Author James Costley-White
James Costley-White

James Costley-White

Group editor, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus

James is the group editor of the best-selling magazines Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus, and their associated digital editions and websites. He has worked on MBUK since 2013, became editor in 2019 and took over at Cycling Plus in 2024. An NCTJ-qualified senior journalist with a postgraduate diploma from Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture, JCW joined the cycling media world in 2012. Previously, he’d worked as a reporter and sub-editor on daily newspapers. After a stint as operations editor on BikeRadar, he worked for Triathlon Plus and the ahead-of-its-time ChopMTB. JCW has been an avid cyclist his whole life, progressing from a Chopper-style Raleigh Commando to a Raleigh Sprint road bike before discovering mountain biking in 1992. Since then, he’s amassed a huge amount of knowledge and riding experience, in the UK and abroad. He can often be found riding the trails of South Wales on his latest long-term test bike or custom-built RAAW Jibb, hitting North Somerset cycle paths with his kids, scything down the Cheddar Gorge on his road bike or heading to work on his mutant e-commuter. As well as editing MBUK and Cycling Plus, JCW contributes regular product reviews and other articles.

  • Height: 6ft 2in (188cm)
  • Bike size: XL

Recent articles by James Costley-White

"The way I like a bike set up seems to translate to the masses" – 8 things we learned from Sam Shucksmith

We caught up with Whyte’s head of MTB design for the MBUK Podcast as the brand launched their Kado e-bike, to find out what it takes to develop and test a new bike
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Rider of the Year voting closes today – don't miss out!

Have your say and help pick the winners of our coveted annual awards
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"I'm still getting the hang of enduro" – 10 things we learned about Hattie Harnden

The 2024 Enduro World Cup champion explains how she's done so much in so little time
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"Someone punched me at the finish line" – 7 things we learned from Ethan Craik

The Scott-sponsored downhill racer talks BMX punch-ups, his secret love of Lego and more
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Andrew 'Doddy' Dodd: I landed a career in mountain biking by breaking wheels, forks… and my nose

Former MBUK staffer and GMBN presenter Andrew ‘Doddy’ Dodd recalls how it all started
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Chris Porter: downhill racing's skinsuit ban is a sham

When the Mojo Suspension team shocked the downhill establishment by racing a DH World Cup in skintight Lycra
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Meet the woman behind Specialized's mountain bike marketing

Georgia Leslie gives us the inside track on life at one of the world's biggest bike brands
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I've never ridden mountain bikes before, but I took on a terrifying black trail and here's what happened

We challenged a lifelong road cyclist to tackle one of BikePark Wales’ toughest trails. Here are five things he learned
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The anatomy of an electric mountain bike explained

Check out our eMTB jargon buster with all the key components and terminology explained
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The SeaSucker Talon 1 is a compact, stable bike rack – once you learn to trust it

Suction-cup rack that’s surprisingly stable
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Five mountain bikes we'd buy with our own cash – and five money-no-object dream machines

From budget buys to dream builds, these are the bikes our MTB team would spend their own money on
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Loud and frequently right: former BikeRadar and MBUK editor-in-chief John Stevenson dies from cancer

Passionate, opinionated and a stickler for detail, John Valentine – aka John Stevenson – helped shape MBUK for 20 years
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JCW gets acquainted with the Norco Fluid VLT C1 130

Can the Fluid VLT make James a lightweight eMTB convert?
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These are the worst mountain bike upgrades we've ever bought

We share suspension fads, shin-munching pedals and pointless accessories
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Three decades of Mint Sauce: how a humble sheep became mountain biking's favourite cartoon character

A long-awaited book charts the history of MBUK's ovine hero
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I built a custom MTB for £4,000 – it's perfect for me and beats the major brands for value

James Costley-White finds out how the bike he assembled from scratch compares to the best trail bikes
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Rónán Dunne is MBUK's Rider of the Year – here's why

You voted for your favourites – now it’s time for the big reveal!
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MBUK Rider of the Year 2024 – the wait is nearly over

A look at the incredible riders shortlisted for our coveted awards
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Stanley FatMax Walltech Pro air compressor

Pricey but powerful tyre inflator that makes tubeless seating struggles a thing of the past
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10 stand-out downhill bikes from the World Championship

We take a look at some of the most striking tech and paint schemes from Fort William
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Stashed SpaceRail bike storage system review

A space-saving solution for storing your bikes
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Amazfit GTR 4 smartwatch

Smart-priced cycling watch from Hong Kong brand
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Orbea Rise H10

Stripped-back electric bike that doesn’t sacrifice any of the fun factor
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Amazfit GTR 3 Pro

Can this budget-friendly cycling watch compete with the big brands?
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