Downtime - The Mountain Bike Podcast

Katy Winton was our most popular guest of 2017, so when I was in Scotland recently, it made sense to stop by for a cup of tea and a catch-up. For anyone who’s been following the 2018 Enduro World Series, you’ll know that it’s been a tough season for all involved. So I was interested to find out how it’s been for Katy, as well as finding out what it’s like to be the Fox at Red Bull Fox Hunt, how her off season went, and much more. As always, Katy gives an open and honest view of what it’s like to be pushing hard at the top of one of the most challenging disciplines that mountain biking has to offer. If you are enjoying the podcast, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free, and it means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. All the links you need are at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can also find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio and most of the podcast apps out there. You can follow Katy on Instagram here @misswinton The sleep book that gets mentioned is Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker, which is on Amazon here If you want to check out One Up Components, you can find them at  www.oneupcomponents.com Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! To listen to our first episode with Katy, head to downtimepodcast.com/episode-8-katy-winton/ You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Matt DeLorme

Eliot and Neko are back for our World Champs post race show. The riders threw the dice in Lenzerheide and we crowned 4 World Champions who are at the very top of their game. It was a thrilling race to watch, and great to sit down with Eliot and Neko to get some insight into what it’s like to race at World Champs, the challenges of the track itself, and what it takes to win. You’ll also get to hear our (probably totally wrong!) predictions for the 2019 overall winners. We’d love to do more of these post race shows in 2019, so please let us know what you’d like to hear about by commenting on our social media channels, or getting in touch via chris@downtimepodcast.com To enter the raffle to win Neko’s World Champs bike and kit, and donate to the Can’d Aid Foundation at the same time, head to candaid.salsalabs.org/nekomullalybikeraffle/index.html You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe it’s free, and ensures that you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device. While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Eliot on Instagram @eliotjackson Eliot has made an amazing DH world cup timing data analysis website which you can find here worldcup.eliotjackson.com You can follow Neko on Instagram @nekomulally Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Isac Paddock @isacpaddock

Dustin Adams has had quite a ride so far! He was one of the first Canadian downhillers to really break into the American and World downhill scene, even taking a World Cup podium alongside Steve Peat and Fabien Barel. Some unfortunate turns meant that Dustin left the mountain bike scene for a while, but the lure of bikes was strong, and after some years away, he came back, this time as part of the industry. Dustin has recently set up We Are One Composites, which is making beautiful carbon wheels in Kamloops, Canada, rather than taking the more usual Far Eastern supply route. Not one to do things by halves, Dustin’s story is pretty inspirational, and a great listen. If you are enjoying the podcast, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free, and it means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. All the links you need are at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can also find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio and most of the podcast apps out there. You can check out what Dustin and his team are up to at weareonecomposites.com or weareone.bike If you like the look of what they are doing, then Dustin has kindly offered 15% off of DT Swiss 350 equipt wheels to all our listeners, you just need to use the code DT350USA Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes

Eliot and Neko are back for our La Bresse post race show. Have a listen to find out more about what went on over the weekend. How did the top riders react to the decision not to give points for the qualifying results, how do you approach learning a new track, how did Martin Maes do it, is aerodynamics important? All this and more is covered, so give it a go! You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe it’s free, and ensures that you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device. While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Eliot on Instagram @eliotjackson Eliot has made an amazing DH world cup timing data analysis website which you can find here worldcup.eliotjackson.com You can follow Neko on Instagram @nekomulally Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Isac Paddock @isacpaddock

Ever wondered what it takes to keep one of the most successful riders on the planet rolling? Well Joe Krejbich, mechanic to Rachel Atherton, joins us for this episode of the podcast. We sit down at Joe’s Shropshire home to chat about his background, how he got from working in a bike shop to working for the Atherton’s, and then we’ll step through a World Cup weekend from a mechanics point of view. I’ll be asking him about Rachel’s snapped chain at Fort William, why she wasn’t wearing gloves in her race run at Andorra, and I’ll try and get some top tips for looking after your own bike. If you are enjoying the podcast, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free, and it means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. All the links you need are at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can also find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio and most of the podcast apps out there. You can follow Joe on Instagram here @joekrejbich If you want to find out more about Trek Factory Racing, have a look at their webpage here www.trekfactoryracingdh.com Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Sven Martin

This is the second of our post-race shows, this time from Mont-Sainte-Anne in Canada, which turned out to be an awesome race. King of World Cup Stats, Eliot Jackson, is back, and we’re also joined by US National Champ, Neko Mulally. We will chat about how the racing went for those guys, what the track is like, line choice, suspension set up, the men’s and women’s races, and plenty more. This is pretty new for me, so I’d love to hear your feedback. Get in touch on social media or email and let me know what you think. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe it’s free, and ensures that you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device. While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Eliot on Instagram @eliotjackson Eliot has made an amazing DH world cup timing data analysis website which you can find here worldcup.eliotjackson.com You can follow Neko on Instagram @nekomulally Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Isac Paddock @isacpaddock

