Ridgeline II, The Return – Gee Atherton: back on That Ridge

Ever crashed on a feature and had it become your nemesis? Found yourself carrying your bike down that bit of trail every time? Apparently, Gee Atherton doesn’t have this problem. He’s back on that ridge, where he crashed and broke himself in so many ways that had he quit bikes and taken up knitting, we’d all have understood.

He’s been through some very intensive rehab work to get back to riding, and having ridden Red Bull Hardline he’s obviously feeling like his body is strong enough to hit the big stuff again.

Over to the press release to hype you up for the video…

“There is nobody on this planet like Gee Atherton” 

– Rob Warner, Red Bull Hardline 2022

We’ve always known that Gee Atherton is tough. Throughout his career, Gee’s spectacular crashes have set the internet alight – from the snow-jump in Tignes 2008, to Red Bull Rampage 2012 and a close encounter with a cliff, or the headcam shots at Mont St Anne when Gee’s 60km/h tree hug left him checking that everything in his trousers was still attached! 

Gee has always ridden at the very limit saying “If you’re in control you’re not going fast enough”. It’s his can-do attitude and the crazy locations that Gee sees as an irresistible personal challenge that have enabled him to push the boundaries of the sport time and time again – most notably through events like Red Bull Hardline designed with brother Dan. One of the main drivers for Gee and his siblings to establish their own brand “Atherton Bikes” was to manufacture bikes strong enough to keep up with the demands of his riding…

Gee’s daring has brought huge rewards in terms of progressing what is possible on a bike and in recent years millions have enjoyed spectacular edits such as The Ridgeline and the Slate line, but the risks involved in Gee’s beloved “Big Mountain” projects are horrific.

In June 2021 when filming “The Knife Edge” Gee had a horrendous crash with a huge list of injuries…

“There was a high-impact fracture to my femur, so 5 or 6 pieces were blown apart, which blew through all the muscle and fascia around the bone. I broke 4 or 5 ribs, which also punctured my lung. An open fracture on my radius came through the skin, and there was a lot of nerve damage. I fractured my eye socket, broke my nose, and to top it all off, I knocked myself out.” – Gee Atherton.

Gee’s recovery was a long process with a long stretch of soft tissue therapy, a revision to the op on his femur which wasn’t healing as planned and no guarantees that he would ride again but the thought of “the new Ridgeline” (built way back in 2021 before his accident was a huge motivation 

Gee said “I have to admit the first day up on the new ridge was challenging, I’d been riding chilled bike park laps and suddenly I was back at the top of a Ridge with all the knowledge of what had gone before. But I do these projects purely because I love it. I’ve always enjoyed that creative side,.. the freedom to build things as hard as you want. There are no boundaries,  I always end up making them a little bit harder than I should. As soon as I dropped in I was back where I belong”

…OK, are you stoked, hyped, and ready to watch? Here goes…

While you’re here…

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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