Are MTB lessons worth it?

Bonkleg

Hi I bought my bike a month a go I have managed to do around 20 miles a week and I am well and truly hooked and would like to get better at it.

I live a few 100 yards away from a great cycling facility ( http://www.aboutbritain.com/BrynBachCountryPark.htm) and would like to attempt to go around Cwmcarn forest drive track, which is ten miles away from where I live.

Is it worth getting a lessons such as the ones offered here http://www.mountainbikeskillscourses.co ... ationb.asp or is it a waste of money.

Thanks

Chris`I

Cant comment on any specific course but I sent my missus on a skills course with DirtDiva's and she came back raving about it, and has so much more confidence. She also learnt to bunny hop in less than a day, which I seem to remember trying to learn when I was a young lad and took me far longer without a teacher from what I remember, so they are worth their money for the speed they get you up to ermmm speed

It depends what you are trying to achieve, but generally, the right course is well worth the money and will get you going far quicker than spending the same money on bike bits if you arent very experienced

Davy-g

I spent £80 on a half day's coaching with Mark Wilcox the 2008 SDA Champion... it was the best £80 I have spent, He showed me my strengths and weaknesses and taught me to how to improve my riding ability, my XC and trail riding just took off after that...

The "is it worth it" question is all down to you and how much you put in and get out of the coaching.....

x-isle

YES!

Seriously though, I've never (as yet!) had someone on a course that has said it's a waste of money.

It's amazing how many people are quite suprised when even the basic techniques, such as manuals and drop offs are shown to them and some of these riders have been riding for a long time.

Even if you naturally have the techniques, it's amazing what it does to your confidence to be told that you are doing things great! But whatever your skill level, I'm pretty sure you'd get something out of a course!

Take a look at our feedback on the bottom right of our home page - www.chaseskills,co.uk (or our Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=10 ... 3429331961)

Good luck!

Andy B

Judging by the feedback that Jedi from http://www.ukbikeskills.co.uk/ gets it is well worth having some skills coaching.

Blog here: http://ukbikeskills.blogspot.com/

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopi ... edi+skills

lots of positive comments on other forums too.

MountainMonster

I really wish I could partake in one of those courses, but i'm too far away. Every person whose gone to one says it was an extremely eye opening experience, and really showed them where they were going wrong with some of their techniques, and reinforce the things they are doing right.

mobilekat

Yes Yes Yes

We went on a course with Maddie and Jay of http://www.fullysussed.co.uk/
and had a great time, learn lots and went home with home work to practice (and got to ride parts of the Newnham Park track - including 'The Pipeline)

Its amazing how many minor changes make a big difference.

So sign up and go and get mucky!

MM- I am sure if you asked them most course organisers would love to come out and visit you- just may be a tad pricey!!

mobilekat

Ooops- double post monster hit.....
Sorry

x-isle

mobilekat wrote:

MM- I am sure if you asked them most course organisers would love to come out and visit you- just may be a tad pricey!!

Some do, however, the issue with this is that any route that is taken should be risk assessed. I can only assume this is why "travelling" skills coaches conduct courses in an open space with their own obstacles because of the fact that any actual route has to be risk assessed if done correctly.

roger_merriman

Bonkleg wrote:

Hi I bought my bike a month a go I have managed to do around 20 miles a week and I am well and truly hooked and would like to get better at it.

I live a few 100 yards away from a great cycling facility ( http://www.aboutbritain.com/BrynBachCountryPark.htm) and would like to attempt to go around Cwmcarn forest drive track, which is ten miles away from where I live.

Is it worth getting a lessons such as the ones offered here http://www.mountainbikeskillscourses.co ... ationb.asp or is it a waste of money.

Thanks

lot better than that, your on the edge of the Breacon Beacons, head though trefil and you can roar down to talybont, or head for the trails near the gap .

stubs

Yes if you get a good one that comes reccomended.

No if you pick one out of a book and he turns out to have the personell skills of David Brent on a bad day. That was an expensive lesson, not the skills course but the dont go with the cheapest fella theres a reason why he's cheap lesson.

x-isle

stubs wrote:

Yes if you get a good one that comes reccomended.

