Hey there Alex Just wanted to leave a little message to let you know how much you've inspired me over the past 2 to 3 years. I used to live cycling and exploring when I was younger, especially when I got my very first MTB way back in 1989-90. Unfortunately, life got in the way and the bike was put aside. Then, I found one of your videos completely by accident, and ended up watching every single one. Through you I found BKXC, Seth's Bike Hacks and GMBN. I could never ride as fast and hard as you do, but I just love the essence of exploration and how you are always pushing your limits. This year I turned 43. Today, I have just finished a 141 mile ride across the UK, Coast to Coast from Whitehaven to Roker in aid of Cancer Research. It took me two days to do, carrying a back pack full of gear and a tent strapped to my bike. Without your videos and those of the TH-camrs I found through you, I NEVER would have even thought about taking on such a challenge. So I just wanted to say Thank You. Thank you for your videos Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm for all things MTG. Thank you for bringing back that 15 year old kid in me who wanted nothing but to go out and ride. Live free, ride hard and get totally stoked 🤘⛱⛰🚵⛰🏖🤘
I feel you, Sir...you're just 2 years younger than I, and I'm the same way...But I've discovered Seth's Bike Hacks first before Singletrack Sampler and then GMBN and BKXC. These guys inspired me a lot, too and keep exploring about mountain biking fun and adventures ! Thanks so much to all of them ! Keep on riding !
CatPaw, what a great effort, i just bought my first MTB since i was 28 an little did i know how deep i got sucked into the world of MTB again, just turned 42 and YOU SIR are inspirational as well! :) Thank you ALEX for your videos, i mainly watch you and BKXC but i never can thank you enough for reminding me what life is about!
Hey Alex, Hey Guys, I am currently 62 years old and my wife is 54. We discovered MTB 6 years ago. We are both adrenaline junkies and downhill skiers but after descending our first single track we were both hooping and hollering knowing that we had just found our new favorite sport. We got rid of our entry level hard tails and went full suspension which makes us better riders than we really are😜. Through Seth I found you Alex on the episode when you dislocated your shoulder out in the middle of nowhere. We have been following you since. Because of MTB we have met so many quality people like you guys posting here. What a great community of generous uplifting individuals. No Matt how large or small the contribution Thank you all for making this world a better place to be and thank you Alex for reminding us to Live Free, Ride Hard and Get Stoked with some occasional rest👍
I can relate to that. I'm 37, and was riding downhill and BMX in the nineties. I stopped riding for many years. Recently starting riding my Yeti again. It feels so good. And this guy is truly an inspiration, he makes me want to ride , despite the scorching heatwave!
The Singletrack Sampler I have done that and almost even worse. I was so tired and hot, probably a bit dehydrated too, I stopped to take a break, wasn't paying attention, put my foot down, and nothing was there but air and a 5 ft. drop into a dry, rocky creek bed. Somehow I didn't fall, but almost needed a change of shorts.
Hey man. Thank you for this. I rode my first double black trail yesterday and it was wet and slick and I pinballed off more trees than a guy ever should. It hit my confidence so hard I was second guessing everything by the end of the day... Don't get me wrong a hard day in the saddle is.better than a good day somewhere else but ya know... There were bright sides I know what tweaks to make to my bike. I know what skills I need to improve. And I learned to give wet terrain more respect. Also after my last crash I found this hiker who'd been lost for hours and was able to lead her out... It was cool. There were cops and firetrucks waiting and everyone made it out ok. But seeing more experienced riders work through similar challenges shows guys that it happens to everyone. Thanks again man.
The rides that you suffer the most on always end up being the most memorable! 😂 Great job dude! Best part about vanlife is when your done your home is there welcoming you to rest!
Loving the 3rd person footage! Damn it was so humid your lens went full-soap-opera haha. Reminds me of springtime riding in Bellingham -- you can't keep anything from fogging up!
“Screw this climb dude!” Lol. That raw emotion you can’t even try to exaggerate! So happy you put this video out. There’s a big difference from be just tired and early signs of heatstroke brother!! It can get pretty scary how quick it can you. I bet you spend the 24-48hrs of hydration for that climb/ride and you’d go back kill it!!!!!!
You, Seth and Brian always look like you’re flying down the trails effortlessly. Thanks for posting this video. It’s nice to see you are human, and get tired too.
You made it in the end mate. Glad to see you willing to humble yourself and show your struggle we all stuggle at some stage but its all about sticking it out
Ugh. I did Heartbreak once that way when it was a new trail... '98? '99? and was so tired that by halfway down the descent my arms were going numb. I didn't WANT to keep riding that damn trial! I was even fit then, racing NORBA Expert... before I crashed so hard I fractured my skull and hand, tore open my face, and almost died. That took a lot out of me. I went to just commuting to work by bike (enhanced by a metal plate in my head), became a dad, and took a 12-year break. However, this year I'm hitting the trails, and remembering the fun.. I'll never be as ballsy as I was then - I broke too many bones doing stupid stuff in my 20s and 30s - but your videos are getting me fired up. Thanks for the great attitude and fun videos, sir. Time to hit Dupont!
