Gaspi Archives

Electric Bikes and Winter? Keep Your E-Bike Warm Overnight and Wear the Right Clothing

January 25, 2024 at 11:56 am5 min reading

When the daylight gets shorter and days colder, most cyclists hide their e-bike in the cellar and swap it for another means of transportation. But if you follow a few basic rules, you can enjoy your e-bike all winter long. We asked Richard Gasperotti to…

How Ashes Collected on a Bike Trip to Volcanoes Helped Disadvantaged Kids

November 28, 2023 at 7:35 pm4 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

From ashes to art, from art to money. This story illustrates how unique ideas connected people from different parts of the world and, in the end, helped in a good way. Find out what happened when a sportsman teamed up with an artist.

How an Attempt to Descend the Fuego Volcano Turned into a Nightmare

June 7, 2023 at 11:41 am5 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

Looking for somewhere to go after descending Etna and Stromboli by bike, pro MTB rider Richard ‘Gaspi’ Gasperotti discovered Guatemala, a land of active volcanoes. Most of all, he’s been enchanted by Fuego. It erupts regularly, several times an hour, but the truly monstrous eruptions…

What It Takes to Ride Down the Etna’s Suffocating Mouth

January 13, 2023 at 4:54 pm5 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

I should breathe now but the sulphurous smoke from the crater is making me hold my breath. It takes almost half a minute before the wind changes and blows the yellow cloud away. Looking over the edge, I see a deep hole with sulphurous smoke…

E-Bikepacking: A New Approach to Wilderness

October 17, 2022 at 2:31 pm5 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

From time to time, I sometimes feel suffocated with digital rubbish up to the point when I can’t breathe anymore. At that moment, I power down all electronic devices, lock them into the desk, hang the bags on my bike and get out where I…

What Stories Does an MTB Guide’s Backpack Reveal?

June 16, 2022 at 11:56 am5 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

A professional guide never thinks only of themselves. Whether it’s a brown bear attack, an open femur fracture, an unexpected storm on the mountain top or stitching a chin three days away from the nearest doctor, a mountain guide must be prepared to face any…

E-Bikes Open Up New Opportunities for Open-Terrain Riding

April 12, 2022 at 2:23 pm5 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

Mainly due to modern technologies, we see new cycling opportunities coming up. This includes both finding new locations and tackling steep terrain with the support of e-bikes.

Inside the Red Bull Holy Bike Race with 350+ Riders

November 11, 2021 at 10:56 am6 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

Besides the Megavalanche in France, there are a couple of MTB races sharing a similar concept. With a mass start and kamikaze downhill, the Red Bull Holy Bike race in Spain also addresses hundreds of riders willing to take chances against each other. Richard Gasperotti…

A Secret Trick to Help You Put On Bike Grips

September 9, 2021 at 12:56 pm4 min reading

Socialising and Culture

Have you spent aeons trying to put a new pair of MTB grips onto the handlebars with no success? Let us share a professional bike mechanics’ trick with you.

What Type of MTB Tyres Should You Use in What Conditions?

June 16, 2021 at 1:35 pm6 min reading

Outdoor/Mountain

The choice of the MTB tyres often decides whether you enjoy the ride or crash on every other corner. There are many aspects to consider because tyres designed for hard ground will not work in mud and vice versa. MITAS tyres ambassador Richard Gasperotti explains…