Colin Stewart - All Mountain riding like you've never seen it!

Dec 11, 2010
by Tyler Maine  
Yesterday I watched this great night riding edit, which made me instantly want to know more about other pieces of work from the filmer, Colin Stewart. Upon watching over a half dozen more of his edits, I simply want to blow your mind with a Alpine climbing, biking and unique works that he's created.

Here are nine films that should strike a chord in all you mountain bikers out there, even if you can't relate to hiking your bike up a mountain goat path to ride back down on that same gnarly little, exposed trail!

Hiking and biking in the Dolomites:

Views: 44,587    Faves: 191    Comments: 32


Views: 33,755    Faves: 318    Comments: 93


Views: 13,146    Faves: 80    Comments: 19


Part 1:
Views: 15,988    Faves: 171    Comments: 37


Part 2:
Views: 36,588    Faves: 254    Comments: 33


Autumn riding in Bavaria:

Views: 13,553    Faves: 54    Comments: 6


Winter exposure:

Views: 12,715    Faves: 110    Comments: 16


Springtime is right around the corner:

Views: 8,219    Faves: 36    Comments: 3





Film shows Rainer trials riding on the Iaar Trails in Munich, April 2010. Don't know how long his bike is gonna last, but it sure was fun to watch and film. No music on this Vid, since I quite enjoy the sound of crashing bikes:

Views: 13,963    Faves: 137    Comments: 22


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Member since Mar 27, 2001
3,581 articles

83 Comments
  • 11 1
 the first 3 dont really lok like thaat much fun to be honest. speed and flow is where its at in my opinion. looks like they would be better of getting some trials bikes
  • 3 0
 Preference. I think it looks like fun, but from experience I can imagine how it takes forever to get up top (needing to hike-a-bike much of the way), but just being able to ride down something so tough that it is virtually impossible to ride up gives a good adrenaline rush. The high you feel afterwards is amazing. I don't get that feeling riding fast rolling and twisty stuff. I admit I'm not much of a speed demon though... only time I go beyond 25 mph for long periods is on pavement.
  • 11 4
 I am getting a bit fed up with gomper endo hop turns though. I hate to be a pinkbike di*k that moans about everything but I think endo turns just do not need to be fimled.
  • 5 1
 agreed or at least they don't need to be done on every turn on a trail.
  • 8 0
 The trail was super steep and the endo turn allows you to turn sharp without slipping out! I use it a lot here in Japan too as the trails are also vey steep and rocky! I think the riders in the video also did not want to take their feet off. I agree with them but admit it did get tedious on every turn. Good job to all the riders! RideOn!
  • 6 2
 Agreed, More impressive than an endo turn is making the turn without having to do an endo turn.
  • 5 2
 ok so i didnt take an hour to read all these posts so maybe somebody already said this... amazing still shots and georgeous scenary, but i have no desire to ride any of these trails. hiking a thirty pound bike up a mountain just to hop around switchbacks on the way down at a walking pace doesnt sound fun to me at all. I would hike any of these trails in a second, but without a bike. Im sure others will disagree with me These guys are pretty good at lifting their rear wheel though...
  • 2 0
 Absolutely incredible riding, super steep and technical, true 'all mountain' riding. I agree with many of the points made especially when riding public trails that we share with walkers and climbers. In Scotland we are very fortunate not to have any trespass laws, however we as a group must respect the rights of other trail users and treat them with respect. I have ridden - hike-a-biked - many of the Scottish Munros and fully appreciate the skill demonstrated in these films. Props to all involved.
  • 2 0
 Big.Col! - I'm super stoked you managed to get this depth of coverage from PB! Your work is incredible and you make me want to spend a year just riding the areas you covered. Keep up the amazing work!