Your video just brought back memories of my July 4th ride. I made the mistake of doing the 24 mile loop up Mt. Mitchel toll rd. and then down Heartbreak Ridge when I wasn't really feeling it. By time I did the 16 miles of climbing I had ran out of water, started cramping and was completely exhausted. Heartbreak Ridge is no joke going down when you are really tired. I definitely had all the same feelings you were feeling in this video. I won't be doing that again anytime soon!
Struggling is what makes you better imo.It's a good thing to find things you can't quite do as it motivates you to get better so you ride them in the future.
So far this season, I’ve been on three rides that made me feel this exact same way. One was a poorly planned attempt at a MASSIVE system loop with black diamonds that almost got me killed (Horsetooth Mountain Park, Fort Collins CO), one was an unmaintained blue trail that was more like a black, with narrow&chunky rock gardens that you’d be hard pressed to HIKE (Foothills Trail, Fort Collins CO), and the last one was another chunky and unkept blue trail where the heat and risk of rattlesnakes alone made me bail and walk out halfway through (Sundance Trail; Carter Lake, Loveland CO). Glad to see I’m not the only one.
"No one could pay me to do that climb again." Doh! Ugh. Mountain biking parallels the realities of life. Ups and downs, highs and lows (sometime flats/psi)... and fast, chunky downhill flows... but always an adventure. Thanks for sharing a glimpse into one of your tough times. And still solid riding for as gas'd as you were.
Be careful when you're tired man. Personally, one of the first signs that I'm wiped is my riding just gets sloppy from a physical exhaustion standpoint but also an obstacle timing and line choice standpoint. When that starts happening, I know I gotta dial it right down or I'm gonna make a judgement/timing error that could cause me to eat it hard. Ride hard, but take care of yourself man! As always, good stuff!
Yeah, I have the exact same thing happen. I'm getting old(!) and had the beginnings of heat exhaustion twice this year. Had mild confusion and ringing in the ears for several hours after one ride. On another I had weird fluttering in my vision.
Man watching everyone climb makes me hope I can get in shape enough to climb anything.. Got back into mountain biking this year after not riding since I was a kid 14 or so years ago. I got back into it to loose weight, get healthy and get outside more. My first ride on the bike I couldn't even go like 3 miles on dirt road and was out of breath just pedaling on flat. I was pretty obese and spent the past 10 years with no physical activity playing video games on the computer. I've been slowly going at it each weekend and when i get time before work on the weekdays. I've been able to do more and more and I'm down almost 2 pant sizes atm. I feel MUCH better and I'm super stoked to be riding, while I'm at work all I can think about is wanting to be out riding. I still have to walk up most climbs but the slightest little grades. I get out of breath and my heart rate goes too high too fast when I try to pedal up any inclines. I scared the shit out of myself out on the trail by myself this morning. I decided to try and pedal up a climb that I seen 3 people go up with no issues and I shouldn't have rode it. When I got to the top I was Gasping for air and threw off my pack, helmet and shirt, put my hands over my head and was desperately trying to get enough air not to pass out. I have never been so out of breath in my life. I just couldn't catch enough breath for the life of me I was trying so hard to get enough air but each breath was just as hollow. I was on the verge of dialing 911 in all honesty. I was by myself in the woods and was affraid I was going to pass out or have a heart attack as I don't know how strong my heart is after all the sitting around for years. After about 5 minutes I started finally getting little bits more air and after what felt like forever I was able to catch my breath. I didn't feel good the whole rest of the day, and it really destroyed my confidence. Does anyone else have any experiences like that? Did things get better continually the more you kept up with going out and riding? I'm hoping I don't have breathing issues and I just need to keep working on my cardio. Loving the videos man! Keep it up.
Needed this. Took a group ride a week ago, my first since I started riding again. It felt like death as I struggled to keep up on climbs. They were in far better shapes more skilled and all had newer full squish bikes vs my fat ass on an old hard tail 26er. But, in the end I did have a great time!
First time running across one of your vids. Great stuff, a lot of laughs, good riding and no pretension what so ever. Just like riding should be. Props.
This is me after every climb! Lol that's make me feel human. Thank for the vid. Ride safe and if your that tire go slow! Trust getting hurt is not worth it
Did the same a while back after a big storm. Basically walked all the way up heartbreak clearing debris, took about three hrs going up. And all of about 30 mins coming back down. So easy to get hauling downhill, better have some good brakes.
thank you for putting out a real video. I love watching you guys and really want to try this. I might be a bit old to start out but oh well. Thank you for showing an off day on your riding
Lol. Welcome to being old Alex. I feel like how you looked in this video every time I go out. I build wire cable rope and other various cable type things for a living, so arm pump is huge for me. And cramped/locked up hands. It hurts like hell. I turned 30 this year, and so far it has not been very nice to me. At all. And I'm riding the nicest bike I've ever owned (granted that's not saying much lol) Anyways. Still looks like you guys had a blast. Live free. Ride Hard. And get some freaking rest brotha. I know that's what I am going to do at this very moment. Peace
WAL-MART BIKE REVENGE: Demoralized Van-Jesus maintains his integrity at Heckle-Rock, vows: "I cannot be paid to ride this trail again..." and, "You're going irresponsibly fast!" and "gross" several times. Wins Best Video of the Week Award!
