Time travel through the evolution of MTB
New Downtime Podcast with Hans
Stories, memories, insights and opinions – give it a listen
Sept. ’21
Dan Atherton double black diamond ebike loop
Dan Atherton has this all time, super technical ebike enduro (e)xtravaganza double black diamond ebike loop near his Dyfi Bike Park in Northern Wales.
The tour came highly recommended by Danny MacAskill, so I had to give it a go. Usually the tour requires two batteries, but we used a car shuttle for two of the five of the uphill sections. The ride is about 3000m/9000ft vertical technical trails.
I think they will eventually offer it at Dyfi as a backcountry addition to the park. I rode my GT Bicycles e-Force with Shimano Ep8 (504w)
Roadtrip USA
Escaping Covid-19
by Carmen Freeman-Rey
The amazing story of Derby and St. Helens
Tasmania 2 (2019)
Blue Derby and St. Helens, a seismic story about the power of a mountain biking nirvana.
Two seismic events hit the small town of Derby located in the north east of Tasmania; the first was a dam bursting in 1929 releasing a torrent of water that rapidly sluiced through the town washing away houses and lives. The second colossal époque was and continues to be mountain biking. Who would have thought that a small mining town decimated by tragedy, then deserted by big business could have a renaissance of such magnitude. This re-birth did not come about by accident, but rather by progressive thought, planning, determination, sheer dogged mindedness and genius trail builders.
New Zealand Heli eBike Adventure
By Hans Rey Photos: Carmen Rey
I can see how this headline might raise a few eyebrows, but please, bear with me.
In November of 2019 I met up with two old friends from the Southern Hemisphere, in Queenstown New Zealand, where Henry van Ash lives. He is one of the persons that invented / commercialized Bungy Jumping and made it a global thing and one of New Zealand biggest tourist attractions. He has also been a long time and passionate mountain biker with one of the most impressive bike collections he gathered from over the years. Recently he started a Heli Bike company that transports adventurous mountain bikers to the remote back country.