MIAS or SMBLA Trail/Mountain Bike Leader

boxsta

Hi All,

After your thoughts and advice.

What's the difference between the MIAS accreditation and the Trail & Mountain Bike Leader awards. I'm wanting to do one or the other. MIAS seems like the right one for me, just because I can do it locally at Afan Valley but from what I can gather the SMBLA jobby is the better known award.

As far as I can see there is not much difference between the two. Not sure if it's worth noting but I am military and the MIAS website says that Military personal can go straight to their Level 2 scheme.

I'd be particuarly interested in hearing from people that have the various awards, especially people that have both the MIAS & the TCL or MBL awards.

Appreciate your reply's.

Thanks,

Marc

boxsta

C'mon guys there's gotta be someone with one of these awards on this awesome forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nicklouse

IIRC some one on here did some form of cause and it was not really worth the paper it was written on but needed it for work.

boxsta

Same reason I'm now asking about it. The boss has told me to look into it because I need it!!!

paul.skibum

I did an OTC (off-road training consultancy) course a few years back - they still exist and have qualifications - my course alone allowed me to work in Alps for one season and seemed accepted by other co's including Sunsail.

I'd say from recent experiences that the SMBLA is well received but still not in France!

Not heard of the other one you mentioned. There were two Sandhurst officers in training on my OTC course looking for the qualification to lead cadets on a jolly in the Alps - sorry I mean a serious training session not a jolly!

stevemorg

I think you'll find that the SMBLA award may be the one that the military adopt when we actually sort it out - the RAF PTIs at Llanwrst certainly do the TCL and the MBL training and guys I've spoken to at the JSMTC seem to think they'll eventually go the same way. Certainly when I've led groups the SMBLA "tick" has been the most recognised

madslc

I did the MIAS at Afan. The truth is that everyone gets entered into L1 and L2 whether they are military or not.

The course is very basis in terms of riding skills but then it is suited to the level of rider you will be teaching. It covers bike parts (in a game format that you would be used to playing at school) and some other games on bikes that were fun but not quite what I expected.

I am looking to go on and do the next levels but am debating whether MIAS is the right route to take as the course content did not entise me considerably. The fact that it is NVQ bonded is a good factor however as there will no doubt be some kind of governance for this in the future as the sport is growing at a rapid rate and it may well be then that the NVQ recognised qulaifications will translate.

Who knows.

boxsta

Thankf all for your help so far. I think I'm definitely veering towards the MIAS qual partly because of the nvq connection.

Also for anyone that might be interested. MIAS are defo accredited military trainers.

Thanks again but I would still like to learn from others if your out there ......... :-)

SCOOBYNICK

I'm also mob and went for the SMBLA qual.

I did a lot of research prior to the new Adventure Training ruling coming in and opted for SMBLA over MIAS mainly because it is a stand alone (less civilian first aid qual) and does not require you to hold a Leaders qual in walking (our MLT qual).

Up until recently, if you held an MLT qual (ie lead walkers) then you could take mountain biking during adventure training, which in some cases was madness. Now you have to have a specific mountain bike qual. Most go MIAS because its easier thanks to you having to have the other leader qualification. The leaders I've spoken to who have completed the MIAS course have not filled me with confidence to be honest. No disrespect to the MIAS tutor intented.

Now I have completed my qualification, when I question the other leaders about trail and leading matters, I get some peculiar answers back! Perhaps there is some qual snobbery going on but I still firmly believe the SMBLA qualification is far better. It's also recognised by British Cycling where you can get insured quite easily for when you take out civilians.


The MIAS Course was completed around our local trails of Swinley, my course was conducted around the Lake District. I would suggest that riding skills were better assessed on my course.
The questioning and map reading were refreshingly difficult making the whole assessment feel worthwhile and an achievement.
I will be taking the MBL training weekend later this year with a vew to the assessment in the new year
YOu do have to take a separate civilian first aid course, but given the over simplified MATTS first aid we now do, I was glad to do it. It came in useful when coming across a lone group who'd ecountered a serious leg injury when out on the trails last month. Standard Learning Credits funded most of it anyhow so I ended up paying very little.

Hope this helps

Anonymous

im in the military and did a course last year, it was so poorly run and organised and especially taught that the qual really isnt worth the paper it is written on.

i could have stood up and taught the whole thing more accurately and with better course content just from what i have learnt by reading a few bike mags and watching a few bike dvds, there and then.

mine was an abcc run course and i am now a level 1 mountain bike leader. the qual is rubbish as far as i can tell in the real world but it means i can take groups of 6 out on their bikes and thats good enough for the CO. i wouldnt want to try and earn a living of the back of it but its good enough to let me on adventure training jollies without having to participate in the other dog toffee sports and whatnot.

SCOOBYNICK

sheepsteeth wrote:

im in the military and did a course last year, it was so poorly run and organised and especially taught that the qual really isnt worth the paper it is written on.

i could have stood up and taught the whole thing more accurately and with better course content just from what i have learnt by reading a few bike mags and watching a few bike dvds, there and then.

mine was an abcc run course and i am now a level 1 mountain bike leader. the qual is rubbish as far as i can tell in the real world but it means i can take groups of 6 out on their bikes and thats good enough for the CO. i wouldnt want to try and earn a living of the back of it but its good enough to let me on adventure training jollies without having to participate in the other dog toffee sports and whatnot.

I've heard this from others as well unfortunately. Be carefull with the Level 1 and the terrain you take guys on. Level 1 as you know, is pretty much forest fire roads and cyclepaths. If you take guys on technical terrain, and have an incident, you won't be within your remit. The accidendent investigators will be on your back in no time, trust me.