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The Ride Companion

TRC Media Housetheridecompanion.co.uk
The mountain bike podcast that sometimes forgets to talk about mountain bikes... Hosted by Olly Wilkins and Davi Birks #theridecompanion
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Episodes

Theo Erlangsen on positivity, freeracing and the Monster Energy trip!

Theo Erlangsen could be the most positive person in mountain biking and, with very good reason. On this episode of The Ride Companion Theo Erlangsen joins Olly and Davi to talk about growing up in South Africa, discovering mountain biking and how DarkFest changed his entire career. Theo also talks about living in a van for most of the year, what it means to be a 'freeracer', the differences between Red Bull Hardline and World Cup downhill, YouTube and of course the Monster Energy girls summit an...

May 15, 20241 hr 58 min

How to start, build and manage a successful bike park (with Bikepark Wales founders)

Martin and Anna Astley are two of the founders of Bikepark Wales. On this episode of The Ride Companion Martin and Anna break down the incredible story behind the bike park. The couple open up about the initial idea, finding a location, financing, trail building, implementing processes and culture, finding staff and much more... There's also some breaking news regarding the future of the park! This episode's sponsors & News Health is wealth folks so why not get optimised, cover your nutritio...

May 08, 20241 hr 54 min

The UCI Downhill World Cup Season is here! Let's bench race...

The UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup Season kicks off this coming weekend in Fort William so, what better time to do some good ol' fashioned bench racing! During this episode of The Ride Companion Olly Wilkins and Davi share their opinions on the biggest team changes and news, discuss wether Brendan Fairclough has retired, share their fantasy downhill picks and debate pre race practice ethics. Olly talks about his time building a trail in Sicily, Davi shares his life changing revelation, SL ...

May 01, 20241 hr 31 min

Nigel Page Ep2: Signing Sam Hill, Freecaster, team insights and the truth about Nukeproof

Mountain biking legend Nigel Page is in The Ride Companion studio for part two of the podcast! On this episode Nigel Page opens up about his career changing injury, working with Chris Kovarik, what it was really like to commentate on Freecaster with Rob Warner, how team budgets are handled, signing Sam Hill to the Nukeproof Chain Reaction Cycles team, explains why the team switched to enduro and opens up about the unfortunate end to Nukeproof Bikes... This episode's sponsors & News - Feel op...

Apr 24, 20242 hr

Nigel Page Ep1: 80's BMX, lottery wins, the golden era of downhill and X-games medals!

Mountain biking legend Nigel Page is in studio for a two part epic! On the first of two episodes Nigel Page talks about the 80's BMX scene, discovering mountain biking, snapping mopeds, hilarious jobs, quitting jobs, the golden era of downhill, competing against Rob Warner, Steve Peat and Shaun Palmer, X-Games medals and so much more... This episode's sponsors & News Companionship, please don't be a victim of hindsight. LAKA has flipped insurance on its head for bike insurance and now, your ...

Apr 17, 20242 hr 25 min

The BEST listener questions episode yet?!

Olly and Davi sit down to answer your BEST listener questions. An old school episode with topics like fear, Deathgrip 2, the impact of the growth of the podcast, Crankworx rider boycott and much more... This episode's sponsors & News With all these pro rider insights you're going to want to recover like a pro too! Get 20% off with code ‘THERIDECOMPANION’ at https://www.compex.com/uk/ - Every mountain biker needs a WORX Hydroshot, especially this time of year. Get 15% off all WORX tools at ht...

Apr 10, 20241 hr 35 min

Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo breakdown ft Hellfire Pete

Olly returns from the Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo street race in Mexico a little tired, but ready to break down his trip with insights and stories. During the episode, the lads talk about what it takes to build the course, how he first got the street race jobs, course changes, discuss why the South American riders are so fast, will there ever be a UK version? Plus, there's a failed hot sauce game, listener questions, and loads more... This episode's sponsors & News Struggling to watch sp...