I finally bought me a Scott aspect I ve been watching ur videos I ve struggled to find me a job to pay for a really good hard I ve modded Walmart bikes from after market parts but it was so much easier to work at Walmart get do payments I m loving my hard tail you ve bee. A hell of inspartion thank you for your videos now I can experience it myself without replacing so many parts
alexander, thank you so much for putting this video out there. i think a lot of us have been on group rides where the climb is a lot tougher than our motivation.... i’m lucky that i never had a camera on me during those rides :)
Dude! I feel you so much! I don't know how many times I dropped into a DH on an empty tank. And it always sucks. What really helps me to refuel during a ride are gels (by Powerbar). They work better for me than any bar (lots of sugar and minerals, tastes like apple sauce, easy on the stomach). Also: Keep ISO powder in your water. When you're sweating you're losing all the minerals and you need them not to cramp and not to get tired in your head. PS: The speed you're still going at is INSANE. Be safe!
I deliberately stop at the top of a nasty climb regardless of whether or not I'm following someone so as not to be puffing and panting dropping down into a flowy or technical flat or downhill. Hate doing it out of gas after paying so dearly.
Lolololol, so u do have a weakness!!!!! Awesome video, definitely entertaining to say the least. I don’t know how you picked your lines, it seemed as if u were flying down those trails, but awesome video. Thanks for sharing your struggles and falls lol
Great video! We all have those climbs where we question why we're even out there. Haha! But it's some kind of sickness cause we just keep going back! Good times!
lol, the transformation from 0:46 to 3:30 and later ;D nice to see you work for the fun you have there ;D great you made it up - and down again ! :D thumbs up
Geez dude that looked brutal.... And I'm just talking about the climb..lol.... Coming down and wiping out is another thing entirely although you did look quite comfy in the bushes...lmao. Cool vid thanks for posting....
Great video! You guys are absolutely nuts. As someone getting back into riding it helps to see that even the super good riders like you guys have a tough time. Keep up the good work, and be safe!
That was me about a week ago at Black Mountain. I rode for 3 days straight prior to that. I did Wilson Ridge and Schoolhouse one day, then Kitsuma the next day, third day I did Beech Mountain for 8 hours, then my last day was Black Mountain. I started at the Hub and my legs were shot by the time I got to the fork at Clawhammer. I probably should have turned around at that point but I've never done Black Mountain so I wanted to do it from the end of Clawhammer back down. I ended up walking and hiking my bike up until you finally get to the true top of Black and once I got there I got down to my bib because my clothes and shoes were so saturated that I had to ring them out. My shoes has sweat sloshing around in them, they were so wet. Once I started to go down I felt the fatigue in my arms and hands from all the descending. I was holding on as well as I could to try to make it down. It took me over 3 hours to do get back to my car from the start. When I took my shoes off my feet were died blue from the amount of sweating I did and I couldn't even grip my keys fully to turn my car on.
Aww man! As soon as I saw the road in that first shot, I knew what was going on. I did a similar ride last December, but started at the upper kitsuma parking and rode down kitsuma first. That's a brutal climb up heartbreak ridge, but the descent is so amazing. Edit: I'd like to add that I somehow managed to clean that one really hard switchback on my first try and I'm really proud of that.
Just want to say I feel ya mate....Defo feel the struggle and the pain but a great awesome video indeed. Love the realism of the "ride". Humid condition is a killing, zaps you big time. Hey, can you tell me ur GoPro video settings??
I don't even mountain bike but I love your channel mate so interesting and inspiring, always been up for it just something to do when I have more money aha
Glad to see someone else suffering up Heartbreak. It's aptly named. I did it last summer AFTER doing Kitsuma (I was naively/optimistically following an MTB project ride). I was in the same kind of space. The beer gods made it all better in the end.
Hey Alex, I wish you could visit here in the Philippines. We also have some challenging and hard trails here :) Thank you for this video. This is hard but wonderful. More power to your channel!
DAMN!! I had this EXACT same ride and experienced his past Saturday in Pisgah when my boss had an epic 40 mile birthday ride!! Cramp city!! But hey, you live to ride another day!!
Dude I would love to ride with ya next time you're in the Evergreen, CO area! You and Seth influenced me big time to get into MTB and I've learned a lot and been entertained by your videos. I'll be uploading some videos here and there but no vlogging or anything with substance haha just videos to watch when I'm 80 and can't shred anymore.
