Big news for mountain bikers! World-famous mountain bike venue Dyfi Bike Park has unveiled their latest track, "FlowState," in partnership with Insta360. Dyfi Bike Park is the masterpiece of the award-winning mountain biking family, Dan, Gee and Rachel Atherton, whose passion and dedication are evident from their hand-crafted trails in the park.
After 18 months of hard work from the Dyfi dig crew, the 2km single black diamond trail is open and ready for riders. Designed by World Cup winner and master builder, Dan Atherton, the FlowState track promises to be creative, fun and visually immense.
The track is named after Insta360's leading image stabilization FlowState, a signature feature of their action cameras such as pocket powerhouse Insta360 X4 or tiny mighty Insta360 GO 3S. The stabilization feature, essential for mountain bikers, keeps action footage looking super smooth and steady no matter how many bumps or jumps they face.
Inspired by the natural bowl on the East of the park, riders of FlowState discover breathtaking scenery and features that make this track unique. The smooth trail has sweeping corners, designed for riders to build up speed and flow. It's no secret the step-up at the end is one of the Dyfi crew's favorite jumps in the park, and with some of the most scenic backdrops in the 650-acre bike park, it's the perfect trail to mount up your Insta360 cam, get amazing views and find your flow.
We sat down with Dan and Gee Atherton to chat about the brand new FlowState track, their background as mountain bikers and what inspires them.
A Passion for Mountain Biking
Hi Dan and Gee! Please tell us more about yourselves. Who are you, where are you from, and what do you do?
GA: I'm Gee Atherton, a professional mountain bike racer. I've won two World Championships, two World Cup Overall Championships and nine World Cups.
DA: I'm Dan, these days I don't race so much. My focus is building Dyfi Bike Park and manufacturing our own Atherton Bikes. I've always preferred the creativity of track building to racing.
GA: Dan is too modest! He's also a World Cup winner with top international results in Enduro, Downhill and 4X.
Dan, you were the first in your family to start mountain biking. How did you start, and what made you decide to do it professionally?
DA: We grew up in a small Somerset village, so riding bikes represented freedom. I remember bullying Gee into buying his first bike from a friend for £10. We'd build loads of jumps on the waste ground, but we didn't know to build landings, so we'd have dreadful headaches! Our first racing experience was BMX, and then we decided to switch to MTB and move to Wales. We started to win some races, and people took notice; it went on from there.
As such a legendary mountain biking family, what makes all three of you devote yourselves to this sport, and does it make you all closer？
GA: We've always wanted to push the boundaries of the sport, to do things our way and to put something back into the sport that has given us such enjoyable careers. Riding gets into your blood. There's no feeling like it when you find that flow. Rach always says it's like meditation for her. Sometimes it makes us closer, but we're pretty strong characters and super competitive, so there are always some fights—especially between me and Rach.
Creating the Track
What inspired you to build the Dyfi Bike Park? Why did you choose that location?
DA: I'd been looking for somewhere to build for a long time. I'd spent some time in BC, and the scenery inspired me. I wanted to bring that vision to the UK. There had been mountain biking in the Dyfi long before I came along, and that community welcomed us with open arms; they were and still are a huge support. Dyfi had this awesome varied terrain with a mild coastal climate and a private forest with 650 acres of mature trees, so I talked to the owner, and he let us start to build. It was the perfect blank canvas, and there was a great group of people willing to get involved. Everything just came together.
Dan, how did you become so passionate about track building, and where do you get your inspiration from?
DA: I build what I like to ride, and I am inspired by downhill, big mountain adventures and BMX. Over the years, I've learned that people don't want to be challenged all the time. I talk to people on the uplift every weekend, and they'd say, "It's too hard. Sometimes, we just want to chill and ride for fun." So in the past few years, my tracks have definitely mellowed!
What do you think makes a good track?
A good variety of features, something that follows the lie of the land and has nature as close as possible. The park has many different styles and is graded for many riding standards, from red ways that are fun for intermediate riders to triple black diamonds only for the most advanced. There are tracks close to 4km long and lower mountain tracks at just 1km, so hopefully, there's something for everyone.
What inspired the brand-new Insta360 FlowState track?
GA: When mountain bikers talk about finding their flow, it's that state where everything clicks—you're not braking or analyzing every move; everything feels great! Flow trails are smooth and you can build up a lot of speed. By contrast, tech trails often mean you pick your way over roots and rocks more slowly.
What makes it unique from the other tracks?
GA: FlowState lives up to its name. It starts with a mixture of natural rock features at the top of the trail, then you're into the singletrack woods, and finally, it finishes with massive man-made berms. It's incredible to ride, the scenery is breathtaking, and it also has the first wall ride in the park.
Which mountain bikers would appreciate the Insta360 track the most?
DA: It's a single black diamond, so it's suitable for advanced riders who love speed. It's a must for anyone looking for some spectacular footage for their socials—I'm a visual thinker, so it's features are optimized for awesome views and great camera shots.
Capturing New Perspectives with Insta360
What made you decide to work with Insta360?
DA: They had a good grasp of our aims here at the park and were able to align with that. It's very important for us to only work with brands that share our ethos.
How do Insta360 cameras help you capture content? Which cameras and mounts do you use?
GA: The Chest Strap is my favorite mount, and the X4 has outstanding quality even in low light. I always shoot in 360 to reframe my footage how I like later. I've also got the new GO 3S which is super fun to shoot with.
DA: The Helmet Chin Mount is my favorite because you see what the rider sees! It's a really unique perspective.
What do you want to say to Insta360 and mountain bike fans?
Come and ride and see it for yourselves! We have demo Insta360 cameras at the park that are free to use. Just download the Insta360 app before you come.
You can find Dyfi Bike Park in the Esgair Forest, three miles north of Machynlleth, Wales. Visit their website for more information on their park and mountain bike trails.
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