Mountain Flyer | Number 74
FEATURES FLEETING MOMENTS Photographer Ryan Creary sees beyond the adrenaline of going just for speed by capturing the hidden moments that make mountain biking so unique. PHOTO GALLERY From luscious rainforest descents to rugged high alpine climbs, the picturesque places and mind-enhancing experiences of mountain biking are on display in Mountain Flyer’s first ever Photo Annual. GRAVEL CYCLING DISCOVERY IN THE CANARY ISLANDS On a far flung trip to Tenerife, author Jason Sumner recounts an epic gravel grind that encompasses the wonders of cycling in all its forms. ALTERNATIVE TRAMS-PORTATION Dangling over mountainsides in less-than-modern cable cars, photographer Dan Milner explores Switzerland’s famed singletrack while riding the local buiräbähnli lift system. DEPARTMENTS Editor's Note Letters Paraphernalia Profile: Sven Martin From skater rat to World Cup mountain bike racer, photographer Sven Martin is a perennial adventurer. Chain of Fools: Along Came a Spider As photographer Colin Meagher learned while shooting a race in Costa Rica, sometimes an illogical fear of arachnids outweighs even the most stifling jungle heat. Trail Anatomy: Columbus, Georgia’s Standing Boy Trail System By ditching traditional grassroots methods in favor of a more calculated and professional approach, local outdoor enthusiasts have helped create a new community- oriented, multi-user trail network. Outlaws: Eye Of The Lensman Part-time photographer and full-time bike enthusiast Erik Mathy may not keep up with the times, but he still manages to deliver inspiration with his images. Tested: Transition Scout GX Alloy Tested: Fezzari Abajo Peak Tested: Niner MCR 9 RDO GRX Wrenched: Kids (Bikes) These Days Your first bike was probably a POS! Not anymore. Kid’s bikes today are chock full of modern technology and features that get first-timers shreding right out of the gate. Framebuilder: Contra Thinking Frustrated that everyone else had his dream job, Evan Turpen set out on a journey to create a high pivot suspension design without drawbacks. Tailwind: Singletrack For All Maria Hewett started riding in a shroud of secrecy, scared she didn’t fit the mold of a high-flying adrenaline junky. Now she urges others to extend a hand and broaden the definition of what being a mountain biker really means. —— On the cover: “I’ve always been intrigued by finding cool point of view and bike mounted perspectives for photo angles,” says Sterling Lorence of his cover shot for this issue. “Of course that becomes radically challenging when you incorporate bike speeds, rough trails, slow shutter speeds, blur and dealing with gear that gets in the way of you riding. With today’s quality gimbals and lighter/ smaller cameras and lenses, it’s getting easier to get this content. [I took] Maybe 3,500 frames this day to get 5-6 images I was happy with, this being the trophy of the day”. [Photo] Sterling Lorence Department contents: Freeriding pioneer Richie Schley samples a rock slab in the Dolomites. [Photo] Ale DiLullo