The Downtime Podcast

So it appears that a lot of you enjoyed my little pre-season Enduro World Cup chat with Katy Winton and you wanted to hear more from Katy. So here it is. We sat down to chat about the first two Enduro World Cup races of the season. Find out what it was like riding at Maydena and Derby. How did it feel to be back racing after nearly a year away from the circuit? How does the new points system work and how does that impact the results? Who performed well and who struggled in these two opening rounds. As you’ll know if you listened to the pre-season episode, Katy isn’t just a rider but also a massive fan of the sport with a great insight into what goes on. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Katy Winton. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. You can follow Katy on Instagram @misswinton and find Dr Stacy Sims here. Supporting Partners Cotic Cotic founder, Cy Turner, makes dream bikes. The RocketMAX was his dream bike for riding in his new home of the Peak District

Today I’m joined by Leo Smith, aka Lando Steezy. I first saw Leo on Instagram a year or so ago and was blown away by his style on the bike. Fast forward to now and he’s making waves in the bike industry, especially after signing for Nukeproof and his recent film for Shimano. Leo is providing a role model for many people who up until now, didn’t see mountain biking as somewhere that they fit in. We chat about the responsibility that comes with that and find out more about Leo and how he got to where he is now. Hear about where he grew up and how bikes, music and photography came to be some important to him. Leo is part of an exciting group of riders who are bringing new styles, techniques and approaches to everything mountain bike and I’m super excited to see where it all goes. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Lando Steezy. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. You can follow Leo on Instagram @landosteezy or his photography account @landosteeezy. Check out his Shi

Today I'm joined by the Founder of Rider Resilience, Nils Amleinckx. 5 and a half years ago, Nils was diagnosed with cancer and given 5 years to live. Nils firmly believes that mountain bikes have not only helped improve the quality of his life, but have also helped him extend it. We chat about his journey over the last 5 years and how important mountain biking has been to him. Hear how a film project was the catalyst for Rider Resilience,  a community interest company which aims to amplify the benefits that the humble bicycle can have for anyone dealing with hardship, in whatever form.  I was personally inspired by Nils' positivity and drive and I hope this episode can help spread that inspiration and show just how powerful mountain biking can be. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Nils Amelinckx. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. You can follow Rider Resilience on YouTube here and on Instagram @riderresilience. Nils' Instagram profile is @nilslinckx. Their websi

So it turns out that Katy Winton is a mountain bike super fan. A couple of weeks back, Katy got in touch to say that she'd love to come on the show to help build the hype for the 2023 Enduro World Cup racing season, which kicks off this weekend in Tasmania. So we sat down to chat about the team moves and what they might mean for race success. We chat about the move to enduro being an official world cup and what that means for the sport. Katy shares who she thinks we should be keeping and eye on in 2023 and we chat about some of the venues. It's awesome to have the knowledge of one of the worlds top racers to help us get excited for the season ahead and as always Katy brings the stoke. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Katy Winton. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. If you want to help out with a Patreon donation, then you can do that here. You can find Katy on Instagram @misswinton and on YouTube here. Podcast Stuff Patreon I would love it if you were

Nick Lester is a data acquisition and telemetry specialist who has worked at Commencal bicycles and been a mechanic and data acquisition guy for the Commencal 100% team. We sat down to hear how Nick got involved in the data side of downhill riding and racing. Hear how Nick works with data systems and what he’s learnt from his time working with some of the top riders. Nick loves a puzzle so we dig into bike and cockpit setup and the impact it can have on how the bike rides. We talk about suspension set up, what the different adjustments do and what feelings on the bike might lead to us wanting to change certain settings. There's lots to learn here, so sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Nick Lester. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. You can find Nick on Instagram @downamics or at downamics.com. Podcast Stuff Merch If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, a

Thibaut Ruffin runs possibly the most successful downhill race team on the planet right now, Commencal Muc-Off. With riders like Myriam Nicole, Thibaut Dapréla and Amaury Pierron, Thibaut and the team have gone on to take 4 team overall wins in the last 5 years. Hear how Thibaut started his own race career and how his team, Riding Addiction began. We chat about what it’s taken to grow the team over the years to go from a privateer setup to the biggest team in the paddock. I ask Thibaut his thoughts on concussion, the ESO takeover for 2023, the growing importance of testing and much more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Thibaut Ruffin. You can follow the team throughout the season on Instagram @commencal_mucoff. You can watch the episode on YouTube here. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format.

