MOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS COURSE OUTLINE

(This is just a guideline and can change from course to course dependent on time, weather, and current skill level of particpants or special requests to cover other areas)

8:45am

• Particpants to arrive early
• Hand in any paperwork missing for enrolment, waiver form, monies owing etc…
• Bike adjustments or assistance needs to be addressed NOW…arrive earlier if you need to sort out a few things 

9:00am

• Introduction of  instructors
• Introduction of each participant – What do you hope to get out of course? What previous riding experience do you have? 

9:15am

• Safety check – risks of mountain biking etc…emergency procedures etc…
• Bike Check – participants to be shown how to assess if their bike is up to scratch for riding and what may need adjusting.
• Gear and Brake usage overview – demonstrate and give verbal instructions of how to use brakes and gears safely and effectively and when to use them.
• Trail etiquette in groups and minimal impact code discussed briefly
• Particpants to nominate what group to go in (1 or 2 ) dependant of ability of skills
• Instructors to do Roll Call, first aid check (e.g., any asthmatics etc…?), what to do in an emergency, and handing out of individual snack packs.

9:30am

• 5 minute warm up on bike whilst discussing skills to be taught and outline of the mornings activities 

A TYPCIAL SESSION WILL CONSIST OF ANY NUMBER OR COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING SKILLS

•  LOOK AHEAD: practice focusing on the trail ahead of you, not what is in front of you

•  RIDING SMOOTHER – less braking, look through the corners, body position/s on bike, relaxed upper body and hand grip, pump the trail

• CORNERING – an extension of “riding smoother” now lets try moving the bike a bit and learn about smoothest lines and apexes.

•  WEIGHTING AND UNWEIGHTING – essential to get maximum flow out of trail and to get up and over obstacles with ease and safety.

• LIFTING THE FRONT WHEEL, MONO HOPS, CLEARING LOGS ETC… - using suspension to get the most out of lift, body position, at fast speed and slow speed, what other sort of terrain can you apply this to?

• DESCENDING AND ASCENDING – discuss how all skills covered thus far are used in both climbing and down hilling however they are just a little more extreme in this format.  Essential to remind self of basic skills.

• DROP OFFS AND ROLL OFFS – how to negotiate rocks and boulders and use them to your advantage and not slow you down with unnecessary braking.

• JUMPS, DOUBLES, GAP JUMPS, LAUNCHING and other airtime activities!- before attempting these skills you must be competent at all of the above.   Small jumps or ‘lumps’ can be attempted at an earlier stage.

• SKILLS PUT TO PRACTICE ON SUITABLE SINGLE TRACK – Beginner levels use easier trails with varied terrain, Intermediate to advanced levels to use more difficult terrain with challenging obstacles to practice skills.

11:30am

• Allow group to decide what they would like to focus more time on and spend the last hour doing suitable activity to match skill level of individual participants.
• Demonstrate and give instruction of skills that group requires at this stage

12:30pm

• Arrive back at car park
• Session concluded