Is Patiis DH the BEST?

That’s a very bold statement, we know it is. Click-baity even, just the right amount of “huh?” and “what, no” to make you click the article and either agree with us or hate us into oblivion. But hey, hear us out, we’ve got our reasons. They might not be the same as yours but we’re pretty sure that some might be, to most at least. So let’s get started, right after the gnarly and fun-as-heck PATIIS DH CHALLENGE, here are the TOP 5 reasons why Patiis DH is the best place to ride gravity.

5 | IT’S NEAREST THE CITY

Hard to debate this fact — it’s the nearest gravity track to the metro. With most of the riders living in and around the city, Patiis is less than an hour away from the majority of people that race and ride. Situated in San Mateo, Rizal, it’s technically still IN town and it’s actually possible to bike to and from Patiis (we’ve done it, you’ve done it, we’ve all done it).

What’s also great about it being near is that you’re closer to things that you might need at any moment’s notice. For example, you take a nasty spill or slip up, you’re just a stone’s throw away from help. Trust us, that’s important. Proximity to emergency services is super important in our little sport. Same goes for mechanical failures, you’re near any shop that would have anything you need, from inner tubes to bigger things. And lastly, with Patiis being as near as it is, you can always sneak in a ride before work or school. Can’t beat that.

4 | IT’S A GREAT SESSION GROUND

A big part of our riding is progression, our growth as athletes. Not just to hit tricks and look cool (although that is a big part) but to maximize ourselves, our bikes, and the track we’re riding. Also, when you start to race, hitting the options will really cut into your time, as is standard with all races everywhere, sending a feature is always gonna get you faster. The locals are always adding new features to hit and help us all progress as mountain bikers.

The recently concluded PATIIS DH CHALLENGE saw a lot of new features get introduced and sent, most notably the “KT DROP” which was in the first steep sections of the track — it gave you maximum speed coming down and actually led to a small jump right at the top after the climb. The mind-bending “FLY GAP”, which felt bigger because as soon as you sent it, your view was of the city below, giving you that uneasy feeling of falling towards the city. And the “AKINTO DROP”, which surprised a lot of people with how gentle the landing actually was after sending it.

3 | THE COMMUNITY

And we’re not just talking about the riders there.

What makes a great trail is the participation and empowerment of the community that surrounds the track. Most times, our tracks in the Philippines run through villages, houses, places where people live, eat, work, and play — we’re technically just visitors where we ride. Working WITH and with respect to these communities is important and vital to the survival of local mountain biking. Patiis is a testament to how a local community and the visiting riders can co-exist and work together to be beneficial for all sides involved; from the porters, trail-builders, to the sari-sari stores and the legendary Edong’s, supporting the local economy in Patiis helps sustain it and ultimately even grow it.

2 | THE HISTORY

Many great riders, local and international, have ridden Patiis. It’s been around for a long time and has seen the best of the best shred down its tracks, it’s taught many a new rider the wonders of gravity riding, claimed many bones and blood, and it’ll stay around longer than all of us will be riding too, provided that we all take care of it and each other. Patiis in ingrained in the DNA of local gravity riding.

Just this week, FLY Racing PH also shared a great tidbit of trivia from the inception of Patiis, then known as “James What”, coined by its pioneer James Sardea.

1 | DOWNHILL RACING

And of course last but definitely not the least, this is why we do all these things right? Downhill racing. The PATIIS DH CHALLENGE is a shining example, lead by their race directors Mark Evangelista, Edmund Garcia, and the rad rider Danh Bernardo, Patiis really challenged everyone to push their limit. The weather was great, vibes were perfect, and as we say: the dirt was mint.

Racing has seen not just a revival but a resurgent rebirth. With all the mountain bikers that the recent global pandemic has added to the fold, racing is much more dynamic, inclusive, and open nowadays. And Patiis is the perfect place to have all of that energy come together and celebrate it, as showcased by the PATIIS DH CHALLENGE last weekend. 371 racers showed up and showed out, testing their skills and each other at what was so far the biggest and gnarliest race we’ve seen this year. See you at the next one.