmer
