With much of the year spent travelling the globe to compete, Llangynog in North Wales provides a welcome bolt hole at the end of the season for the Athertons. A ‘polar opposite’ to the hectic lifestyle that is part and parcel of being a world renowned mountain bike racer, and the perfect place to unwind.
This episode provides a candid look at how the Atherton siblings relax away from the intense world of racing in the quiet Welsh retreat, where no-one really knows much about mountain bikes or racing and it doesn’t matter to them what’s happened at the weekend, and whilst the Welsh village is the ideal place to unwind, the incredible landscape also provides the perfect setting for the team to continue to break boundaries on their bikes and hone their talents for the season ahead.
As Rachel observes, “you can’t switch on if you haven’t switched off” we see Dan find his peace digging and creating impressive new lines in their local playground, Llangynog quarry and the film climaxes with a truly breathtaking riding session in that sees Dan, Gee and some of the newer members of the Atherton Racing team really pushing their riding to new levels.
This is the most inspiring and wicked fresh video I've seen in a very very long time, the Athertons are such a great family and to welcome new riders with open arms and to learn from them is so amazing! They are a leading example as to why our sport is the best sport out there by a long long way! Best of luck next season guys!
The FMB should either contract out Dan to help build a massive jump course in non-rampage years or just use his awesome quarry to compliment Chatel with another event that scares away the hardtails. Or do it every year. Dan, you've paved another career path in mtb as a world class builder. Awesome vid!
The way they ride those jumps almost make you forget how damn massive that whole thing really is. Those guy are so smooth they make it look like a pump track.
Dan has to be one of my favourite riders. His dedication and work rate are second to none - to have come back so strong after that horrific injury is inspirational - and the guy can manual like an absolute hero. It's great that he seems to have finally found his niche in enduro.
And his building skills are insane. After he dominates the new enduro world series for a few years (here's hoping!), I reckon he could make a living building trails. Could be the next Rowan Sorrell.
affy should go round the world and do trail buildings in the winter. he soo skilled at building and is the coolest atherton in my opinion if i was one of them i would be him.
One of the favourite lines and how massive are those jumps.. Dan is really the man for setting a course like that!
Nice job building and riding as well!
@Kbrock it's Wales man. Ive bin to morzine riding and tho I'm only 40 miles away away from revolution I have still not bin there. Something not right with that
Make sure you hit revolution bike park, the uplifts start at the bottom of the quarry so we had a good walk around/chat to dan. Well worth the money if you like steep, rooty, fast downhill stuff
The fact that Beaumont looked literally scared tells you a lot about how crazy those jumps are. Can anyone tell in the video is Beaumont actually rides the line?
i'm thoroughly jealous not only of their trails and their skills, but how close they all are. If I could have one sibling who loved to ride half as much as I do I'd be hyped. it's so sick to see this whole family shred and have a good time
It wouldn't have helped him in his crash unfortunately. Doesn't mean he can't wear one to prevent other neck injuries though seeing as he knows how bad it is to be out like that
I witnessed them hitting this when doing an uplift at Revolution Bike park. Was jaw dropping. Went up to the quarry to check it out, and actually got vertigo, I have never seen jumps this big in person. The step down near the end before the jump section is epic big.
They shred it.
I agree man, it looked like a simple yet moderatly big drop when I saw it in person standing in the parking lot of Revolution Bike Park looking up at it from where we were. The 3 others I came with were all talking about hitting it.....But then we all looked up as one of the Athertons sent it HUGE, and realised the landing was not in sight..... Upon walking up there baffled, we saw the distance of the actual step down, and we all just laughed nervously haha. Needles to say, we did NOT hit it, it was Godzilla huge.
Whilst you may not be able to ride the quarry i doubt any one can go there and be dissapointed in the tracks they have built in the woods and the plans they have for the future.
