Ben Hildred : The Unseen Effect of Big Challenges

This week we’re catching up with Ben Hildred. You probably know Ben from what, on the surface, look like climbing challenges. Like his recent mission to climb 1 million feet in 100 days. But Ben’s story isn’t really about climbing. For one thing, he’s doing these challenges on flat pedals, aboard a bike built for enjoying the descents. The joy doesn’t come from the climb itself, it comes from the ride, the experience, and the places it takes him, physically and mentally. Every time I chat with Ben, I come away wanting to ride bikes more, and this conversation was no different. So if you’re looking for a bit of motivation to get out and ride, hopefully this episode delivers. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Ben Hildred. You can also watch this episode on YouTube here . You can follow Ben on Instagram @benhildred . Sponsoring Partners Fox Racing Fox have just launched a fully updated Flexair range of jerseys, pants, shorts and gloves. Their lightest and most breathable gear ever. You can check out the complete range over at foxracing.com . Industry Nine Industry Nine are well known for their system spoke, but did you know that using it increases impact resistance by 12-15%? What’s more, you can now get them paired up with We Are One’s tried and tested carbon rims. Check out what they have to offer over at industrynine.com . Patreon I would love it if you were able to support the podcast via a regular  Patreon  donation. Donations start from as little as £3 per month. That’s less than £1 per episode and less than the price of a take away coffee. Every little counts and these donations will really help me keep the podcast going and hopefully take it to the next level. To help out, head  here . 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. We now also have local manufacture for most products in the US as well as the UK. So check it out now over at  downtimepodcast.com/shop . Newsletter If you want a bit more Downtime in your life, then you can join my newsletter where I’ll provide you with a bit of behind the scenes info on the podcast, interesting bits and pieces from around the mountain bike world, some mini-reviews of products that I’ve been using and like, partner offers and more. You can do that over at  downtimepodcast.com/newsletter .

You can listen to Ben Hildred : The Unseen Effect of Big Challenges online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Ben Hildred : The Unseen Effect of Big Challenges is an episode from Downtime - The Mountain Bike Podcast by Downtime MTB.

This episode is 1:01:06 long.

This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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