Katy Curd | Welcome to Privateer

We are honoured to have ex 4X world Champion joining the ranks of Privateer for the 2022/23 season. Since retiring from racing, Katy has now setup her own coaching business, Katy Curd Coaching, where she coaches everyone from Current XC World Champions and EWS winners to your average rider looking to improve their skills and speed on the trail. We can't wait to work with Katy to help develop some future stars of Enduro and Downhill with some cool plans for the future. With her wealth of experience developing bikes for other manufactures we're looking forward to hearing her feedback on the next generation of bikes.  

We sat down with Katy to get to know her a bit better. And this is what she had to say about her career so far, as well as what projects she has planned in the future.

Hi Katy, thanks for sitting down and giving us your time, let's start with an ice breaker, describe yourself in 3 words.
Adventurous, laidback and happy.

What’s your secret hobby/passion away from the bike?
Paddle boarding

What is your earliest cycling memory?
With my dad, learning to ride my little pink bike with tassles on the bars and stabilisers on around my village recreation ground, which I then spent another 15+ years still messing around on bikes!

How did you get into riding?
Through my friends, I think as a kid we tried every extreme sport we could try from scooters to skateboards to free running and we always came back to riding bikes!

First bike & favoruite bike?
My first proper bike was a Kona Scrap hardtail which I worked hard to saved for so I was so proud and really in love with this bike! My favourite bike has to be the next bike I owned which was the 24 Cycles Porn King, which I still have now. I love it simply because of the memories created on this bike, so much fun riding so many dirt jump locations when I was younger.

What has been your worst crash over the years?
Concussion. I ended up with fluid build up on the back of my brain and I was out of the sport for nearly two years because of this injury. I feel very lucky to be completely healed up and recovered from this injury now. Please look after your head people.

You have the joys of testing both a P1 and P2 Privateer, how have you been getting on with them?
First impressions, Love it! Playful yet planted. Easy to ride fast and simply let the bike do the work. Its so hard to find a bike you can just jump on and feel comfortable straight away but the 141 is exactly this. I have been testing out the two sizes and it's really good to feel the benefits of both sizes on various trails, with the P2 coming into its own on the high speeds trails, but the P1 being the super fun playful bike, they both guarantee smiles!

What made you want to start coaching after finishing racing?
I have always been coaching along side racing since 2010. It has always been something I have loved, helping people improve and reach goals. For me its great working with people all different levels and abilities but all share the same passion for riding bikes. I will always love racing and always want to be involved where I can and coaching allows me to be involved working with some of our racers but from a different perspective, from the other side of the tape.

What do you find is the most common mistake around the riders you coach?
Body position is always the things we change most often as this makes a huge difference to how the bike handles. It doesn’t matter if we are riding the red trails, downhill trails, corners or jumps. To get the most out of the bike and to feel in control staying centred with a good position is crucial.

Tell us a bit more about Katy Curd Coaching?
I set up Katy Curd Coaching as I simply loved sharing my passion of riding with others and helping people improve with the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years of riding. We work with everyone from people who have just picked up a mountain bike to world champions which is one of the best things about our work, it doesn’t matter how long you have been riding for or what your goal is, you can always improve, always find those small techniques that make the biggest differences.

With MTB World Cup broadcast rights going to Discovery from 2023 how do you feel this will affect the sport? And did you notice the difference from Freecaster to Redbull’s involvement in the sport?
The sport took a big leap in professionalism when we went from Freecaster to Redbull coverage. With the coverage becoming more accessable the views went up and more money came into the sport meaning a more overall professional look to the sport. I feel Discovery might push this up again, hoping it brings in more outside sponsors and more money into the sport to help athletes pushing it week in week out and to help bring new venues into the circuit rather than going to the same venues every year. I know the riders would love more variety to the tracks so fingers crossed it brings good things.

You have signed up for the Mid-week, Mini Enduro at Bike Park Wales how are you feeling about getting back between the tape?
Im excited! It’ll be my first race for a good few years and the first race on the new steed which excites me. I think for me its will feel like a fun days riding with a few mates as the mash-up format always allows for a very chilled out atmosphere.

What’s your favourite anti-bonk snack?
Cheese! And maybe a Naked bar.

Clips or flats? what’s your preference?
Clips for everything apart from dirt jumping!

What’s next for you? (Long term and short term)
A little bit of everything. More racing but simply for fun with some new events away from the downhill, we have some exciting races planned in this year.

With Katy Curd Coaching we are helping some young grassroot riders develop into racers and getting them prepared as they are coming into their junior years. This is a huge passion of mine to be able to help any young riders that have potential but are needing the extra support or to find that edge to take them to the next level. This is something we will be pushing in the long term with some big plans in place already.

Away from racing and coaching I will be spending a lot more time racing. With the last two years being focused on the business I will be making more time for me this year to simply enjoy riding myself.

"It has always been something I have loved, helping people improve and reach goals. For me its great working with people all different levels and abilities but all share the same passion for riding bikes."
- Katy Curd

What event you are looking forward to most this year?
Trans-Maderia! Ive never done anything like this before so it will be a whole new experience for me. It looks like the most insane place to ride so to race their over a 5 day period will be epic

If you could have anyone’s riding style, who's would it be?
Olly Wilkinson

What are your thoughts on the progression/current situation of women’s riding and racing? What key things do you think we could all be doing to improve it?
Its definitely growing year on year which is amazing. Obviously the more coverage on racing, in magazines, online, the better as this will inspire others viewing and reading the content. More women only events, event such as Gowaan Festival allow female riders to feel comfortable to give new things which I think is huge. Female riders and racers are pushing the boundaries each year, its nice to see these riders receiving the respect they deserve so I hope this continues.