Zhao Mengze

Zhao Mengze, a 21-year-old mountain bike trials lover from Hebei province, is conducting some so-called crazy actions by jumping up and down the stairs and stones on his bike at a small square in Chengde, Hebei province.

Zhao first encountered the sport, which some call an “extreme” sport, when he was 15 years old. “I was deeply addicted to it when I first saw this crazy action,” Zhao said. “And I wanted to dedicate myself whole-heartedly to this sport.”

Zhao began bike trials training daily, and shared his experiences on the Internet, which attracted a French bicycle manufacturer’s attention. Later, the company sponsored him, providing him equipment worth 20,000 yuan that he would need to compete in mountain bike trials.

It hasn’t been easy for Zhao. After graduating from a technical institute, he still has not found a job. “Bike trials have become a part of my life, and I can learn quite a number of positive mentalities and taste the enjoyment of life from it,” he said.

Mountain bike trials, also known as observed trials is a disciplined of mountain biking, in which the rider attempts to pass through an obstacle course without touching the ground with his feet. Derived from motorcycle trials, it originated in Catalonia and is said to have been invented by the father of Ot Pi, a world champion motorcycle trials rider. Pi's father had wanted his son to learn motorcycle trials by practicing on an ordinary bicycle.

By Tang Zhi