Hans Rey is like Moses.
Exactlly what he did and didn't do is hard to say, but everyone has heard of him, and are in some way influenced by what he did.
Well put, 😀 Hans is top, toptoptoptoptop!!!!!!!
Oh go on ....please.Ha Ha....love it. Rob Warner ....dont start me.
There, I've even given you a bigger shovel 😆
Repack Rider - Member2retro4u
Marin County, CaliI have known Hans for maybe 25 years. He makes a great living riding his bike, he is a wonderful guy with a passion for life, and a good showman.
Much of the cycling world has caught up with his once unique abilities, but Hans was doing trials before Danny MacAskill was born.
If Hans makes a living riding his bike at an age when "serious" athletes have had to retire, more power to him. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just jealous that he makes money doing what he loves.
Steve Peat, Danny McAskill, Hans Rey, [s]marginwalker[/s]
Nuff said.
This is a bit silly. He's the Bruce Forsyth of MTB. What's the point of getting all het up about Brucie even if he's not your cup of tea?
I have nothing to add to this thread. I just wanted to post in the same thread as Charlie Kelly!
Wow. Off to stalk his other threads 🙂
Oh, and Hans Rey is a great guy and a great showman. He got tons of magazine space in the very early nineties and really shaped the way that the MBUK guys took that magazine, which in turn has been a huge influence on all aspects of mountain biking.
He was a great trials rider who knew that he could take it (what was a geeky euro thing) to a wider market, and did.
Surely anyone who just watches a few videos or reads a few magazines from that era would be able to get it.
Hans Rey was one of the pioneers of MTB trials.
His moves might not be hardcore by today's Akrigg/McAskill standards, but he's still better on a bike than 99% of us lot and has made a living doing something he clearly loves for almost 3 decades, so I say fair play to him.
seriously STW.....what a bunch of whingers
It was only about 2 posters out of 50 knocking Hans Rey, so that's not really valid.
The second picture of him jumping the gap on the cliffs is unreal! 🙂
Well that's the beauty of internet forums, like the OP I had never heard of this fellow and now I have and he seems an ok dude, credit to his sponsors, so that's cool. That's the thing about being just a freewheeling free rider that doesn't read mags, doesn't do events, goes only occasionally to bike specific parks or up proper mountains, you don't get to hear much.
So it's good to read a varied opinion.
Another conclusion I'm rapidly beginning to draw though, is that anyone who the more vocal STW peeps think is a cock, is probably a totally kewell dude, and that there may be more than the average number of spotty speccy gits sitting behind spittle and semen covered screens and keyboards just looking for a chance to be nasty..
I may be wrong,
They could be bald speccy spotty gits..with a hint of green in their skin colouring.
I'll add my +1 to this:
Theres not really anything to 'get' is there - he is a former champion trials rider, still riding for a living, promoting the sport and seemingly enjoying himself. Find it very hard to dislike him.
Well said.
Need to reclaim my Dirty Tricks... VHS from my friend.
"Down, back and uuurp"
"jurst use a piece of stick or somesink"
Quick survey - who would you trust the opinion of regarding something to do with hardcore MTB?
a) Steve Peat
b) Margin Walker
c) Danny McAskill
The fact that hardly any one hear remembers how big he was back in the day leads me to believe that not many people hear were riding back in the day.
I dunno what "the day" was, but I've only been riding for 5-6 years.
[i]hardly any one hear[/i]
Huh? (in more ways than 1)
hardly any one hear remembers
Pardon. Have you actually read the thread?
[b]If you know who Hans Rey is, you also know exactly the right bike to own and ride. Fact.[/b]
Pardon. Have you actually read the thread?
I have its some fat ****s slanging of some guy at least 100 times better than then for no real reason.
Back in the day means before suspension and V brakes.
A thread on Hans Rey and no mention of the Switzerland Squeaker?!
(or did I miss it?)
Elbry Sandland, but of his time, and not from Devon
😀
[i]I have it some fat **** slanging of some guy at least 100 times better than then for no real reason.[/i]
You enjoy making yourself look silly?
Calm down eh?
