Inner Revolutions Artist Series Illustrating the Brain-Healing Power of Mountain Biking
Appearing in Issue 15.2, "Inner Revolutions" delves into numerous riders' journeys, helping them reconcile past traumas and build new positive mental pathways through mountain biking.
Freehub’s latest installment of the Artist Series elevates the illustrations of Chris McNally featured in "Inner Revolutions."
"I didn’t return to mountain biking as a means of therapy. Therapy found me through mountain biking," writes Travis Reill. "The more I rode, the more I processed. And things seemed to get better."
Through his own journey, Travis Reill realized that he wasn’t the only one healing traumas through mountain biking. From veterans readjusting to post-military life, to survivors of sexual abuse, riding has been a proven outlet and therapeutic tool. Mountain biking hits many key points: exercise, time in nature, and passive conversation with other riders, all while being adaptable to the individual rider's needs.
“What begins as a therapeutic tool can often lead to an identity, especially in the case of activities such as mountain biking which have a heavily physical component,” writes Travis Reill. “In other words, someone who participates in regular physical activity can become dependent on that outlet. And if that job ends or the hobby stops, a person can be left searching for a new identity. Some find that new identity in mountain biking.”
In his signature watercolor style, Chris McNally beautifully illustrates the individual and collective moments riders experience as they recover on two wheels, restoring their minds one section of trail at a time.
Freehub readers can now wear McNally’s Inner Revolution artwork as a T-Shirt or hang it on their wall as a Premium Print.
Our Chris McNally x Artist Series artwork serves as a reminder of the impact riding your bike can have on mental health, and is the perfect visual representation of mountain biking's brain-healing power.