Flickrite: orbital-vancouver
  • 2 0
 Not the type of riding I like to do, but you can't help but be impressed by the skills of the riders! As for endo turns, well looking at how steep and tight some of the trails are I don't think there would be any other option! I know there have been comments hinting these guys damage the trails or put mountain rescue at risk doing what they do, but lets face it the trails are there in the first place cause people walk and hike them. They are like the B.A.S.E. jumpers of biking, not everyone would attempt it, but my god you can't help but want to if you grew a pair big enough!!!!!! Respect !!!!
  • 2 0
 I like the scenery, the idea and the sheer epicness of riding like that. But I watched the first 3 video's and the only thing I was interested was the scenery. The actual riding just looked so awkward and technical. No speed, constant brakes and cornering on your front wheel. I can see it's getting out on your bike and descending for fun, but riding something that really seems to lack progression just doesn't quite work for me. A trail without flow is a trail without fun.
  • 1 0
 I rode this trail in the first vid last year and I must say it has a lot of flow, as long one can ride it Wink ( I did not ride all of those wooden stairs...).
It was a lot of fun, and we rode with Fabi and Col an easier/faster trail the other day and I had trouble to keep up with them. So not all of it is this front-wheel cornering and hopping around.
  • 1 0
 Dh-pete. Different people look for different things in biking Wink For me personaly there's too much people looking just for fun. Even in smaller more forgiving mountains looking for pure fun is actually looking for trouble. One you don't want to have because you don't realize how close it is. For flow and fun you go to the bike parks and singletracks. These guys seem to like to be in the trouble - I would love to have such skills to ride in such places.
  • 1 0
 I tell you that they have enough flow. You have seen short part of these trails.. Believe me, not whole the routes I look like these difficult passages. And there are people for whom bikepaks are boring Smile
  • 1 0
 Dh Pete: Slow tech is it own style that's WAY under rated if you ask me. I live in CO where 95% of riders share your opinion that a trail is no fun unless it flows fast, preferably with options to air it out. I personally love that style too, but also love slow tech just as much if not more. Doing nose pivots, endo turns.. whatever you want to call it, opens up another world of trails that otherwise wouldn't be ridable. A trail that seems to lack flow becomes fluid when you can ride a nose wheelie into a tight turn. It's just a different style, not everyone's cup of tea, but until you give it a try, you'll never know if you'll get in to it?
  • 1 0
 WAKI : I understand that people look for different things in biking, I respect that. But ultimately we're all doing this for fun. I don't know of anyone who'd drag themselves out of bed and hike up that far with the aim of not enjoying themselves.

Cofattire : I said a trail without flow is a trail without fun. This doesn't require nothing but groomed, flat out flow. Definitely not! Although airtime is never something to be passed off! I don't hate this riding, and I've done this sort of decent albeit less technical, but that nose pivoting is just one of those things I don't enjoy. It's a skill, and is one to master. But like I said before, it lacks progression, there is no fast way around it, it's a repetitive task of stopping, pivoting and balancing. Something more for a trials bike than a mountain bike.

I don't have anything against the riding, even if I don't enjoy it. My point is it doesn't translate well on video, not to me at least.
  • 1 0
 Each to their own. If it's not your thing it's not your thing. Most riders I ride with totally agree with you, I personally love this style of riding and love watching it. That's the cool thing about our sport: so many different styles you never get bored.
  • 6 0
 Intense!
  • 6 0
 agreed, can you imagine taking a bail and needing medical help? Awesome vids, the scenery is mindblowing!
  • 2 0
 Damn this shit is sick!
  • 22 32
flag mucklark69 (Dec 11, 2010 at 1:06) (Below Threshold)
 "taking a bail and needing medical help?" ... Who cares ! Cause if you're a Member of the Alpine Federation you don't have to pay for the Helicopter and you don't care if other people have to risk their lives to get you out of shit !! It might be impressive to watch and the scenery is amazing. I've hiked there many times. But I have to say , what these Guys are doing, impressive it might be, but it's totally irresponsible. They are on Routes that they should not be on and have been heavily criticized both locally and in the German Press. You have to remember that this is the Alps/Dolomites in the middle of a heavily populated Europe and not the wildes of BC.
  • 29 0
 @Colin:
Congratulations! ;-)