Hans Rey is one of the good guys.
DEzB - nice vid
he was ace, and he still is ace; he's still showing the way to go - he's still riding and he's about a thousand years old.
he's basically the same as Yoda.
I love Hans. A real legend in his own lunchtime and still apparently not slowing down despite his 'past it' age for your average professional sportsperson.
I am also most fond his mashed up euro-american accent, and was fond of that ridiculous semi-mullet. And the 'rad' faces in publicity shots. So in those four or five respects, kind of like Lars Ulrich, but with bikes instead of raaaaawk. (And without having had a tantrum about napster. It must be hard to fileshare or 'pirate' GT bicycles or swatch watches...)
Is there anyone else out there that Im missing out on?
I also read an article recently that Aaron Gwin (3yrs in mountain biking and wins!) was trained by John Tomac!
hora, who is john tomac?
john tomac
Also 'before my time'/off my radar but I've heard his name more and more I guess because he had a bike brand named after him. Again like Gary Fisher.
Wow, there are some ignorant people on here.
Hans Rey is a legend, pure and simple. He has being doing cool stuff since MTBing began and he still is. Is he the most talented MTBer ever? No. But it doesn't matter. The fact is, as already stated, he is a multiple World Trials Champion (he's done some pretty cool stuff on 20" wheels, as well as 26"); he was the pioneer of what is now trail and freeriding; he's a top bloke; and in terms of sponsorship, he's been better value for money for GT than just about anyone I can think of, Steve Peat included (found the Juliana Furtado reference funny, most people have probably never heard of her).
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Remember, he was doing rad stuff when everyone was wobbling around on fully rigid XC bikes.
Dave Hemming, what a blast from the past (2nd in the Junior DH Worlds in 91 or something and inventor of the DCD). I still want his green Fat Chance with Mag 21s...
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(it's even got a snow flake front wheel!)
I never 'got' Jason McRoy. Which is blasphemy in some eyes.
The DH pic is great and the Fat Chance would have most on Retrobike making a mess of their pants.
Hans Rey is a legend! Back in the day we used to watch his videos in awe then ride around the Uni campus trying to recreate the hipity hopity moves (and usually ending up looking like dicks). But the point is he encouraged the kids to get out there and ride, and was probably the inspiration for many more recent top class riders.
The work he does for his bike charity providing bikes in poor countries is to be respected plus he is a really nice guy - met him at Mountain Mayhem few years ago - really down to earth help out your fellow man type of guy.
Jason McRoy was also before me. I drove past flowers etc to him on Woodhead once.
Most of my mountain bike mag reading started in 2003 and tbh it was about looking at shiny toys than people who can ride.
Back in the day to me is the late 80's early 90's at school before internet.
The very thin MBUK was the only real source of information.
Riding round on crappy ATB's lusting after bikes made by Fat Chance and Chas Roberts.
Jon Stevenson, Tim Flooks, Dave Hemming, Zak Tempest, Brant Richards, Jo Burt, John Tomac, Thomas Friscnet, Miles Rockwell, Ned Overend, Julie Furtardo, Greg Herbold, David Baker, Tim Gould, Missy Giove and HANS REY pretty much were mopuntain biking in my eyes...........
People who slate what I think of as pioneers of the sport need to have a word with themselves
Back then I was into road riding. I started mountain biking in circa 93, broke my elbow in 94 and gave up until 2002!
I can completely relate to what you mention Yoshimi - I remember being really pleased when Paul Hinton (whatever happened to him?) turned up at a local cylcocross race on his Offroad.
Also meeting Joe Murray, in his Kona days, when he had a race day in Bucks somewhere. Great memories.
Anyway to keep on topic here are a couple of pics of Mr. 'No Way' at Ally Pally in the early 90's
[img] 
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[img] 
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Hmmm - I think some of us are showing our age.
I get Hans Rey - he has been knocking aroundo for over 20 years as a star of trials stages, screen (anyone remember Tread with Greg Herbold) and mags of course. He was the Danny Mac of his day back in the days when Danny (no offence) was still in nappies or not far off.
