Hans Rey says Hong Kong mountain biking community is one of the most impressive in Asia
- Former world champion Hans Rey is making a film about Hong Kong biking called ‘TransHongKong’ and is very impressed by the local scene
The name Hans Rey may be short on letters, but it’s absolutely huge in mountain biking, and has been since the sport first came to be in the mid 1980s. And for all his travels, he ranked Hong Kong highly on his recent visit to film TransHongKong, released in spring 2020, for his YouTube channel.
“It’s very impressive. I think Hong Kong has the most impressive trail network and mountain biking community that I have seen [in Asia],” he said. “Mountain biking is growing worldwide, and is becoming more popular. This is even more so now that we have quality trails that are also beginner and family friendly.”
The German-born Swiss lived in California for most of his pro career. At 53 years old, the trail riding specialist still manages to stay relevant by working with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) to encourage trail building and helping others to take up the sport. .
“We got to ride many of the local purpose-built mountain bike trails [in Hong Kong],” the former world champion said. “They were well built and fun. It is so great to have lush nature so close to the city. We also explored the city by traversing it on bikes, from Kowloon Peak to Tsim Sha Tsui, and also Victoria Peak to Central.”
Aside from making films, such as TransNapoli, Rey has his own Wheels 4 Life charity. This he runs with his wife Carmen, and they help to provide bicycles to impoverished and remote communities around the world.
Great riding was something close to the top of his agenda for his trip to Hong Kong.
