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21 | 09 | 2023

BIG BUBA: MONDRAKER F-PLAY 24 KEEPS ME IN THE GAME

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BIG BUBA

If someone mentioned Jakub Ouvín in a conversation you probably wouldn’t know who they were talking about, but if they said “Big Buba” we’re sure that name would ring a bell. The popular Czech presenter, actor, content creator and video editor has been a part of the Mondraker family for a couple of years now and shreds an F-Play 24 like no other. Jakub knows more than most about overcoming challenges and not letting them get in his way, and as it’s been a while since we last had a chat, we thought it was about time to catch up and find out what he’s been up to and how things are going with his riding, and his F-Play 24. 

HI BB, YOU'VE BEEN RIDING THE MONDRAKER E-BIKE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. HOW DID YOU BOND WITH IT?


Hey everyone! I must say, perfectly. Before I got the Mondraker I hadn't ridden nearly as much. Firstly, my health was limiting me a bit, and secondly, my previous full-suspension bike was a pure freeride ride, not an enduro bike designed for longer rides. With the help of the motor I can even use the bike for work now. I can just pack my relatively heavy video gear in a backpack and head out to wherever I need to be. That was unthinkable before.


SO, DO YOU MAINLY USE THE F-PLAY 24 FOR WORK?


Not exactly. Of course, when I'm shooting and filming in the forests or mountains I take it with me. I also ride it to meetings occasionally, but primarily I try to ride it like an enduro bike and enjoy all the places and the mileage that just wasn't possible before.


SOMETIMES, HATERS CLAIM THAT E-BIKES ARE FOR RETIREES. DO THESE DIE-HARD BIKERS ALSO MAKE FUN OF YOU OCCASIONALLY?

Oh yes, you know how it goes, some people have these opinions and they tease you, but that's only because they haven't tried an E-bike yet. Everyone thinks that an E-bike only makes things easier, which is true to some extent, but, you see, on a regular bike without a motor when you can't keep going you just stop. On an E-bike you don’t, you keep going, so in the end you don't rest as much and you cover a lot more ground. If you want to enjoy technical riding in the forest you can, comfortably, and the bike lets you, but if you want to push yourself you can. It can work like the strictest of trainers and totally exhausts you if that’s what you want.

YOU MENTIONED HEALTH ISSUES. IT'S PROBABLY NOT IDEAL TO CONTINUE PUSHING YOURSELF ON MOUNTAIN BIKES AND TRAILS, RIGHT?


Well, that's debatable. Probably here on this website I don't need to explain to MTB fans how a love for bike works. I've been riding MTB since I was 12, and I'm 34 now and I’m still loving it and not planning to stop. That said, the E-bike really helped me a lot in getting back out there. I combine riding an electric bike with appropriate physiotherapeutic training, and it's a powerful combination that works! Four years ago  thought I'd have to get both hip joints replaced. And now? I train and ride almost like before. So, thanks to Mondraker and Fyzio Gym Cooper, I’m back in the game and this is still just the beginning.


WHO DID YOU FILM THE EDIT WITH? IT LOOKS COOL!

I put the edit together with my longtime friend Adam Kovář. I wanted the edit to be filmed with a top-notch camera because I work in audiovisual production and do some filming myself. Adam shoots with a RED film camera and he's studying camera production at the best Czech film school… So, there was no other choice really! I just wanted an overall great video to remember things by! I want to thank my friends from the Deaf Heart band too, for letting me use their awesome rock 'n' roll song for this video edit. I'm thrilled!

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR YOU IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS?

I have a super cool project with Richard Gasperotti and Míla Štáfek coming up, and I'll be filming it with a colleague from my audiovisual company. I'm really looking forward to editing that video. It's going to be old school crazy, and I think Mondraker fans will see it soon thanks to Gaspi. Other than that, I have lots of filming in front of and behind the camera lined up. You see I sometimes take on the role of an actor too. So, at the beginning of next year we'll be shooting a four-episode series for a nationwide TV station here in the Czech Republic in which I'm acting. And there are also two big films on the horizon. We're about to launch hosting courses that I lead, and we're also preparing a sports podcast with Jiří Ježek, who’s the world's most successful Paralympic road cyclist (6 Paralympic medals and 6 World Cup medals). Even though both of us come from the world of cycling, our sports podcast won't revolve only around bikes - but I can't reveal anything more about that just yet!

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