Mountain Bike Community Mourns The Loss Of Renowned Storyteller

Mountain biking lost a true pillar of the community yesterday. Photographer, Journalist, mountain biker, storyteller, and all-around good human, Nils Amelinckx lost his battle with cancer on December 19th.

Nils was only 36 years old and survived by his wife and two children.

"It is with an extremely heavy heart to write that after years of fighting and resilience that Nils has heartbreakingly passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on 19th December.

Nils was an amazing son, husband, dad, brother and friend and will be missed by all who had the pleasure of meeting him.

Always planning the next adventure and unforgettable by anyone who met him.

Nils would not want us to be sad, but to celebrate his life instead, so with this in mind feel free to post your favourite memory of Nils below for all to enjoy" - The Amelinckx family via Instagram

Nils wrote and photographed for numerous mountain bike publications throughout the years and was held in the highest esteem by all of his colleagues, friends, and riding pals. He founded Rider Resilience, a not-for-profit community and shop dedicated to promoting inclusivity and the healing power of bicycles for the mind, body, and soul.

Nils outlook on life and the idea of mountain biking as a tool for healing and wellbeing was infectious. His legacy will be felt throughout the bike world for years to come.

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family and you can find the link to it here.

One last heartfelt testimonial on Nils comes from his colleagues at Ride Resilience:

"With heavy hearts, we share the deeply saddening news of the passing of Rider Resilience founder, our beloved friend, and esteemed colleague, Nils Amelinckx.

Nils leaves behind not only cherished memories but an enduring impact on all fortunate enough to have known him. His unwavering fortitude, boundless kindness, and inspirational storytelling marked Nils as a truly extraordinary individual. Throughout his heroic battle against cancer, Nils transformed his personal hardship into a guiding light for others facing adversity, by founding Rider Resilience.

Diagnosed with incurable stage four bowel cancer at the tender age of 30, Nils faced a prognosis of five years to live. Defying the odds, he set ambitious goals that many might only dream of achieving in a lifetime. Nils not only conquered these aspirations but tenaciously fought his illness until the very end, greatly surpassing his initial prognosis.

Throughout his journey, Nils said, “If I wasn’t going to be able to add days to my life, I wanted to make sure I would add life to my days”, a legacy we are determined to uphold. As we navigate the grieving process, let us take inspiration from Nils once more. He would encourage us to embrace the outdoors and cherish every fleeting moment. Nils wished for his life to be celebrated, and his memory to evoke joy, not sorrow.

In the wake of his departure, Nils leaves behind his wife, Laura, and two children, Lotte and Leo. Our thoughts and deepest respects are with them and his wider family during this incredibly difficult time.

As a team, we acknowledge that processing the loss of our dear friend will take time, and it may impact our response times. Please bear with us as we come to terms with this profound loss.

We are aware that Nils had an impact on many people throughout his life and Nils’ family have asked you to share some of these moments, big or small, in the comments below as a way of remembering him.

Rest in Peace, Nils. Your absence is deeply felt, and we already miss you tremendously."

Don't miss another headline from Bike Mag! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of bike riding.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging bike-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional rider or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on Bike Mag and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality bike videos.