While in England for the last few weeks I decided to switch things up on the Podcast front and record a quick Pod with both my mum and sister, Rachel, in the kitchen while mum was making Sunday dinner.

My mum actually worked for Raleigh way back in 1960 and my mum gives us a little insight into what it was like to work for them back then and how well everyone was treated and how big Raleigh was during this time.

My sister raced BMX in the 80s and talks a little about winning the 84 British Championships at Derby, racing in Europe and thoughts on the Inaugural British BMX Hall of Fame event last November.

Mum and Rachel also talk about what they liked about BMX in the 80s, the friends and families we hung out with, dad driving us all around Europe and a few of our early day sponsors.

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While in the UK over Christmas I headed over to Raleigh for a Tour of the Factory and recorded a Podcast with my friend Jason Boness, who I’ve known for a very long time.

We talked about both Jason and his brother Jamie’s history in BMX who have been involved since the early 80s riding Raleigh Grifters and Burners, the start of Newark Club alongside riding and racing in the Nottingham, Derby and East Midlands areas at the time.

Jason talked about going the Freestyle route riding Nottingham’s Broadmarsh with Ross Marshall, Donovan Pennant, Nick Martin, and Mark Hyson to name a few, while brother Jamie focused on the race side riding for teams like Dyno, GT and later Haro.

Jason talked about getting a job at Raleigh back in 1993, the company’s history researching BMX and going all in with the Burners and the reason behind the name when everything launched.

We talked about the Raleigh Team riders and, of course, the noted Andy Ruffell signing, Craig Schofield, John Lee, Andy Oldham, and Team Managers Steve Bebb and Sam Wood, just to name a few, the deals some of the riders were getting, the marketing budget numbers and huge figures spent and the vast volume of Burners sold even at the time.

We talked about Raleigh into the 2000s, distributing Diamondback and later Free Agent when Geth Shooter was the product manager over there and some of the riders that rode for both teams in a new era of BMX at the time for Raleigh.

Jason talked about how his job changed and evolved over the years at Raleigh and what they are doing in current times including a re-launch of the Anniversary Burners selling out instantly each year since 2017.

We talked about Raleigh working with the We Were Rad guys, the British BMX Hall of Fame, the launch venue in Nottingham last month, the future of Raleigh in BMX and so much more.

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After years of trying to get him to do one, Geth Shooter finally caved in and we just recorded a Podcast whilst I’m over in the UK.

We cover a lot. Starting out riding for Two Wheel Service Bike Shop, Bunneys GT, Redline, GT, Titan and Free Agent (distributed by Raleigh) later on down the road in the Masters category while working at Raleigh in the mid 2000s.

We talk about doubling at both the 84 NBMXA National Series and British Championships in his first full year of racing. Racing with Scott Williams, Martin Jose and Charlie Reynolds that same year.

Geth talks turning Pro and maybe missing out on racing in Europe by not racing Superclass first, winning the first round of the Kelloggs against the Americans, his thoughts on Pro racing the first few years, maybe where he might have featured at the Slough 86 Worlds if he had raced.

We talk about Geth’s domination in the 87, 88 season before moving back down to Superclass mid 88 season and racing the new era of British riders moving into the 90s.

We talk about some of the riders he raced with from Ruffell, March, Woods, Robinson, Middleton and later Gary Llewellyn, Craig Scofield era to Tony Fleming, Damon Parkinson, Lee Alexander, Tom Lynch, Neal Wood, Anthony Revell, myself later in the 80s and, finally getting to race in Europe, something you were not allowed to do if you were a UK Pro in the mid 80s.

We talk about Geth riding the Ilkeston Brickyard, Nottingham Broadmarsh, Brighouse Trails, Redditch and more, alongside his time working at British Cycling, riding road bikes these days, being inducted into the first ever British BMX Hall of Fame last month and so much more.

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The day after the Inaugural British BMX Hall of Fame event, I sat down with longtime friend Mr. Simon Dando and recorded a Podcast.

