URBEX, cycling as urban exploration

New generations of riders are changing cities, MET tells us how

Reinventing urban exploration. Boundless spaces of the metropolis, abandoned industrial amphitheatres, unknown suburbs… That’s where the real beating heart of big cities is: in the working-class buildings of the Milan hinterland, in the London suburbs, in the farthest districts of the Eternal City. Buildings often seemingly anonymous, devoid of history, sons of a bizarre building plan stipulated to quickly solve the housing crisis. Emblematic, ghostly places that are able to attract an increasing number of visitors fascinated by the majesty of these concrete giants.

Exploring these neighborhoods means having to deal with the suffocating city congestion, to defeat it. That’s why you need a more practical and lighter means of transport, capable of zigzagging between cars: in other words, you need a bicycle. MET Helmets, one of the world’s most famous helmet manufacturers, has followed French DJ Matéo Montero on his urban explorations in a project called Urbex.

“My bike is the king,” Montero says proudly, a testament to the incredible efficiency of the two wheels in the urban jungle. For this former cyclist, the bike is much more than a means of transportation. It’s a bridge capable to bring different cultures and personalities together. It’s almost unconditional freedom of movement. It’s the only way to get out of the downtown traffic jam and reduce your environmental impact.

After having already collaborated with MET Helmets, Achille Mauri and Stefano Steno were contacted to realize the audiovisual project of URBEX MIPS. Their ability to capture the authenticity and essence of every corner of Rome is definitely out of the ordinary: thanks to a particularly effective and captivating storytelling, the project directed by Mauri is able to gather all the nuances of urban exploration in just three minutes.

The Terrazza del Pincio, some abandoned suburban buildings. Sampietrini, neglected asphalt or new spaces still under construction. The scenic nuances of urban exploration are potentially endless, just like the challenges or difficulties one may encounter during the journey. Between iconic monuments and abandoned buildings, a new generation of explorers is ready to conquer our cities.