The Downtime Podcast

Today we are joined by trailbuilder and creator of Hardline Tasmania, Simon French. From working as a cancer nurse to becoming a world-class trail builder, Simon has transformed Tasmania into a mountain biking destination, bringing Red Bull Hardline to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. In this episode, Simon shares his story and takes us behind the scenes of Hardline Tasmania—what it took to bring the event to life, the challenges of designing one of the toughest courses on the planet, and how he balances progression with rider safety. We also dive into the role of bike parks in growing the sport, the fine line between risk and reward for young riders, and his lessons from years of shaping the future of mountain biking. So, it’s time to sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Simon French. You can also watch this episode on YouTube here. You can follow Simon on Instagram @simon.frenchy, @maydenabikepark @mysticbikepark. Podcast Stuff Listener Offers Downtime listeners ca