Cesar Rojo is a great rider in his own right, but he’s also one of the key engineers in the world of modern mountain biking. Having been responsible for some of the most progressive designs of the time with Mondraker, Cesar has moved on to run a consultancy working for some top brands, and has also established his own brand Unno Bikes. Unno are creating some of the most beautiful high-end bikes available, but the detail goes beyond just the finished product, with great thought and care going into every step of the process. In this interview, we will talk to Cesar about his thoughts on bike geometry, testing, data acquisition, timing vs feel and comparisons between mountain biking and Moto GP and motocross. If you want to find out more about Unno, have a look at their webpage here www.unno.com Or their Instagram here @rideunno For your chance to win a Cotic Rocket, and support the World Cancer Research Fund, head to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/coticrocketraffle Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes

We’ve all been there, sat at the top of a race run, going over it in our head, getting ourselves wound up, stressed, nervous, worrying about if we will be able to do ourselves justice or not in the upcoming run. Even for the top riders, the psychological side of the sport can prove elusive and stop them from getting the results that they want, and may well be capable of. So how do we overcome this mental turmoil? What can we do to get in the right frame of mind and achieve that elusive ‘calm’ race run that Aaron Gwin often talks about? Well, we tracked down Rob Copeland, the sports psychologist who helped Josh Bryceland get himself into a position to win the World Cup overall, and Steve Peat get that long-awaited World Championship win. In this podcast, Rob offers some great approaches that we can all take to help us manage our own minds in race conditions, but also in life in general, as well as talking about how he worked with Josh and Steve to help them unlock that performance puzzle. Give it a listen, and see what you can take away to help your own riding and racing. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Rob on Twitter @drrobcopeland You can find a directory of UK based sports and exercise psychologists at www.bps.org.uk Rob mentioned a couple of books, they were… Mental Toughness in Sport, Daniel Gucciardi & Sandy Gordon – on Amazon here The Game Plan, Steve Bull – on Amazon here Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes

I’ve been thinking about doing a post race show for a while now, but when Eliot Jackson said he’d be keen to get involved, I knew that it was the right time to give it a go. This is a first for us, and a bit of an experiment, so have a listen and let us know what you think. Me and Eliot sat down after the Andorra World Cup round in Vallnord to chat about the race and dig into what went on. We discuss the course, and what it takes to ride it well, bike set up for this track, and then get into the detail of the women’s and men’s races. Who went well, what went on, how was it won? Hopefully we manage to give you a bit more insight into what goes on, and what it takes to be at the top. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Eliot on Instagram @eliotjackson Eliot has made an amazing DH world cup timing data analysis website which you can find here worldcup.eliotjackson.com Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Isac Paddock

Alan Milway is a coach with a list of clients past and present that most people can only dream of working with. The Athertons, Danny Hart, Manon Carpenter, Martin Maes and Brendan Fairclough are just a few of the amazing athletes that he has worked alongside. Alan has a wealth of experience in the world of strength and conditioning, and what it takes to be really fast on a bike! We sat down to get his take on mountain bike fitness, and there is some great information in this episode for anyone who wants to get better on their bike. Keep an ear out for the 3 things that all riders should be doing in addition to riding their bike! You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. Alan’s website is mxfitness.co.uk You can follow Alan on Instagram @alanmilway Alan does some coaching work for Plus3MTB which you can find here plus3mtb.com Alan mentioned a couple of books worth reading, they were… Starting Strength by Mark Rippetto – on Amazon here Sports Nutrition – From Lab to Kitchen by Asker Jeukendrup – on Amazon here Sports Nutrition by Asker Jeukendrup and Michael Gleeson – on Amazon here Help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to ask Alan a question, or share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Ben Turner

Vero Sandler really is living the dream. After reaching a point where she felt her racing career wasn’t really moving forwards, Vero jumped at the chance to follow a different route with Marin Bikes. Spending her time having fun on a bike and committing that to film seems to be working out pretty well for her.  We sat down a few weeks ago to talk about how she got into mountain biking, her move away from World Cup racing, her process for learning tricks, thoughts on social media, and much more. Vero has a really great approach to riding, and it’s one that I think we could all benefit from, so hit play and find out more about Vero Sandler… You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Vero on Instagram @veroniquesandler You can find Marin Bikes here marinbikes.com Check our Yoshira jerseys at yoshira.co.uk and enter our competition to win one, either on our instagram @downtimepodcast or @yorshira_mtb You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes And help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved!

