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Martyn Ashton on Rideable Now and the Future of Adaptive MTB

Second Nature July 3, 2026

About this episode

Martyn Ashton spent two decades as one of the most influential trials riders in the world — making the smallest, most niche discipline of mountain biking accessible and exciting for a global audience through videos, shows, and a personality that made everyone feel like they could try it. In 2013, a crash during a stunt show left him paralyzed. Now he's doing the exact same thing all over again — this time for adaptive mountain biking.

In this conversation, Martyn walks through the founding of Rideable Now, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities and life-changing injuries access adaptive mountain bikes. He explains why modern adaptive bikes aren't a watered-down version of mountain biking — they're genuinely terrifying, capable machines that unlock every trail in the world for people who never thought they'd ride again. He also gets into the economics of £25,000 bikes, why the e-bike power race could go too far, and the moment he gave away Rideable Now's first complete bike to a father of three who had no idea it was coming.

Show Notes:

Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands

Popfly for Athletes: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators

Martyn Ashton: https://www.instagram.com/martynashton/

Rideable Now: https://www.rideablenow.com/

Bowhead Bikes: https://www.bowheadcorp.com/

Cole Bernier: https://www.instagram.com/cbreezyrides/

Annijke Wade: https://www.instagram.com/geodesicdome/

Random Tandem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onoeq45G6ec

Dirty Tricks and Cunning Stunts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd3n8-0tuHU

GMBN: https://www.gmbn.com/

Rideable Now Membership: https://www.rideablenow.com/join