Was This Country Even On Your Mtb Radar?

[@McTrailRider]

Here's a link to the guiding company we rode with on this trip. www.otp.tours/

[@miggyclark1]

Nice, what time of year did you go and what was the average temperature day and night?

[@McTrailRider]

@@miggyclark1 mid September and high teens to low twenties for the temperature. Just about perfect in my opinion 👌

[@jayblackll]

Nice, I'm from Bulgaria and I watch your videos all the time. I find your trails fascinating and I wish I could try them.

[@McTrailRider]

Awesome! You live in a beautiful country, with some fantastic riding 👌

[@TheAsbrooks]

Have been Snowboarding in Bansko & Borovets some 25 odd years ago before I'd realised that mounting biking could be so much more than bridleways in the peak district. Looks fantastic, a bit like some lower sections in the Alps

[@McTrailRider]

You may very well recognise some of the areas then. I hear the snowboarding is very good there.

[@martincantwell2557]

I've done a dirtbike enduro tour in that area last year and couldn't help but think the terrain would be unbelievable for mountain biking. Bulgaria would be a fantastic mtb holiday spot and it's probably a fraction of the cost of a holiday in the alpes.look forward to seeing more vids

[@McTrailRider]

The boys were talking about the dirt bike tours, something I’d love to try one day. The terrain is ideal for mountain biking 👌 The price is also excellent, as you probably know already.

[@martincantwell2557]

@@McTrailRider if you're looking at trying a moto tour out there I'd recommend enduromax, would make for some cool content, love to see good riders doing crossover sports. It's really interesting how mountain bikes take to it and vice versa.

[@McTrailRider]

@@martincantwell2557 very tempted! I do ride motorbikes, but road bikes.

[@crazyoldmaninthewoods]

Awesome vid Andrew and total kudos for riding so well without a front brake. My step-son lives out there 2 hours South of Sofia, I am now dreaming of a little combination trip. Thanks for filming, Andy

[@JasonChambersPhoto]

That trail looks mint Andrew, I’ve boarded in Borovets (crazy town) but not been to Bansko. Looking forward to seeing your next videos. Hope you get the brakes sorted 😉

[@McTrailRider]

Just along the road I believe. Perhaps you’ll recognise so of the scenery in the upcoming videos Jason🤔

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

What a beautiful place and amazing singletrack. Quite Alpine, but not at the same time, maybe a hybrid between Pyranees and Alps..? (What say you?) It was kinda nice to see you ride that trail at a more sedate pace than normal, was easier to actually see it! Presumably you sorted your front break in time for day 2....look forwward to the next video. PS. Really good production and commentary with this one Andrew, a total step up from previous stuff....kudos. 👏👏🤘🤘⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@McTrailRider]

You’ve probably nailed it with your analyses Richard. These trails are a combo of the two. Glad you appreciated the extra production level in this one👍 I thought more people would have commented on the changes tbh.

[@chiefsittingstill6061]

Not sure what I expected Bulgarian mtbing would be like, but it does look very promising based on this... look forward to seeing more of your videos from this trip 🙂

[@McTrailRider]

I was the same, I didn’t really know what to expect from Bulgaria. Hope you enjoy the next few videos 👍

[@Mugtree]

Thank you so much for this, it is definitely on the list. Looks fantastic. Also kudos for riding all that on one brake

[@McTrailRider]

I reckon you’ll like this whole series dude 👍

[@Mugtree]

@@McTrailRider I think I will 👍. Can’t wait for more

[@leedriscoll4923]

This has to be on our groups todo holiday. Looks amazing. Enjoy your videos👍

[@McTrailRider]

Awesome! Good, relatively cheap, holiday for the group👍

[@mikejones420]

Wow, simply Wow, an absolute dream .

[@McTrailRider]

Felt like it anyway.