Sandy Plenty lives and breathes mountain bikes. Diagnosed with a health condition affecting his heart and lungs at an early age, you may have thought that a career in mountain biking wasn’t in his future, but Sandy’s not the kind of guy to take no for an answer. Working in bike shops from a young age, Sandy now owns the Trailhead Bicycle Company in Shrewsbury, UK. It’s certainly one of Britains best bike shops, well stocked with great kit, and with a loyal following that shows in shop rides attracting a crazy numbers of riders. As well as running the shop, Sandy has an interest in photography, writes for numerous print and web publications, and does some mountain bike coaching with Plus3 MTB. Somehow he also finds plenty of time to ride his bike! Sandy is an inspiring guy, and shows that it’s possible to have an amazing career in the bike industry without being a racer. A healthy dose of passion and a lot of hard work is what it takes! You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Sandy on Instagram @sandy_plenty You can check out Sandy’s photography at www.sandyplenty.com The Trailhead website and instagram are www.thetrailhead.co.uk and @the_trailhead_bicycle_co If you’re in need of some coaching, then head to plus3mtb.com You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes And help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want to share tips and advice with other podcast listeners on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! Photo – Sarah Barrett

The best things in life don’t come easy, and while it can sometimes seem like people have had pro deals thrown at them, there is often a back story of hard work and dedication needed to get there. Greg Callaghan is certainly someone who put in the effort, and made the sacrifices necessary to get to where he is today, a pro rider at the top of his sport. We sat down with Greg at the recent Fort William World Cup to talk about his career so far, what it takes to make it to the top, some of the mental cues he uses to help his performance, and much more. So pop your headphones on, hit play, and get to know a bit more about Greg Callaghan… You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… While you are there, you can also join our mailing list to keep up to date on everything that’s going on with the podcast. You can follow Greg on Instagram @greg_callaghan You can check out Greg’s coach Chris Kilmurray here www.point1atheltic.com And if you want to have a look at Greg’s coffee machine, it’s here www.alexduetto.com You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes And help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop If you want some advice from other riders on anything mountain bike related, you can join our Facebook group, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! Photo – Mathieu Valbuena

KJ had only been riding a mountain bike for a little over 2 years when she first lined up at the start of an Enduro World Series race! Pretty impressive eh. Definitely not afraid to give things a go, KJ is working hard to make her way up the rankings to the very top of the Women’s field. We sat down to talk about how she got into riding, her experiences at the EWS, and how her season is going so far. In addition to the riding, KJ has a degree in sports science and is working towards her masters in sport and exercise nutrition, so there is plenty of great information on that side of things too. KJ has also kindly said she will have a go at answering any questions you may have from now until Friday 8th June, over on our new closed facebook group. So if you have a question, head to www.facebook.com/groups/mtbperformance/ request permission to join the group and get involved! You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… You can follow KJ on Instagram @kj.sharp You can find the nutrition/energy products that KJ mentioned here www.otesports.co.uk You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes And help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop Photo – Duncan Philpott

There’s something special about Josh Bryceland. Ever since he arrived on the mountain bike scene he has brought something unique to the party. His laid-back attitude, incredible style, huge grin and unmistakable looks have proved infectious, and as a result, he’s earned a place in the heart of many of us. In the off-season of 2016, Josh announced that he would be leaving the downhill world cup behind, much to the shock and dismay of his fans. However, Josh wasn’t going away, in fact, anything but! 2017 saw a more enlightened Josh making forays into the Enduro World Series, Crankworx, and Fest Series, as well as being involved in multiple filming projects, and creating more fresh content with the 50to01crew. All this meant we got to see more of that infectious grin than ever before. But how did we get here? Where did it all start? What really drove the decision to leave downhill, what’s next, and what does Josh think about the state of mountain biking today? These questions have been on my mind for some time, so when I got the opportunity to visit Josh on his houseboat, moored in a quiet marina on the outskirts of Manchester, I jumped at the chance. Josh popped on the kettle and we sat down with a cup of tea (with hemp milk, of course) for a good old-fashioned chinwag. In a wide-ranging conversation and the most in-depth interview with Josh so far, we cover his childhood, riding with Peaty, sports psychology, winning the world cup overall title, why he decided to quit downhill and plenty more. So grab a drink, sit back, relax and listen to the story of Ratboy’s journey so far. You can subscribe to the podcast by visiting downtimepodcast.com/subscribe to make sure you get all our new episodes delivered straight to your device, or if you’re using iTunes, just click below… You can follow Josh on Instagram @ratboy_bryce Check out what the 50to01 crew are up to at www.50to01.com Get hold of the book that Josh mentions in the episode – Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard You can check out our back catalogue of amazing episodes at downtimepodcast.com/episodes And help us keep this podcast free by getting yourself a t-shirt from downtimepodcast.com/shop Photo – Sven Martin