Singletrack Sampler, I feel your pain! Thanks for keeping it real! What were you guys thinking climbing Heartbreak Ridge?! I rode there on July 4th with some friends, it was brutal, and an adventure. I got a flat after the top of the first rocky descent, and crashed in the middle, bruised a rib among other things. We started in Montreat, and ended at Kitsuma lot. Took us over 6 hours!
I feel your pain man. When you get to the top and it's not the top. Then it happens again. And then again. The humidity was probably the problem though. Also, Dude that abandoned van would be awesome if you did it up. Shame you just got a spanking brand new one eh! Hahaha Great vid as always YEEEWWW!! Brian would LOVE those rocks! LFRHGS!
oh man -I busted my rear derailleur last Thursday riding Colgate University up here in central NY... loved riding this trail with you Alex - LFRHGS!!!!
I just subscribed finally. I found your videos and saw one of monarch pass when you did a ride in and out. I literally drove 18 hours the day after watching it last week from TN. It was awesome and I slept in my truck. It was my first real mountain trip. Thanks for the inspiration. Do you have any plans to hit Arkansas or toward west TN?
Pretty much like 8 months of the yr here in oz. keep up the good work and magnesium powder with water tastes like 💩 but will help with the cramps on really hot n humid days
Trail 1 Alex 0 You took a beating Alex, it was fun to revel in your pain, sorry. lol We've all bin there, I had 4 wipe outs in 1 run of Dirty Harry (Cypress North Shore Van) Great video, thanks for sharing it.
Until a few years ago, we had a strong biking community where I live, but most of the young guys have left the country , seeking a better life, and the older ones have stopped riding. Now I'm the only one left who takes care of the trails we had so much fun building, and riding over the years. I'm mostly alone on the trails, but I'm happy when I see other tire tracks every now and then.
I had a ride like that a couple weeks ago. 70% of it was climbing, kicked my arse. Right before the last downhill section to the parking lot I tried to step off my bike and just fell over. I was so tired I just layed there for a few minutes.
Hey there Alex
Just wanted to leave a little message to let you know how much you've inspired me over the past 2 to 3 years.
I used to live cycling and exploring when I was younger, especially when I got my very first MTB way back in 1989-90.
Unfortunately, life got in the way and the bike was put aside.
Then, I found one of your videos completely by accident, and ended up watching every single one. Through you I found BKXC, Seth's Bike Hacks and GMBN.
I could never ride as fast and hard as you do, but I just love the essence of exploration and how you are always pushing your limits.
This year I turned 43.
Today, I have just finished a 141 mile ride across the UK, Coast to Coast from Whitehaven to Roker in aid of Cancer Research.
It took me two days to do, carrying a back pack full of gear and a tent strapped to my bike.
Without your videos and those of the TH-camrs I found through you, I NEVER would have even thought about taking on such a challenge.
So I just wanted to say Thank You.
Thank you for your videos
Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm for all things MTG.
Thank you for bringing back that 15 year old kid in me who wanted nothing but to go out and ride.
Live free, ride hard and get totally stoked 🤘⛱⛰🚵⛰🏖🤘
I feel you, Sir...you're just 2 years younger than I, and I'm the same way...But I've discovered Seth's Bike Hacks first before Singletrack Sampler and then GMBN and BKXC. These guys inspired me a lot, too and keep exploring about mountain biking fun and adventures ! Thanks so much to all of them ! Keep on riding !
CatPaw, what a great effort, i just bought my first MTB since i was 28 an little did i know how deep i got sucked into the world of MTB again, just turned 42 and YOU SIR are inspirational as well! :) Thank you ALEX for your videos, i mainly watch you and BKXC but i never can thank you enough for reminding me what life is about!
Hell yeah! Yeeeeeeeet
Hey Alex, Hey Guys,
I am currently 62 years old and my wife is 54. We discovered MTB 6 years ago. We are both adrenaline junkies and downhill skiers but after descending our first single track we were both hooping and hollering knowing that we had just found our new favorite sport. We got rid of our entry level hard tails and went full suspension which makes us better riders than we really are😜. Through Seth I found you Alex on the episode when you dislocated your shoulder out in the middle of nowhere. We have been following you since. Because of MTB we have met so many quality people like you guys posting here. What a great community of generous uplifting individuals. No Matt how large or small the contribution Thank you all for making this world a better place to be and thank you Alex for reminding us to Live Free, Ride Hard and Get Stoked with some occasional rest👍
I can relate to that. I'm 37, and was riding downhill and BMX in the nineties.
I stopped riding for many years.
Recently starting riding my Yeti again. It feels so good.
And this guy is truly an inspiration, he makes me want to ride , despite the scorching heatwave!
When you're so tired that you go to lean against a tree and miss XD
Anyone else done this???
I haven't missed a tree but I did have a branch snap on me and went tumbling down a hill.
I have done it to many times to count
The Singletrack Sampler I have done that and almost even worse. I was so tired and hot, probably a bit dehydrated too, I stopped to take a break, wasn't paying attention, put my foot down, and nothing was there but air and a 5 ft. drop into a dry, rocky creek bed. Somehow I didn't fall, but almost needed a change of shorts.
yup
same. same but different.
