Bicycle Dreams DVD
SKU: MOVDVD001
“An astonishing documentary. Bicycle Dreams is a ride of many stark contrasts; when it ended I felt both shattered and triumphant. I realized I was experiencing its genius.” (Pez Cycling).
“This is a brilliant story of pain, strength, tears, and glory. I imagine every cyclist who has seen this movie has ridden a little bit further or harder ever since. Bicycle Dreams is an incredibly inspirational movie.” (Bike Rumor)
“This film will put a new perspective on your own riding and the reasons you ride. I highly recommend you get a copy of Bicycle Dreams and place it within easy reach of your indoor trainer to be pulled out whenever you need a mega dose of inspiration.” (The Veloist)
Winner of 17 Film Festival Awards, Bicycle Dreams is one of the most celebrated cycling films of all time. Also available for Digital Download.
$19.99
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Product Description
BICYCLE DREAMS is one of the most celebrated cycling films of all time. Winner of 17 Film Festivals (Best Documentary at Grand Rapids Film Festival, Las Vegas Film Festival, Yosemite Film Festival, Red Rock Film Festival, Moscow Film Festival, Lake Arrowhead Film Festival, Breckenridge Film Festival, Los Angeles Sports Film Festival, and many more.) BICYCLE DREAMS is the powerful true story of the Race Across America, a 3000-mile bicycle race that challenges riders to cross the country in just ten days. Reviews have been magnificent: “An astonishing documentary. Bicycle Dreams is a ride of many stark contrasts; when it ended I felt both shattered and triumphant. I realized I was experiencing its genius.” (Pez Cycling). “I imagine every cyclist who has seen this movie has ridden a little bit further or harder ever since.” (Bike Rumor) “Bicycle Dreams captures the human condition like few other films. This movie is not for those who want to shy away from the tragic side of human experience. Bicycle Dreams moves us to break through the barrier of the fear of death. I have seldom found a film that captures this ‘life drama’ as powerfully as does Bicycle Dreams.” (Cycling Review) ” This is a movie about conquering the status quo. It was a kick in the gut. By the end of the movie, I felt drained. Trampled. Ridden over. Spit out. This is not a movie about bikes. It’s about ambition, and the fear most people have of it.”(Drunk Cyclist)
Select Reviews
“If you’ve ever dreamt of challenging yourself and/or pushing yourself to a place far beyond what you previously thought possible, Bicycle Dreams is a film you must see. It’s beautiful, thought provoking, exciting, emotional, and scary. And like the riders who take part in this race, the experience of watching the film will leave you with a new perspective on life that will most certain remain with you for a very long time to come.”
– Bicycle Touring Pro
“This is a truly gripping film, with more drama in 8 days than an entire Tour De France. Bicycle Dreams is riveting, possibly because it’s less about bikes and more about people. It’s a dramatic saga with bikes simply and literally being the vehicles for hope, pain, disillusionment, despair, happiness, and as the title suggests, dreams. It’s an impressive and deeply inspirational film.”
– road.cc
“Bicycle Dreams is a heartfelt and intriguing look into the incredible physical, mental and spiritual demands that the most grueling sporting event in the world delivers by the truck load. From start to finish this film gets it grip on you and does not let go.”
– www.bicycle.net
“You know a DVD is good when you immediately hit “play” as soon as the end credits are rolling. That’s exactly what I did with Bicycle Dreams. The footage and editing are brilliant, providing a unique view into the minds and souls of those crazy enough to try and ride 3,000 miles across the US in 12 days. I think it’s interesting to any athlete, but for endurance athletes this movie is a “must see”. I’ve watched it three times now, and it just keeps getting better.”
– runtrails.blogspot.com
“They ride while sobbing. They hallucinate. Beyond the usual definition of exhaustion, they attempt to sleep, and fail. Then they get back on their bikes—often with assistance because their bodies are so trashed—and keep riding. It doesn’t make sense. But it makes for a great film.”
– alaskabikeblog.blogspot.com
“Stephen Auerbach was kind enough to send me a copy of his movie “Bicycle Dreams.” What I did not realize is just what a wonderful gift it would be. His film is a captivating story of the human experience. It was literally an emotional roller-coaster ride for me. I would easily put this movie on the same level as “The Flying Scotsman” or “American Flyers.” Do yourself a favor and see this Movie.”
– hughsbicycle.blogspot.com
“Capturing emotional and physical breakdowns, personal triumphs and ultimate tragedy, Auerbach portrays these athletes wonderfully. Do they have to be a little crazy to compete in the RAAM? Probably. But they also have to be admired. “Bicycle Dreams” is a great film that captures the heart of this odyssey.”
