Danny MacAskill: Inspired

The term 'internet sensation' is thrown around all too often. A brief YouTube search results in thousands of videos featuring the most mundane and ridiculous activities, detracting from those who have real talent.

In April 2009, Danny MacAskill, an unknown street trials rider and bike shop worker, from the tiny isle of Skye in Scotland, uploaded a video, shot and edited with his friend and flat mate Dave Sowerby. It was a video which initially garnered a few thousand hits, but has, to date, amassed over 21 million views and counting. Lance Armstrong has even admitted to watching it. This video would not only gain mainstream Internet notoriety, but would open the door to a life Danny hadn't imagined.

"I don't really think about what's happened," says a nonchalant MacAskill. "I'm incredibly lucky to have made a video with my friend and flat mate.

"We'd made a bunch of videos before, but they were filmed in, like, two hours. There was never really a time when we were filming when I actually considered what people would think of it."

Glaring out of the window into the busy London street, MacAskill has the air of a man who is always thinking. You get the impression he is eyeing up the bollards and bus stops, to see what tricks he could do with them. These surroundings are a far cry from the quiet, simple life which he is accustomed to.

"My life is not exactly normal," he exclaims through a broad smile. "I was recently cutting a thatch for my dad and I had the campervan filled with it in the back, just trying to do one last run before I went down the road again.

"I do a lot of travelling now. Because I've got a campervan, I literally just sleep in it, drive somewhere, hang out for a week then move on. Then I've got a manager in Germany phoning me up with requests for new projects. I now have this life in which these things almost become blasé."

Ever since the success of the Inspired bikes video, Danny has been inundated with offers, but it is his work with sponsors Dig Deep and Red Bull, which have given him the freedom to his ideas.

"Last night I was up until three in the morning, just thinking. When I was doing the Inspired video, I lost a lot of sleep. I was just up thinking about things I wanted to do. Now I can do those things. I listen to a bit of music and think 'Oh imagine doing this.' My head is always ticking over with ideas."

After the success of the Inspired video, Danny professed that he wanted to take his riding back to his roots. With the support of Red Bull he was able to develop this dream into a reality.

"When Red Bull first planted the seed of the 'Way Back Home' video, I could already imagine the things I wanted to do. For me it was really important to show off Scotland as I saw it.

"Living in Edinburgh was fine, but the way I see Scotland is up in the highlands, with the bigger hills, the heather and what it was like growing up on Skye. In theory it seemed easy, but it was a real challenge. I haven't done something so challenging in my life."

Regardless of the success and popularity of his videos, MacAskill takes comfort that he is inspiring younger kids. "One of the coolest things I've heard, is that the Inspired video was one of the most played videos in all of the primary schools in Britain.

"I think about how I was influenced as a kid, and hopefully they are getting out on their bikes and having a good time."

Compared to his own childhood, MacAskill draws parallels with the influence older kids had on him, and the adventurous attitude he had as a child.

"[As a kid] I just used to ride my bike. I would ride to school everyday, and then we used to have amazing races afterwards.

"It seems nuts now, but there was a big hill which went down and on to a main road. At half three we would come down the hill full speed. We used to try and take the corner no hands.

"[My bike] was always a tool to get around. We'd cycle to the woods and used to see if we could jump off things. Everything slowly progressed from there."

A lot has been made about the impact of Danny's breakthrough videos, but in truth the greatest inspiration they have had, has been on himself. As long as he maintains the curiosity which shaped him as a youth, the world is his oyster.

MacAskill Conquers will broadcast on Red Bull Web TV on 20 February at 7pm. For more information go to: redbull.co.uk/macaskillconquers'