Skategoat… Also known as Leandre Sanders or the man with no stance. This 26-year-old up and coming goat is a Venice Beach local with style as funky and flawless as our cherished community. The pulse, the rawness of Venice, Leandre is at the front of mind on four wheels. Leandre became close to the crew who brought him for the 2nd ride of our joyride | series to talk about all things skating, sustainable action and what’s next.
“I learned how to skate here, I learned how to talk here, I learned everything here.”
We see stories as the most interesting part of anything, and the joy of riding really encapsulates everyone’s story and journey…where have you been/where are you going? Leandre is nothing short of stories, debuting last year his documentary “Skategoat” captures the raw, fleeting, and turbulent timeline that brought him to his board. Venice is a place like no other, we call it home and feel grateful to work alongside so many other creatives, entrepreneurs, advocates etc. We’re never not inspired, and we love hearing people’s stories and passions.
“Just knowing that Venice is pure love, I mean I’m from Hawthorne, but when I moved here when I was 13, it was just a straight welcoming, the door was open for me because my dad is from Venice. It was like ‘oh you’re Leroy’s son, okay, you’re good”
Leandre is as real as it gets, as much as we get hyped on how he gets where he’s going on his board, we love the evolution of his journey. We’re always looking at the ways we get to where we are going. We couldn’t agree more with his perspective on skating: for anyone, from anywhere at any time.
“The skate park is what saved me and what opened my eyes to a dope beach because I was like, damn, there’s no beach like this with a skate park on it.”
Leandre reminds us that Venice is a city that begs for spontaneity, asks us to slow down, unless you’re on your board…or bike, better speed up! Point being, there’s always someplace to go, a sunset to scope, friends to meet. With a style that is entirely his own, he matches the cadence and pulse of Venice with a lot of flare and a lot of finesse.
Venice elicits an open weird sense of cool in its history, fashion, and culture. Leandre and his board undoubtedly add to the heat and bring in a certain layer that completely adds to the energy that makes Venice, Venice.
“Personally, I feel like anyone in Venice that’s born and raised here would love to have a bike, especially an electric bike at that. To get from point a to b.”
Because Venice is a hub, a tight knit community where anything is possible and always happening. From the skatepark back home to the beach to dinner, Leandre knows that cruising on and off the board is all possible with his PEDAL. Because when he isn't burning steam pushing on his board, stuck in traffic to go meet up with friends having a PEDAL lets him live more and do more.
“It saves you energy most definitely and I’m super excited…this bike is going to be here more than my vehicle, I’m gonna wake up in the morning like yo I’m about to hop on this thing and go to the beach.”
And that’s ultimately what’s inspiring about the way Leandre moves and lives, in the moment and on his board. There is something dynamic about getting around your city in your style, the way you want to. We’re keeping our eyes out for him on any and all wheels and taking a page from his book and getting up and on our bikes. See you out there!
