Michal Kollbek Rides Sedona’s White Line Trail [Video]

A new stunning video captures the frightening moment a daredevil biker took off-road cycling to an entirely new level by riding an almost vertical rock face overlooking a terrifying drop.

The 30-year-old Polish mountain biker Michal Kollbek, was filmed recently from a drone flying overhead tempting fate by taking on the White Line trail in Sedona, widely considered the world’s most dangerous trail.

Kollbek is shown in the one-minute clip traversing the famed White Line trail on Sedona’s red rock cliffs at the Red Rock State Park, and then turning back at the end, incredibly, for a return journey.

As the Huffington Post comments, the White Line, a thin strip of sandstone on the edge of a cliff, could be seen as metaphor for the thin dividing line between the thrill of adventure and sheer suicidal madness.

Whether you think Kollbek has crossed the line from adventure to madness would depend, of course, on your proclivity for adrenaline-powered adventure. But most people would tend to agree that Kollbek has crossed the line by attempting this terrifying stunt.

He acknowledged the extreme nature of his stunt to his Instagram followers, saying that the ride was “one of the scariest things I have done on a bike.”

A post to the Facebook page of Singletracks asks viewers, “would you ride this trail?”

The question elicited predictable responses.

“My butt just crawled up my gut. There ought to be a law against such foolery!”

“I just wet my pants watching that video. No thanks. Live to ride another day.”

A Facebook user, Kevin, asks, “How can you even call that a trail?”

Another Facebook user, Keanan, says, “Bruh, I’m still trying to find the trail!”

An eager rider, Matthew, says, “Hell, yes I’d ride that. Where is it?”

But Kollbek is an experienced stunt rider who, according to the Daily Mail, has won several downhill racing titles. He told the Huffington Post that he had known about the White Line trail for a long time, but his opportunity to ride the famous trail came while travelling in Arizona.

He said that part of preparation to conquer the trail involved adjusting his tire pressure to maximize grip on the rock surface. He also strengthened the suspension and raised the saddle.

Before he took on the challenge he had walked the route a couple of times and he slept over the decision a few days before picking up his bike and going for it.

Taking a decision to ride the White Line trail needs more than just skills. You also need to put yourself in the right frame of mind. If you can’t get into the right frame of mind to attempt a dangerous stunt as this you are advised to prolong your sleep over the decision indefinitely. You could at least claim you conquered the trail in your dreams.

“I live for thrills like this, and I would have tackled this line whether it was filmed or not. The drone was a bonus, and [videographer Marshall Mullen] did a great job capturing the moment. However, it’s not for everyone, so I strongly advise inexperienced riders against trying this line.”

“Conquering this ride was all mental. I was confident with my skills and knew I could execute it. The key was to block out the scary thoughts about the potential danger, so I just focused on the trail and not on the terrifying space around me.”

Sedona in Arizona, about 90-minute drive from Phoenix, is set in a natural environment offering breathtaking scenery of red rocks. The town has a population of about 12,000. It is famous for its thriving arts community and liberal culture.

Sedona is famous for spiritual tourism, hiking and mountain biking.