Apr 03, 20241 hr 40 min

Best of 2024 (so far)

Our favourite moments from The Ride Companion podcast 2024 (so far). Featuring Rob Warner, Bernard Kerr, Jono Jones, Sam Reynolds, Preston Williams, Hans Rey and Joel Anderson. This episode's sponsors & News - Feel optimised, cover your nutritional bases and probably ride better with AG1. Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at https://drinkag1.com/RIDECOMPANION - Peak Supps: We want to make supplementing for riding as easy as possible with The Ride Companion bundle....

Mar 27, 20241 hr 29 min

Alan Milway on training elite downhill racers, game changing data, Norco insights and more!

Alan Milway is arguably the most respected strength and conditioning coach in mountain biking. On this episode of The Ride Companion Alan walks us through exactly how he works with the worlds most elite athletes like Greg Minnaar, Danny Hart, Gee Atherton, Charlie Hatton and how he asseses performance to ensure he gets the most out of all his athletes. Alan also discusses the current state of downhill, the data he’s acquired on athletes and what it means for the future of the sport, top training...

Mar 20, 20242 hr 49 min

Tom Isted talks Crankworx podiums, 120ft backflips, DarkFest and more!

On this episode of The Ride Companion Tom Isted talks about his journey from gymnastics to BMX park through to MTB slopestyle and big air. Tom breaks down what it takes to make the podium at a Crankworx event, what the judges really look for and why Emil Johansson is so hard to compete against. Tom also opens up about the 'best year of his life' in 2023, record breaking 120ft backflips, DarkFest 2024 insights and highlights plus loads more... Watch this episode on YouTube Follow @tom_isted This ...

Mar 13, 20241 hr 33 min

Chris Akrigg on the art of trials, lost videos, ebikes and more...

Olly and Davi are joined by the legendary Chris Akrigg! From his humble motorcycle trials beginnings to becoming a household name in mountain biking, during this episode Chris shares his journey of self-filming, honing his skills, and turning his passion into a profession. Chris also opens up about why he stepped away from competitive riding, the Danny MacAskill effect on trials, riding brakeless, what happened to the watercycles video and reflects on the evolution of his career and content moti...

Mar 06, 20241 hr 58 min

Hans Rey, an incredible life on two wheels

We sat down with mountain biking legend, Hans Rey! In this episode of The Ride Companion, Hans dives into the unforgettable moments of his career, reminiscing about the iconic SWATCH ad campaign and reflecting on the pivotal German TV show that changed everything. We also delve into the golden era of 90s mountain biking, where Hans competed at the first ever X-Games, the Laguna Rads crew, 37 years on GT Bikes, long-term sponsorship deals, and the epic adventures that helped define his career. Ha...

Feb 28, 20241 hr 54 min

The BIG announcement and HEAVY bike chat!

We've waited over 6 months to share this news!! On this episode of The Ride Companion Olly and Davi sit down for an old school general catch up. During the episode the lads reflect on the Rob Warner episode, make an announcement, have some HEAVY bike chat, answer listener questions plus, much more... Sign up to and follow The Race Companion: https://www.theracecompanion.com https://www.instagram.com/theracecompanion Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and rea...

Feb 21, 20241 hr 25 min

Preston Williams: From factory motocross champion to elite downhill privateer

Preston Williams is a former British motocross champion turned downhill racer. On this episode Preston talks about his illustrious but strict motocross career and why he made the switch to racing downhill. Preston talks about winning his first ever National race, almost beating Jackson Goldstone and breaks down his first couple of years in the elite category. Preston is currently living the full privateer life and we hope the companionship will be rooting for him in 2024! Follow Preston @preston...

Feb 14, 20241 hr 24 min

Sam Reynolds talks DarkFest 2024 insights, injuries, rider lists and EXCLUSIVE news!

