The MBUK Podcast

Cédric Gracia is one of the all-time legends of mountain biking. From his early days in BMX in the late ‘90s, with help from the likes of Max Commencal, he became one of the sport’s early rock-stars. The early 00’s were the golden years of mountain biking, with Cédric and his on-track foes battling out week in, week out. Off the track, Cédric had a reputation as a wild man, with some of the craziest stories in the paddock. We cover his career, his race wins, his glory at Red Bull Rampage, and some of the unbelievable injuries he sustained during his career.  He raced on the biggest teams, from Sunn to Volvo Cannondale, and now represents Giant Bicycles and this video’s sponsor, Lezyne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Akrigg is one of the world’s best known trials riders, whose YouTube videos have racked up millions of views.  He’s incredibly creative, both in his riding and his video edits. He’s a dab hand on any bike, from trials bikes to fixies, brakeless  bikes to enduro bikes and most recently ebikes.  In this episode, we discuss his career and the bikes he’s ridden, including the Whyte Kado as featured in his latest edit, Up + Over. Thanks to Chris’ sponsor Whyte bikes for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Aldridge’s growing resume of race results marks him out as the future of XC. He’s an Under-23 World Champion in XCO, is the 2025 British Champ at both XCO and XCC and has spent the past two seasons racking up some impressive results in both XCC and XCO on the World Cup circuit, having been signed to Cannondale Factory Racing in 2024. Thanks to Cannondale for sponsoring this episode of the MBUK Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Louise Ferguson became the first woman to ever complete a top-to-bottom, seeding and then race run at the infamous Red Bull Hardline Wales 2025 mountain bike race. The course was littered with incredibly technical features, huge drops and jumps as long as 90 feet. It was a moment in history, which has pushed women's mountain biking forward, paving the way for even more incredible feats. In this episode of the MBUK Podcast, we talk extensively to Lou about Hardline. However, her win at the event is far from her only success. She's the current GB national champion in downhill, a regular finalist in the World Cup series and has a long history of competing at Crankworx events. Ferguson is also the pilot of one of the most special mountain bikes in the downhill scene – a custom, prototype Intense M1 downhill bike, hand-welded by founder Jeff Steber, and featuring a Pinion gearbox and Gates belt drive. How does the bike ride on the downhill course? Lou reveals it's incredible ride qualities. Thanks to Troy Lee Designs UK for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ric McLaughlin is the current voice of World Cup DH and XC racing, as the lead commentator on Warner Brothers Discovery's coverage. He's also a former staff writer at MBUK, and a self-professed massive MTB geek. In this episode of the MBUK Podcast, we discuss the current state of world cup racing, and his experiences of being a commentator. We also discuss his new documentary series, Race Bikes, which dives deep into some of the most important race bikes from the past. Finally, we cover off his wild time at MBUK - the trips, the bikes and the banter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dave Hemming was the first Brit to claim a medal in downhill racing during the first Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, USA. He went on to race for some of the coolest brands, including Klein, Kona, Fat Chance, Marin and of course, MBUK, to name a few. His racing career saw him competing full-time as a World Cup racer, travelling the globe and having countless adventures. It was during his years racing that Hemming’s love for the tech and development started to blossom. After breaking his back for the second time, he decided to retire from racing professionally. Since then, he’s been an important part of the bike industry, working for brands such as, Rapha, Vulpine, Cannondale and now Quin, which produces intelligent safety technology for helmets. Alongside this, Dave’s an ambassador for Niner bikes, sponsors of this podcast. Massive thanks to those guys for helping out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emil Johannson (@johanssoemil) is one of the foremost slopestyle and freeriders on the planet! He’s a four-time Slopestyle World Champion, a 13 time Crankworx winner, and three-time triple crown winner too - which means he won all three events in the Crankworx tour in a year, three times. He’s got more slopestyle wins of anyone on the planet, and has also competed in Redbull Rampage, showing an incredible breadth of skill. His smooth riding style, and ability to fling his bike in any which way he chooses has won him plaudits and fans alike. We talk to Emil has he recovers from his collarbone and rib fractures, as well as a concussion, suffered at Crankworx, Cairns. Emil’s just launched a signature set of pads with G-Form. Thanks to those guys for sponsoring this episode of the MBUK Podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Step back to the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, when Alex Rankin's Sprung series brought DH racing directly to your VHS player, changing