RAAW Ambassadors: Tristan Bulant

When it comes to living your dreams, we can all learn a thing or two from our Ambassador Tristan. Instead of following so-called norms, he always goes his own way. A way that led him to a dream season in Whistler last year and will continue on Jibb and Yalla! this year. We introduce you to the newest member of our RAAW Ambassador family and, of course, take a first look at his two bikes.

Name: Tristan Bulant
Year of Birth: 2001
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Profession: Technical Product Designer
Bikes: RAAW Jibb, RAAW Yalla!
Instagram: @tristan.bulant

For most people, the legendary trails from famous MTB movies remain out of reach, and a trip to the mountain biking Mecca of Canada remains a distant dream. Not for Tristan: Rather than taking the conventional route and applying for university straight after high school, he did everything he could to make this dream, which he had been dreaming since childhood, a reality. Through various jobs, he earned enough to afford flight tickets and a bike, which allowed him to spend an unforgettable summer in Canada.

It was this trip, or rather the search for a suitable bike that could withstand 4 months of daily bike park shredding, that led Tristan to RAAW. " It was important to me not to have to tinker with the bike every few days despite the extreme use, " he explains his high demands. " With its clear focus on low-maintenance, durable frames with plenty of sendability, RAAW and the Madonna quickly rose to the top of my list. " After being convinced by the personal contact, Tristan decided: " The base for my Canada build will be the Madonna V2.2! " By the way, we liked the final result so much that we introduced the built bike to you a few months ago as part of the RAAW of the Month series - you can find the article here .

As part of the RAAW team was working in Canada at the same time as Tristan visited, we had the chance to meet him in person and ride together for a few laps in the bike park. Ever since, we've been captivated by his friendly nature, positive attitude towards life, and his courage to leave well-trodden paths behind – not to mention his incredible talent and style. We're thrilled to have him as part of the RAAW Ambassadors from now on.

He caught his first whiff of mountain biking air with his father when he was just 10 years old - and ever since, he's been breathing nothing else: Tristan spends nearly every spare minute on his bike. " Actually, I enjoy anything you can do on two wheels: Whether it's in the bike park, on home trails, or in the dirt park. Just like a Swiss Army knife, I do a bit of everything and am always up for some fun! " he describes his passion for all aspects of the sport. His focus for the upcoming season is on the ever-increasing number of Big Air events. Of course, he'll still be found in various bike parks, at some downhill races, and on his home trails. Tristan describes his riding style as "fast and loose" – something we can absolutely confirm from our shared runs in Canada! Tristan isn't intimidated by almost any freeride line and lets it rip "between the tape" as well. We're excited to see which events his journey takes him to and are looking forward to his upcoming video projects!

Unlike last year in Canada, when he used the Madonna V2.2 as an all-rounder, Tristan will tackle this season on a Jibb and a Yalla! " The Madonna did an outstanding job as the 'one bike for everything' during the four months in Canada. Even after that extreme amount of hard riding, I could have easily ridden the frame for another season. However, the new Yalla! piqued my curiosity, and in combination with the Jibb, I can now cover an even wider range, " explains Tristan. " With the Jibb, you can definitely tell it has less travel, but that's exactly what I was looking for. The bike is even more enjoyable on the not-so-tough home trails than the Madonna. In comparison, the Yalla! offers significantly more reserves as a park bike than the Madonna. Thanks to the many adjustment options, I can perfectly adapt the bike to all jump lines or downhill tracks. "

Four Questions for Tristan

What does the perfect day on the bike look like for you?
The best way to start the day is right in the mountains with a big cup of coffee. After that, it's straight to the lift with a few buddies to tackle the downhill track first, then move on to the jump line. After the bike park laps, there's a BBQ at the dirt jumps, and the day is rounded off with a few beers and good music in the parking lot.

Racing or Freeride?
Both! I think anyone who's been "between the tapes" knows that it's a unique feeling. However, in terms of the people and the spirit, I wouldn't want to miss freeride for anything.

What do you focus on when biking?
Good times and big jumps. Even though the latter is rather hard to find in Germany, big bike jumps and freeride lines are what I enjoy the most.

What motivates you more than anything else?
Being aware that it's not a given what I get to do. I'm grateful for every day I can spend on my bike and for having found something that brings me so much joy.

The best way to keep up with Tristan's adventures and his riding is to follow his Instagram channel. You can find our other Ambassadors, as well as information about the application process, on this page.