DONUTS & BIKES: The Mountain Bike Coaching Podcast

Every rider deserves the freedom of the trail. Adaptive mountain biking reminds us that riding isn’t defined by ability—it’s defined by opportunity, access, and belonging. In this episode of Donuts & Bikes , we’re joined by Hannah Bostrom and Jen Gadoua , adaptive MTB coaches with the Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches (GSMBC) . We explore how adaptive MTB coaching goes far beyond speci...

Lindsey Richter and Katie Holden are reshaping the story of mountain biking—from the trails to the coaching ranks. Their journeys trace the rise of women’s freeride and the growing movement to make the sport more inclusive, supportive, and mentally empowering. Through coaching, mentorship, and community, they champion the idea that mountain biking isn’t just about competition—it’s about connection...

Unlock Your Full Potential: Multi-Sport Coaching Insights with Jeff Chandler & Simon Holden | Donuts and Bikes Podcast In this episode of the Donuts and Bikes Mountain Bike Coaching Podcast , we’re joined by two giants in instructor training and coach education : Jeff Chandler , Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors (CASI) , and Simon Holden , GSMBC Mentor, CA...

The Global Syndicate of Mountain Biking Coaches (GSMBC) Expert Coach - Level 4 Course stands as the pinnacle of mountain biking education, underpinned by two decades of research and industry development.  In this episode, we bring GSMBC Level 4 mentor Ross Dunlop and GSMBC mentor, Level 4 certified coach, and Take Aim Cycling ’s Harlan Price onto the mics to bring a unique insight into the world o...

Can We Ride Like Jackson Goldstone and Gracey Hemstreet? | Lessons from World Cup MTB Racers Can everyday mountain bikers learn to ride like World Cup pros Jackson Goldstone and Gracey Hemstreet ? While their speed and style might seem out of reach, the truth is: they’re using the same fundamental skills that all riders can develop. In this episode of the Donuts and Bikes Mountain Bike Coaching Po...

Want to get faster in corners? Maybe braking is the key. In this episode, we break down the real role brakes play in cornering and how better braking can actually help you go faster . Paul and Kristian dive deep into the skills, habits, and mindset you need to unlock more control and confidence on the trail. In this episode: Fitness check-in with Paul and Kristian Corners, direction changes, force...

Interview with Neko Mulally – The Goal is the Same: How to Go Fastest from Start to Finish This week, Kristian and Paul sit down with the one and only Neko Mulally — professional downhill racer, bike designer, commentator, and Team Owner of Frameworks Racing. Neko is a true powerhouse in the world of downhill mountain biking, and we were thrilled to catch up with him amidst his packed schedule. In...

Donut holes are the “missing piece” at the center of the pastry. Our Donut Hole “Mini-sodes” are short, bonus content that focus in on a single idea. This first one asks the question “what can mountain bike coaches learn from Mountaineering Guides?” In this field recording, Kristian sits down with Josh Whitmore, Apprentice Rock and Alpine Guide, and Certified Ice Climbing Guide with the American M...

Getting better at mountain biking is all about performance. Often in mountain bike coaching, we focus on skills as a target to improve performance. While this approach may be effective in some cases, technical skills may not be the factor holding a rider back. We call these factors the performance factors, and they impact riders differently depending on their stage of development. In this episode,...

Are mountain bike coaching and instructing the same thing? How are they similar? Why are the different? Does it matter? If so what does this mean for the mountain bike industry? In this episode Paul and Kristian take on this questions to discover how the answers impact the impact we have as coaches and instructors.  In this show: Paul and Kristian explain the radio silence of the last year What&ap...

Berms, turns and cutties... cornering is rad so listen in to part 3 of our series on cornering to help get you 'learning ya turning'! Cornering can quickly become complicated due to the variety of skills, biomechanical movements, terrain configurations, and speeds. This episode aims to simplify the rotational component of cornering that can help intermediate and advanced riders drive the...

If you’ve ever wanted to nail down your endos, stoppies, nose manuals, nose pivots or euro turns, then this episode is for you! In this weeks episode we dig into why everyone should learn these tricks (maneuvers) and just how much they can transform your overall skills and riding, anywhere and everywhere. There's a number of different ways to teach these maneuvers, but listen in as we dig int...

