Jono Jones on Saracen, MAVRIX, returning to racing (ft. Matt Jones)

Jono Jones is back for the first Ride Companion episode of 2026 and, Matt Jones joins the chat too!

On this episode Jono talks about his return to Saracen Bikes, his early World Cup years, racing as a junior, learning to manage pressure and why stepping away from results chasing has changed how he rides.
Jono also shares insights on his role at MAVRIX, what he actually does, why he left banking to work with Matt, how realistic physics shape the gameplay, and why gaming skills are starting to translate into real world riding.
There are also stories from A Slice Of British Pie, North vs South, early career mistakes, kite surfing in South Africa, and Matt Jones joins the episode for some classic stories and brotherly banter!

We hope you enjoy the episode. Don't forget to hit like, subscribe and leave a comment!

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00:00:00 Jono Jones returns for the first episode of 2026
00:02:44 Racing Junior World Champs and learning the hard way
00:12:10 The Slice of British Pie era and early MTB filming
00:14:33 Peaty, North vs South, and hilarious moments
00:18:10 Why Jono signed with Saracen again
00:23:10 Mudhugger
00:27:30 A calmer, smarter approach to racing
00:30:26 Why arm pump really happens
00:32:45 How MTB sponsorships are actually negotiated
00:35:18 What Jono really does at MAVRIX
00:42:30 Can gaming make you a better rider?
00:47:00 What it’s like working with Matt Jones
00:51:00 The detail people miss about MAVRIX
00:55:12 Huel
00:58:13 Manta Sleep
01:03:59 Finding new hobbies outside of riding
01:11:17 “Gambling with the land” and slowing life down
01:20:00 Listener questions
01:26:20 Matt Jones joins the conversation
01:27:30 Brothers, bikes, careers, and listener questions
01:55:11 Final thoughts and thanks for listening

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