Ben Smith: From Troy Lee Intern to HipLok Founder, Building a Global Brand from Scratch
Release Date: 05/21/2025
Olly’s Brutal Injury & Davi’s INSANE Amazon Purchases
The Ride Companion
We're back for a long overdue catch up episode folks! We’re back with a long overdue catch-up episode! Olly and Davi dive into the current state of the podcast, what the future might look like, and the chaos that’s been happening behind the scenes. Olly breaks down his recent injury and how his foot photos somehow blew up on Instagram, while Davi reveals the wild rabbit hole of TikTok led Amazon purchases he’s fallen into. The lads also get into Meta glasses, night riding, finding community, motivation, AI music, and loads more. Episode Sponsors:- - For a limited time, our...
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Tom Isted: Inside Red Bull Rampage 2025 (Judging, Building, Injuries & More)
The Ride Companion
Tom Isted is back on The Ride Companion! Fresh from Red Bull Rampage 2025, Tom stops by the studio to break down every detail of his time in the Utah desert — from building his line and flipping flat drops, to navigating event politics and dealing with the fallout from Adolf Silva’s crash. Tom shares how he manages risk, his honest take on judging, and what it really takes to earn respect at freeride’s biggest event. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories about his dig crew, surviving the chaos, and balancing family life while being one of the world’s most versatile mountain bike riders. We...
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Rob Warner talks Red Bull Rampage, ADHD, new music career and more...
The Ride Companion
Rob Warner is back on The Ride Companion! In this episode, Rob joins Olly and Davi to talk about his first ever trip to Red Bull Rampage, what it was like to finally see the venue in person, the true scale you can’t capture on TV and what it feels like watching riders hit massive freeride lines for the very first time. The lads also dig into the harsh realities of athletes pushing big-mountain freeride and action sports to the absolute limit. Rob opens up about living with ADHD and autism, how it feels being so publicly outspoken about it, and how commentary helps him find flow state. He...
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Gee Atherton: Bottling Fear, Mindset, Hardline Future & The Crash That Changed Everything
The Ride Companion
The legend, Gee Atherton is on the podcast! In this episode Gee opens up like never before. From bottling fear and the brutal lessons of the Knife Edge crash, to the mindset shift that’s carried him from World Cup Downhill racing into big mountain freeride projects. We get into the story of Atherton Bikes and why the family had to start their own brand, why having a World Cup race team was non-negotiable, and what it really takes to build a bike/brand with his family. Gee talks about the future of Red Bull Hardline, why the course has to keep getting bigger, faster and gnarlier, how fear...
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Duncan Ferris on The Psychology of Trail Building, 4X Racing and More
The Ride Companion
Trail boss Duncan Ferris is on the podcast! Duncan Ferris has lived two MTB lives: from 4X racer and World Cup track builder to shaping the UK’s most ridden bike park trails at BikePark Wales. In this episode, Duncan takes us from the Bristol BSX scene, to building World Cup 4X tracks like Schladming, Vigo and Villingen and finally chasing down the National Champs jersey after 20 years. We dive deep into trail building psychology, why braking bumps form where they shouldn’t, why variety in a crew is essential and how riders unlock creativity on a trail. Plus Duncan shares the BikePark...
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Phil Atwill Talks Style, Mental Health, Team Management, Downhill and More
The Ride Companion
Phil Atwill is on The Ride Companion Podcast! In this episode, Phil joins Olly and Davi to talk about his incredible career (so far), from making riding fun at Aston Hill and earning his first pay cheque as a pro, to dealing with injuries, pressure, and the infamous 2017 hardtail World Cup protest run. He talks about his long-standing relationship with Propain Bikes and how it inspired the creation of the Propain Positive Team, his move to Greece, and why he’s so dedicated to growing the local MTB scene. Phil also opens up about the state of downhill racing, mental health, and balancing...
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Red Bull Rampage 2025 Preview (with Brendog)
The Ride Companion
Join Brendan Fairclough, Olly Wilkins and Davi Birks as they preview the Red Bull Rampage 2025 mens rider list. You're not going crazy either, this is an excerpt from our recent episode with Brendan Fairclough. Get early access & ad-free episodes → You can also support our long term partners: - Marin Bikes: - Focus Bikes: - HUEL: Get 15% OFF with code 'RIDE' at - Hiplok: - Play Fantasy Downhill at The Race Companion: - Get 10% off Troy Lee Designs with code 'theridecompanion' at - Athletic Greens: Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel...
