Mirra Images

The teenage boys who idolize extreme bicycling superstar Mirra will groove on this desultory and somewhat inarticulate photo-autobiography. Mirra's childhood obsession with bike tricks, indifference to school, unsuitedness for steady work (""by the middle of the third day I'd had enough of someone telling me how to wash cars"") and miscellaneous travails (""my girlfriend and I were arguing and it was messing with my head in a big way"") will resonate with adolescents. They will thrill as ESPN's decision to televise extreme bike competitions brings Mirra fame, a huge house, and a signature video game. They will thoughtfully appraise the many top five lists--of favorite bands, extreme bike stars, and movies, Schindler's List comes after Caddyshack but tops Rocky IV). And they'll probably understand the unglossed references to such extreme bike maneuvers as the""one-handed, no-footed can-can,"" the""X-up 180 over the spine"" and the""framestand-tweaker-nosepick."" (There are hundreds of photos of Mirra riding down staircase railings, pirouetting on ledges and launching off ramps.) Their parents, though, will be suspicious of all the arcana, and Mirra's""five worst injuries"" list will confirm their darkest forebodings. For all its gonzo exhibitionism, extreme bicycling is not the most photogenic of sports. Static mid-trick shots of contorted bicycle and flailing rider make for an ungainly image, especially in the dank indoor practice facilities where many of the photos were taken. At their best, some of the pictures--especially the flips, where Mirra appears to be serenely pedaling along, upside-down and 20 feet in the air--have an arresting surreal quality.