SEARCH & RIDE – RIGLOS: The Mountain That Took My Bike
SEARCH & RIDE – RIGLOS – EPISODE 1. The Mountain That Took My BikeThere are places that stay etched into your skin. Places you don’t just visit — you live them. Riglos is one of those places. Located about 45 kilometers from Huesca, in the heart of the Aragonese Pre-Pyrenees, this tiny village of barely 60 inhabitants sits at the foot of one of Spain’s most spectacular natural monuments: the Mallos de Riglos.
From afar, they look like a fortress from another world — colossal red conglomerate towers, some rising over 300 meters, sculpted over millions of years by wind, rain, and time.
For climbers, this is sacred ground. Since the mid-20th century, the Mallos have been the stage for legendary ascents: the first climbs of Mallo Pisón, El Fire, or La Visera marked a golden era of Spanish alpinism. To climb here is not just a sport — it’s a rite of passage.
When I parked my van at the base of the Mallos, I knew I was standing before something far greater than myself. The cliffs, glowing red in the sunrise, cast long shadows over the stone houses of the village, while griffon vultures circled above like ancient sentinels. In fact, Riglos is home to one of Europe’s largest and most active griffon vulture colonies. Hundreds of birds nest on the ledges of these massive walls, taking advantage of the warm updrafts that rise from the Gállego Valley. Their flight is silent and majestic — at times, it feels as if time itself stands still. They became my companions throughout the adventure, winged guardians observing every move I made.
SEARCH & RIDE – RIGLOS (The plan)
The plan was simple — at least on paper: to film the first episode of my new series “Search & Ride”, climbing the Cubilillo os Fils via ferrata — also known as the Vulture Viewpoint — and then descending by mountain bike through the labyrinth of rock below. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from a lifetime of riding mountains, it’s that the mountain always has the final word.
Dawn in Riglos is a spectacle no filter can improve. The golden light washes over the cliffs, the air smells of rosemary and thyme, and the Gállego River, winding at the foot of the village, provides the soundtrack. I strapped my bike to my back and began the climb up the via ferrata — one of the most exposed and exhilarating routes in Aragón. Iron rungs, steel cables, and that constant feeling of floating over the void. With every step, the village grew smaller and the horizon larger.
The experience was as harsh as it was magical… until fate decided to intervene. A snag against a rock broke the attachment, and my bike — my inseparable companion through countless adventures — plunged into the void. I watched it fall in slow motion, bouncing off the wall before disappearing into the brush below. Silence followed. The mountain had taken my bike.
That could have been the end. I could have turned back, defeated. But Search & Ride isn’t about giving up. It’s about searching, insisting, and returning where no one else would. So I descended in “emergency mode” — without a chain, with bent parts, and a rear wheel slowly losing air. That night, back home, I couldn’t stop replaying the day in my head. I thought, “This can’t end like this.” So the next morning, I returned — new bike, sore muscles, and pride intact. The sun was once again setting the Mallos ablaze, and the vultures were there, as if waiting to witness the second half of the story.
The descent was a rush of adrenaline and reverence. Riding between the Mallos feels like gliding through the Earth’s own heartbeat. Narrow trails, loose rock, cliffs just a handlebar’s width away… every meter demands focus and humility. But there’s beauty in that tension: the song of birds, the warm wind rising from the valley, the shadows that shift color as the day advances. From the top, the Gállego River glistens like a ribbon of silver, and the village of Riglos looks like a tiny model town lost among giants.
As I descended, I couldn’t help thinking about the history embedded in these stones. Here, pioneers of Spanish alpinism like Rabadá and Navarro wrote heroic chapters in the 1950s and ’60s, opening impossible routes with primitive gear and unshakable courage. Today, those same walls still attract climbers from all over the world, photographers, dreamers — and now, a cyclist who decided to defy gravity with a bike on his back.
When I finally reached the valley floor, exhausted and covered in dust, I realized that what I had experienced went far beyond a sporting adventure. It was a lesson. Riglos wasn’t just a backdrop — it was a teacher. It taught me that in the mountains — as in life — sometimes you have to let go in order to keep moving forward.
And that’s how Search & Ride was born: a journey with no maps, no script, where every pedal stroke is a question and every mountain, an answer. A project that seeks out the wildest trails, the most remote landscapes, and the most human stories hidden behind every path.
Riglos was only the beginning. But what a brutal, unforgettable way to start.
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ABOUT DAVID CACHÓN:
David Cachón is a professional mountain biker, two-time Trials World Champion, and Guinness World Record holder. Known for his creative riding, bold adventures, and cinematic storytelling, David transforms every journey into a visual experience that blends adrenaline, humor, and authenticity.
With projects featured by Red Bull, National Geographic, and top cycling media worldwide, he continues to push the limits of what’s possible — always with a bike, a camera, and a smile.
ABOUT SEARCH & RIDE:
Search & Ride is a wild adventure project led by professional rider David Cachón, where every journey becomes a story of exploration, courage, and pure mountain passion.
From remote trails to legendary landscapes, each episode dives into the heart of Spain (and beyond) in search of the most epic routes for mountain bike, gravel, and e-bike. More than just a series — it’s a philosophy: to explore, to ride, and to live the adventure to the fullest.
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Text & riding: David Cachon
Photography: Mito Echevarria
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