When it comes to mountain biking at night, a major consideration is having a solid lighting setup to light up the path ahead and avoid any potential injuries. But for one man in particular, safety while riding at night is something that’s of paramount importance.
We recently connected with Eric – a mountain biker who in spite of missing his right hand, continues to express his love for the sport by regularly heading to the trails using a specially-adapted attachment on his handlebars - made specifically to allow him to safely tackle mountain bike trails with his transradial prosthetic. Recently, Eric was invited to take part in the All Nighter race event known as the Downhill Spider Race – which he described as ‘one of the best events of the summer’.
Taking place at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Burnet, TX, preparations began under the cover of clouds – something largely appreciated by Eric due to the notorious Texas summer heat. After getting in some practice with his friends earlier in the day, Eric eagerly awaited the commencement of the race as the sun began to set and the night drew in. He was somewhat anxious about riding at night, but Eric was still thrilled to participate in the downhill night race – something that was all new to him in the world of mountain biking.
The first lap began at dusk, during which Eric could safely take on the top tier – Antidote, without having to switch on his light setup until later in the event. By the time the second lap was ready to start, the sun had set and it was time for Eric to set up his light system in order to effectively guide his way down to the bottom of the trail.
Equipped with the Duo 2200 Multisport and the Titan 4000 OLED main light, he mounted the former to his head visor and the latter to his handlebars. This allowed Eric to illuminate all the right spots and see exactly what he was getting himself into before reaching a particular section – regardless of the fact he was surrounded by total darkness.
Final Thoughts
Despite his best efforts, Eric unfortunately missed out on a coveted spot on the podium during the 2019 Downhill Spider Mountain race. However, the ability to effectively take on the trails long after the sun had set ensured that he made the most out of his first ever nighttime mountain biking event. This was all made possible thanks to his effective light setup which Eric says gave him the confidence to ride the trails without the comfort of daylight.
Regularly posting content onto his YouTube channel No Front Brakes, Eric continues to partake in mountain biking on a regular basis after he rediscovered his passion for the sport after nearly a 20-year hiatus. Eric soon found out that mountain biking not only allows him to spend his free time in a fun way, it also ensures that he can fulfill his desire for a constant challenge and showcase his ability to take part in extreme sports, even after having a prosthetic arm fitted.