Hey man.
Thank you for this.
I rode my first double black trail yesterday and it was wet and slick and I pinballed off more trees than a guy ever should.
It hit my confidence so hard I was second guessing everything by the end of the day...
Don't get me wrong a hard day in the saddle is.better than a good day somewhere else but ya know...
There were bright sides
I know what tweaks to make to my bike.
I know what skills I need to improve.
And I learned to give wet terrain more respect.
Also after my last crash I found this hiker who'd been lost for hours and was able to lead her out...
It was cool. There were cops and firetrucks waiting and everyone made it out ok.
But seeing more experienced riders work through similar challenges shows guys that it happens to everyone.
Thanks again man.
The rides that you suffer the most on always end up being the most memorable! 😂 Great job dude! Best part about vanlife is when your done your home is there welcoming you to rest!
Loving the 3rd person footage! Damn it was so humid your lens went full-soap-opera haha. Reminds me of springtime riding in Bellingham -- you can't keep anything from fogging up!
“Screw this climb dude!” Lol. That raw emotion you can’t even try to exaggerate! So happy you put this video out. There’s a big difference from be just tired and early signs of heatstroke brother!! It can get pretty scary how quick it can you. I bet you spend the 24-48hrs of hydration for that climb/ride and you’d go back kill it!!!!!!
You, Seth and Brian always look like you’re flying down the trails effortlessly. Thanks for posting this video. It’s nice to see you are human, and get tired too.
You made it in the end mate. Glad to see you willing to humble yourself and show your struggle we all stuggle at some stage but its all about sticking it out
BTW you're the most humble bloke going round and that's why we all love watching your videos
I can’t get enough of this channel 👍😀
Ironically this is the trail that sold me mountain biking. The sound of carving back and forth over that super rough ground is unique to mtb
the struggle bus makes a stop for everyone at some point. :D
Ugh. I did Heartbreak once that way when it was a new trail... '98? '99? and was so tired that by halfway down the descent my arms were going numb. I didn't WANT to keep riding that damn trial!
I was even fit then, racing NORBA Expert... before I crashed so hard I fractured my skull and hand, tore open my face, and almost died. That took a lot out of me. I went to just commuting to work by bike (enhanced by a metal plate in my head), became a dad, and took a 12-year break.
However, this year I'm hitting the trails, and remembering the fun.. I'll never be as ballsy as I was then - I broke too many bones doing stupid stuff in my 20s and 30s - but your videos are getting me fired up. Thanks for the great attitude and fun videos, sir. Time to hit Dupont!
Your video just brought back memories of my July 4th ride. I made the mistake of doing the 24 mile loop up Mt. Mitchel toll rd. and then down Heartbreak Ridge when I wasn't really feeling it. By time I did the 16 miles of climbing I had ran out of water, started cramping and was completely exhausted. Heartbreak Ridge is no joke going down when you are really tired. I definitely had all the same feelings you were feeling in this video. I won't be doing that again anytime soon!
good lessons in there for everyone - listen to your body and the only thing that gets bent is a derailleur hanger!
Struggling is what makes you better imo.It's a good thing to find things you can't quite do as it motivates you to get better so you ride them in the future.
Thanks for posting some climbing... I feel so much better! You get tired too!
So far this season, I’ve been on three rides that made me feel this exact same way. One was a poorly planned attempt at a MASSIVE system loop with black diamonds that almost got me killed (Horsetooth Mountain Park, Fort Collins CO), one was an unmaintained blue trail that was more like a black, with narrow&chunky rock gardens that you’d be hard pressed to HIKE (Foothills Trail, Fort Collins CO), and the last one was another chunky and unkept blue trail where the heat and risk of rattlesnakes alone made me bail and walk out halfway through (Sundance Trail; Carter Lake, Loveland CO). Glad to see I’m not the only one.
Alex, this is f*cking excellent, really entertaining man. You deserve 6 beers minimum for your effort.
its called a six bro!
"No one could pay me to do that climb again." Doh! Ugh. Mountain biking parallels the realities of life. Ups and downs, highs and lows (sometime flats/psi)... and fast, chunky downhill flows... but always an adventure. Thanks for sharing a glimpse into one of your tough times. And still solid riding for as gas'd as you were.
Be careful when you're tired man. Personally, one of the first signs that I'm wiped is my riding just gets sloppy from a physical exhaustion standpoint but also an obstacle timing and line choice standpoint. When that starts happening, I know I gotta dial it right down or I'm gonna make a judgement/timing error that could cause me to eat it hard. Ride hard, but take care of yourself man! As always, good stuff!
Yeah, I have the exact same thing happen. I'm getting old(!) and had the beginnings of heat exhaustion twice this year. Had mild confusion and ringing in the ears for several hours after one ride. On another I had weird fluttering in my vision.