[@chrismccannIRL]

Looks awesome. I think anywhere that is a ski resort will also be a MTB resort

[@McTrailRider]

Very true, and they all should imo. We venture away from the resort quite a bit in the next days, and it’s really good elsewhere too 👍

[@TheRicardoSanchez]

Dooooooope. Who knew. Bulgaria now on the list

[@McTrailRider]

Ah nice, good to hear 👍

[@Flowjacka]

It looks like Bansko in the Pirin mountains. Been there snowboarding a few times because it’s really cheap and pretty good. Never occurred to me to go with my bike

[@McTrailRider]

That’s exactly the place! I here the snowboarding is very good too 👌

[@01FozzyS]

That looked like a nice trip with Pierce and James,Andrew! Some of the trail reminded me of our trails here in Northern California. Nice and woodsy.

[@McTrailRider]

Sounds like I’ll need to got to Northern California to find out for myself 👍

[@01FozzyS]

@@McTrailRider Do it! Then you can also play at BKXC's Everstoke. ;)

[@dunneryak]

that looked amazing!

[@McTrailRider]

Stunning place isn’t it 👌

[@ashpunting]

I'm glad you weren't riding on the edge of a cliff this time with only one brake so I can't wait for the next video, when your friend said you came down there pretty fast and you said well I can't stop 😂😅😂😆

[@McTrailRider]

Absolutely! Going straight off the cliff would not have been good 😜

[@sheadleeful]

You need to get out to the Pacific North West (Oregon and Washington) All our trails look like those. 😀

[@McTrailRider]

I very much hope to ride the PNW one day. I’m sure it will happen!

[@sheadleeful]

@@McTrailRider You have a place to stay anytime!

[@MacRaceyMTB]

Great video dude, looks like a great place to ride! What settings do you run on the DJI Action 4? Shutter speed etc

[@McTrailRider]

Nothing too fancy tbh. 4k 30fps Ultrawide Ev comp -0.7 Dlog m colour profile

[@endurokid82]

That handshake and first pump at the airport though 😫

[@McTrailRider]

We are specialists in awkward 😜

[@ToddNZMTB]

Lada Niva in the carpark at the end, nice 👌🏻

[@McTrailRider]

Plenty more of that sort of thing in the next few videos, very Soviet in places.

[@hardtaillife4071]

You still ride better than I do when both of my brakes ARE working!

[@McTrailRider]

Haha, the focus was real 😜

[@thebigcheese2418]

Sick! Saw you on the E-bike when I was on the school fun run!

[@McTrailRider]

You guys were everywhere 😜

[@alastairlaidlaw2922]

Looks very interesting I'd love to find out more............

[@McTrailRider]

And you will 👍

[@merlin1694]

I was in that country over the summer and was looking to rent out a mtb and do some riding but I broke my humorous bone mid-shift and just getting back to work and still not out on the bike which I had only done 2 rides on from brand new including the one i broke the arm on and that was 15 minutes into the start of the day

[@McTrailRider]

Sounds like an absolute nightmare mate 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@royunderwood7514]

Great video!

[@McTrailRider]

Thanks!

[@taffycymroukmtb9073]

🚴 Great Stuff buddy enjoyed the video 👌😜

[@McTrailRider]

Glad you enjoyed it Taffy👍

[@petarstoychev1210]

"Chalin" is one of the best trail in Bansko in my opinon :)

[@McTrailRider]

Did I ride that in this video? I’m unsure of the names tbh.

[@petarstoychev1210]

@@McTrailRider Yes,the trail on 9:56.....its good challenge to keep pace on this trail :)

[@McTrailRider]

@@petarstoychev1210 ah yes, it’s a good trail for sure. Carrying died is definitely key. The first trail we did stood out to me. I know there wasn’t much in the way of features, but I loved how natural and untouched it was👌

[@cb6866]

Thanks Andrew...I'd never had guessed. No travel this year I'm afraid. Health issues .

[@McTrailRider]

I hope you get the chance at another time then buddy 👍

[@ashpunting]

Nick my friend it's good to see you Did you fall of santa slay today I was thinking about you the other day now your hear? 😅

[@mitchwarren1600]

The lists of places just keeps getting longer ! Thought for a moment you were rolling with the Stone that is Dale as he is a new clan member. The channel stats are looking great and so does that mondraker! God save the King!

[@McTrailRider]

If very much like to ride with Dale at some point, ideally out his way 🤘

[@rickyhill5263]

Looks as good as any alpine trip I've done. Question about the bike bag you used, what model is it and would you recommend it? Also your brake issue, I have tech 4s, what was the issue and was it easily sorted? Cheers 🤘

[@McTrailRider]

So the bag is a hiking one by Montane, it’s quite comfortable and holds the basics. There are better bags for biking out there though. The brakes needed a new lever body. I sent them to Hope and they fixed it all for free and very quickly. Apparently this isn’t that common, but it is a known issue.

[@rickyhill5263]

@McTrailRider Thanks for the info, the bag question was aimed at the one you use for packing the bike in for transportation, I'm heading off to the Pyrenees in the summer with Basque mtb, I've never flown with my bike, it's always gone over land in a mini bus. Looking for a bike bag that gives maximum protection, I think we've all seen the baggage handling antics at the airport, frightening to some degree to even think of sticking my pride and joy in their hands. Good and bad news about the brake, good it was fixed, but not what you need when you're in a foreign country at the start of a holiday! Did hope say if there was any way to tell if the issue was present? Thanks, apologies for the long winded questions!

[@McTrailRider]

@@rickyhill5263 sorry, I misread your question initially. The bike bag I used was the basic Evoc one which I borrowed. The pro version is better though. If I was to buy one, I would go for the Thule bike bag, it looks far superior in my opinion. www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-packs-bags-and-racks/bike-travel-cases/thule-roundtrip-mtb-bike-case-_-3204662 Your going to love your trip with Basque, best guided trip I’ve done👍

[@rickyhill5263]

@McTrailRider Thanks for the info, I'll certainly look at the Thule bag. Good to have a recommendation for Badque too. 👍

[@16andbraindead]

what bikes are your friends using? one of em is using a privateer and the other an airdrop, i know over 100 bike brands but these were firsts for me.

[@McTrailRider]

Ben was on a Trek, James on a Specialized and I was on a Deviate👍

[@16andbraindead]

@@McTrailRider Didn't expect them to ride something more "mainstream". How's the high pivot on that Deviate? I think they would make bank selling a Dh version of their highlander/Claymore! I'm going to take a guess here... You rode in Germany?

[@davidpotts1189]

What was the issue with brake? Are they the Hopes?

[@McTrailRider]

I sent it away back to Hope, and it came back with a new lever. Apparently there are a couple of times an imperfection on the bore of the lever barrel can cause the a seal to break. I think that’s what happened to mine.

[@DieterVanHolder]

Eek! Not very confidence inspiring! And you have that high pitched squeek back. I'm sometimes tempted by Hop T4V4 but I'm riding XT 4-pots that work well enough and I fear I might regret the Purchase. What's your opinion? ​@@McTrailRider

[@McTrailRider]

@@DieterVanHolder the Hope V4’s are excellent brakes imo. Great power, loads of control and you can replace all the parts individually. I can’t ignore this failure though and the noise is annoying (much worse through the camera). I have since replaced my brakes with SRAM Code RSC’s. They are the best alternative I’ve found at the moment.

[@ahmeddrakula]

еееееее

[@McTrailRider]

I assume that’s good 😜

[@Perthshire]

Please dont film whilst driving. Six points, min £200 fine, and insurance likely to double at next renewal.

[@McTrailRider]

Completely valid point. I was just holding my GoPro out the window, one button and not using a screen to frame the shot or anything. Not that a police officer would care🤦🏼‍♂️