– www.bicyclepaper.com
“Good cycling movies are hard to come by. Bicycle Dreams is as good as it gets, and it’s about a lot more than cycling, which is what sets it apart.”
– jimlangley.blogspot.com
“I’ve been a cyclist for years and have never found a cycling related film that I found engrossing. I watch the Tour de France but completely understand why the majority of people think it’s boring. “Bicycle Dreams”, on the other hand, is something I think every athlete, and everyone looking for athletic inspiration, should watch. By the end of the movie you feel close to the riders, inspired to push yourself, and if nothing else, sheer awe at the physical strength and mental determination of these riders.”
– www.wickedphilanthropy.org
“The movie, which some might suggest would be more appropriately named “Bicycle Nightmares,” is an amazing study in energy management. The competitors tap every energy source: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. It is both brutally inspirational and startlingly instructive. On one hand, it makes the challenges that we mere mortals face seem almost trivial by comparison. On the other hand, as we watch the competitors barter their sanity, money, health and even lives for an insignificant prize, it forces us to ask ourselves the same question the producers repeatedly ask the racers: Why?”
– blog.growth5.com
“How much drama can you extract from a lone cyclist pedaling an empty road beneath a huge sky? Plenty. This 105-minute DVD about the 2005 RAAM offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of ultra-marathon cycling. It’s painful — yet weirdly inspiring — to watch the riders gradually break down as the miles mount. They hallucinate. They weep. They bicker with their crew. They collapse. But they keep going. It’s about challenging your limits, one says. It’s a spiritual journey, explains another. It’s ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things, adds a third.As one commentator says, “There’s no way these people are normal.” And this is no ordinary cycling movie.”
– www.roadbikerider.com
“Stephen Auerbach has captured the very heart of the race, resisting the desire to make just another documentary: there’s not a chance this could be split into episodes and shown on the Discovery Channel over the course of a few weeks – it’s far too engrossing for that. Generally, reviewing movies involves having pen and paper sitting nearby to make notes; I was too involved to write anything. I can’t say that I understand why anyone would actually want to put themselves through such purgatory on a bicycle, but on the other hand, maybe I do. It’s a very strange world out there, and Lance Armstrong may be right: sometimes it really isn’t about the bike.”
– www.thewashingmachinepost.net
“I can’t say enough about this excellent documentary about the Race Across America (RAAM), Bicycle Dreams. The documentary chronicles several racers experiencing both the ups and downs of racing this majestic race, while simultaneously making profound personal discoveries along the way. Again, I can’t help but praise this film as it elegantly documents cycling and its intersection with human drama Do watch it.”
– ilcyclingissimo.blogspot.com
“This film will put a new perspective on your own riding and the reasons you ride. I highly recommend you get a copy of this DVD and place it within easy reach of your indoor trainer. It belongs in your video library to be pulled out whenever you need a healthy dose of inspiration. Thank you Mr. Auerbach for your passion and commitment to telling the stories that inspire us all.”
– www.veloist.com
“Bicycle Dreams, a documentary about the RAAM (Race Across America), is a heck of a film. There are things in this movie that reward you for watching it, then watching it again later. This is a brilliant story of pain, strength, tears, and glory. As a viewer of the movie from the comfort of a couch, I found myself thinking many times, “is this real?” Amazing! I imagine every cyclist who has seen this movie has ridden a little bit further or harder ever since. Bicycle Dreams is an incredibly inspirational movie.”
– www.bikerumor.com
WINNER OF THE FOLLOWING FILM FESTIVALS
Winner of the following Film Festivals:
Best Documentary Grand Rapids Film Festival
Best Documentary Las Vegas Film Festival
Best Documentary Lake Arrowhead Film Festival
Best Documentary Red Rock Film Festival
Best Documentary Breckenridge Film Festival
Best Documentary Los Angeles Sports Film Festival
Best Documentary Solstice Film Festival (Minnesota)
Best Sports Documentary Tiburon Film Festival
Best Foreign Film Moscow Film Festival
Best Director Yosemite Film Festival
Royal Reel Award – Canada International Film Festival
Best Editing Solstice Film Festival (Minnesota)
Best Soundtrack Solstice Film Festival (Minnesota)
Audience Award Findlay Film Festival Ohio
Audience Award Breckenridge Film Festival (Colorado)
Drunk Cyclist (Blogger @drunkcyclist.com) – :
I GOT RAAM’ED!
The other night I was hanging out at the ol’ Dude N’ Hug watching Vancouver get the snot slapped out of ‘em by perhaps my least favorite hockey team in the NHL, when in walked the great and noble Gnome.