Man watching everyone climb makes me hope I can get in shape enough to climb anything.. Got back into mountain biking this year after not riding since I was a kid 14 or so years ago. I got back into it to loose weight, get healthy and get outside more. My first ride on the bike I couldn't even go like 3 miles on dirt road and was out of breath just pedaling on flat. I was pretty obese and spent the past 10 years with no physical activity playing video games on the computer. I've been slowly going at it each weekend and when i get time before work on the weekdays. I've been able to do more and more and I'm down almost 2 pant sizes atm. I feel MUCH better and I'm super stoked to be riding, while I'm at work all I can think about is wanting to be out riding.
I still have to walk up most climbs but the slightest little grades. I get out of breath and my heart rate goes too high too fast when I try to pedal up any inclines. I scared the shit out of myself out on the trail by myself this morning. I decided to try and pedal up a climb that I seen 3 people go up with no issues and I shouldn't have rode it. When I got to the top I was Gasping for air and threw off my pack, helmet and shirt, put my hands over my head and was desperately trying to get enough air not to pass out. I have never been so out of breath in my life. I just couldn't catch enough breath for the life of me I was trying so hard to get enough air but each breath was just as hollow. I was on the verge of dialing 911 in all honesty. I was by myself in the woods and was affraid I was going to pass out or have a heart attack as I don't know how strong my heart is after all the sitting around for years. After about 5 minutes I started finally getting little bits more air and after what felt like forever I was able to catch my breath. I didn't feel good the whole rest of the day, and it really destroyed my confidence.
Does anyone else have any experiences like that? Did things get better continually the more you kept up with going out and riding? I'm hoping I don't have breathing issues and I just need to keep working on my cardio.
Loving the videos man! Keep it up.
Dude that was rad! Vid quality was top drawer stuff. Felt like I was in there with you every second. Keep em coming!
Wow, that trail looks insane! This is one of your only videos where I'm actually glad I'm not riding that trail for once (at least up hill!).
Needed this. Took a group ride a week ago, my first since I started riding again. It felt like death as I struggled to keep up on climbs. They were in far better shapes more skilled and all had newer full squish bikes vs my fat ass on an old hard tail 26er.
But, in the end I did have a great time!
🎶 "...I want to ride it where I like!" 🎶
Glad I'm not on only one that has that song in their head while on a bike. 😆
This week has been much cooler and dryer in WNC. It’s amazing how much energy cooler weather gives you.
First time running across one of your vids. Great stuff, a lot of laughs, good riding and no pretension what so ever. Just like riding should be. Props.
This is me after every climb! Lol that's make me feel human. Thank for the vid. Ride safe and if your that tire go slow! Trust getting hurt is not worth it
Did the same a while back after a big storm. Basically walked all the way up heartbreak clearing debris, took about three hrs going up. And all of about 30 mins coming back down. So easy to get hauling downhill, better have some good brakes.
thank you for putting out a real video. I love watching you guys and really want to try this. I might be a bit old to start out but oh well. Thank you for showing an off day on your riding
Hey man I gotta keep it real you know? This happens to everyone, and it's ok that it does. I still had a blast :D
The Singletrack Sampler having a blast is all its about. Therefore i have a blast riding vicariously through you guys
My favorite video you've put out yet, awesome job!
Lol. Welcome to being old Alex. I feel like how you looked in this video every time I go out. I build wire cable rope and other various cable type things for a living, so arm pump is huge for me. And cramped/locked up hands. It hurts like hell.
I turned 30 this year, and so far it has not been very nice to me. At all. And I'm riding the nicest bike I've ever owned (granted that's not saying much lol)
Anyways. Still looks like you guys had a blast. Live free. Ride Hard. And get some freaking rest brotha. I know that's what I am going to do at this very moment. Peace
Awesome as usual! Keep up the hard work, and the fun! Loved it. Always love it.😊
Probably the best trail I have ever seen in most of your videos imho
bad day on the bike's always better than a good day off!
WAL-MART BIKE REVENGE: Demoralized Van-Jesus maintains his integrity at Heckle-Rock, vows: "I cannot be paid to ride this trail again..." and, "You're going irresponsibly fast!" and "gross" several times. Wins Best Video of the Week Award!
Yo Alex, your riding has gotten so much better since last year, man. Truly awesome stuff! Creep it real 🤘😎
You know what bike handles irresponsible speed like a boss!? The GIANT Reign. That's what Jared was on.
ROCKETRY XZACH I have that bike I’m 13 lol 27.5
I finally bought me a Scott aspect I ve been watching ur videos I ve struggled to find me a job to pay for a really good hard I ve modded Walmart bikes from after market parts but it was so much easier to work at Walmart get do payments I m loving my hard tail you ve bee. A hell of inspartion thank you for your videos now I can experience it myself without replacing so many parts
alexander, thank you so much for putting this video out there. i think a lot of us have been on group rides where the climb is a lot tougher than our motivation.... i’m lucky that i never had a camera on me during those rides :)
Gotta keep it real! 👊
Dude! I feel you so much! I don't know how many times I dropped into a DH on an empty tank. And it always sucks. What really helps me to refuel during a ride are gels (by Powerbar). They work better for me than any bar (lots of sugar and minerals, tastes like apple sauce, easy on the stomach). Also: Keep ISO powder in your water. When you're sweating you're losing all the minerals and you need them not to cramp and not to get tired in your head.