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Dan Milner on Wild Adventure MTB Photography (North Korea, Afghanistan & More)
The Ride Companion
Adventure photographer Dan Milner has spent three decades turning a bike into a passport. From North Korea to Afghanistan, from camping among polar bears in Svalbard to being buried by a 10-day Alaskan blizzard, his career has been about chasing risk, chasing stories, and suffering for the photo. During this episode we get into the infamous 1994 MBUK self-timer 'selfie' that started it all, smuggling bikes onto gondolas in flip-flops, why real risk changes as you age, the strange normality of Pyongyang, bivvying through a typhoon with minders in polythene raincoats, and the wild beauty of...
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Anton Thelander: From Slopestyle Phenom to Burnout & Finding the Love Again
The Ride Companion
Swedish mountain bike royalty Anton Thelander is on the podcast! On this episode of The Ride Companion Anton talks about going from local skateparks and Sweden’s MTB school to Red Bull Phenom, a 4th place at Joyride and a Rampage debut before suffering the effects of burnout. In this brutally honest conversation Anton opens up about Martin Söderström’s mentorship, Canyon signing, that first Red Bull helmet reveal and the tough years. Anton opens up about depression, losing contracts, moving back home, and how he started rebuilding with therapy, movement, a new toolbox for his mind, and...
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Brendan Fairclough Reveals His Gnarliest Build Ever + Rampage 2025 Predictions
The Ride Companion
Brendan Fairclough is back in the studio to reveal his gnarliest build ever and give us an exclusive first look at his wildest project yet, a 9m treehouse to under ground tunnel build we’ve (temporarily) named MTB OBLIVION. We cover why Bren’s sitting out Rampage this year, the mental game of competing in Utah, who he’s tipping for the win (Godziek, TVS, Emil, Zink?), and the chaos of creating a viral freeride line on a shoestring budget in the Surrey Hills. Episode Sponsors:- - Invisiframe → 15% off kits, decals & more with code REFRESHANDRIDE: - Troy Lee Designs...
info_outlineBen Smith is the co-founder of HipLok. Ben joins Olly & Davi in studio for a deep-dive into his journey from working at Troy Lee Designs in California to launching one of the most innovative bike security brands in the world.
During the episode Ben opens up about how the idea for HipLok was born, the early struggles of building a brand from scratch, the reality of product development and manufacturing, and how global trade issues like tariffs and certification standards are affecting the industry.
Ben also shares what it was like designing gear during the golden era of MTB at TLD, why bike theft is on the rise, and how HipLok’s anti-angle grinder tech is pushing the boundaries of what's possible and much more...
Use code THERIDECOMPANION20 at hiplok.com/the-ride-companion for 20% off!
BIG thanks to this episode's sponsors:
- Get 30 days of free cover on us when you sign-up to Laka with code RIDECOMPANION30 at https://my.laka.co/the-ride-companion. T&Cs Apply.
- Melon’s Kingpin, Alleycat and Alleycat S riding glasses are now available with Vantage photochromic lenses. Use code THERIDECOMPANION at melonoptics.com to get a FREE lens cleaning kit + a low light lens with your order! (trail enhancing tints)
- Health is wealth folks so why not get optimised, cover your nutritional bases and probably ride better with AG1. Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D + 5 FREE travel packs at https://drinkag1.com/RIDECOMPANION
Support our long term partners:
- Marin Bikes: marinbikes.com/gb
- Focus Bikes: focus-bikes.com
- HUEL: Get 15% OFF with code 'RIDE' at huel.com/
- Hiplok: https://hiplok.com/the-ride-companion
- Nissan Vans: nissan.co.uk/vehicles/new-vehicles/primastar.html
- Play Fantasy Downhill at The Race Companion:
theracecompanion.com
instagram.com/theracecompanion
- Get 10% off Troy Lee Designs with code 'theridecompanion' at saddleback.avln.me/c/OzduCWvjtcOr
- Athletic Greens: Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs at athleticgreens.com/RIDECOMPANION
- Compex: Get 20% off with code ‘THERIDECOMPANION’ at compex.com/uk/
- Worx: Get 15% off with code ‘THERIDECOMPANION’ at worx.com
- LAKA: Get 30 days of FREE insurance with code ‘RIDECOMPANION30’ at laka.co
- HKT Products: Use code ‘PODCAST’ for 10% off the entire site.
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Edited By: Doug Tucker, onlyflightdispatch.com & TRC Media House
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