Full Cycle: A World Odyssey (1995)
Aegis Award
Crystal Jade Communicator Award
Chicago International Film & Video Festival – Silver Hugo
Charleston International Film Festival – Silver Award
New York International Festivals Award
International Cindy Awards – Two Bronze, three Blue Ribbons
Video Pro Am Award
On their quest for the best mountain bike ride on Earth, an adventurous couple travel to nine of the world's most spectacular countries. Their journey, along with a few celebrities (movie-star James Hong), mountain-bike pioneers and gravity-defying stunt-riders, is documented in this "endless summer on wheels."
See America's Southwestern vistas; Canada's pristine wilderness; Costa Rica's lush jungles, rain forests, volcanoes and beaches; Greece's ancient ruins and home of the gods, Mt. Olympus; Switzerland's snowy summer Alps with the Matterhorn; Great Britain's moors, forests, streams, waterfalls and castles; South Australia's Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island; Tahiti's jagged volcanic peaks and tropical water wonderland; and India's incredible Himalayas, exotic animals and spiritual culture. World Trials Champion, Ot Pi, performs some of his greatest stunts near and around historical landmarks in Athens, Greece. With James Hong, Mark Schulze, Patty Mooney, Charles Kelly, Gary Fisher, Jacquie Phelan, Ot Pi, and other mountain-bikers. Original musical score (in hi-fi stereo) featuring Buzz Barnaba and Archie Thompson. Principal Cinematography by Mark Eveslage, a National Geographics DP, and Dick Crow, Steadicam Op.
Editorial Reviews
"Filmmakers Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney are a husband and wife who share many passions, among them mountain biking and travel. They wanted to travel the world in search of the best mountain-biking trails. They would, of course, film their odyssey and turn it into a documentary. It took three years, a quarter-million dollars and 75 hours of Betacam SP tape footage -- but they completed their quest. Schulze and Mooney came back with more than spectacular scenery, of which there is an abundance here. They manage, too, to convey the joy they experience in getting out on two wheels on an open trail. They've created an Endless Summer for the mountain-biking crowd."- SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
"Around the world in nearly two hours is an appropriate description of this new video , featuring cyclists taking on some of the most unusual and breathtaking trails on the globe. The show, an obvious labor of love for creators Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney, will appeal to cyclists, travel buffs, and thrill seekers." - BILLBOARD MAGAZINE
"A husband and wife mountain-biking pair give viewers a glimpse of some of the world's most challenging and beautiful mountain-biking trails." - LOS ANGELES TIMES
"I would hereby like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the work achieved and on the perfect quality of the final product." - INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
"[This show] features several "world's firsts": first Westerners to travel (and bicycle) through the Himalayas of North Sikkim, India; first to ride a mountain bike 60 feet under the Pacific Ocean, and in a semi-active volcano in Costa Rica; first to document ten-times world's champion bicycle trials rider, Ot Pi Isern, performing stunts near and around historical landmarks in Athens, Greece."- POST MAGAZINE
"The couple encounters black bears, kangaroos, rain forests, lush jungles and volcanoes. Don't miss the underwater scuba biker and the daring jump from a 15-foot building. The combination of the popular mountain-bike sport and beautiful scenery makes this title a natural choice for travelers and riders." - VIDEO STORE MAGAZINE
"Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney can knock you out with a real sense of "wow," including highlights of trials champ Ot Pi doin' his thang at the Parthenon and a treacherous helmet-cam descent into a volcano." - BICYCLING MAGAZINE
"Sparkling footage of city landmarks, historical ruins, natural rock formations, bodies of water, and flora and fauna. Although some stunt riding is shown, it is balanced with insights about history (England), religion (India, Tahiti, and Greece), and mountain (Switzerland and Australia) and tropical (Costa Rica) lore. A tempting introduction to exotic locales for biking enthusiasts.-BOOKLIST
"A combination of Endless Summer and Michael Palin's Around the World in 80 Days, you won't find any biking instruction or equipment tips here. This program features an intrepid husband and wife team traveling around the world in search of the best mountain bike ride (meaning: toughest, with the most beautiful scenery). Graphic maps serve as reference points for viewers and the cinematography is fantastic. A bike-mounted steadicam provides some excellent views of perilous trails and exotic wildlife while aerial photography shows grand vistas and landscapes. Voice-over narration alternates between husband and wife with occasional on-screen commentary. Throughout, the video is fast-paced, assisted by up-beat music. Throughout, this program emphasizes the couple's love of the outdoors, wildlife, and the sport of mountain biking. Kind of makes me want to get on my old ten-speed and go find a volcano... Highly recommended." - ***1/2 VIDEO LIBRARIAN
