The MBUK Podcast

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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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