Across the internet, you can find an endless array of photos and videos detailing people living the #vanlife. But a few weeks ago, we came across one video that really blew our minds: It was of German pro mountain biker Robert Heran, and his beloved Volkswagen Syncro van that he had modified to include a massive, portable kicker he had built by hand.
The video is part of a series called “The Synchronicles” that follows Heran around as he pursues his mountain biking passion while living out of his van. To get the lowdown on how he built the ramp, and how he manages his career as a pro mountain biker out of his Syncro, we got Heran on the phone to ask a few questions. How did you get the idea to build this mobile ramp? I actually came up with the idea when I was 17. I’ve been living out of a van for a while now, and as a professional bike athlete, anytime I travel through places I’m always looking at landscapes and imagining “that could be a landing” or “that could be a rideable line” and sometimes all that’s missing is a ramp. And so, I started to think, “If I had a ramp, I could set up wherever there’s a natural landing.” You know, it’s not like building a course where you need permits and machinery. Having a ramp I can hit wall rides, I can play with whatever nature is offering, so I went for it.
Heran’s van is all about utility. Photo: Courtesy of Sebastian Doerk How long have you been living the vanlife? This is my third van of its kind, and I bought my first one back in 2002. The first two Syncros I owned only had rear wheel drive, but this new one has four-wheel-drive, so it can access way more terrain. When I originally purchased this van, it was just an empty transporter van. And for the first two months I owned it I just put in a foldable bed and a proper floor, but kept it very basic. But once that was done, I started really refurbishing it because the body had some rust and the engine was a bit messed up. That took me two years or so.
With his roof tent, Heran can fit as many as five people and five bikes in his van. Photo: Courtesy of Sebastian Doerk Mountain biking gear takes up a good amount of space, how do you manage it living in a van? The best aspect of my van is that my interior design is made without fixed trunks, so everything in the van is flexible. I can move my kitchen table, I can move my bed, I can move some of the boxes I have inside. So I’ve actually gotten it so that I can fit up to four bikes inside and still be able to fold out my bed and sleep on it. But obviously, mountain biking is more fun with friends, so I also installed rear racks that can fit three bikes and I built a custom roof tent that can sleep two or three people. So, with the bed and the roof tent combined, I can sleep with five people in the van and carry five bikes.
If you want something done right, do it yourself. In Heran’s case, that meant building the ramp by hand. Photo: Courtesy of Sebastian Doerk How exactly did you build the ramp? When I was thinking of how to make the ramp, I wanted to figure out how it could work with the rest of the van. And what I decided on was using the ramp as a roof deck of sorts for the rest of the van. So with modern roof racks, there are multiple attachment points that make it super stable. And I decided to build it myself. The transitions are made out of 50 millimeter by 50 millimeter stainless steel pipes and the plates are 12 sandboards. Honestly, my favorite part of it all is the fact that the van is part of the jump. It uses the van for support and its super stable. The first time I took it out to test, some people thought it was a bit of a risk, but I was sure it would work. But I brought it out to Morocco in February and it worked like a charm.
Since his newest Syncro has four-wheel drive, Heran can access basically any terrain he wants. Photo: Courtesy of Sebastian Doerk What are your next plans for the van? I’m going to ship the van out to the United States in July and just travel around all the best spots in North America finding places to set up the ramp. I’m going to hit British Columbia, Utah and California, and just ride as much as possible. After that, I’m hoping to continue down into South America.
Who doesn’t want to hang out in a hammock off the side of a Volkswagen van?Photo: Courtesy of Sebastian Doerk Any advice for people interested in getting into vanlife? Just do it. Don’t think too long about it, get yourself a super cheap van and just make it work. My first van I bought for only $1000 and outfitted the interior for another $225 with a simple bed and some wooden pallets. I gave up my flat I lived in and moved into the van. It was the best time of my life. Read more about vanlife from ASN
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Across the internet, you can find an endless array of photos and videos detailing people living the #vanlife. But a few weeks ago, we came across one video that really blew our minds: It was of German pro mountain biker Robert Heran, and his beloved Volkswagen Syncro van that he had modified to include a massive, portable kicker he had built by hand.
The video is part of a series called “The Synchronicles” that follows Heran around as he pursues his mountain biking passion while living out of his van. To get the lowdown on how he built the ramp, and how he manages his career as a pro mountain biker out of his Syncro, we got Heran on the phone to ask a few questions.
How did you get the idea to build this mobile ramp?
I actually came up with the idea when I was 17. I’ve been living out of a van for a while now, and as a professional bike athlete, anytime I travel through places I’m always looking at landscapes and imagining “that could be a landing” or “that could be a rideable line” and sometimes all that’s missing is a ramp.
And so, I started to think, “If I had a ramp, I could set up wherever there’s a natural landing.” You know, it’s not like building a course where you need permits and machinery. Having a ramp I can hit wall rides, I can play with whatever nature is offering, so I went for it.
How long have you been living the vanlife?
This is my third van of its kind, and I bought my first one back in 2002. The first two Syncros I owned only had rear wheel drive, but this new one has four-wheel-drive, so it can access way more terrain.
When I originally purchased this van, it was just an empty transporter van. And for the first two months I owned it I just put in a foldable bed and a proper floor, but kept it very basic. But once that was done, I started really refurbishing it because the body had some rust and the engine was a bit messed up. That took me two years or so.
Mountain biking gear takes up a good amount of space, how do you manage it living in a van?
The best aspect of my van is that my interior design is made without fixed trunks, so everything in the van is flexible. I can move my kitchen table, I can move my bed, I can move some of the boxes I have inside. So I’ve actually gotten it so that I can fit up to four bikes inside and still be able to fold out my bed and sleep on it.
But obviously, mountain biking is more fun with friends, so I also installed rear racks that can fit three bikes and I built a custom roof tent that can sleep two or three people. So, with the bed and the roof tent combined, I can sleep with five people in the van and carry five bikes.
How exactly did you build the ramp?
When I was thinking of how to make the ramp, I wanted to figure out how it could work with the rest of the van. And what I decided on was using the ramp as a roof deck of sorts for the rest of the van.
So with modern roof racks, there are multiple attachment points that make it super stable. And I decided to build it myself. The transitions are made out of 50 millimeter by 50 millimeter stainless steel pipes and the plates are 12 sandboards.
Honestly, my favorite part of it all is the fact that the van is part of the jump. It uses the van for support and its super stable. The first time I took it out to test, some people thought it was a bit of a risk, but I was sure it would work. But I brought it out to Morocco in February and it worked like a charm.
What are your next plans for the van?
I’m going to ship the van out to the United States in July and just travel around all the best spots in North America finding places to set up the ramp. I’m going to hit British Columbia, Utah and California, and just ride as much as possible.
After that, I’m hoping to continue down into South America.
Any advice for people interested in getting into vanlife?
Just do it. Don’t think too long about it, get yourself a super cheap van and just make it work.
My first van I bought for only $1000 and outfitted the interior for another $225 with a simple bed and some wooden pallets. I gave up my flat I lived in and moved into the van. It was the best time of my life.
Read more about vanlife from ASN
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
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