My heroes of yesteryear include: John Tomac (black skinsuit on the Mammoth Kamikaze and racing XC at a Newnham World Cup), Missy, Juli Furtado (she won every WC race one year and is where the SantaCruz Juliana name came from), Ned Overend and yes, even Jason McRoy (I remember watching him race XC at Caesars Camp as part of th BMBS series while he was racing for Hardisty in the year that made him!).
Youth of today! Don't know what real heros are!
SC - Grumpy old sod who does know his MTB history!
yoshimi +1
...but I think you're missing a Tinker from that list.
I lusted after a Claud Butler back then....
John Tomac
Before the downhillers decided image was more important than performance. The fact that DHers don't wear skin suits about sums up what is wrong with the "sport".
Back In The Day = 1989 13 year old's books backed in Transformers, Kylie and when Lycra was RAD!
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Laguna RADS! 8)
Normal Man - Member
Laguna RADS!POSTED 3 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
BOOM!
shortcut
"anyone remember Tread with Greg Herbold"
was that:
"hey HB dude, I heard you got some bikes up on that mountain dude!
?
Glad to see MarginWalker has quieted down - I mean really FFS don't mess with the Rey.
Must admit I always liked Tom Ritchey's style too... (I didn't see him included in the list above)
[url= http://dirt.mpora.com/news/rob-warner-injury-update.html ]Sometimes you really wish DH'ers were still wearing skinsuits[/url]Disturbing image and probably NSFW
"Before the downhillers decided image was more important than performance. The fact that DHers don't wear skin suits about sums up what is wrong with the "sport"."
Change the record...
now[url= http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/repackrider/avatar235.jp g" target="_blank">http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp271/repackrider/avatar235.jp g"/> [/IMG][/url]
[url= http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbwelcome.htm ][b]2retro4u[/b][/url]
Marin County, Cali
Repack Rider I saw a documentary on the area not so long ago and the 'old' riders came back out on their bikes for the camera to relive and ride it again. Although it was before my time I really really liked it
Not too much OT, but here is vid of the Real Thing back when I was considerably younger and before your parents were married.
You could say the same about modern DH skills vs what we had then as some say about Hans now, but remember what machinery we had and the fact that there was no one to teach us skills we were inventing for ourselves.
Dave Hemming's Yo Eddy last spotted here:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=121891&highlight=dave+hemming
Been around a bit, was in Mexico for a while...
Who was the last top performing downhiller on a hardtail?....when did the last of the hardtails stop being competitive downhill?
Serious question....i missed out on that era of the sport.
Competitive - mid 90s I reckon. That said, the full sussers in use then were 3" travel so it wasn't the advantage it could have been.
Jon Tomacs son Eli is a pro motoxer and came second in the Lites west coast class.
What about Tinker Juarez? if we are reminising about back in the day.
I rode for Kona UK when Steve Peat joined the team in about 1992/3 - he not only rode a hardtail, but fully rigid and won downhills. It was then that I realised (finally) that I was a bit shit.
iDave - Dave Turner?
[i]iDave - Dave Turner? [/i]
Your grasp of MTB history really is lacking, isn't it? 🙂
Hans Rey is like Moses.Exactlly what he did and didn't do is hard to say, but everyone has heard of him, and are in some way influenced by what he did.
up until clicking on this thread i had never ever heard of him 😳
seems like he's influenced a lot of you lot and had fun in the process... good on him!
Ah, right. Catching up abit here- Dave Turner is Turner bikes? ****ing hell I just ride bikes you know 😆
What about Tinker Juarez? if we are reminising about back in the day.
He is still racing on 24hr events and stage races, quite a feat now that he is 50 years old: http://tinkerjuarez.blogspot.com/
Tinker is last of the old school racers still out there.
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Ned Overend
[quote=Repack Rider]and the fact that there was no one to teach us skills we were inventing for ourselves.
Where do you think most people get their skills from these days?
Experience, trial and error teaches you how to go faster around a loose corner.... not from someone teaching you...
(unless you're an overweight middle-aged IT manager riding a Five... 😉 )
unless you're an overweight middle-aged IT manager riding a Five..
in the Jedi's field of dreams 8)
Correction: Ned "THE SHRED" Overend.
