Mountain Bike / Gravel Riding Skills Development Courses

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Do you want the maximum fun and enjoyment out of riding your mountain bike/gravel bike? Do you want to learn skills that will increase your confidence? Do you want to look back on that trail and say 'WOW' I just rode that!

 

Then get yourself booked on one of our courses and #bethebestyoucan

 

We are British Cycling qualified Mountain Bike and Cyclo-Cross coaches (Andy & Steve) and Mountain Bike Guides (Andy & Nik); we provide skills development coaching with permission of the Forestry England Rangers at Sherwood Pines Forest Park. We volunteer as coaches for local British Cycling Clubs and the British Cycling Mountain Bike Talent Development Programme. Our focus is to concentrate on the core off-road riding techniques to develop your skills and confidence. These are the same techniques used by professional and elite sports riders who are part of the British Cycling Elite Athlete Programme.

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We predominantly focus on helping new, developing, and returning riders, who want to progress, learn new skills and improve their riding.  We use Sherwood Pines Forest Park as it has the ideal trail network for both MTB and Gravel riding development, without being intimidating. We offer follow on more advanced courses/guided rides which take place in the Peak District National Park on steeper, more technically challenging, and more demanding terrain.

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Our course covers, bike setup, body position/core movement/vision, braking/dynamic braking, cornering (flat corners/berms), climbing/descending, and trail features (roots, drops, jumps, rocks). We do this in 2 parts. The first part (morning session) takes place on the main arena field where we practice the core techniques, building in a structured way so that each technique leads to the next. After a break (lunch) we head out for part 2 where we use selected parts of the managed and off-piste trail network to turn these techniques into skills, developing and building as we go.

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Our aim is that by the end of the course you will have developed the core skills that will enable you to ride more confidentially off-road and have a better understanding of the capabilities of both yourself and your bike. We can teach ‘car park’ techniques/skills (subject to time and rider ability) such as the ‘manual’ and the ‘wheelie’, though these are not core off-road riding skills and take weeks of dedication and commitment to learning.

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Our courses last from 0930 till 1530 approx. (we do not offer 1/2 day courses) You can expect to ride approx. 10 miles with plenty of repetition, practice, and concentration. We run our courses on weekends and can also offer select mid-weekdays (subject to availability).

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Following the course, we offer a refresher ride. This takes place after 6 - 8 weeks, once you've had the opportunity to practice/develop your skills. It's a relaxed ride around the trails to ensure that you are progressing, and we work on anything that you feel you need to. This is part of the course cost and usually lasts about 3 hours on a weekend morning or afternoon to suit.

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You need to have your own bike, which is the right size for you and suitable for off-road riding, it needs to be in good working condition, with 2 working brakes and bar ends on the handlebars. You need to wear a helmet and suitable clothing for off-road riding. We perform a bike, helmet, and clothing check prior to the start of the course and if we feel that a bike is unsafe/unsuitable then the course will not take place.

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We hope that our course is of interest, if you would like to book then please let us know your preferred dates.

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#bethebestyoucan

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Andy, Nik & Steve

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Techniques that can be covered in our courses include:

How to ride: 

Berms

Roots 

Rocks

Drops

 

How to: 

Descend

Climb

Corner

Brake

Front-wheel lift

Rear-wheel lift

Jump

Wheelie

Manual

Bunny hop

Use body movement and position

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Throughout our courses we discuss:

Bike set up 

Line choice

Trail etiquette

Nutrition and hydration

Emergency trailside repairs 

Riding kit and equipment. 

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Course prices

1 2 1 - £160

2 2 1 - £200

Group (over 12 years) / family (max 4 riders) - £260

Add on Natural Terrain Skills Day when booked at the time of 1 2 1 or 2 2 1 course £60 / group up to 4 £100

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Other options are available, please contact us to discuss your requirements

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All prices are correct as of 5th April 2023

Payment in full via PayPal or bank transfer at the time of booking.