Where did your last exciting bike adventure take you? With their Trail Tales, Orbea take us on an exciting journey of discovery around the World, telling stories about fascinating places, intriguing characters and life-changing initiatives while celebrating the refreshing diversity of the international mountain bike community. Sit back and get inspired, perhaps one day you’ll share your own exciting stories with your friends!
Build It And They Will Come
“Build it and they will come!” is inspired by a quote from Kevin Costner’s “Field of Dreams” movie, in which a mystical voice tells Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella to build a baseball field in his backyard to share with fellow baseball players. In Trail Tales, trail builders shape dirt for their fellow mountain bikers. In a nutshell it’s the story of the birth of trail centres in the UK. Trail veterans Dafydd Davis from Wales and Rik Allsop from Scotland, who also runs a bike shop, tell us more about their communities, nasty conflicts with public and private landowners and the evolution of trail building. Luckily, the conflicts are a thing of the past and the UK government has already approved over 65 trail centres with over 2500 km of fine mountain bike trails. The trails are all signposted and divided into categories according to degree of difficulty while the infrastructure of the center is usually complemented by other facilities such as cafes and bike shops, where you can restore your energy levels and take care of your bike. UK’s trail centres make us regret Brexit even more! If you happen to visit the Scottish Borders, you should swing by Rik’s Bike Shed and say hello – the kettle’s always on!
Lead by Generations
Also set in the UK, “Lead by Generations” may not be as cross-border as “Build it and they will come”, but is just as exciting. Born and raised in the small village of Gunnerside, around 70 miles north of Leeds, Stephen is the sixth generation of blacksmiths in the Calvert family. At the Old Working Smithy, he follows in the steps of his ancestors, swinging the hammer and shaping the iron that once came from the now ghost-town down the road. The two places are only connected by a narrow trail built by miners over a century ago. Where once you could hear the ear-splitting sound of the picks stabbing the fells, now there’s a soul-soothing silence, interrupted only by the rhythmical clicking of your hub: the local mountain biking community have claimed the working trails of their mining forefathers to explore their roots in the countryside surrounding the ghost town and its derelict mine buildings. Alternating spectacular shots of the moorlands, the elements and the people who have shaped the landscape of this beautiful corner of the World, Orbea tell us the connection between the art of blacksmithing and mountain biking.
The Outlaw Sport
Partly thanks to Geoff Gulevich’s rad and unique riding style, partly to the breath-taking landscape of the North Shore, “The Outlaw Sport” is the video with the most exciting riding shots in this series. The North Shore in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the Canadian Mecca of mountain biking and undisputedly one of the hottest riding spots in the World. Throughout the past 40 years, a bunch of “outlaws” have stood up for their beliefs, resisting the norms of modern society by building trails in the forest. Forty years on, things are a lot more relaxed and the outlaws are becoming legends. Thanks to the hard work of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association, aka NSMBA, most trails are now legal and many of the local mountain bike skeptics are now enjoying the local trail system themselves – or at least benefitting from the many tourists they attract! The video shows how the trails and crazy wooden features were built and provides an extensive insight into the local community and the huge potential of the entire area. Orbea brand-ambassador and Shore legend Geoff Gulevich is an integral part of this beautiful community.
From Oak To Anchor
From Oak To Anchor was filmed in Orbea’s backyard, Pasaia, a small village on the Atlantic Ocean in the Basque Country. After the discovery of the ancient Spanish galleon “San Juan” off the coast of Newfoundland, a group of visionaries decided to restore the old ship and sail all the way to Canada, following the route of 16th century whalers. Just as the sailors followed their routes, mountain bikers are now following the trails of ancient shipyard workers. The trails snake through mystical forests all the way to the beach – and if you own a sailing boat, you may carry on forever!
Grab yourself a drink, cozy up and enjoy the show!
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Words: Julian Schwede Photos: Orbea