Gee Atherton: Bottling Fear, Mindset, Hardline Future & The Crash That Changed Everything

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 bonds the riders together, and whether it’s spawning a brand new discipline: Super Downhill. He also reflects on Rampage (two 2nd places), why walking away from a feature hurts more than crashing, and shares the training hacks that keep him riding at the top level after decades of injuries. Gee teases a brand new edit that almost required him to ride in a stab proof vest and his next big-mountain project in Nepal. This is a rare look inside the mindset of one of the sport’s most iconic characters, this episode is unmissable and we hope you enjoy it. Watch WINDFELL here:    • WINDFELL | Built from the Wreckage with Ge...   Episode Sponsors:- Looking for a new car or van and don't want to deal with dodgy dealers? Check out https://www.cargurus.co.uk Invisiframe → 15% off kits, decals & more with code REFRESHANDRIDE: https://www.invisiframe.co.uk Troy Lee Designs brand new stage pro knee guards are now live. Learn more at https://troyleedesigns.com/products/s... Get early access & ad-free episodes →   / theridecompanion   TRC x BPW Christmas Ride https://www.bikeparkwales.com/about/e... LIKE THIS EPISODE? Hit subscribe, checkout the back catalogue and follow us on Instagram:   / theridecompanion   LISTEN TO THE PODCAST & MORE Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/66evYll... Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast... All episodes, merch & more → https://theridecompanion.co.uk LONG-TERM PARTNER CODES Marin Bikes → https://www.marinbikes.com/gb Focus Bikes → https://www.focus-bikes.com Hiplok → https://hiplok.com/the-ride-companion Magic Mind → 45% off: https://www.magicmind.com/companionjan HUEL → 15% off with code RIDE: https://huel.com/ Troy Lee Designs → 10% off with code theridecompanion: https://saddleback.avln.me/c/OzduCWvj... AG1 → Free Vit D + 5 travel packs: https://athleticgreens.com/RIDECOMPANION Compex → 20% off with code THERIDECOMPANION: https://www.compex.com/uk/ HKT Products → 10% off with code PODCAST CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Gee Atherton joins The Ride Companion 00:01:20 How many World Cup wins do the Athertons actually have? 00:04:00 Gee’s “real job” these days (apart from MTB legend) 00:09:10 From World Cup racer to big-mountain freerider 00:13:30 When Atherton family hype became normal life 00:17:30 Is Gee Atherton ever scared? 00:23:50 The first Ridgeline project – where it all started 00:26:45 The Knife Edge idea: why take that risk? 00:31:30 “It’s just what me and my brother do” – building gnarly lines 00:35:00 The Knife Edge crash: what really happened 00:44:20 Dolomites scouting nightmare 00:47:50 CarGurus.co.uk (Ad) 00:52:45 Building a crew that keeps Gee alive 01:00:05 Mountaineering mindset & riding in the wilderness 01:06:10 PTSD, fear, and processing information at speed 01:11:10 Inside Gee’s latest film project 01:17:11 Who really pushed to launch Atherton Bikes? 01:25:30 Gee’s role at Atherton Bikes today 01:29:28 Why a World Cup race team is non-negotiable 01:31:29 Troy Lee Designs Stage Pro Knee Pads (Ad) 01:34:13 The Invisiframe “Bike Spa” (Ad) 01:37:38 Dan Atherton’s wild visions (and how they happen) 01:43:00 The Atherton family unit – secrets of working together 01:45:57 The future of Red Bull Hardline 01:51:03 How hard can Hardline really get? 02:00:00 Listener questions (Rampage, training, Dyfi & more) 02:23:47 Like & Subscribe (you know you wanna!) Contact Us → https://theridecompanion.co.uk/pages/... #theridecompanion #mtb #mountainbike