🙂
[b]xiphon[/b] - I think you're underestimating the power of seeing someone else do something.
Gaining the belief that something is possible is a huge part of progressing in any sport.
Not only that but seeing someone do something, also gives you the desire and motivation to try it yourself.
A good example is backflips in motorsport - the first one in competition opened the floodgates. People just didn't dare try it until they saw it done and realised it was possible and looked ace.
Right I'm going to have to say it..
Hans Rey? No way! 😀
The very reason i come back time and time again to STW are threads like these.(i come here now less and less)
A mature approach to sharing ones opinion, open minded appreciation for other riders abilities no matter who, what how they ride.
This thread advertises the STW forum as a place to come for friendship, advice and to meet and greet penile munching under achievers, willy waving their weak minded thoughts for all to see and point fun at.
Hi my names Twonk and i have ...... to say about trifle!
Get a grip.
Well said sharki.
But I must admit to really enjoying this thread for exactly those reasons 🙂
xiphon - MemberWhere do you think most people get their skills from these days?
Experience, trial and error teaches you how to go faster around a loose corner.... not from someone teaching you...
AlexSimon - Member
xiphon - I think you're underestimating the power of seeing someone else do something.
Gaining the belief that something is possible is a huge part of progressing in any sport.
Yep seeing some also watching someone to see how it's done, you only have to look at BMX to see how it's progressed to see this especially since regular videos like props and then more recently youtube came out.
Hans Rey was a world class rider but what has given him his longevity is is ability to get exposure, and he has a good time with it and dose good things for people. Where is the problem?!
Can I just point out that contrary to margarine walker's understanding I was being sarcastic when I said Hans no way Rey was cr*p in the video!!!
Maybe it's a case of needing to be around at the time to fully appreciate what HR, Jason McR, etc etc mean to old gits like me....
Im not really into this kind of riding.. but I suspect he has a tad more skills than all the pot bellied shin pad wearing no marks on here.
am i missing something?
Erm, where do we even begin with this one? 😯
I'd say so Hora; I'd say so....
Here here sharki. Elfin come on fella change the record.
Record? Bit out of date aren't you Hora?
It's all MP3s and stuff now.
oldgrump08 - i don't think you need to be from that era to appreciate it. I'm only 22... His attitude to biking, it reminds me of the naive young i buck i used to be, when so long as it had 2 wheels it was ready to do tricks and be shigged about the streets of Hull. 😀
If i had to only appreciate from 'my era', i'd be at the pub singing to spice girls and westlife and all that. o_O
kin ell 56yrs old!
Fancy that, riding a bike at 56!! Now steady on there with the amazement young fella!
I'm talking about how good he looks.
This thread advertises the STW forum as a place to come for friendship, advice and to meet and greet penile munching under achievers, willy waving their weak minded thoughts for all to see and point fun at.
.........don't forget the middle class whiny c888bagging
There is obviously some incredible untapped talent here if you're able to say Hans Rey is crap. Or maybe there's just some MAMILs who has have had too many romantic encounters with themselves.
Rey was a man of his times and still has plenty to offer to the sport.
Comparing him to Danny MacAskill is a bit like saying Giacamo Agostini is crap because he can't ride as fast as Rossi or Stoner these days. Or Stirling Moss is crap because he isn't as fast as whoever is the car roundy roundy champion these days.
xiphon - MemberRepack Rider » and the fact that there was no one to teach us skills we were inventing for ourselves.
Where do you think most people get their skills from these days?
Experience, trial and error teaches you how to go faster around a loose corner.... not from someone
I almost guarantee Chris Akrig watched and learned from Hans Ray. We are the same age, come from the same town, worked in the same shop (although not long for me) and read the same MBUK's with Hans on the cover. While I was chasing girls he was jumping bins in the High Street carpark after reading said mag.
I did a mini skills course he gave at one of the Malvern Classics and he seemed very nice, patient and encouraging so he gets my vote.
I look forward to the thread about the Muddy Fox Courier that should be along soon 🙂