@dirty-fecker:
They have been criticized in the press? Can you give some examples? I just remember something the other way round. By chance Colin once met an editor from a local paper who was quite impressed and wrote some short but positive notes about it.
The only bad press I have heard from was about riding the Watzmann. Quite understandable I must say. But that has nothing to do with Colins works.
Concerning the alleged irresponsible behavior. This is a prejudice I only heard once from very eldlerly hikers who really had troubles to get down the mountain and just could not imagine us riding down the same path.
However, isn't it a quite limited view of the world? Because I can't do or understand it, so everybody else who can is crazy and irresponsible?!
This kind of alpine riding is done just by a small number of very advanced or expert riders. We are respecting hikers and nature and don't throw ourselves into risky stunts. There's no room for that in the mountains and everyone knows that.
  • 19 1
 @AlpineTrailhunter
Don't get me wrong here. I have full respect for what these Guys do and their capabilities. The Vertriders in Innsbruck have been around for quite some time and are pushing the limits of our sport.The Problem lies with all the "Copycats" who put themselves into situations that they can't handle, who haven't planned or researched their routes and are badly equiped ! Now that is irresponsible ! As a climber I see too many people on the Mountain who should not be there and this is sinking into Mountainbiking too.
Apologies also for the my comment about Bad Press. I did not mean to refer to this group of Riders specifically, about whom I have read several (positive) Reports. Generally there are too many Riders now riding in places they should not be and where they are over their limits. This has lead to a lot of discussion and criticism, as well as Trail closures in the Alps which of course has resulted in negative Press which we Bikers just don't need !

Of course I think you lot are crazy ! And yes you're right , I can't ride like that ;-)

My Comment was meant to be more general and not a direct critic of the Riders portrayed here. My Apologies .
  • 6 0
 @dirty-fecker:
Alrighty! Now I know what you mean. Wink

And I must admit to be a bit sensitive due to the recent discussion in the IBC ...
  • 9 0
 The Negative Props I'm now getting are probably from exactly those people that I mean !
  • 1 1
 Ridiculous riding!
  • 4 0
 I'm also a climber for 30 years so I do have the mountaineering background required to be in these environments. I have led WI6 ice, British E5 trad, Yosemite off-widths, numerous Alpine peaks. Also kayaked for many years on class V water in Europe, Scotland, Norway. Eventually I got into MTB because it was much saferWink As far as climbing is concerned it's been the same for a long while about inexperienced climbers (& skiers) being out of their depth but the DAV, kletterhalle's, mountain huts, etc... do make it much easier these days for people to get into those situations, don't you think? But I'm digressing. The riders that I go with have as much mountain experience as me, if not more, and they even grew up in these areas. They're certainly not reckless or irresponsible. As far as I'm aware the only bad press I've had is a letter written to the local Garmisch newspaper by an old lady who saw a picture of me on a bike above Garmisch - she may have just liked my shorts and wanted to get my attention. Nearly worked ;-)

greets,
Colin.
  • 1 0
 Can only agree as too what you say about the DAV (German Alpine Federation), Climbing Halls etc.... The DAV profit from running MTB courses and TransAlp trips (i.e. making it easier for people to get into the mountains) but are then one of the first groups to start shouting about the reckless Bikers :-(
  • 1 0
 Precisely;-)

Funny name by the way, you based in Munich?
  • 1 0
 just commenting on this so then i can go go show comment - news- then click on link to story, so i can watch all the videos when i have more time.
  • 3 10
flag KURTSUCKS (Dec 11, 2010 at 13:23) (Below Threshold)
 Nah who cares about the politics, Cuz when i go there its all about shredding german trails, Drinking german beers and at the end of the day Ripping hitlers Blonde blue eyed girls.... hahahahaha cheers!
  • 4 0
 I see Dirty-fecker your intentions are honest but well...

