The feeling of traveling through space at vision-blurring speeds is exhilarating, albeit terrifying, but that’s why we crave it. For mountain bikers, going fast is just a part of what we do, but we do it knowing we have a safety net: brakes. But imagine if you didn’t have brakes to stop you? Imagine voluntarily riding brakeless? Meet Casey Brown.
“It felt as if I was just a passenger on an unstoppable roller coaster. Your stomach is in your throat the whole time, especially right before you drop in.” - Casey Brown
Sounds like a good time, right?
“I’ve been behind the camera for some pretty intense moments in mountain biking, and even after 10 years and it hasn’t gotten any easier watching a rider put their safety on the line. When we were standing at the top of the Death Grip line it’s so steep that the trail rolls over into nothingness after the first 100ft. Watching Casey disappear over the edge with howling crosswinds and no brakes on her bike has to be one the scariest things I’ve ever seen go down.” - Darcy Wittenburg
The Death Grip line was steep, long, and dusty, with no protection from the wind. There was no margin for error, but still, people seem to think it’s “easy”. Casey’s response to those comments?
“Hahaha! Come give it a go! But bring extra underpants! It’s a lot different riding without brakes on your bike as opposed to riding and just not using them. You definitely have to shut down the part of your brain that says, ‘Make sensible decisions,’ and make sure you hold on for dear life.”
So, would you ride the Death Grip line brakeless?
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Photography by Harookz.