MTB filmmaking forever. These videos became cult classics, kickstarting his iconic career. His follow-up Earthed series cemented that legacy, showcasing the best of DH racing and the MTB scene. Rankin's signature style of fast-paced camera work and unforgettable music defined his films. Both Sprung and Earthed literally changed the game. Having lived and breathed the scene for decades, Alex has incredible stories to tell—and he's sharing some of them in this episode. Thanks to DMR for sponsoring this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wondered how a mountain bike goes from a spark of an idea to shredding the trails? Join us as we dive deep with Matt Cipes, the driving force behind Marin's incredible resurgence in the full-suspension and aggressive mountain bike scene. Matt takes us behind the scenes of Marin's transformation from a smaller brand to one stacked with high-performing bikes that won't break the bank. Discover the design philosophy that makes Marin bikes so capable and accessible. We also explore Matt's career journey, from his semi-pro downhill racing days in NorCal (where injury ultimately flipped him from racer to industry) to influential roles at Paul's Component Engineering and Specialized, before landing at the helm of product development at Marin. In this episode of The MBUK Podcast, we cover: 👉 Matt's career trajectory and the pivotal moments that shaped it. 👉 The core philosophy behind Marin's current bike lineup. 👉 A detailed look at the process of bringing a new mountain bike to market. 👉 Matt's expert perspective on the current state and future of the mountain bike industry. A huge thank you to Marin Bikes for their sponsorship of this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Porter is one of the most outspoken, and influential voices in mountain biking. Even if you’ve not heard his name, if you’re riding a modern mountain bike, it is likely his influence is found within the frame. Chris started his mountain bike industry journey as a journalist on mountain bike magazines, which led him, in a round-about way to working on MBi magazine, and others. He then moved into the world of suspension servicing and tuning, as well as managing a World Cup DH team. From there, his love for experimentation to find the boundaries of performance led him to, eventually, designing the Geometron brand. So out-there were those bikes that numerous engineers from mainstream brands purchased their own Geometrons, to see what all the fuss was about - how many future bikes were influenced by those bikes is unknown! We discuss his career, his unique stories, and dabble with a little technical talk about floating bushings… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Walker is one of the UK’s foremost downhill racers, having won the UCI World Cup overall in 2020, stood on the top step of a World Cup Podium in 2022, and having a Junior World Championship title in 2017. Having spent 11 years with Saracen, this year he has moved to Trek Factory Racing’s team, as their most senior rider. In this episode we talk about how the 2025 season is shaping up, and his move to Trek Factory Racing. What has it been like moving to one of the paddock’s biggest teams, jumping on a totally new bike, and new suspension components, too. We also look back at his successful 2020 campaign, his win at Leogang, and of course, his World Champs title. This podcast is sponsored by Trek Bicycles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for an incredible journey through the history of mountain biking with the legendary photographer Steve Behr!  For nearly four decades, Steve has been capturing the heart and soul of the sport as a professional photographer, his iconic shots gracing the pages of MBUK Magazine since its very first issue 38 years ago.  In this episode of the MBUK Podcast, Steve shares stories from his epic trips and photoshoots with mountain biking royalty, including Rob Warner, Steve Peat, and Hans Rey.  Discover the inside scoop on capturing those iconic moments and the evolution of both the mountain bike industry and the art of mountain bike photography itself.  With more MBUK covers than anyone else, Steve's visual storytelling has defined generations of riders. His legendary status is further cemented by his induction into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame – a true testament to his impact on the sport.    Tune in to hear: * Unforgettable anecdotes from 40 years of mountain bike adventures.  * Behind-the-scenes secrets of photographing the sport's biggest legends.  * Insights into the dramatic changes in mountain bike technology and culture.  * Steve's perspective on the evolution of photography in the digital age.  * The significance of his Mountain Bike Hall of Fame induction.    Don't miss this insightful and inspiring conversation with a true icon of mountain biking! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Tom and Rob as they dive deep with mountain bike legend Bernard Kerr! From tearing up World Cup downhill tracks to managing Pivot Factory Racing, Bernard shares the unfiltered truth about balancing pro racing with team leadership. This podcast was made in partnership with Pivot bikes. Make sure you check out  @bernard_kerr  on YouTube.   In this episode, we explore; Bernard Kerr's Racing Secrets: - How does he consistently achieve top-10 finishes in the world's toughest gravity races?  