Are adults just big kids? The answer, as always, is yes and no. Adults present some specific challenges in the way the learn as compared to kids. In this episode your hosts focus on three important ideas to help your understanding of how to coach adult riders: Connectedness, Language, and Mindsets. Here we dig into: Creating c onnections that foster trust   How the coach is a guide through cogniti...

How can we keep coaching and riding into old(er) age? In this episode, your hosts reveal that they are not youngsters, while also divulging a few clues on how they've managed to keep the stoke for riding and coaching over the decades. This discussion builds from the last episode and expands these ideas to adult mountain bikers. Listen in for details on:  Adults vs kids – what are some differe...

Working with kids on bikes can provide some of the most rewarding moments for coaches. These times can also provide daunting challenges and seemingly endless frustration. In this episode, Paul and Kristian discuss some insights for successful youth coaching learned from over 20 years of practice. Topics this time include: Our backgrounds working with kids The power of Connection Learning as an act...

It's World Cup Season!  Racing is back and we wanted to use this opportunity to discuss why lining up at a start gate is about so much more than wanting to stand on a podium.  In this episode we explore the myriad of unseen benefits of racings for riders as well as some basic tips for "how to race." The show focuses on: Why people don't race and barriers to racing Racing cultur...

Cornering is a perennial hot-topic for coaches, riders, You-Tubers, and even Podcasters. Why is it such a popular subject? Well, simply put, it’s one of the raddest things you can do on a bike. Being good at it involves a refined application of all the mountain biking skills – which is a daunting task for riders and coaches alike.  In this episode, we revisit the topic of cornering. This time we t...

This week we continue the conversation and dig into this fascinating riding and coaching topic with some of the PMBIA's rad US Instructor Trainers. Shanna Powell, Meredith McFarland, and Harlan Price join us in a 1920's farmhouse on the edge of Dupont State Recreation Forest for our first in-person show. We put  the coaches on the mics and ask them to discuss personal perspectives on con...

Can we learn how to improve our confidence just like we do our position or braking skills? Can we learn how to deal with fear, anxiety or stress, just like we deal with training our muscles to get stronger? Can we really change how we react to or feel about something that we perceive as risky? This is the first part of our discussion on Confidence & Fear, where Kristian and Paul unpack all sor...

Paul and Kristian jump on the mics to discuss why jumping is an important skill for all mountain bikers and how learning to jump can transform all areas of your riding. The hosts chat through their own backgrounds as riders and discover they were both paperboys, were both shaped by technical trails, and both learned to really jump as adults.  The conversation spans from the 80s and 90s, to their f...

Becoming a World Cup Racer involves much more than learning to be a good rider. Coaching at the highest level is more than just teaching.  Claire Buchar knows these things.  She shreds harder post-World Cup, rides smoother than most, keeps it humble, and enjoys a good (vegan) donut. We sat down with the Canadian mountain bike legend to discuss her formative experiences as a racer, and how she has...

You asked, and we brought it to you: a manual episode! Join us as we breakdown one of the raddest things you can do on a bike.  Here, we separate a basic "puddle manual" from the "BMX manual" and focus on learning the simplest version first.  In this episode we discuss: A bit of theory on stability and balance How skill development relates to stability and balance How this impa...

Learning to drop can be intimidating. Learning to teach drops can be even more fright-inducing. But it doesn't, and more importantly, shouldn't have to be that way. In this episode, we how examine how good coaching is good risk management and that skills-based coaching is a powerful way to build purposeful progressions.  Drops come in all sizes, shapes, and configurations and as a result...

Cornering: the piece of our riding we can always improve and seemingly can never 'perfect'... the holy grail of mountain biking! In this episode we discuss some of the myths and pitfalls riders can fall into and dive into some of the details behind the fundamental skills that a) will improve your cornering and b) you can work on anywhere, corners or no corners!  For coaches... there&apos...

How does the learning process interact with our work of coaching riders? What are some of the core practices of coaching mountain bikers? In this episode, we begin to unpack answers to these questions. We dig into some of the ways people learn on bikes and shine a light on a few techniques and concepts we use to train riders to become more effective in their efforts. Here we discuss: The learning...