I think it’s fair to say that Aaron Gwin has had a rough couple of seasons. A steady stream of injuries and misfortune have kept him away from where he’d like to be, at the very top of the sport. We chat about how he deals with tough times. How he feels about people saying he’s no longer got what it takes and how his approach to racing has changed over time. Can Aaron still beat Greg Minnaar’s all time wins record and when will he retire from downhill? Give this episode a listen to hear the answers from the man himself. So hit play and have a listen to this episode with Aaron Gwin.

You can follow Aaron on Instagram @aarongwin1 and on YouTube here.

Supporting Partners

Crankbrothers

Crankbrothers have just launched their new range of shoes. I've been testing the Boa version of the clip and the flat shoe, and I'm really impressed. They are super comfy straight out of the box, and have some lovely design details. Like rubber dots in the heel cup to stop your heel from lifting. The sole on the flat pedal shoe is a great balance of pedal grip and the ability to adjust the position of your foot on the pedal. The sole on the clip shoe has transformed my clipped-in riding experience. It's way easier to clip in and out with the Crankbrothers shoes. This means that I feel way more confident on the trails. You can check out the entire Crankbrothers shoe range at crankbrothers.com, and find your local dealer here.

Nukeproof

Nukeproof have recently announced that Sam Hill and the rest of the Team Chain Reaction Cycles will be running their Horizon V2 wheels for the 2021 Enduro World Series. The Horizon V2 combines some great technology to make wheels that are robust, easy to find parts for and tough. They can be bought individually so you can choose your set up of wheel size, width, freehub, axle etc. You can check them out at your local Nukeproof dealer or at nukeproof.com.

To be in with the chance of winning your own pair, just head to downtimepodcast.com/nukeproof and join their mailing list before 1st April 2021. No spam, just a weekly email to keep you up to date with what Nukeproof and the team are up to. Worth it for the Sam Hill videos alone!

Podcast Stuff

If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, and made with a supply chain that's using renewable energy. So check it out now over at downtimepodcast.com/shop. The new t-shirts are super soft and a lovely fit, so treat yourself and help the podcast at the same time. We've got sweatshirts and hoodies too!

For everything video, including riding videos, bike checks and more, subscribe over at youtube.com/downtimemountainbikepodcast.

Are you enjoying the podcast? If so, then don’t forget to subscribe. It’s free and means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. You'll find all the links you need at downtimepodcast.com/subscribe. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google and most of the podcast apps out there. While you're there, why not join our newsletter, to get our Weekend Warm-Up email every Friday, full of interesting bike-related stuff, competitions, product recommendations and more.

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Our back catalogue of amazing episodes is available at downtimepodcast.com/episodes

Photo - Nathan Hughes