Legendary mountain biker Gee Atherton has taken free ride to a whole new level with his latest project, filmed deep in Nepal’s remote Upper Mustang region.
Shot over nearly three weeks at high altitude, the film follows Atherton and his team as they ride some of the most extreme terrain ever attempted—steep ridgelines, loose rock faces, and exposed mountain lines that “don’t feel like somewhere we should be.”
The draw to Nepal at the beginning was this intrigue. I saw it as this mystical, slightly unknown place. This whole other world away from the well-known, more famous mountains – almost purpose built for the type of riding that I wanted to do.
Unlike typical mountain bike films focused on smooth, perfect runs, this project shows a much harsher reality. At elevations above 4,000 meters, even basic movement becomes exhausting, forcing the team to slow down, adapt, and carefully assess every line.
For this project, Gee rode the Atherton A.200 downhill bike throughout—far from the easiest option to carry on long hikes at altitude, but the right choice when it came time to ride down.
The expedition included high-risk features like a massive canyon gap, but much of the riding came down to navigating raw, untouched terrain where mistakes could have serious consequences.
Atherton himself summed it up best: the goal wasn’t perfection—it was survival.
Beyond the riding, the journey also captured moments of connection with local communities, adding a human side to an otherwise intense and demanding adventure.
In the end, the project stands out not just for its scale and danger, but for its honesty—showing that in environments this extreme, knowing when to push and when to hold back matters more than chasing the perfect line.
