at the top of st albans steps

Watch Sam Pilgrim crown ‘Ventnor – The place to urban downhill’, as professional mountain bikers ride the steps

This video of Pros riding bikes down Ventnor steps will get you gasping.

Last week News OnTheWight shared professional mountain biker, Tom Isted’s video of his time on the Isle of Wight, when he referred to it as, ‘the dream location’.

Sam: World Champion rider
Tom was joined by several other professional mountain bikers on the trip, including the legendary Sam Pilgrim (a World Champion rider), who in his latest video (see below) takes on the steps of Ventnor, in some urban downhill riding.

Sam is joined by Zac Rainbow and Elliot Harper, as well as Islander Sam Hodgson, as they as they ride from the top of Ventnor – down several sets of steps (!) – right down to the beach.

The day out for the riders has earned Ventnor some new accolades, ‘Ventnor – “The place to urban downhill”, “Ventnor, Isle of Wight – the King of steps” and “The Mecca of stairs”.

A few heart-stopping moments
Watching the video, we found you can’t help but curl your toes as the four ride down some staggeringly steep steps across a range of steep routes around Ventnor.

There were a few heart-stopping moments, as they descend down the lower section of St Albans steps with 180 degree turns at each corner – the danger of toppling over the steps and plummeting to the bottom feeling very real.

Not for your everyday rider
It’s worth pointing out that these are professional riders – people who have put years and years of practice in to raise themselves up to the peak of competition. In short, it’s not for your everyday rider.

In the comments on the video, Iowcatalyst said, 

“Got a feeling my mate rode the steep ones in Bonchurch when we were teenagers, I would never go near them though.”

Given Sam has 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube, it’s highly likely that Ventnor will be seeing more trick cyclists on their steps – Quite what the residents/locals will think of that is debatable.

Urban downhill is big
Urban downhill has a worldwide following and the videos are hair raising. Here’s Sam racing in Medellin, Colombia – **warning** – Brace yourself!

Thanks to Mike Stradling for the heads up

Article edit
2:42pm 2nd Nov 2020 – Completed the clarification that this isn’t for average riders.

Image: © Sam Pilgrim