We bullshitted for a bit as the Bruins fans (over)celebrated their victory, and got to talkin’ about a fine film showing at the Orpheum called “Bicycle Dreams.” The movie is a documentary about the Race Across America, which rolls through Flagstaff every year with barely a bat of the eye from ol’ D2. Then I heard tickets were a steep $15, and I said no thank you. As Gnome is apt to do, however, he got the hook-up, and free tickets were had.
Gnome had to bail, so I watched the film alone (well, not true: you’re never alone in Flagstaff…). As I walked into the theater, I half thought that if it sucked, I’d finish my tallboy PBR and head the hell home, slightly drunk and happy.
I didn’t leave early.
It was a damn good film.
Here’s the thing.
This movie got me at the right moment. Shit, I was getting emotional within the first two minutes of the movie. This is less a movie about bicycles and more a movie about conquering the status quo. It was a kick in the gut. As I watched, I thought not about spinning wheels and saddle sores and tired 24 hour races, not about hallucinations and Hammer Gel, but instead about my wife. About my family and my dog. About my job, my clothes, my guitars, my body, my hair, my fingernails. About Flagstaff, about Denver, about Orono, Maine and Waterbury, Connecticut.
Bikes did not enter the conversation going on in my head because this movie is barely about bikes.
I don’t want to tell you about this movie because I can’t tell you what it’s about. Guys riding bikes, sure. It’s another fucking bunch of athletes talking about how hard the race is, how it feels to just finish, blah blah fucking blah. You can’t watch this with that mind. Look deeper. Look for you in the film, because you’re there. I can’t tell you where you’ll be, but you’ll be there. Maybe watching. Maybe riding. Maybe working the counter at a gas station in Missouri. It’s scary, but you’re there.
I had just finished up a ride during which I demo’ed a Giant Anthem 29er, or as I like to call it, the FUCKING BOMB that made me want to sell my Gunnar, and my legs felt good. My head felt clear, my gullet ready for a beer.
By the end of the movie, I felt drained. Trampled. Ridden over. Spit out.
This is not a movie about bikes.
It’s about motivation. About self-confidence. About ambition, and the fear most people have of it. But you have to look beyond the wheels, the helmets, the lycra and the energy drinks. Like so many other moments on the bike, you have to be smart enough to realize it’s rarely about bicycles.
Anyway, enough babbling. I recommend the hell out of this movie, even for those folks who won’t see beyond the wheels, because it’s fun to watch them spin anyway. Go in with an analytical mind and you’ll take a lot from it, I promise.
Stephen A. Churchill – :
I thought I was prepared for the material in this film. I mean I’ve been reading about the RAAM since it’s inception and I knew it was basically a masochistic exercise in sleep deprivation and exhaustion. But the director makes you intimately involved with the players. Not just the riders and the systematic demolition of their physical and mental abilities but the enormous effort of the support staff for these riders and the emotional battering they go through to keep the riders on the road. I almost quit watching at the shocker halfway through the film because it hit me in hard the pit of the gut. But you keep watching, in hope and morbid facination to see what happens next. The director doesn’t always show you what is happening but you know, even more acutely, because he shows you how it affects the players in the film. By the end you are as exhausted as the teams who finish and you feel the same endorphin high tempered with I’m-glad-it’s-over-but man-what-a journey!
This is a first class film and will be of interest to cyclists, extreme athletes of any sport, students of the human psyche, and those who would like to personally see where the limits of human endurance are found.
runtrailsblogspot.com – :
“You know a DVD is good when you immediately hit “play” as soon as the end credits are rolling. That’s exactly what I did with Bicycle Dreams. The footage and editing are brilliant, providing a unique view into the minds and souls of those crazy enough to try and ride 3,000 miles across the US in 12 days. I think it’s interesting to any athlete, but for endurance athletes this movie is a “must see”. I’ve watched it three times now, and it just keeps getting better.”
– runtrails.blogspot.com
DonJuan – :
I’m writing with prejudice, I am a cyclist. Never have I witnessed such a crystal clear depiction of what it feels like to spend hours on the bike. I am awed by Auerbach’s prospective, he made you feel as if you were there with the RAAM competitors. You felt their pleasure and pain. You understood why they were doing this. This documentary made sense of what could easily be misconstrued as a ridiculous attempt for recognition. It is doubtful that RAAM soloist finishers will ever become famous, but they will have a sense of satisfaction few others will ever achieve.
“I have reason to believe the grass might be a little greener
on the other side” – Bob Schneider
L. S. Richardson – :
What is it about bicycles that make a certain brand of men and women strive to do what other people only dream about?
