3. AUDIO SLAVE P67
Chris Hall spends his days tirelessly documenting the MTB scene via his Downtime Podcast. We hit the trails to ind out more about him and his show – and record an episode of our own
We meet Chris Hall, creator and host of the Downtime Podcast, to find out more about him and his show – and record an episode of our own
As the rain hammers against the window, it’s clear that everyone’s happy to sit back, order a second coffee and wait a little longer before hitting the rain-soaked trails. Naturally, the only topic on the table is bikes and all things bike-related. Fortunately, we’re in particularly good company, as we sip our drinks slowly in a bid to prolong the inevitable, because we’re with someone who talks about bikes for a living. Chris Hall is the man behind the highly successful Downtime Podcast. While you may not recognise his face, many will be familiar with his dulcet tones. Chris has interviewed some of the most famous racers on the planet, along with some interesting industry figureheads, and is known for delving deep into post-race analysis after each round of the Downhill World Cup. We’re here at Pedalabikeaway in the Forest of Dean to find out more about the man behind the podcast, hear all about his personal highlights and, we’re excited to say, record an episode ourselves (apologies in advance!).
Bikes for life
Like many of us, Chris’s love for bikes started at a young age and progressed from hammering about in the woods to riding and racing cross-country, before venturing into the world of downhill. “I’ve always ridden bikes – I’ve never had a break from it,” he explains. “The amount I ride has always fluctuated, but I’ve never stopped.” Even throughout his rather full-on career in the automotive industry, Chris’s passion for MTB never waned. But why start a podcast? After some exciting jobs – including managing the design and build of the intake and exhaust systems for the McLaren MP4-12C supercar – Chris moved north and changed jobs after meeting his nowwife. His new role – designing turbos for trucks and
ships – simply didn’t cut it, and he started looking for a way out. He wondered how he could do something he enjoyed, with people who were excited about it, and choose when he worked.
After listening to a number of different podcasts, Chris formulated an idea for his own – focusing on the riders, racers and personalities within the mountain bike scene. But it wasn’t until a New Year’s Eve party in 2016 that his close friend Cy Turner (owner and designer of Cotic Bikes) and John Firth (head of marketing for O’Neal clothing) convinced him to make it happen – with John’s promise of getting DH superstar Greg Minnaar to sign up as a guest certainly putting the pressure on! From that point on, every spare minute of Chris’s time was taken up with building a website, researching equipment and doing everything necessary to get his dream off the ground. On February 14 2017, the first Downtime Podcast went live. “My Valentine’s present to the mountain biking world was my first episode, with [coach] Chris Kilmurray”, Chris jokes.
Since then, a lot has changed, including the man himself. “I think I’ve changed a lot,” he says. “Part of it’s because I’m doing something I love, and part of it’s down to what I’ve learned from people along the way.” Creating the Downtime Podcast is now a full-time job for Chris. His insightful approach and calm persona make his podcasts a fascinating and engrossing listen, and that’s attracted some big-hitters to appear on the show, including Rachel Atherton, Loïc Bruni, Josh Bryceland, Tahnée Seagrave and, of course, Greg Minnaar, to name just a few.
MBUK on the mic
With such a star-studded back-catalogue of guests, it was an honour – if a little nerve-wracking – to sit down and record our very own Downtime Podcast with Chris. He patiently let us whitter on about what we do here at the mag and how we go about testing all the bikes and kit that comes through our doors, so if you’re willing to give your ears some punishment, be sure to give it a listen! It should be available at www.downtimepodcast.com from 16 July. As for what lies ahead for Downtime, Chris assures us there’s plenty more to come, and we can’t wait to listen in.