It doesn't really matter whether you are a hiker or a mountain biker. Every year during hikes I see many idiots (in political correction language: irresponsible people) on Via Ferrata type of trails, in sneakers, without any warm clothing, no food. Walking alone. You can have a +20 on a summer day, yet still if something happens to you, really simple like slipping, breaking a leg, knocking yourself uncoscious, making you spend a night over 2000m -> you can get seriously screwed if just in a T-Shirt and shorts. Even worse are those who overthink the whole thing! Crap I saw two people walking a difficult exposed trail tied together with a rope! They were either EMO (you go I go) or just plain stupid Alpine Style wannabies...

You can't do anything about it - some people are stupid. They risk their lives, and the only ones I am sorry for is their families and the rescue teams. RESPECT THE MOUNTAINS - spread that message it's all you can do.
  • 2 0
 saw some vods and some pods
  • 1 0
 These movies illustrate true progression in mountain biking. They literally put the "mountain" into the term "mountain bike". Too many riders think riding begins and ends in purpose made MTB parks, with man-made groomed trails and artificial obstacles. Yes, this footage is filmed on shared use trails, but the concept behind it advances the idea of what a mountain bike can be used for and pushes into the arena of freeriding. It's not the same type of riding as seen in films like "Where The Trail Ends" (slow, techy riding .vs. big air, hard hits), but the feel is the same. No rules, save respect the environment (and what a spectacular environment it is!) and respect those you meet. Definitely not for everyone, but if our sport is going to move forward, this is one example of how it might be done.
  • 2 0
 Fantastiche! Look out...the Euroendoturn will become De Rigeur!...That was awesome...never heard of Liteville Bikes before...looks like decent deutschtech to me... Thankyou...more please...
  • 2 0
 i just could never do that... respect. You obviously respect the environment and share the trails with other users. We could all learn from this. thanks for the great videos.
  • 2 0
 True dat. If a Boxxer fork could yawn... Still, big on the balls factor. That snow trail along the ledge... think I'll stick to riding that from my Lazyboy.
  • 1 0
 Liteville underground marketing @ its best! Already well established in germany, now the US is next..... why should you buy for adverts, when you can get them for free?
great riding, nevertheless.....
  • 2 1
 AlpineTrailhunter and dirty-fecker

To be clear, are those trails closed for biking? Or are you saying that the trails are legal for biking but hikers dont like the fact you are riding them?
  • 4 0
 In general, singletracks are illegal almost everywhere in Germany and the Alps. Fortunately it is widely tolerated. But because our country is more densely populated, we have to be especially considerate towards hikers.
We also have explicit bans that should be respected. But the alpine trails aren't affected usually (if they don't belong to a French national park at least Wink ). Because nobody imagines us riding them! Big Grin Besides there aren't many riders willing to shoulder their bike for hours and hours ...

