Mandil Pradhan (
Nepali: मन्दिल प्रधान) is a Nepalese
mountain biker
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...
, explorer, and mountain guide. He is the owner and head guide of Himalayan Rides, a mountain bike tour company that operates advanced level trips primarily in the Mustang region of Nepal.
Mountain bike exploration
Since 2008, Mandil has explored the Himalayas of Nepal seeking to connect the various trails that traverses the region. He sought to develop biking routes in the mountainous Northern region in order to encourage mountain biking tourism in Nepal. He initially started the exploration as a consultant for other Nepalese tour companies and continued this with the formation of Himalayan Rides in 2010.
In 2010, he spent 10 months in the remote Mustang district searching for cattle paths that had the potential to be used as riding trails. During this period, he discovered various trails that have since become popular amongst mountain bikers who travel to the region.
In April 2011, Mandil along with Australian mountain biker Grant Dansie and Nepalese photographer Gaurav Man Sherchan became the first people to ride downhill from the Kyanjin Valley to Syafru Besi in the Langtang Region of Nepal.
Tour operation
Mandil's tour company Himalayan Rides launched in 2010. The company works on a business-to-business only model focussing solely on ground handling and has partnered with international companies for sales and marketing purposes. The partners include UK-based outfitter H+I Adventures and Canadian tour company Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays.
Racing career
Mandil has participated in several top level
mountain bike races including the
Megavalanche
Megavalanche (nicknamed "Mega") is a enduro mountain bike race held annually at the Alpe d'Huez ski resort in the French Alps since 1995, and annually on the island of Réunion.
The Alps event, being the more widely publicized and famous among ...
,
Crankworx Crankworx is a four-stop tour of mountain biking competitions and races, the premier event of which is held each summer at Whistler-Blackcomb in Whistler, British Columbia at Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
The Crankworx core competitive events are d ...
, Enduro World Series and Big Mountain Enduro. In addition to successful participation in the international races, Mandil won the 2014 Nepalese Open National Mountain Bike Championship held in Chovar, Kathmandu.
Mountain bike videos
Mandil has ridden in three popular mountain bike videos since 2012. The first video was Himalayan High, a video that showcases a blend of culture and adventure in the Mustang Valley. The video gathered worldwide recognition with over 1 million views through various online platforms. It was a finalist at the UK Adventure Film Festival, selected by
Red Bull
Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks of Austria, Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With 38% market share, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2019. Since its launch in 1987, more than 100 billion cans of Red Bull have been sold worldwid ...
as one of the Awesome Videos of 2012. and featured on
Outside Magazine
''Outside'' is an American company and magazine focused on the outdoors. The first issue of ''Outside'' was published in September 1977.
History
Outside founders were Jann Wenner (the first editor in chief), William Randolph Hearst III (its first ...
.
The second video Colors of Kathmandu was released in 2013 and was also able to garner attention in the mountain biking media, including a feature on Bike Magazine and popular mountain biking porta
Pinkbike
The third video was called Nepal Through My Eyes and was shot completely on a
GoPro
GoPro, Inc. (marketed as GoPro and sometimes stylized as GoPRO) is an American technology company founded in 2002 by Nick Woodman. It manufactures action cameras and develops its own mobile apps and video-editing software. Founded as Woodman La ...
point-of-view camera over a period of 3 years. The video was reviewed by
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
and mountain biking website Singletracks.
Sponsors / partners
Mandil is sponsored by Canadian mountain bike company Banshee Bikes, Nepalese mountain gear manufacturer Sherpa Adventure Gear, Italian helmet and protection company Met Bluegrass and Canadian component manufacturer Race Face.
Other careers
Prior to becoming a professional mountain biker, Mandil started an event management company called Party Nepal at just 18 years old. Mandil sold the company to his partners in 2008, aged 25 to pursue a full-time career in mountain biking.
References
External links
Official website: Himalayan Rides
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pradhan, Mandil
1983 births
Living people
Mountain bike orienteers
Male orienteers
Downhill mountain bikers
Nepalese mountain bikers