This week I’m joined by Si Paton. Si is a 4X National Champion and downhill racer who’s grafted this way to working full time in the sport he loves. We hear Si’s story of how he ended up becoming the organiser for the British National Downhill series for 11 years. What drove Si away from that role and how did he end up reviving the awesome Malverns Festival? We hear Si’s thoughts on how the Discovery take over will impact racing on both a world and national stage along with that it will take to make national level downhill racing great again. Si has a huge amount of experience and a unique perspective from his time as a race organiser, commentator, commissaire and racer. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Si Paton. You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel here. You can find out more about the Malverns at malvernsclassic.com and on Instagram @malvernsclassic and Facebook @malvernsclassic. Supporting Partners Canyon If you want to get yourself a new rig for the upcoming

Join me for a chat with one of 2022’s break-through riders, Jack Menzies. In his first season in elite, Jack piloted his WeAreOne Arrival to some incredible EWS results, with two top tens and a 4th place pro-stage finish. Hear about Jack’s sporty upbringing and how he’s been putting in the work to get the results he wants. We talk about the ups and downs of racing and the challenges of finding the right headspace when the clock is ticking. There’s lots to learn from a rider who’s definitely on the rise. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Jack Menzies. You can follow Jack on Instagram @jackmenzies__ or on the team page @polygonfactoryracing. Supporting Partners Canyon If you want to get yourself a new rig for the upcoming season of riding, then go and check out The Trail Sale on canyon.com. There’s discounts across a load of Canyon’s MTB and EMTB range, and Downtime listeners can save more by getting free bike guard packaging on any trail sale purchase, just use the code 'the-tra

Luca Shaw has had an incredible mountain bike racing career so far, riding for the Santa Cruz Syndicate and now Canyon Factory Racing. Hear how he’s learned from the best with mentors like Steve Peat and Fabien Barel. We dig into Luca’s 2018 season where he qualified 1st on three occasions but wasn’t able to convert them into race wins. Does Luca think he could have taken those wins with what he knows now? We chat about his run of injuries and what Luca is doing to find his way back to the top of the sport. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Luca Shaw. You can also watch the episode on my YouTube channel here (don't forget to like and subscribe). You can follow Luca on Instagram @luca_shaw or follow the team @canyon_cllctv. Supporting Partners WeAreOneComposites We Are One are generously offering Downtime listeners 15% off wheelsets and their Da Package bar and stem. So wether you want their new Convergence wheels, their still very awesome Revolution wheels, or their Da Packa

Last week YT relaunched their team, the YT Mob and have signed, among others, Jack Moir. If you’ve seen the launch, you’ll realise that the have taken a pretty different approach to other teams, not controlling what components the riders choose, bringing together multiple disciplines and more. I got the chance to sit down with the man behind the team, YT’s Head of Sports Marketing, JP Becker to find out all about it. We also grabbed some time with all the enduro and downhill riders, so we’ll be hearing from Jack Moir, Kasper Wooley, Christian Textor, Sian Ahern and Oisin O’Callaghan. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with the 2023 YT Mob. JP Becker 4:18 - 39:09 Jack Moir 39:09 - 45:23 Kasper Wooley 45:23 - 52:29 Christian Textor 52:29 - 58:38 Sian A'Hern 58:38 - 1:01:37 Oisin O'Callaghan 1:01:37 - 1:04:47 JP Becker 1:04:47 - 1:21:23 You can follow the Mob on Instagram @the_yt_mob and online at yt-mob.com. Supporting Partners Fit4Racing Fit4Racing are the team be

Since the announcement of the Discovery take over from Red Bull, there has been a lot of speculation and concern over what will happen to the sport we all love. Well, I was lucky enough to get a chance to chat to Chris Ball to find out all about their plans. We cover a bit of Chris’ background, how Discovery got involved and why Chris sees this as a good thing for mountain biking. I ask him about the changes to the format, prize money, if we’ll have to pay to watch the racing, who will be commentating for Discovery and more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Chris Ball. If you'd prefer to watch this episode, then you can do that over on my YouTube channel here. You can keep up to date with progress over at ucimtbworldseries.com or by following @uci_mtbworldseries on Instagram. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunn

Today I’m joined by Jesse Melamed. Last week, Jesse announced that he’d be joining the Canyon CLLCTV team for 2023, so we sat down to find out a bit more about it. Before we get stuck into the team change, we find out about what Jesse has learned about bike setup and how that’s enabled him to get a setup that suits his riding style and enables him to push harder, without taking more risk. Hear how that setup panned out throughout the season and how he ultimately took the 2022 overall title. With his engineering background and analytical approach, Jesse always delivers on the detail. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Jesse Melamed. If you'd prefer to watch this episode, then you can do that over on my YouTube channel here. You can follow Jesse on Instagram @jessemelamed, check out his YouTube here, or find the Canyon CLLCTV team on Instagram @canyon_cllctv. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the

Today I'm joined by mountain bike skills coach, Paul Howard. Paul has an incredible story of creating his career in mountain biking through coaching, setting up both the PMBIA, which is now the largest provider or mountain bike instructor training courses in the world and ZEP MTB Camps. We sat down to hear about Paul's journey and to pick his brains on how we can use some basic skills drills to improve our performance on the trails. So while the weather might not be great and trail conditions can be far from perfect, here are some great practical tips for you to improve your mountain bike skills, pretty much just in your driveway. There's plenty to learn here, so sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Paul Howard. Paul's background - 5:00-33:00 Coaching tips - 33:00-1:33:00 You can find ZEP online at zepmtbcamps.com or on Instagram @zepmtbcamps. Paul has also started a coaching podcast Donuts and bikes which you can find @donutsandbikes or here. Supporting Partners Stashed Products

