French freestyle motorcross legend Tom Pagès has redefined his sport with his latest video, ‘Ride & Fly’ showcasing a world-first speedride feat that seamlessly blends motorbike riding with paragliding. In this unprecedented performance, Pagès starts by riding his motorbike down a steep hill on the rugged Alpine terrain of Les Portes du Soleil in Haute-Savoie, France. As the paraglider takes flight, he soars effortlessly down the mountain, reaching speeds of nearly 100 km/h, before skillfully landing and continuing to ride his motorbike, completing this unique speedriding journey.
Building on the success of his previous World First in FMX, ‘Flight Mode’ where he parachuted his motorbike off a 135-meter (443-foot) cliff, ‘Ride & Fly’ pushes the limits even further. This time, Pagès isn’t simply jumping—he’s flying with speed, control, and precision, transforming the way we perceive FMX and aerial sports.
The 80/20 Snapshot:
- A True World-First: While speed flying/riding is a hybrid sport that combines elements of paragliding, parachuting, and freeriding, Tom Pagès‘s “Ride & Fly” is the first to combine motorbike riding with speedriding. Unlike traditional paragliding, which focuses on longer, gentler flights, speed flying is about creating a fast, thrilling ride close to the slope. In this project, Pagès not only maintained the speed and adrenaline of speed flying but also merged it seamlessly with motorbike riding, achieving a unique combination never attempted before.
- Continuity in flying: Building on his cross-discipline journey, Pagès has taken his flying experience to new heights by mastering the combination of motorbike riding and paragliding in one fluid motion.
- Harnessing nature: Battling wind and rough terrain, Pagès had to face the unpredictable forces of nature to achieve a seamless take-off and flight with his motorbike’s heavy load.
- Custom-built gear: The FMX star displayed incredible ingenuity by designing his own suspension system and safety equipment to make this achievement possible.
- Trained by an Expert: Pagès trained with Albert Baud, the same expert who prepared Tom Cruise for his iconic scenes in Mission Impossible, to master speedriding for this groundbreaking project.
- Never-before-done: The project took over two years, involving extensive training and multiple test runs to blend speedriding with motorbike freestyle.
Deep Dive:
- Concept & Collaboration: “Ride & Fly” was the brainchild of Tom Pagès and his friend Valentin Delluc, a speedriding expert. Over two years of development included designing the right equipment, refining the technique, and training to pull off this ambitious feat.
- The Take-off: Pagès carefully controlled the acceleration to keep the speedriding wing inflated above his head as he rode down the hill.
“When I feel the wheels take off, I need to add more throttle to reach 30 km/h. My 4-stroke bike weighs 105 kilos, so you have to lift it! Because if you don’t get off the ground, it’s hot!”.
he explained
- Flight Execution: Once airborne, Pagès unhooked his paraglider controls from his elbows, took them into his hands, and let go of the handlebars.
“The flight becomes super cool. At first, I was really scared in the air. But now I’m fine, I’m shaving the grass, flying through the trees, and even forgetting that I’m on a motorbike.”
he said
- A Technical Challenge: Gliding along at over 80 km/h (50 mph) and nearing 100 km/h (62 mph) in tight turns close to the ground, Pagès needed to maintain precision. In case of emergency, he was equipped with three parachutes to free the bike if needed.
- Custom-built Equipment: Pagès personally designed the suspension system and safety device for his bike, even investing in a sewing machine to rough out the material in his garage. He sought guidance from experts like Stéphane Zunino to refine his designs.
- Training & Preparation: Tom Pagès had to start from scratch to master this new discipline.
“I obtained my microlight license to comply with aviation regulations,”.
he said, beginning with test flights on training hills and weeks of preparation with speedriding veteran Albert Baud, who had trained Tom Cruise for Mission Impossible
- The Team Behind the Feat: With the help of Ugo Gerola, Valentin Delluc, and Pacôme Schmitt, who knew the terrain well, Pagès found the right spot to execute his vision.
- Challenges & Perseverance:
“When you see the video, you think ‘yeah, easy,’ but I almost stopped everything facing the complexity and risks of this hyper-stressful project! I was basically ready to go a month before the shoot.”
jokes Tom
- His Career in Numbers: Tom Pagès boasts 4 consecutive victories at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Madrid, a win in the 2013 X-Fighters World Tour, 5 gold medals, 2 silver, and 1 bronze at the X Games.
The 39-year-old French athlete continues to push the boundaries of FMX, evolving his craft and redefining what’s possible by merging motorbike riding with aerial sports in his latest project.
Watch Pagès World First Motorbike Speedride in France above.