Sometimes little things stop us from riding bikes. Things like being too busy, or having too much work on. Martyn Ashton, a professional trials rider who broke his back in an accident three years ago hasn’t let it slow him down. He’s done hand-cycling on the track and even ridden a motorcycle with outriggers.
This, however, is his most impressive ride yet. With the help of a few world-famous trials riding friends, Martyn was strapped to a downhill bike and let loose on some of Antur Stiniog’s downhill trails.
This is four minutes of video you need to see for yourself:
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As Martyn said to video house, GCN, who filmed the adventure:
“Of course I have questioned if I’ll walk again, and I don’t know if I will or not. But with riding a mountain bike, for whatever reason, it was always ‘how are we going to do it’. Never riding a bike again? Well, that never came up,” says Ashton.
“I’ve been riding bikes for so long that I think it defines my life. Riding is such a natural thing to me – it’s who I am. I’m not willing to let go of it despite the situation. All of us who ride bikes – whatever level it is – has the same feeling when they start riding: the exhilaration of riding. The freedom. For some of us that sticks and never goes away. And for me, it’s like that.
“Being able to mountain bike again feels like I’ve got something back that a higher power took away. I feel like I’ve cheated the game and that feels… triumphant.
“As soon as they’ve pushed me off at the top of the summit, I was no longer the guy in a wheelchair: we were four mountain bikers riding together and we were having so much fun; I was having the best time I’ve ever had on a bike. Genuinely.”
Wow, just wow. So happy for you Martyn.
Ross
Video of the year?
inspirational video – good luck for the future
Fantastic.
1:42 captures why anyone rides bikes. Heart liftingly brilliant.
That video is brilliant.
Proper bike riding joy. Inspirational stuff.
Just fantastic. Massive grin face deserved.
Smiles & happy tear keep it up Martyn
Brilliant! Really brings together everything great about mountain biking, the trails, the laugh, and good mates. The grin on yer face. Congrats to be back on the bike Martyn.
hugely brillliant!
superb. bit dusty in here…
The smile says everything. True inspiration.
Genuinely wonderful and hugely impressive. I defy anyone to not smile watching that…
Just Brilliant ; Good man keep it up 🙂
Amazing stuff, truly inspirational. Fantastic work Martyn 🙂
YES YES **** YES!!!!!!!
Incredibly inspirational
Brings a tear to the eye. Absolutely brilliant
A true example of human spirit and determination to find solutions and over come life changing events.
Absolutely amazing! Wonderful to see Martyn back on two wheels and seeing that grin on his face!