The place
The idea didn’t come overnight – it grew over time. We’ve already written about how professional e-biker Richard Gasperotti met former motocross rider Cristian Dunca. It all started in the Romanian resort of Muntele Mic in the Carpathians, about a two-hour drive from Timișoara.
It’s a stunning spot in breathtaking mountains where you can wander for days without meeting another soul – except maybe a few goat herders. The peaks are round, but the climbs are steep. Some are crisscrossed by dirt tracks, while others simply disappear, dropping you into pure wilderness before you even realise it. That feeling can’t be explained – you have to experience it.
Multiple-time Red Bull Rampage participant Richard Gasperotti and former motocross racer and Red Bull Romaniacs competitor Cristian Dunca agreed during an adventure trip last year that this was too good to keep to themselves. They decided to open the experience to a wider audience.
“A special thank you goes to Richard Gasperotti for trusting our team. Without his experience and his strong connections in the MTB world, it would have been impossible to give this project the international exposure it deserves. Most of the guests who joined us came thanks to Gaspi’s reputation, and I’m sure they’ll now carry the word further — that Romania has some of the most beautiful wild MTB trails waiting to be explored,” says Cristian Dunca.
The group’s base was a mountain chalet in a saddle that can only be reached by bike – the Dunca family supplies it by helicopter. Gaspi and Cristian had scouted the trails in the surrounding area the year before, so they knew exactly where to take the participants. The highlights were supposed to be a trip to the sacred mountain of the ancient Dacians – Mount Gugu – or a daring descent down a rocky trail Gaspi named Coffee Lady.
The concept
On paper, flying e-bike owners up the mountains by helicopter sounds like sheer madness. But if you’ve ever been to the Carpathians, you understand why it makes sense.
“First of all, it’s about the terrain profile. Trails here often go straight up incredibly steep slopes. No matter your fitness or skills, on a normal bio-bike, you’d end up dismounting and pushing. An e-bike changes everything. I can’t tell you by what percentage more climbs you can ride, but the difference is huge,” Gaspi explains. “It’s simple: either you push or you ride.”
The brutally steep ascents and endless distances led to the second part of the idea: what if you could be dropped deeper into the mountains with an e-bike so you’d still have enough power and energy left for the return? And that’s how heli e-biking was born.
Gaspi had already flown into the wilderness of British Columbia in the past – by helicopter and even by floatplane. With Cristian Dunca, it was even easier to plan because Cristian’s father, Romeo Dunca, is a top-class helicopter pilot with over 7,500 flight hours – more than many military pilots. With Airbus helicopters, he handles all kinds of logistical missions in remote mountains, and he also flies for skiers and bikers.
Equality
According to Gaspi, e-bikes solve a lot of problems: “When you run a bike camp in a bike park or on a single mountain, differences in fitness don’t matter that much. If someone can’t go on, they just head back to the hotel. But in high mountains, far away from civilisation, that’s not an option. That’s where the motor helps – the whole group can stick together.”
There’s no need to split into sub-groups – everyone can keep up. “Nobody complains that they’re done. They just increase the level of assistance. People don’t moan, they don’t curse, and instead, they can help each other more. Overall, it’s a much more collective experience than on a bio-bike, where, deep down, everyone worries they’ll run out of strength and hold the group back,” says Gaspi.
The experience
“The flight itself is already an experience – and we had several planned for the participants,” Gaspi says. The first rule everyone had to learn: never walk towards the tail where the tail rotor spins. “At all times, we have to keep steady eye contact with the pilot when boarding,” he adds.
The helicopter can carry up to six people, which means each trip had to be flown in two runs. The bikes travelled underneath, suspended in a special metal box that can hold up to twelve.
Besides the riding in the mountains, there were plenty of other highlights. Apart from the occasional fear of meeting a bear – since they roam freely here – there were positive ones too: grilling fish caught in the local lake or wine tasting with local producers.
“How do I rate it? We had nothing but positive feedback. And we already have sign-ups for next year from Norway, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. I’m afraid I’ll have to move here for at least a month next season,” Gaspi laughs.
“The vibe in the camp was amazing. Passions unite people, and in just five days, we became more than a group of riders. We became a community. Spending time together, riding hard, sharing meals, and closing each day with real stories reminded me of the good old days before technology took over most of our attention. For me, that’s the true meaning of adventure: being present, living the moment, and connecting through our love for the mountains and the ride,” says Cristian Dunca and promises looking forward to the future adventures in the Carpathian Mountains in 2026.
