OK, so I'm always open to going big or going home. Open to risking it all for that one momentary spark of adrenaline and joy. But even I, RideApart's chief insane person, have my limits. And Red Bull athlete Tom Pages found that limit in his latest video dubbed "Ride and Fly."
It's a fairly non-descript title, especially for a video that its properly bonkers in its execution. But the concept is something many folks have been working on for a long time, i.e. flying, yes flying, a dirt bike.
The concept goes way back, but apart from some oddities here and there, no one has really been able to figure it out to the degree, or length, that Tom did. So instead of attaching some sort of fixed-wing glide structure, the dirt biker threw on a paraglide parachute, got ready, and gave the motorcycle some gas.
And then, well, he was off. Literally.
The views, as you'd expect from a Red Bull production, are stunning. And the way that Tom skirts through the mountains, trees, and forest is nothing short of exhilarating and cringe-inducing, as a few times throughout you expect the daredevil to eat it.
There's one moment where he comes in close to the ground, so close he scratches the surface, but he does so semi sideways and I was absolutely sure I was about to watch him dig the front of the bike in and catapult him forward. He didn't, thankfully, but there were a few moments throughout the short video where you're actively gripping your desk or phone, hoping he doesn't kill himself.
Luckily, or skillfully, or both, Tom makes it through and lands without issue. The whole thing is insane and I really hope they drop a behind-the-scenes and video of the lead up, practices, and failures he experienced cause this looked way too effortless to be the first attempt.
Here's hoping we can bring you that soon.
