Celebrating the pioneers who have redefined MTB tech
Over the years, mountain biking has diversified massively. From the original Repack mates’ races to the Olympic Games. From balancing on North Shore skinnies to hucking off cliffs at Red Bull Rampage, along with every other type of riding in between.
Each of these different aspects of the sport has been thrust into the spotlight thanks to the events it spawned.
Hosts Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin rope in MBUK editor James Costley-White to give us a rundown of the events that helped make mountain biking what it is today.
You can listen using the player above – or via Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Remember to subscribe to the new MBUK Podcast while you’re there, too, so you don’t miss one of the weekly episodes.
Episode 7 | The rise of the trail bike
Many riders will take their ultra-capable trail bike for granted, but there was a time when the do-it-all full-suspension machine didn’t exist… or at least, not as we know them today.
Trail bikes have come a seriously long way, but how did they get to where they are now and which bikes helped inspire them?
John Oldale from Marin Bikes joins Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin to talk through some of the bikes they feel contributed to the rise of the trail bike, inspiring how they evolved and also, how they’re ridden.
Episode 6 | Racers who rang the changes
From time to time, a rider will get between the tape and change the sport forever.
Whether that’s down to their attitude, style, approach, professionalism or results, it doesn’t really matter – they just make a difference. And, in the case of the most influential ones, those differences can send shockwaves through the sport.
Mountain biking has seen its fair share of characters over the years, and in this episode, hosts Tom Marvin and Rob Weaver are joined by MBUK’s staff writer, Rachel Bennet, to discuss who they think had the biggest impact.
Episode 5 | Moments that were meant to change MTB
In a sport so rich in technology, where designs evolve quickly and a product that’s in favour one year may be ditched for the latest innovation the next, it’s no surprise that some bits of kit simply can’t live up to the marketing hype.
Hosts Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin sit down with MBUK editor James Costley-White to talk through some of these bikes, products and designs, and try to figure out why they didn’t quite hit the mark.
Throughout the history of the sport, certain products have stood out from the crowd as making a real difference for riders or pushing mountain biking forward.
From the first suspension fork to the latest wireless tech, these have often had a dramatic effect on how mountain biking has evolved.
In episode five of the MBUK Podcast, MBUK’s editor, James Costley-White, joins hosts Tom Marvin and Rob Weaver to discuss the products they think have had the biggest impact on the sport… and why.
Episode 4 | Visionaries who pushed the tech
The MBUK Podcast is back for episode four, and this time hosts Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin are joined by James Costley-White, MBUK’s editor, to reflect on the visionaries who have pushed tech boundaries since the inception of mountain biking.
There are some people who aren’t happy to settle, not willing to accept that what’s on offer is the best you’re going to get, and always looking at things a little differently.
In a sport such as mountain biking, where bike and component technology plays such a pivotal role, having people willing to go as far as reinventing the wheel is what’s needed to keep designs moving forward.
In this episode, Rob, Tom and James talk about some of these pioneers – the folk willing to do things a little differently, buck the trends and step out of their comfort zones, all in a bid to elevate mountain bike design.
Episode 3 | Locations that changed how we ride
We’re into week three of the new MBUK Podcast, with hosts Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin turning their attention to the world’s best riding locations.
Having covered the bikes that broke tech boundaries in episode one, and the riders who shaped the sport of mountain biking in episode two, this time it’s all about riding spots.
From Coed y Brenin in Wales to Vancouver’s North Shore, Rob and Tom take us on a world tour of the locations that have changed how we ride.
Episode 2 | Riders who shaped the sport
The MBUK Podcast is back for episode two, this time focusing on some of the names who have shaped the sport of mountain biking.
Behind every complicated suspension design, radical geometry figure or ground-breaking event is a passionate mountain biker looking to progress the sport a little or, in some cases, a lot.
For this episode, MBUK editor James Costley-White joins hosts Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin in the studio to discuss the riders, racers and engineers who helped transform mountain biking into the sport we all know and love today.
The MBUK Podcast is released every Tuesday, with episode three focusing on locations that changed the way we ride.
Episode 1 | Bikes that broke boundaries
Our friends and colleagues at MBUK magazine have launched a new podcast!
In series one, the team behind MBUK – the UK’s best-selling mountain biking magazine – will take to the airwaves every Tuesday, starting today, to look back at the moments that have helped shape the sport.
MBUK has been at the heart of mountain biking culture since the magazine was launched, way back in 1988, and the podcast will cover everything from game-changing tech to the greatest riders, most influential brands and iconic trails.
Two regular voices on the BikeRadar Podcast – Rob Weaver and Tom Marvin – will be joined by members of the MBUK team throughout the series.
Episode one covers the bikes that have broken tech boundaries over the past four decades.