"Avid mountain bikers will turn green with envy when they watch this two-tape set. Husband-and-wife bike team Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney ride their bikes around the world, followed by a crack video team that captures breathtaking images of bikers riding remote trails in nine countries, from Canada to Switzerland to Australia. Local culture is examined through interviews with interesting natives. Non-stop original music and zippy graphics keep things moving in this terrific production." - VIDEO BUSINESS
"Full Cycle World Odyssey is the Endless Summer of mountain bike videos as Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney criss-cross the globe in search of, not the perfect wave, but the perfect trail. A film festival entry in the sports and leisure and documentary categories, this epic real-life adventure was recently honored with the Silver Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival and with two Bronze Awards at the 37th annual CINDY awards. But at the heart of Full Cycle is a freewheeling love story seemingly straight out of a Hollywood screenplay. Yes, Mark and Patty really did get married on their mountain bikes. Full Cycle's itinerary spans the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Greece, Switzerland, Britain, Tahiti, Australia and India. Highlights include a ride in the Hollywood Hills with actor James Hong and his family, Spanish World Trials Champion Ot Pi in a stunning demonstration on his stunt bicycle amongst the ruins of Athens, an underwater 'mountain bike dive' and a bike ride inside a volcano. More conventional sites include the Matterhorn, Mt. Olympus and the Himalayas. Full Cycle, Mooney said, was 'a dream come true that combined all of our passions, biking and travelling.' 'And,' Schulze added, 'being with each other.'" - VIDEO ALERT
"What this video is not is a wham-bam, wild ride, thrash 'em and crash 'em yell to Generation X. What this video is, however, is a dream bike trip for a couple who enjoy mountain biking and want to share it with others. You will see some beautiful scenery. This video is a good beginning for people who are just being introduced to mountain biking. It shows what is possible for the whole family as well as some nice tricks by World Trials Champion, Ot Pi. This couple take you on an interesting journey to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Canada, Costa Rica, Switzerland and Greece. This two-video set will also take you to Australia, Great Britain, Tahiti and India. If you are tired of being "yelled at" while watching a bike video and are looking for something different, I would suggest getting a glimpse of this one. Professionally shot and suitable for all audiences." - OREGON CYCLING
"Fascinated by the idea of mountain biking through some rough but exotic terrains? Full Cycle: A World Odyssey takes video viewers to nine great destinations that emphasize biking, with an overview of local sites and their histories. Mark Schulze and Patty Mooney, a husband-and-wife team, narrate this chronicle of their adventures. The two-part video features superb views, from deep in the Grand Canyon to the trails of the Matterhorn to scuba biking in Costa Rica. Also included are stops in Greece, Great Britain, Tahiti, Canada, India and Australia." - NEW WOMAN MAGAZINE
"Two people get a travel itch, love to mountain bike, have a certain talent with a video camera and presto... a travelogue account of their around-the-world tour. The footage is superb, and the 108 minutes of video will provide a visual sampling of some of the world's best mountain biking destinations. My favorite section wasWorld Trials Champion Ot Pi of Spain performing stunt after stunt among ancient ruins in Athens, Greece. If you like to watch the travel channel, you'll revel in this video." - OUTDOOR RETAILER
"...An enjoyable glimpse of various tourist spots around the globe." - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
"...Plenty of cool scenery from different parts of the world." - MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
From the Crew at New & Unique Videos:
We created this video to share our passions for mountain biking and travel with the world. The show was several years in the making and we could not have done it without the help of companies who believed in it, including Coleman, Klein, Blackbottoms Cyclewear, Powerbar and many others. And let's not forget to mention the Tourism bureaus who rolled out the red carpet for us: India, Switzerland, Canada, Greece, Wales, Great Britain, Tahiti, Australia and the rest. This labor of love earned 13 international awards. But what we are proudest of is the fact that, even after watching "World Odyssey" hundreds of times, we never get tired of seeing it again. The cinematography is superb.