Thanks James, Susha , Tim and all the family for some great riding in 2012
I think Revolution just spoke to the "council" (?) so that they wouldn't use the quarry for its proper purpose so that Dan could do all the work he wanted to do on it.
Actually amazing. Even though I don't have the balls to hit half of that, this makes me want to kit up, get some great friends and go for a proper day of riding.
One of the ALL TIME best videos...EVA!!! That line is (IMO) WAAAAY more entertaining than Rampage..and that these are the type of lines/tracks that would increase viewership tenfold!!!....Big, OPEN,Bermy, Flowy, Jump lines..WELL DONE DAN..you and your family are the CAT'S MEOW!!!!
Give DAN his RedBull helmet back... He is such a great rider! And good to see him riding big stuff after his big crash- more sympathic than gee... Track is awesome!
One of the best combos or riding and filming all year. Totally think this should be an FMB stop. I am willing to bet we see some more pros travel to take a swing at riding there next year. This is not the last film we see featuring the Quarry, that's for sure.
I was at Revolution this weekend, and i only looked at the stepdown and last 3 jumps in the woods. As usual, the video doesnt do the size of these things ANY justice...
The night after I watched this I had a dream of riding that line top to bottom. Best dream in a long time. Thanks Dan Atherton for the inspiring building.
What a way to cap off a fantastic series. As a fellow editor myself, beautiful storytelling, imagery and cinematography. As and fellow MTbiker, I've never been more excited to go get lost in the woods and just ride. Clay, can't wait for the next project. Amazing work.
Absolutely amazing vid and those jumps look soooo good. I wish I could ride them. Sick!
p.s the talking is spot on, it gives a backstory and context to the video. Video is only giving the viewer half the story, the other half is of course sound.
Dan: "After coming back from injury I leveled the jumps that I crashed on.....then I built a line 300 times bigger. Cause im Dan mother f*&kin^ Atherton thats y." Insane.
Red Bull Media House rocks - Red Bull Media player sucks.
It hurts me that the normal lay person will never get to hit the quarry line. Health and Safety sucks ass.
The "normal layperson" wouldn`t be able to hit this quarry line. I`ve been up there and had a look during an uplift at Revo and that stepdown is HUUUUUUUUGE !
Not being able to hit it and not being allowed to hit it are different things. Yeah the end of the line seems massive but the top (Especially the step up) looks SWEET. I'm not saying I'd hit it- but I've seen plenty of amazing underground riders in the UK who might consider giving it a go!!
Dan has so much talent for digging and course design- yet another aspect to his career with bikes. A lesson to all of us who dig a bit about what can be achieved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What an awesome place ! I would LOVE to ride that ! Epic job Clay, nice work !
Man that drop gap to the huge step-up.....soosooooo sweet !
Also..... VOY !!!!!!!!!!!
Y'know this is an awesome video y'know but I can't stop counting the y'knows! "I'm blue in the teeth" of counting the y'knows and now slugger seems to have caught it!
Athy, u can come build my trails up as big as those if u want mate?????????? Also i have a fresh quarry around me if ur interested??? haha sick edit. Clay Porter is a boss
Love gt glad they have started to raise their profile again.
Do they not have some of the coolest riders on the planet on their books, and i dont just mean the athertons
I say Rad. Seems like people are still down on GT because they made some crappy walmart bikes, but at the top level they are awesome. I-drive may look weird but its pretty simple and works great. And no one can mess with the history of GT racing
Rad, I had a GT BMX back in '82, in black chrome, quality bike, on the other hand I broke two Giant frames clean in half, I still don't trust them, it's hard for some manufacturers to make the transition - just look at Haro! Props to the Athertons, i've been to Revolution and it is a steep mud shoot!..this vid..and these lines, WOW great work, and great for the UK scene :-)
Rachel "Mumbles" Atherton; barely can understand her, but the boys built some pretty knarly lines. No room for error on those, gotta hit them balls out.
sibs involved in the sport and all. And that bike park was insane! I wanna go there now! haha
