14/09/2026
What happens when we remove the roots? 🌲
A reel by mountain bike journalist Stephen Jones got me thinking.
Roots can be slippery, awkward and incredibly difficult to ride. But they’re not simply obstacles — they’re part of the forest, they help hold the ground together, and they teach us how to ride.
Line choice. Balance. Timing. Momentum. Finding grip.
If we remove every root, smooth every awkward section and make trails increasingly predictable, we don’t just change the trail.
We change the rider too.
Sometimes we should adapt to the mountain — rather than expecting the mountain to adapt to us.
Sometimes the difficult part is the reason we ride.
Ride Beyond the Map. 🌲🚵
https://mariopresi.substack.com/p/what-happens-when-we-remove-the-roots?r=4q1vmo&utm_medium=ios