PS: The speed you're still going at is INSANE. Be safe!
I deliberately stop at the top of a nasty climb regardless of whether or not I'm following someone so as not to be puffing and panting dropping down into a flowy or technical flat or downhill. Hate doing it out of gas after paying so dearly.
I always find that my depth perception deteriorates when I am tired and dehydrated, whether cycling or running.
Lolololol, so u do have a weakness!!!!! Awesome video, definitely entertaining to say the least. I don’t know how you picked your lines, it seemed as if u were flying down those trails, but awesome video. Thanks for sharing your struggles and falls lol
Wow man, props on pushing through the exhaustion, good ride down!
Great video! We all have those climbs where we question why we're even out there. Haha! But it's some kind of sickness cause we just keep going back! Good times!
lol, the transformation from 0:46 to 3:30 and later ;D nice to see you work for the fun you have there ;D great you made it up - and down again ! :D thumbs up
Geez dude that looked brutal.... And I'm just talking about the climb..lol.... Coming down and wiping out is another thing entirely although you did look quite comfy in the bushes...lmao. Cool vid thanks for posting....
I was so comfy I didn't wanna get up lol
alex so much respect for the speed i ride fast not that fast in such tight sections you are the real mvp
That trail looks super crazy fun!! Awesome video, keep up the great work!
It's definitely one of the best around
U got the whole meal on tht ride (kick ass climb, kung-fu grip, w/side on arm pump.) Great view tunnel action in effect 👍🏿👍🏿
Gnarly AF!
Subscribed....getting back into mountain biking after almost 30 years out!
Bro I can't believe this I'm not any where near this skilled, keep it up!
Whew! I thought you were going to nail a couple of those trees! Exhausting, crazy fast ride, Thanks!
Great video! You guys are absolutely nuts. As someone getting back into riding it helps to see that even the super good riders like you guys have a tough time. Keep up the good work, and be safe!
That was me about a week ago at Black Mountain. I rode for 3 days straight prior to that. I did Wilson Ridge and Schoolhouse one day, then Kitsuma the next day, third day I did Beech Mountain for 8 hours, then my last day was Black Mountain. I started at the Hub and my legs were shot by the time I got to the fork at Clawhammer. I probably should have turned around at that point but I've never done Black Mountain so I wanted to do it from the end of Clawhammer back down.
I ended up walking and hiking my bike up until you finally get to the true top of Black and once I got there I got down to my bib because my clothes and shoes were so saturated that I had to ring them out. My shoes has sweat sloshing around in them, they were so wet. Once I started to go down I felt the fatigue in my arms and hands from all the descending. I was holding on as well as I could to try to make it down. It took me over 3 hours to do get back to my car from the start. When I took my shoes off my feet were died blue from the amount of sweating I did and I couldn't even grip my keys fully to turn my car on.
Aww man! As soon as I saw the road in that first shot, I knew what was going on. I did a similar ride last December, but started at the upper kitsuma parking and rode down kitsuma first. That's a brutal climb up heartbreak ridge, but the descent is so amazing.
Edit: I'd like to add that I somehow managed to clean that one really hard switchback on my first try and I'm really proud of that.
oh shit you did both in one day??!!
The Singletrack Sampler yup. Six hours on the bike and about 4500ft of climbing, probably my favorite ride ever, but at the time it was so hard
The trail pov looks good, idk what setting you had it in. I really liked it!
24fps for the win!
Dude, that was amazing! You're usually the "Wooo!" guy and this ride you were the "Oh my God!" guy.
Just want to say I feel ya mate....Defo feel the struggle and the pain but a great awesome video indeed.
Love the realism of the "ride". Humid condition is a killing, zaps you big time. Hey, can you tell me ur GoPro video settings??
Had a similar experience recently on Green mountain trail on Mt. Lemmon. Put me off hike-a-bike for awhile.
I don't even mountain bike but I love your channel mate so interesting and inspiring, always been up for it just something to do when I have more money aha
Awesome vid Alex thanks for keeping it real and sharing
Glad to see someone else suffering up Heartbreak. It's aptly named. I did it last summer AFTER doing Kitsuma (I was naively/optimistically following an MTB project ride). I was in the same kind of space. The beer gods made it all better in the end.
Holy shit you actually did that epic 30 mile loop?? You my friend are a badass!
“You are going irresponsibly fast”
Best Singletrack line ever!!!
Alex on this one you had me 🤣 🤣🤣You are simply awesome 😂
Hey Alex, I wish you could visit here in the Philippines. We also have some challenging and hard trails here :) Thank you for this video. This is hard but wonderful. More power to your channel!