Sam Reynolds is back in studio with Olly for a pre DarkFest chat! During the episode Sam talks about how much money it actually costs to host the event, his heavily contrasting life as a Dad and big air bike rider, his recently ankle injury, how he compiles the rider invite list, how to flip huge jumps and much more. There's also a HUGE teaser at the end of the episode! Follow all the DarkFest action on Sam's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@UCMWiyxWqrBPboOgrcy2qauA Support this episode'...

Feb 07, 20241 hr 7 min

Joel Anderson on HUGE jumps, HUGE injuries and tech trails

Joel Anderson dropped by The Ride Companion studio to record his first-ever podcast! On this episode, Joel talks about building a riding scene in Triscombe, filming edits with Tommy C, and riding downhill bikes where most people wouldn't. Joel also opens up about his almost career-ending injury and what it's really like to ride huge jumps. Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE trav...

Jan 31, 20241 hr 31 min

Rob Warner opens up

Rob Warner is back on the podcast for the most open, honest and unfiltered conversation we've ever released. During the episode Rob talks about the struggles he faced after losing his job as the world cup commentator and what it was really like going back to the races. Rob also opens up about a topic he's wanted to share with the world for over six years and much much more... Rather than write a long description we'll let this episode do the talking. Thanks to everybody who supports the show. It...

Jan 24, 20241 hr 40 min

Olly's gotten injured, skin suits and petrol station merch

The lads are back in studio for their first podcast of 2024. During the episode Olly talks about his recent injury he sustained while shooting a video with Brendan Fairclough. The lads discuss dream guests, petrol station merch, skin suits, Anaheim 1, T-Pain's album and loads more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at drinkag1.com/RIDECOMPANION Support our long t...

Jan 17, 20241 hr 24 min

Bernard Kerr talks pay cuts, the return of skin suits, Red Bull Hardline Tasmania and more

Bernard Kerr drops by the studio slightly unplanned so, we decided to record a podcast! On this episode of The Ride Companion Bernard talks about buying the BK Sport warehouse, wether DYFI is becoming the global hub of mountain biking and switching GoPro footage to hide lines. Bernard also opens up about taking a pay cut to keep the race team alive, testing jumps at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania, will skin suits make a return in 2024 and much more... (Apologies for the slight audio issue. Blame Lad...

Jan 10, 20241 hr 5 min

Jono Jones on brotherly competition, viral mtb videos, commentating with Rob Warner and more

Jono Jones is in studio for a chat with Olly Wilkins. During this episode Jono talks about being in competition with brother Matt, sauna competitions, home renovations and dream trips. Jono also opens up about why he's never turned full time pro, riding Mexican street racers, commentating with Rob Warner, Red Bull Hardline, what he has planned for 2024 and much more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year suppl...

Jan 03, 20241 hr 30 min

Ben Deakin and the BIG reveal!

After Brendan Fairclough's 4th place finish at the 2019 Red Bull Rampage he insisted that his dig crew had to spend the winnings on something they really wanted. Olly Wilkins chose a jet-ski, Ben Deakin decided he wanted a hair transplant... On this episode Ben Deakin (aka The Deakinator) talks about why he decided it was finally time to commit and go for the procedure, this is the full story... Learn more and get the Deakin discount over at hwtclinic.com with code BDK200. Support this episode's...

Dec 28, 20231 hr 24 min

The Ride Companion Christmas Quiz SPECIAL!!

Welcome to The Ride Companion Christmas Quiz Special! Join your hosts Davi, Olly, and Dan as they lead you through 24 family-friendly general knowledge questions, sprinkled with a festive touch of Christmas cheer. Play a long with your loved ones over Christmas or, test your general knowledge whilst out on your next solo ride. The choice is yours! Don't be a Grinch though—spread the holiday cheer by subscribing, sharing, and leaving your score (be honest) in the comments section! Enjoy and Merry...