However, we really have the problem that we aren't legally allowed to ride single tracks anywhere (except in bike parks and on specially build trails in some touristic regions).
  • 3 0
 ...and unfortunately too many Riders ( even if it's only a small minority ) abuse the already precarious situation and get us all stress. The Isar Trails in Munich ( Last Video ) are the perfect example of how it can all go wrong :-(
  • 5 0
 Yea amateurs make it worse for everyone. Especially rude arrogants destroying trails due to the lack of skill. I like the ambassador idea: being nice to people you meet, stopping if necessary, smiling and having a chat, but most of all not destroying trails by skidding or braking with locked wheel. They should cut balls to people that destroy trees or cut new lines on public trails.
  • 1 0
 However to be very honest I always tend to think in politicaly incorrect way: you like your trails, you care for them: don't share them!
  • 1 0
 @Waki: so true!
  • 2 0
 i have always said the cross country/all mountain riders have no balls
i take it back you would not catch me doing some of that stuff
  • 1 0
 absolutly sick some of the most tech riding i have ever seen... i'm just in awe... I full agree with Svard75 i would buy a video of that if it was made.... mad props.
  • 1 0
 Also not my preference for riding style (almost trials based except not going over cool obstacles) but really good riding skills and wicked scenery.
  • 2 0
 I thought I'm a MTBiker, but after watching these videos I think I will sell my bike and start postage stamps collection:-)
  • 1 0
 rob swoje i sie nie przejmuj. . W Alpy daleko ale na UA juz masz blizej i taniej,. a umiejetnosci mozna poprawiac nawet w poblizu domu
  • 1 0
 Super beautiful scenery! These videos are awesome I love all the super steep technical lines, very good job to all the riders! very good videos! RidEOn!
  • 2 0
 It was so much pleasure to watch those movies. Just pleasure and desire to be there.
  • 2 0
 legen...... wait fot it...... DARY!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 This is mountain biking! I love the hike/ bike style on trails that many would consider unridable. Well done!
  • 2 0
 too much eye fish to me on some vids
  • 1 0
 Some of these places would just be absolutely mind blowing to ride.... Eek
  • 2 0
 Great vids Big-Col very motivating and fun to watch for me at least.
  • 3 1
 exelent style of riding pure all mountain
  • 1 0
 All the videos are so unique but Inversion Riders in particular is more art than just a video.
  • 1 0
 i have to say, in part 1, 0.50, that is one huge cliff that their bikes are hanging over. props for even walking on that!
  • 1 0
 EPIC and props to the riders, photographers and videographers! You guys should do an hour long edit and sell!
  • 2 1
 Pinkbike woke up! These fimy are known for a long time. "Americans" do not see anything beyond the tip of their nose Wink
  • 2 0
 Very observant of you ! At least you ride a Santa Cruz bullit !
  • 2 1
 Arczii what did just bite you?
  • 1 0
 @ WAKIdesigns:
I said: these wonderful films are known for a long time. I saw it on Vimeo long time ago Wink . But pinkbike and others do not know nothing about this type of riding. This is not the mainstream of MTB, but for several years, the riders from Germany and Austria do this. I do not know who was the first ... Maybe vertriders, maybe not ....
These low cost vids are 100 time are better than the well known , boring and expensive productions . I have enough a movie, with the flying bicycles, in which each scene was preceded by dozens of trials

@wholeeoh07 : Poorly observant of you Wink . look at my profile more carefully
  • 1 0
 Yes I know they are on PB for some time, though I don't know if they were so well known. I just didn't understand your questionable going on the "Americans" Wink
  • 1 0
 more akin to trials than mountain biking... I think that may be the slowest ride a Boxxer has ever seen.
  • 1 0
 err... brainfart *DOWNHILL mountain biking*
  • 2 0
 hoolllly!!! that was insane. they must have some very grippy tires lol.
  • 2 0
 great vid!!

hey where´s the pic of the article???
  • 2 0
 where can we see does stiils/pics???
  • 1 0
 Absolutely insane for the inversion stuff! Death wish...
  • 1 0
 Eveeryone of those to be VOD each day after another!
  • 1 0
 i buy me an all mountain bike Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Mad props to those guys !
  • 1 0
 ALLUCINANTI CERTI PASSAGGI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 aaawsome places:O:O:O
im amazed 8->
  • 2 0
 very sick!
  • 1 1
 you can't fool me; this ain't my first rodeo. this don't taste nearly right without any flow in it.
  • 1 0
 wide angle lense makes the first trail look even more steep, nice
  • 1 0
 Very Cool !!!
  • 1 0
 i hate ontario
  • 1 4
 @dirty-fecker

YOUR A FAG!
  • 5 0
 Now that was stupid. Did you even read all of his posts or just the first one?







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