The Guiding Team 2024

Jon – Head Guide

Jon returns for a third year with STS after a fantastic couple of summers with us!

Guiding Experience/Outdoor Work Experience:Been leading groups in various countries for 13 years and the last 6 years specialising in MTB guiding

Current Rides: A sweet Commencal Meta SX in Andorra, and a Privateer in the UK!

Fave trail in Andorra: Got to be Locals Only, so fast, good sight lines but still tech to deal with. Four amazing ways into town from there too!

Fave riding spot not in Andorra: For mountains it has to be the Lake District, for tech probably Triscombe

Fave part of the job: Meeting new people and seeing them love the riding that Andorra has to offer!

Biggest Outdoor Achievement: Climbing Mont Blanc when I was 15, amazing experience

Secret talent: Used to have dentures that were fun to take out and scare people, sadly lost that talent though now…

Tell us something about you that isnt bike related: I still think I’m 23 years old

Tipple: Usually a Lager, but the odd Pale Ale or Cider does happen. I’m not fussy!

Listening to: Whatever Spotify throws at me, usually something fairly chilled like Bliss and Eso or Hilltop Hoods

Park or off piste: I do love the jumps of the park but you can’t beat some off-piste tech!

Stitch– Guide

Stitch was new to the STS family in 2023, after riding as a guest in ’22!

Fave part when you were a guest?  Tough one, couldnt fault it! From smooth transfers and great accomodation to the awesome riding! With big mountains, tech and fast flowy fun there was something for everyone. Topped off with apres beers and tasty food – whats not to like!

Fave Trail in Andorra? Happy Ending for the speed, Hightower for the tech

Current Rides:  Am loving my new  Commencal Meta SX for the season, and so much so that I bought one at the end of the season to ride the same bike in the UK! I also have a Deviate Guide with a gearbox and High Pivot back home

Something about you that isnt bike related? I’m also a textile artist, hence the nickname!

Tipple: First thing coffee, always! Partial to a stout, but love a glass (or bottle) or red wine

Martin– Founder

Martin is on the trails a bit less these days, but he’s the one who established STS over 14 years ago!

Guiding Experience/Outdoor Work Experience: Been guiding rides since I was 16 (which is quite a while ago!), and doing it as a full time job for over 16 years…

Current Rides: Been Commencal-obsessed long before we ever worked with them…and loving my beautiful new 2024 Meta V5 SX! Also have a Meta AM29, plus a Mondraker Podium DC RR back home for winter training, plus two retrobikes – my first every MTB (a 1988 Saracen Tufftrax) and a fully restored 1990 Kona Explosif in showroom condition. See our YouTube channel for the restoration story!

Fave trail in Andorra: Well, I have always loved both our scenic trails, and our insane tech too! So Ridgeliner for the views, and Skyfall for super nadgery tech…

Fave riding spot not in Andorra: Probably has to be Chamonix in the Alps if we are talking Europe (used to guide there too!), but in the UK Dartmoor has a special place in my heart, as that’s where I first rode MTBs as I was growing up.

Biggest Outdoor Achievement: Giving up a well-paid career to become a guide back in 2008, and moving to Spain to do it…within 2 weeks of first thinking about it!

Tell us something about you that isnt bike related: I am obsessed with F1, and am an F1 Sim Racing Champion

Tipple: Love a Spanish Red, or a quality G&T. Or a great beer. Also nice Rum. I also ADORE coffee, and do my own latte art!

Listening to: Kolsch, Giorgia Angiuli or Peggy Gou if I am feeling electronic, but have wildly varying tastes from movie scores to rock. And many, many Podcasts like Timesuck, Astonishing Legends, The Race etc.

Park or off piste: Well, I started riding in the late 80s, so it was all about natural trails and I love big backcountry riding…but I am a bit of a park rat at times too! I have evolved with the sport!