Social media star "nrml mtber": Is this the most abnormal mountain biker ever?
Rasoulution
· 07.11.2025
Interview: Rachel Pechholz
It has long been known that the best mountain bikers in the world meet at the Nines in the Bike Republic Sölden. But among all the top athletes, a completely different character emerged this year: Sebastian Bauer.
Sebastian is a former construction worker from California who started producing mountain bike videos in 2020. At 1.93 metres tall and weighing around 150 kg, he stands out from the typical mountain bike community. His content combines riding technique, comedy and lifestyle and is particularly appealing to amateur bikers.
Interview with Sebastian Bauer, MTB influencer
BIKE: Sebastian, who are you actually - and what do you do?
SEBASTIAN BAUER: I'm Sebastian Bauer, an American mountain biker - but I'm certainly not average. (laughs) When I say "normal", I actually mean completely abnormal! I make a lot of comedy videos about mountain biking on social media - on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
What brought you to Sölden?
The Nines team invited us, and I've actually never been here before. I've already been to Austria and Germany, but this valley really blew me away: The mountains, the landscape, the people - simply brilliant! The community here is so welcoming, you can really feel the solidarity.
I come from the USA, where everything is huge and far apart - here everything is more compact and intense. I really wanted to experience this atmosphere.
And how do you like the bike park in the Bike Republic Sölden?
Mega! We had a full week with lots of appointments, but of course I also rode myself. Sam Pilgrim guided us through the park, the weather was perfect and the lines were incredible. There's a line here - unfortunately I can't remember what it's called - that had everything: perfect berms, perfect flow, great wooden features.
There are good trails here in the USA, sure - but this alpine style, this perfect, grippy ground and such well thought-out routes? That's really something special.
How did it all start for you?
I've actually been riding for as long as I can remember. As kids, we started with small plastic ramps in the garden - and the jumps got bigger and bigger. Then came BMX, skate parks, tricks, all sorts of things. But I really got hooked when I was in Whistler with my parents. We walked through the village, I saw the bikers flying over the jumps - and I knew: I want to do that too! I asked my parents to lend me a bike - and my first time mountain biking was right in the Whistler Bike Park. I've been hooked ever since.
What type of driver are you today?
I actually ride everything, but my heart beats for jumps and flow trails. I love those flowy lines in the bike park where you can just get into the rhythm. I also have an e-bike for touring and trails, but my sweet spot is built jump trails - that's where I feel at home.
You used to race, didn't you?
Yes, I rode downhill and cross-country races, especially when I was at school. Back then, we even had our own school team with 30 to 40 riders and travelled around the country.
Today, however, I only ride for fun. I love events, I love watching them - but being in race mode myself, that chapter is closed. I'm 29 - not old yet, but old enough to prefer fun to stress. (laughs)
Today you are known as a content creator. How did that come about?
That was actually a coincidence. I had a normal job during the corona period in 2020, but we were sitting at home because of the lockdown. My brother and I thought: "Let's make some funny videos and put them online."
I already had a bit of experience because I used to film at races, so at least we knew how to hold a camera. In the beginning it was all very improvised - nobody really knows what they're doing at first. (laughs)
And then at some point we had a video that went viral: I let the air out of my bike's suspension and rode it - it looked like the suspension was completely pushed through. The thing exploded online! That's when we knew: Comedy and mountain biking work together - and from then on, things really took off.
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Has that been your job ever since?
Yes, actually. With a bit of luck - and a lot of work - we were able to turn the whole thing into a profession. Today we are travelling the USA and the world, producing content and making a living from it.
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What does your team look like?
We are a small, well-coordinated trio: me, my brother Andreas - who is usually on site - and our friend Matthew, who takes care of the entire backend and organisation in the USA.
We are now a real small company, with all the trimmings. When we're not on the trail, we're sitting in the office planning the next project.
And finally: What makes you an "NRML MTBer"?
I think I just see the whole thing with a sense of humour. For me, mountain biking is not just a sport, but fun, creativity, a bit of chaos - and a good dose of self-irony. I'm not the fastest, I'm not the best, but I'm definitely the most abnormal. (laughs)