We briefly talk about the Hall of Fame night, thoughts on how it went, and how cool it was seeing friends we’ve not seen in over 30 years and a few other key notes for the night.

We then talk about Simon first discovering BMX in Devon in the South West in the 80s, riding with Nicky Dalton, Paul Ray and some of the riders that came out of the South West that went onto getting on factory teams and winning British and National titles.

Simon talks about riding for BMX Superstore, winning regional titles, and easing into Nationals on the NBMXA side, moving up to Milton Keynes, meeting Steve Keech and Steve Driver on the train to the British Championship at Derby who later became lifelong friends.

We chat about Simon doing some modeling, racing in the West Midlands, meeting Ross Hill (RIP), starting his own number plate brand (Hot Plate) after getting Murray’s, Todd Corbitts, plate at the Slough Worlds and going onto making custom Gold Plates, and sponsoring 10 plus UK number 1 plate riders during the Hot Plate years.

We then talk about Pontins, racing with a hangover and all the escapades that went on with the Pontins weekend.

Simon then mentions reading an interview in BMX Action with Eric Carter talking about surfing that inspired him to slow it down in BMX, move back to the South West, and get into surfing which he continues to do today in Newquay.

Simon shares why he’s never been on social media and why, working these days in firm and TV as a prop hand, working on EastEnders, cruising around London between sets on his 20 inch, being friends with Andrew Ridgeley from Wham and more.

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We talk about Lee’s first race in 1981 at Southampton and showing up to the start gate without a helmet, we talk Westway, Hayes Track, getting on Kuwahara National, Ivor J Clark, Boogie Racing, Scorpion and later Hutch & Links.

Lee chats about the guys he battled with, being the only British rider to win at Bercy after getting some great advice from Raleigh’s Dean Iddiols right before his final.

We cover Lee becoming 1986 UKBMX National number 1, not being able to race the Euros in Germany because he was not signed up, and move onto Lee turning Superclass and later Pro and battling for the 1988 Pro title which came down to the last final at the last official Pro race of the 80s at Runnymede.

Lee talks about racing in the early 90s, injuries, hitting the Rave scene, work life and one of his best friends and former Diamondback and Haro rider, Nicky Restall, winning 3.5 Million Pounds on the Lotto and some of the stories that came with Nicky’s big win.

Lee talks about training with Jamie Vince, being confident, focusing on his own race and not what others did which all helped toward his success. We hit on getting back into racing in the mid 2000s, riding for Free Agent and now with his kids both racing and Lee Coaching he’s very involved in his local club Royston alongside so much more.

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Next up on the Podcast is one I recorded last month when I was over in the UK with Darren Reidy, together with Steve Keech and Mike Wong in the background with some insight.

We talk about Reidy getting into racing in 1983 in the North West with his first race at the Chorley (John Lee) Downhill Quarry track getting on Joyda before getting spotted and picked up by Alans for Factory Torker.

Reidy talks racing with Dylan Clayton, CJ Butler, Steven Pursey, Nick Lacey, Mark Gleed, Jamie Boness, Iwan Thomas, and Martin Upshaw from a young age just to name a few.

We talk about the 1988 season getting on Thruster, winning the BBMXA National title in both classes, getting 2nd at the FIAC Worlds, and then hanging it up at the start of the 89 season for a few years before coming back around in 92/93.

Reidy talks about the Sports Class that was formed in 93, racing with the likes of Australian Thomas Forman, Keith Duly, and Dylan Clayton, and the theories on why Dylan raced Sports Class instead of maybe going Elite that year.

Reidy talks about going to the US, turning Elite, riding for MCS, Hyper, and later Ruption.

We talk about the 90s Elite class in the UK, the depth at the time mixing it up with the social aspect of racing at the time, having a beer but still putting a good showing in on the track despite maybe a little hangover.

We bring things up to speed these days with Reidy being the Team Manager for the GT UK Team, thoughts on the sport in the UK today, the current Elites, British Cycling, funding, facilities, and the exposure racing has had in this present time.

Lots more covered, check it out.

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