Hahaha, that's a new way of saying it Mate when You're totally wasted😂🤣 Glad you're okay. Feels like I'm watching it in a tunnel vision.
DAMN!! I had this EXACT same ride and experienced his past Saturday in Pisgah when my boss had an epic 40 mile birthday ride!! Cramp city!! But hey, you live to ride another day!!
One of your funniest videos. Jared’s for real.
I know the feeling when u feel so tired that u end up just loosing balance and falling over😂😂 great vid✌️
hahaha it happens! And thanks dude, stoked you enjoyed it!
Dude, that was brutal!! That downhill though. Looked scary fast!!!!!
Pop the tops on some recovery brews! Jared is a freaking Ninja!
Dude, always look forward to watching you rip it up.
You and Seth have great videos very professional top notch work
Dude I would love to ride with ya next time you're in the Evergreen, CO area! You and Seth influenced me big time to get into MTB and I've learned a lot and been entertained by your videos. I'll be uploading some videos here and there but no vlogging or anything with substance haha just videos to watch when I'm 80 and can't shred anymore.
Singletrack Sampler, I feel your pain! Thanks for keeping it real! What were you guys thinking climbing Heartbreak Ridge?! I rode there on July 4th with some friends, it was brutal, and an adventure. I got a flat after the top of the first rocky descent, and crashed in the middle, bruised a rib among other things. We started in Montreat, and ended at Kitsuma lot. Took us over 6 hours!
We thought we were just gonna climb up a little then turn around... then we got stubborn XD
Super tight to have your bed and kitchen right there after a ride like that so you could just pop a top and plop down if you wanted too.
I feel your pain man. When you get to the top and it's not the top. Then it happens again. And then again. The humidity was probably the problem though.
Also, Dude that abandoned van would be awesome if you did it up. Shame you just got a spanking brand new one eh! Hahaha
Great vid as always YEEEWWW!! Brian would LOVE those rocks!
LFRHGS!
After spending all day out riding... here I am watching this, I think I have a problem.... Great stuff!
This is so funny!! you need some of those bars you opened up on Sunday!!
Oh man I would have loved to have those!
oh man -I busted my rear derailleur last Thursday riding Colgate University up here in central NY... loved riding this trail with you Alex - LFRHGS!!!!
I just subscribed finally. I found your videos and saw one of monarch pass when you did a ride in and out. I literally drove 18 hours the day after watching it last week from TN. It was awesome and I slept in my truck. It was my first real mountain trip. Thanks for the inspiration. Do you have any plans to hit Arkansas or toward west TN?
Loving the mixture of van life and biking videos
yo thanks dude! Variety is awesome :D
I often feel like this when I ride. But mostly when it's hot and humid. That shit takes it outta ya.
Pretty much like 8 months of the yr here in oz. keep up the good work and magnesium powder with water tastes like 💩 but will help with the cramps on really hot n humid days
The vegetation screaming by at mach 10 was some sick footage!
Trail 1 Alex 0 You took a beating Alex, it was fun to revel in your pain, sorry. lol
We've all bin there, I had 4 wipe outs in 1 run of Dirty Harry (Cypress North Shore Van)
Great video, thanks for sharing it.
Just went to look at the elevation profile of heartbreak ridge on trailforks. Hot damn :)
I am finally getting started into mountain bike riding on the trials
Cody Wright which trails, any park riding?
Snake_the_Slayer just homemade trial I built in 8 days. I was working till sun up to sun down on it. I have not given it a name yet
Until a few years ago, we had a strong biking community where I live, but most of the young guys have left the country , seeking a better life, and the older ones have stopped riding. Now I'm the only one left who takes care of the trails we had so much fun building, and riding over the years. I'm mostly alone on the trails, but I'm happy when I see other tire tracks every now and then.
Maxawe Some where bounce is this trial at. I might be able to get my van done and ready and packed I might ride on it
When BikeJesus tells you that you are going responsibly fast... You are doing it right!
There were a couple places you looked like you were going at light speed. Thanks for the vid!
You should be a counselor at camp mondamin. They are a residential camp with a great mountain biking program, they are located in tuxedo NC
You say you won't do it again now...but give yourself a few weeks and you'll be remembering it as epic ;)
why would you climb straight up Heartbreak when you could climb the OMTR or Curtis Creek Road?
That was like space balls ludicrous speed, was waiting for the passing leaves to turn tarten 😂
Damn, i didnt know borat was so good at mtbing lel
That's so sick if it was possible to shuttle, I would definitely do it!
jesus the way that guy floats along that trail, truly something. nice follow-cam at least?
I had a ride like that a couple weeks ago. 70% of it was climbing, kicked my arse. Right before the last downhill section to the parking lot I tried to step off my bike and just fell over. I was so tired I just layed there for a few minutes.
You sound like me holding on for dear life on Pilot Rock Trail.
Great stuff man you always have some epic rides.
It's crazy how quiet your bike is!
thank you for another great video !!!