Pivot Factory Racing Insights. What's it really like to manage a top-tier mountain bike team?  Bike Development & Innovation. Bernard's role in pushing the limits of mountain bike technology.  Street Racing Adventures. Hear wild stories from his urban downhill escapades!  The State of the World Cup Scene. Analysis and opinions on the current downhill racing landscape. Whether you're a die-hard downhill fan, a budding racer, or simply love mountain biking, this podcast is packed with exclusive insights and behind-the-scenes stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whyte has just released its brand new eMTB, the Kado – a 150/160mm all-mountain machine equipped with the latest Bosch motor. Whyte’s head of mountain bike design, Sam Shucksmith, talks to the MBUK Podcast team about how and why the bike was developed. Having raced World Cup DH, as well as EWS Enduro and latterly E-EDR, and as the British e-enduro champion, Sam has a wealth of experience on-track when it comes to developing bikes. We talk about how Sam became a lead engineer for Whyte, and discuss the development process of the new bike. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Craig is probably the most established mountain biker in the UK, having competed at the highest levels of the sport since the 80’s.   His career may have started in Cyclocross, but it wasn’t long until MTB caught his attention, as a burgeoning sport.    Nick has competed at the highest levels, ranging from the first ever MTB world championships through to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.   In this episode we learn about his lifetime of MTB racing, as well as Ride For Charlie, a charity set up to commemorate Nick’s son, Charlie, himself an up-and-coming MTB racer, who sadly passed away just aged 15. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's no doubt Ethan Craik is a talented bike rider. At just age eight, he raced his first BMX world championship before securing a place on the Olympic Development squad as he entered his teenage years. Fast forward too many laps on BMX tracks to count and his passion for the sport began to dwindle. Ethan swapped the little wheels for much bigger ones, and got stuck into mountain bikes instead, quickly taking up racing downhill as soon as he could.  After winning his first ever national race, Ethan had his sights firmly set on World Cup success. But no one could have anticipated the success he had in his first full year as a junior with the GT Factory Race team. Tune in to listen to what unfolded and how Ethan remains one of the fastest downhill riders on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Giant Bicycles.   Rob Warner made a name for himself with his rowdy riding between the tapes and party antics once the clock had stopped.    After retiring from racing, he stepped into the world of commentary, covering action sports for the likes of Channel 4, Freecaster and Red Bull, with a voice synonymous with World Cup downhill racing.   We catch up with Rob to discuss starting out on Team MBUK back in the early 90s, what it was like to be the first Brit to win a DH World Cup during his first year riding for Giant Bicycles and how the sport and bikes have evolved over the years, for better or worse.   Rob talks about his love of commentary, how he got professional thanks to Red Bull and why he loved X-Fighters so much, as well as his favourite monarch of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Specialized. Georgia Leslie has had a swift rise through the MTB industry, starting off as a teenager helping out at her local shop to becoming European Marketing Lead for MTB, for Specialized Bikes, all in a relatively short period of time. We chat to Georgia about how she’s developed her career in mountain biking, as well as the state of play in the industry at the moment, and what it’s like working for one of the biggest cycling brands in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew ‘Doddy’ Dodd has been a familiar face to pretty much anyone who has read, watched or listened to mountain bike content.    Following a work experience placement at MBUK as a teenager, he was a staple part of the team for well over a decade, writing features, attending launches and going on some legendary trips.   When he left the mag for Factory Jackson, fate took him into TV and eventually GMBN Tech, where he became a globally recognised figure. More recently, he has worked for Mondraker on their communications.   In his own words, he’s a mega-fan of both MBUK and mountain biking in general – a real legend of the scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Olly Wilkins and Davi Birks from the excellent The Ride Companion Podcast pop into the studio to discuss the inner workings of mountain bike podcasting and their journey to creating a successful show. Olly has been a huge presence in the UK MTB scene for years, and we discuss his career, from MBUK magazine covers to becoming a product designer and podcaster, as well as his current role at Focus Bikes. Davi kicked off with aspirations to be a pro-MX rider, but things changed as he grew his HookIt distribution company. How he marketed that company is a story you need to hear! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices