News

VR Mountain Bike Simulator Has You Riding Cliffside Across Death-Defying Trails

A specially-designed cycling rig lets users “feel the terrain” as they ride.

Ride Out, a specialty bike shop located in the Netherlands, has introduced a new VR mountain biking experience based on the death-defying antics of professional Scottish trials cyclist Danny MacAskill.

Developed by immersive content studio REWIND and Cut Media, Danny MacAskill’s VR Ride Out has participants peddling their way through two vertigo-inducing locations—Collies Ledge in the Isle of Skye, Scotland and the Landwasser Bridge in Switzerland—using a one-of-a-kind motion rig. Built using Unreal Engine, the experience uses headcam and drone footage taken directly from 2014’s The Ridge, Cut Media’s hit action sports film featuring MacAskill.

Players begin by donning a VR headset before seating themselves on a specialized motion rig built using a Santa Cruz bike. This enables riders to feel their virtual terrain via real-time feedback in the handlebars; the platform will also pitch and roll as riders pedal their way through each environment, further immersing them in the adrenaline-inducing experience.

“It was a pleasure to work with the team at Cut Media and bring to life two of Danny’s most famous biking trails in virtual reality,” said Neil Evely, Head of New Business at REWIND, in an official release. “By tightly integrating the Santa Cruz bike with the motion platform in Unreal Engine, we’ve
created an exhilarating, world-first VR mountain bike experience. It literally puts you in the saddle, letting you experience those routes first hand.”

According to the release, the VR mountain biking simulation was developed in celebration of the launch of Santa Cruz bikes at the Ride Out store in Amsterdam. Those who experience the hair-raising simulation are given their own branded mixed reality playthrough video upon completion, allowing them to share their virtual journey with others via social media.

“We’ve collaborated with Danny for twelve years, and we’ve been so proud to help showcase his incredible skills for viewers all over the world,” added Stu Thomson, Founder and Director at Cut Media. “It’s such a thrill to put the audience on Danny’s bike for the first time and test their mettle against a vertigo-inducing white-knuckle trip that will challenge their balance and composure with heights.”

Those interested in learning more can visit rideout.amsterdam.

Image Credit: REWIND, Cut Media, Ride Out

About the Scout

Former Writer (Kyle Melnick)

Send this to a friend