Dec 24, 20231 hr 17 min

Dan Wolfe on EDR's uncertain future, working for Pinkbike, the Irish mountain bike scene and more

Dan Wolfe is a former World Cup downhill and EDR racer from Ireland, known to many for his live reporting from events for Pinkbike. During the episode, Dan talks about growing up in Ireland and how he discovered mountain biking through his older brother. He also discusses how he first started racing downhill, becoming one of the early riders to switch to enduro, and speculates on what the future could look like for EDR. Dan walks us through how he began managing social media accounts for Pinkbik...

Dec 20, 20231 hr 40 min

Vero Sandler on injuries, fresh motivations, Monster Energy and building backyard dreams

Vero Sandler is one of the worlds leading female freeriders who has literally carved her own path in the sport. On this episode of The Ride Companion Vero joins Olly and Davi in studio to talk about her current injury, how her riding motivations have changed since quitting racing, trick progression, her back yard build project, signing for monster energy, advice for your girls and much more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day...

Dec 13, 20231 hr 16 min

Jonny Thomson of Fit4Racing's MTB strength and fitness secrets, how pro riders really train, business and more

Jonny Thomson is the man behind Fit4Racing, a specialist mountain bike and two-wheeled sports training platform. During the episode, Jonny talks about his original motivation to launch Fit4Racing, his fallout with CrossFit, training pros like Danny Hart, Jonny Walker, and Adam Brayton. Jonny also breaks down why e-bikes are great training tools, common fitness mistakes mountain bikers make, the Fit4Racing business model, answers listener questions, and much more... Follow @fit4racing and get a M...

Dec 06, 20232 hr 2 min

Trail etiquette VS view count, Focus camp, fast trains and more...

Olly and Davi are back in studio to discuss wether Lewis Buchanan should have ridden Brendan Fairclough's Red Bull Rampage battleship line. During the episode the lads also talk about personality types, bucket list biking trips, the Focus Bikes team camp, play podium picks, create a Sam Pilgrim Monster flavour and much more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at d...

Nov 29, 20231 hr 41 min

Steve Geall on being a BMX AND mountain bike pro, the golden era, stunt work and riding with Dave Mirra

Steve Geall is a legend of the UK BMX and mountain bike scene and we're stoked to have him on The Ride Companion this week! During the podcast we discuss how Steve discovered BMX in the late 80's and competiting in the early competitions to became a National Champion. Steve talks about falling out of love with the BMX, buying his first mountain bike, turning pro on the Giant team and racing the first world cups. Steve also talks about being a stunt man on 101 Dalmations, why he still loves ridin...

Nov 22, 20231 hr 57 min

Olly's Australian shins, podium picks returns and Shuggie Johnston joins the podcast!

Olly and Davi get REALLY into your listener questions, bring back the podium picks feature and discuss desert island survival tactics, winter riding tips, adult movie start names, Red Bull Hardline Tasmania, the state of the bike industry and much more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at drinkag1.com/RIDECOMPANION Want to ride more and not feel 120 years old? C...

Nov 15, 20231 hr 35 min

Is MTB DEAD (In winter), Engagements and BK's Ferrari!

It's one of 'those' ones folks! On this episode Olly and Davi have a good old fashioned catchup. Olly talks about his trip to the gym in Bernard Kerr's Ferrari and the crazy furniture he found in a bin. Davi talks about his recent engagement, discovering he's a good actor and seeing Blink 182 plus load more... Support this episode's sponsors Athletic Greens : Want to feel optimized and ready to kick ass each day? Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at drinkag1.com/RIDEC...

Nov 08, 20231 hr 21 min

Alex Rankin talks Sprung, Earthed, film making before the internet and more!

Mountain bike royalty Alex Ranking is in studio! On this episode of The Ride Companion Olly and Davi take a deep dive into Alex’s film making career. During the episode Alex opens up about his early skateboarding and BMX inspirations, how and why he first picked up a camera, learning to edit on tape, investing in the first 1000 Sprung videos and why Sprung really finished, meeting Steve Peat and Rob Warner, acquiring music for free and some of the projects Alex is working on for the future… Foll...

Nov 01, 20232 hr 31 min
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