Finding Your Way in Mountain Bike Media – Sam Needham

Downtime - The Mountain Bike Podcast

Sam Needham is a mountain bike photographer, videographer and illustrator. Sam started out using a basic film camera to document the riding antics of him and his mates. Since then, he has had two Dirt Magazine covers and is now a part of Steel City Media, producing incredible photo and video content for some of the biggest mountain bike brands on the planet. We chat about the path Sam has created for himself, the way that the media landscape has changed and some of the challenges that brings. In addition, Sam is a huge part of Ilkley MTB and has been instrumental in keeping access to the moor for riders. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Sam Needham. You can watch Sam's work on Vimeo here or find him on Instagram @samneedham_photo. Sam's website is samneedham.co.uk and the Steel City Media website will be here. If you'd like to watch 'Allez Maxime' then you can do that here. Supporting Partners earSHOTS EarSHOTS are an action sports headphone company who are dedicated to unlocking human potential through sound. Their bluetooth headphones use an innovative proprietary magnetic ear clip design. This unique design can withstand the sharp shocks, speed and functional movements of action sports. I have had a set of earSHOTS for about 6 months now and I’ve been really impressed. I’ve tried them with a couple of different helmets, over a mixture of terrain including some pretty rough rocky stuff and they really do stay in place. If you’re looking for a set of headphones so you can smash out some podcasts while you’re riding, or for some banging tunes to keep you motivated while training, earSHOTS have got you covered. As a Downtime listener, you can get 10% off during the month of July by using the code DOWNTIME at the checkout over on earshots.com. Nukeproof Nukeproof's first eBike, the Megawatt is available now. The bike is getting rave reviews, with Seb Stott saying that they've smashed it out of the park. It’s based on their race winning Mega v4 but designed as an eBike around Shimano’s EP8 motor from the get go. It’s a mullet that sports 170mm travel front and rear. They’ve made some smart decisions when designing the kinematic of the bike, optimising the anti-squat to create a bike that descends like a downhill bike, but, with the motor onboard, can still climb like an escalator. The bike is supple off the top whilst remaining progressive and supportive through the rest of the travel.They’ve also managed to fit in a 500ml bottle, or 620ml with the supplied adaptor mount and an accessory mount on the top tube too. To find out more, head to nukeproof.com. Downtime EP Something brand new is coming. If, like me, you love the details and can’t get enough of this awesome sport, then Downtime EP is for you. Over the last few months, I’ve been working with an amazing group of people on this exciting new project and we’d love you to be part of it. To get involved and be amongst the first people on the planet to find out what we’re up to, head over to downtimepodcast.com/ep and leave your name and email address. We’ll be in touch really soon to tell you more. Podcast Stuff My 2021 Spring/Summer merch is here, including our first ever recycled t-shirts. 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. 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. It’s free and means you’ll get every episode delivered to your device as soon as it’s available. You'll find all the links you need at downtimepodc...