Auerbach’s movie gives an up-close and personal view of what drives the cyclists who pedal across deserts, mountain ranges and plains coast-to-coast in the Race Across America.
You feel their pain and personal struggles, you cry over their tragedies and you share their exhilaration when they finish. You hear in their own words what makes them push themselves beyond normal human limits.
By the end, you’ll know the answer to the question: What do you call the last cyclist to cross the RAAM finish line?
A winner.
Bicycletouringpro.com – :
“If you’ve ever dreamt of challenging yourself and/or pushing yourself to a place far beyond what you previously thought possible, Bicycle Dreams is a film you must see. It’s beautiful, thought provoking, exciting, emotional, and scary. And like the riders who take part in this race, the experience of watching the film will leave you with a new perspective on life that will most certain remain with you for a very long time to come.”
– Bicycle Touring Pro
road.cc – :
“This is a truly gripping film, with more drama in 8 days than an entire Tour De France. Bicycle Dreams is riveting, possibly because it’s less about bikes and more about people. It’s a dramatic saga with bikes simply and literally being the vehicles for hope, pain, disillusionment, despair, happiness, and as the title suggests, dreams. It’s an impressive and deeply inspirational film.”
– road.cc
Cycling-Review (Ron Fricke) – :
“I have reason to believe that if I turned myself inside out I’d get out alive.”
These lyrics bracket a powerfully moving record of the 2005 Race Across America. A skillful blend of artistry and documentary, this film captures the human condition like few others.
Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer prize winning work, The Denial Of Death is written on the premise that mankind’s efforts are ultimately an elaborate, symbolic defense mechanism against the knowledge of our own mortality. I have seldom encountered a film that captures this life drama as powerfully as does Bicycle Dreams.
Viewed through this lens, the duality of man’s struggle in the physical realm, while being consumed with his achievement of immortality through heroism, is poignantly driven home in the film.
For one rider, this ‘necessary heroism’ takes shape in his touching of his limits to endure torment. He has rubbed elbows with pain for 15 years in his work with AIDS patients who suffer endlessly. His drive comes from caring for others. Ironically, it is his charitable nature that ends his race, when his limits are determined by his unwillingness to sacrifice those he loves. But in determining that limit there is triumph, for it was the discovery of the limits that sent him across America, not necessarily the reaching of the Atlantic.
For another rider the desire appears to be a fight to beat down the childhood voices proclaiming him to be destined to ‘amount to nothing’. He will sacrifice everything to prove the voices wrong, even a longtime friendship, for to not triumph would be to face self-annihilation. Only when he’s unable to picture his wife and son in his hallucinating mind does he waver.
Several of the riders address the issue of our involvement in the natural realm. Modern society’s accomplishment of comfort and safety has distanced us from a primal ‘desire gene’- the will of the body to exist. We’re left longing for authenticity, but so often find ourselves in a reality padded from primal existence.
There is a seduction in the stark reality of endless hours on a bicycle in the desert sun, or against a ceaseless headwind. Whether its cresting a summit to breathtaking vistas, or retreating into one’s self so deeply that sight and sound are muffled, the Race Across America experience plants our feet firmly in our physical selves and in the natural realm.
Teamwork isn’t under the direct focus of the lens, but is evident everywhere throughout the film. The utter dependence on his team forces one rider into the shame of not being completely autonomous. Breaking through his illusion of being independent, barriers no longer have to be maintained and he is free from a fantasy of absolute self-determination.
And then there’s the twist that knocked me on my can. Seldom is gut-wrenching grief captured so powerfully on the screen as in the scenes after the soul is wrenched from the race when tragedy strikes in Colorado.
This film isn’t for those who want to shy away from the tragic side of the human experience, unwilling to risk the cracking of their shell of denial, not willing to risk their coping mechanism.
Bike Dreams moves us to break through the barrier of the fear of death, finding that we will emerge on the other side scathed, but alive. Much more alive, for to maintain the shell of denial consumes tremendous energy, better used in serving others.
From one of the central riders in this event, Bob Breedlove, we’re reminded that “At the end of your life if people say you were kind, that is enough.”
And we are free to touch others kindly when we can get beyond ourselves, a message hammered home in this powerful film.
I highly recommend it.
Patrick Sisk – :
Excellent! Love this documentary. Well done Stephen Auerbach! A masterpiece indeed.
Bill Magie – :
EXCELLENT movie. It gives a real look at RAAM and sll that goes with it. Thanks STEVEN for preserving the 2005 RAAM and the history of Bob’s death. Bill B ob’s crew chief on June 23, 2005.