Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking

If climbing hills with your mountain bike doesn’t appeal to you, perhaps riding downhill does.  A sport called “gravity assisted mountain biking”  takes place in remote areas that have trail systems.  Riders first get to a high elevation, often riding in a helicopter or fixed wing plane.  Then they ride down the trail system.

These rides can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.  The cost can range upwards from $300 for a a fixed-wing aircraft to thousands for an hour or more outbound in a helicopter.  British Columbia, Canada,  and Bolivia seem to be developing as hot spots for this activity.

For a less expensive and more available opportunity, many alpine ski areas offer downhill biking during the summer.  You can take the lift to the top and bike down on specially prepared single-track bike trails.

This video from Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire demonstrates the ski hill approach to gravity assisted mountain biking:

 

For an even more exciting adventure, this video will give you a feel for biking down the Ima Trail near La Paz, Bolivia:

 

Are You into It?

If you are into gravity assisted mountain biking, I’d like to hear your take on the sport.  Where are your favorite trails?  What’s your favorite bike?  Do you have some video or a web link to share?  Do you have a story to tell?  If you are not reading this on our website,  hop on over to the Explore Blog and leave your comments below.

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