Today I’m joined by Madison Saracen’s lead rider, Matt Walker. Matt is a super analytical racer with a highly dedicated focus on performance. Matt isn’t the most outspoken rider, but when we do hear from him, you know it’s worth listening to. We chat about the last couple of years for Matt where a series of ups and downs have seen him battle injury, take an overall and secure his first elite World Cup win. Hear how Matt feels about being considered an underdog, how he approached finding the missing performance in 2021, what he does to stay motivated and plenty more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Matt Walker. You can follow Matt on Instagram @mattwalkerdh and follow the team @madisonsaracen. Supporting Partners Stashed Products If you want to upgrade your bike storage to something that’s convenient, easy to access, yet still saves you space, then the Stashed SpaceRail is the one for you. Due to it’s incredible popularity, there are no discounts right now, but we do have some

Today I’m joined by your World Cup overall champion for 2022, Camille Balanche. We sat down to chat about Cami’s 2022 season and the ups and downs that led to that overall victory. Find out how Cami went from a potentially season ending injury to an incredible comeback that saw her do what was needed to clinch the title at the final round of the year. Cami also talks about the importance of testing, finding time on tracks, her approach to getting faster on her bike and plenty more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Camille Balanche. You can follow Cami on Instagram @cam.bal and listen to her podcast with Emilie Siegenthaler here. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hold, and a time

For the first episode of 2023 and I’m joined by a rider who’s been at the top of our sport for a long time now and shows no signs of stopping, Myriam Nicole. As this was our first time chatting we talk about Myriam’s path into downhill racing and how she worked her way up from being what she calls a slow junior to a top factory rider. Hear about how Myriam has overcome injuries and dealt with a fear of jumping to become a multiple world champion. We also talk about concussion and the experience Myriam had with it at the start of the 2022 season. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Myriam Nicole. You can follow Myriam on Instagram @myriam_nicole. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep. EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hol

Mountain bikes are continually developing and the trail bike category has become more and more popular. But just how good are modern trail bikes? We took the Santa Cruz Tallboy, 5010 and Hightower, which cover a travel range from 120 to 145mm, for a day's gravity based riding, to see how they performed. Hear what we thought to each of the bikes, how they compare and which one's we'd choose to keep. Just how capable are these type of bikes and could a shorter travel bike improve your riding enjoyment? Also, can you really work out how a bike is going to perform from some numbers on a spreadsheet? As ever, we were surprised by what we found. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with me, Jonathan and Ben to find out. You can check out all of the Santa Cruz range over at santacruzbicycles.com. Supporting Partners 7mesh Do you want some incredible quality riding kit from the awesome 7mesh? Well, they are offering Downtime listeners a 20% discount using the code 'DOWNTIME7MESH20' over at 7me

There has been some big news in the past week around some of the rule changes to both the Downhill and Enduro Mountain Bike World Cup for 2023, so I thought it would be a good idea to get on a couple of people who live and breathe this to help us understand the changes and how they might impact things. So I’m joined by Downtime’s first and second ever guests, Chris Kilmurray and Neko Mulally to dig into the changes in the rule book and what they actually mean. How will a semi-final work, who will have protected status and how does the points structure impact the riders. Will skin suits return? Is live radio communication to riders likely to happen and plenty more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Chris and Neko. You can find Chris on Instagram @point1athletic and Neko @nekomulally. Supporting Partners 7mesh Do you want some incredible quality riding kit from the awesome 7mesh? Well, they are offering Downtime listeners a 20% discount using the code 'DOWNTIME7MESH20' over at

Vali Höll had a pretty much perfect junior mountain bike World Cup career, so there were huge expectations piled on her arrival in the elite ranks. An injury at World Champs in 2020 put her out of contention, but a rollercoaster couple of years followed with crashes, frustration and tears, alongside an overall title and a World Champs win. We sat down to chat all about the last few years and find out how it’s been from Vali’s perspective. Vali openly shares the ups and downs of being a young world class athlete. Hear what Vali has learned, what turned around her performance on the bike and what it was like becoming World Champ. Vali’s story shows just how hard it can be, to be the best. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Vali Höll. You can follow Vali on Instagram @valihoell and you can get a copy of Hurly Burly, with Vali on the front cover, at misspentsummers.com. Supporting Partners 7mesh Do you want some incredible quality riding kit from the awesome 7mesh? Well, they are of

Charlie Hatton is a mountain bike rider who’s shown serious promise for a few years now, but it hadn’t quite all come together for him. 2022 was a breakthrough season for Charlie where he showed just what he was capable of, taking incredible results even through adversity. We sat down to chat about his career so far and to find out what it’s taken for Charlie to put in the results we’ve seen this year. Hear how he works to tune the bike with the huge amount of options available to him and what it’s been like working alongside Andreas Kolb as he also had his breakthrough season. Having just signed another 3 years with Continental Atherton, there’s a bright future ahead for Charlie. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Charlie Hatton. You can follow Charlie on Instagram @charlie_hatton1. Supporting Partners 7mesh Do you want some incredible quality riding kit from the awesome 7mesh? Well, they are offering Downtime listeners a 20% discount using the code 'DOWNTIME7MESH20' over at 7m