We dig deep into the Yorkshire grit to get under the skin of Steve Peat and find out more about the man, the myth, the legend!
WHO IS... STEVE PEAT
Peaty burst onto the downhill scene on his hardtail Kona back in the early ’90s and went on to become a headliner on the World Cup circuit for 22 years and a true icon of the sport. He inspired a whole generation of British mountain bikers, all with his wheels in the air but his feet firmly on Sheffield home turf
WHO IS STEVE PEAT?
A family Yorkshireman travelling the world, trying to make the most of it and have fun.
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO IN 2023? Traveling to World Cup races with the Santa Cruz Syndicate, riding Santa Cruz bikes and building Peaty’s Products into something cool for riders.
DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY... Coffee, emails, random jobs, bikes, meetings. To be honest, every day is different and I don’t have a typical one!
WHAT WOULD YOUR ULTIMATE FANTASY DAY BE?
A good break with the family, then riding bikes – MTB and MX – in the mountains (or snowboarding in the winter), before dinner and a few drinks to cap it off.
WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME AND WHAT’S THE RIDING LIKE? Sheffield, and there’s a great mix of riding here.
FIRST RIDING MEMORY? Pulling a wheelie for a few metres on a slight hill near my mum and dad’s house.
WHO WERE YOUR HEROES GROWING UP?
Evel Knievel, Jeremy McGrath, KITT (the car from Knight Rider) and, later, JMC [Jason McRoy].
WHAT GETS YOU EXCITED TO RIDE?
Good people and good trails!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE REALLY STOKED?
A few days ago, at [the sadly now closed] Revolution Bike Park.
WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE PERSON/PEOPLE TO RIDE WITH? My kids, the Syndicate crew, the 50to01 boys, and anyone else who rides!
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO BIKE?
I had fun on my new Santa Cruz Heckler 29er today, but my favourite is their V10 DH rig.
FAVOURITE BIKE COMPONENT? Disc brakes.
WORST MTB TREND?
Lycra, and no peaks in DH racing.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF MOUNTAIN BIKING? Motorbikes (on- and off-road) and snowboarding.
IF YOU COULD ONLY RIDE ONE LOCATION EVER AGAIN, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? Wharncliffe [in Sheffield]. There are cool places all over the world, but my best mates wouldn’t be there.
BEST TRAIL YOU’VE RIDDEN THIS YEAR?
Steel City DH in Sheffield!
WORST CRASH YOU’VE HAD? December 2021. I had loads of injuries, a helicopter ride and a week away from my family. The start of the new year was spent in Stoke trauma hospital!
SCARIEST THING YOU’VE DONE ON A BIKE? Riding Irish cliffs with Hans Rey.
RANDOM FACT?
I used to love my roller skates as a kid.
WHAT SIMPLE THINGS MAKE YOU HAPPY? Family, films and beer.
BIGGEST RIDE OF YOUR LIFE? Doing World Cups for 22 years.
BIGGEST WEAKNESS? Beer.
MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
Family, if you can call them that.
WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU CURRENTLY LISTENING TO?
The Reytons and Gerry Cinnamon.
FAVOURITE ALBUM? The Stone Roses by the Stone Roses.
FAVOURITE BOOK? The Lord of the Rings.
FAVOURITE FILM? Happy Gilmore.
THREE THINGS YOU’D TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND?
Beer, family (though I might get sick of them!) and more beer.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 13-YEAR-OLD SELF? Do exactly what you’re doing already, pal.
IF YOU WEREN’T A PRO RIDER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? Possibly plumbing.
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?
Life’s too short. I use that wisdom all the time.