Becoming a World Cup Mechanic – Rich Simpson

Today I’m joined by an old friend, Rich Simpson. Rich has joined the World Cup circuit this year as the GT Factory Racing mechanic for Jess Blewitt and Ethan Craik. We sat down to chat about Rich’s background in BMX racing and his career in engineering. Find out how Rich made the move from a lifelong job in engineering, to following his passion in the bike industry. We hear about Rich’s approach to suspension setup, his experiences of his first year at World Cups and plenty more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Rich Simpson. You can check out Rich’s coaching, suspension setup and servicing business here . Follow it on Instagram @rsrbikeworks and find Rich there @_rich_simpson . You can follow the team @gtfactoryracing . Supporting Partners We Are One Composites I’ve been using WeAreOne wheels for over 4 years now and I’m a massive fan. I’m currently running a Faction 29er up front and a Union 27.5 in the rear and I love them. I feel like they strike a lovely balance of being precise but not so stiff that they punish you for being a millimetre offline. The quality and finish of the product is also second to none. As a downtime listener, you can get 10% off any Revolution wheelsets and all rim-only products from WeAreOne until 30th September 2022. All you need to do is to use the code ‘ Downtimewheeling2022 ’ at the checkout over on weareonecomposites.com . Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep . EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hold, and a timeless piece of mountain bike history. Just head over to downtimepodcast.com/ep to save yourself £5 off of the cover price with an annual subscription for just £20 plus postage or you can purchase EP1, or EP2 on their own too. Merch 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 . Follow Us Give us a follow on Instagram @downtimepodcast or Facebook @downtimepodcast to keep up to date and chat in the comments. 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. Each episode will get delivered to your device as soon as it’s available and it’s totally free. 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. Our back catalogue of amazing episodes is available at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – Sven Martin