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07 | 07 | 2021

Big Buba enjoys his F-Play 24

A new member has joined the Mondraker family, enjoying the trails and mountains more than ever with his brand new F-Play 24.

Jakub Ovin, also known as Big Buba, is known in his home country of Czech Republic as a media presenter and performer with a great reputation. Rider and content creator, he's a person who first and foremost loves life. Being out in the forest with his bike and his friends is what he values most of all. With all the challenges he faces in his daily life, it's hard to find someone as positive as Big Buba: "My disability, my BIG difference that later became my definition as well...". And that is exactly what Big Buba is. This new member of the Mondraker family enjoys the trails and the mountains more than ever with his new F-Play 24.


1. Can you tell us who is Big Buba?


Hey there, thanks for having me here. Firstly, I’m a passionate biker I would say. Biking is literally all my life, although there were times I haven’t touch bars for couple a months in a row. 


You know, back in the day, I was quite into mountainbiking, mainly freeriding or downhilling. I was running my own DH team here in the Czech, and we were quite significant for few seasons. My role was mainly managing, because ever since I knew it’s not possible for me to compete and try to gor for a times like average riders. 


So I was always finding the ways, how to stay connected to the world of cycling not only by riding my bike. Honestly I don’t remember exactly how it came, but I started to speak and comment DH races and after few seasons hosting tens of events it became my job. 


It’s almost 8 years since my former sponsor got me into the DRIVE TV show on Czech biggest music channel. So I had brilliant times doing interviews with Xgames and Olympian medallist, tallented people from all kinds of sports etc. during the work week and during weekends I usually went to comment XC, DH or other gravity disciplines somewhere in the mountains. And I also held few big dirtjump events like „Buba Invitational“ and „DRIVE tour“.


Although all these activities made me being into bikes, but at the same time they tore me apart from my personal riding. 


2. Where does Big Buba's name come from?


 Short story long – Buba nickname gave me my friends in elementary school. But few years later I wanted to buy buba.cz internet domain, but it was already booked. So friend of mine burst out “Dude, just add BIG in front of Buba” – it will be funny. And I think that after all these years it still made people smile – I like it! 


3. How did you discover the MTB? Was it difficult for you to find the one which suited to your expectations?


 It was year 2000 and I did know nothing about bikes. But I bought Dave Mirra Pro Freestyle BMX game for my Playstation. And that was a big boom. Few months later parents bought me my first “jumping bike” – it was 20” steel and pretty heavy freestyle bike. 


Anyway, I’m from Děčín, small town near the german borders up north of the Czech. We got beautiful nature and hills there. Back in the time there were nothing like Freestyle BMX scene, but I saw guys on downhill bikes like everywhere…so it didn’t take so long and I built my firt hardtail „downhill“ bike. It was crazy, because I rebuilt some kids bike, add disc brakes on it, and I had a proper mullet, because we thought it could be good to have 24“ wheel in front and 20“ wheel in rear, to keep it low…crazy times. But still, I even didn’t dream of having a full suspension bike, because I’m 135cm tall. I had no choices among full suspension bikes from this time period…

4. Which MTB discipline do you practice?


 Hmmm, hard to say. We used to pedal all around the hills in our home town and called it freeriding, but these days it’s called enduro  …I would call it: “I like to ride down the hill!” But thank to you guys, I’m the new wave of E-biker, because Mondraker armed me with absolutely stunning F-Play 24 bike!   I just love E-biking since now!



5. Does your job allow you to ride or it´s difficult for you to find free time?


 As I mentioned in previous paragraph it was and still is a big battle. But Corona times shut down a lot of events which created free weekends for me and I’m pretty grateful for that. I realized I want to spend much more time on my bike again and create projects which are closely connected to this community. 



6. Would you like to participate in any races or would you like just ride and enjoy it?


No races for me. Maybe again just like a speaker. From this side racing world fit’s me a little better. I want to focus on my riding, and keeping my body fit and prepared for some big adventures. You know, I got congenital hips problems, they’re like ready to replace. I do my best to postpone surgeries as much, as I can!


So I’m very dedicated to physioterapy trainings few times a week, a little bit of weight lifting and also pedaling of course. I’m extra pumped about my new E-bike, because after few trainings on it, I already know, that it’s gonna be SO BIG AND SO FAST help. 


Now I don’t need to bother if I get back from riding with over-trained hip muscles which could eliminate me for the rest of the week, I just switch on motor when it’s needed and get back home without senseless training pressure. 


Same as everyone who ever tried to get better in pull-ups knows, that the progress is much easier and faster with supporting rubber bands, I already know that E-bike means the same effective support not only for people with disabilities like me. E-Bike is not anymore for retiree and lazy people, guys!

7. What would be your perfect bike?


 I was used to ride 20” wheels on my signature carbon freeride bike. But with Mondraker I choose to try 24” sets, and I think that after few tunes we’re nearly there – perfect bike J


8. What can you tell us about the Mondraker F-Play 24?


 My freeride bike was super cool. Friend of mine made it for me from carbon fibres, and we designed it let’s say – to fulfil my needs. But it’s hard to make functional full suspension bike on 20” wheels with 150mm of rear travel. So it’s kinda hybrid. But I tried 24”inch on my former XC bike. So I knew I can ride them, but I wasn’t sure if I can ride them in terrain down the hill.


F-Play 24 showed me, that I can! It’s not the average kids bike with motor. The geometry, the components, everything is like by adults bike, it’s only made a bit smaller. I usually weight about 53 kilogrammes, so believe me, average kids bikes are not built to work out under this. And I’m super glad that F-Play 24 is with no doubts full performance „big bike“ for me. 

9. What is your relation with Richard Gasperotti (Gaspi)?

We known each other for years. Maybe I know him a little bit longer from magazines. You know, he’s a RB Rampage legend and I think that every biker in the Czech or Slovak knows him. 


So back in the day we did some riding shows together – Simple Show – pretty funny riding northshore bridges from big camper van - kind of FlowShow concept, which Gaspi brought from Canada. 


Anyway, I’m super glad, that I can call this legend friend of mine after so many years and I keep quite deep respect to him, not only for being a superb mountainbiker, but mainly for being one of the most down to earth person I know!


We’re just about to start our common project – K!LL H!LL. We want to make on-line platform, events and also great community for ebikers, because we believe, this is gonna be so BIG DEAL! 


Thanks for all, Mondraker! I’m really proud, that I’m part of the factory. And also thanks all readers who came across all these words in this speedy world.

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