If Anthony Bourdain rode mountain bikes instead of creating world-class cuisine, his show might have looked something like Hans Rey’s series of adventure docs.
The style legend known for trial riding brings much more to this YouTube series than just slick bike tricks and gorgeous scenery. From Iceland and Mt. Kilimanjaro to Hong Kong and Borneo, Rey’s videos combine a passion for all kinds of riding with an appreciation for the surrounding country and culture.
That’s evident in his latest vid, “Gritty in Mexico City,” where he joins Rob Warner, a former downhill World Cup winner and TV host. Along with a local Mexican cyclist, the trio undertake an MTB adventure in the concrete jungle of Mexico City as well as the beautiful landscapes that surround this enormous metropolis.
They discuss Mexico City’s food, culture, and the diversity of its neighborhoods, where immense wealth and extreme poverty exist side-by-side. After traversing the city of nearly 22 million residents on e-bikes, Rey and company also visit nearby pyramids and volcanoes.
And of course no trip to Mexico’s capital would be complete without making time for street tacos.
When the group makes their way to the scrubby mountains of Central Mexico, Warner makes it clear how he feels about riding e-bikes uphill.
“They are literally the greatest invention to mankind since the spaceship,” he says. (Read that again if you need to.)
This 40-minute documentary is well worth the time, exploring the culture of cycling in a place you might never visit otherwise.
Disfruta!