No if you pick one out of a book and he turns out to have the personell skills of David Brent on a bad day. That was an expensive lesson, not the skills course but the dont go with the cheapest fella theres a reason why he's cheap lesson.

Totally agree with that, but also to add, don't think that an expensive one means they are any good either!

Bonkleg

Thanks guys, Ive just booked up now for 12th September

Thanks alot

MountainMonster

mobilekat wrote:

Yes Yes Yes

We went on a course with Maddie and Jay of http://www.fullysussed.co.uk/
and had a great time, learn lots and went home with home work to practice (and got to ride parts of the Newnham Park track - including 'The Pipeline)

Its amazing how many minor changes make a big difference.

So sign up and go and get mucky!

MM- I am sure if you asked them most course organisers would love to come out and visit you- just may be a tad pricey!!

I live in Austria, and don't speak quiete good enough german to be able to have one from here, and don't really feel like paying for flight and train to my town from england. could get a bit too pricey too quick.

x-isle

Bonkleg wrote:

Thanks guys, Ive just booked up now for 12th September

Thanks alot

Brill! I hope you enjoy! 8)

If you have gone with MBI, then from what I've heard (and from my own experience as I took my qualification through MBI), you won't have made a bad choice!

jono986

The right skills course is definitely worth it.
Having riden MTB's for a few years now I thought that I could "ride" a bike then I booked in with Great Rock (Ed Oxley) and it was by far the best £60 that I've spent on MTBing. From the day I maybe remebered half a dozen of Ed's suggested improvement but what an improvement they've made to my riding, I feel alot more confident now and alot smoother 8)

Do it you wont regret it

popstar

Skills course will help only if you yourself want actually to learn things.

It would be a waste of money if you thought of paying hard earned cash and after 4 hours seesion with tuitor turn miraculously into riding God.

I have been christened by Jedi (ukbikeskills) and still am learning and discovering myself. Not being cocky on trails, but to myself I do seem to ride much better. This time I command where the bike goes instead vice versa, I wasn't too shy before training session on DH or any other technical stuff but now actually I start to understand what am doing with ease and not doing as many mistakes.

Think very carefully of how do you want to progress with your skills, to some it takes years of discovering the most simple stuff ... are you prepared to go there?

The -truth- may be expensive, and I was happy to pay for that.

jono986

popstar wrote:

Skills course will help only if you yourself want actually to learn things.
.

Why would you consider paying for a lesson if you did not want to learn? :?

We are not suggesting you will turn into a riding god over night but if you take on board and pratice part of what you are taught your riding should improve.

I've not read many post saying don't have a lesson there a waste of money :roll:

popstar

I am not saying it's waste of money at all. Maybe some people understood my post quite wrong.
There are some people who's mindset is:
-Give it a go
and others who actually wants to understand every aspect of it. Think I should put it that way.
The outcome would be 2 different riders after skills course. Some would have to come back to Tuitor and some may not. But that's a totally different game for individuals. I didn't and wouldn't rush with -pink world- comments, but actually re-discovering myself at the moment riding local trails and doing trail centers as a *new rider* and in all honesty saying, that was the best upgrade I've ever had.

All I am saying, be very prepared and do actually listen to every word your tuitor says to you. They know what they talk about. Providing they are good tuitors and recommended by your friends etc.

mattyg2004

I need lessons.

I was pretty good on a bike when i was younger 20+ years ago.

And they lie when they say you never forget how to ride a bike.

Slight dislocation of shoulder and road rash from trying to bunny hop a speed bump at about 5 MPH.

It never hurt this much when I was 10.

When I'm healed I may look into a lesson or two.

My only thought though is fitness levels I'm not very fit. Although rode another 8 miles with a knackered shoulder. but to be honest 15 miles has been the most so far and not at a very fast pace

popstar

On a skills course you won't need to ride that much at all. Think even my wife would be more than fit enough to run the whole course. It's all about sessioning you see.

x-isle

mattyg2004 wrote:

My only thought though is fitness levels I'm not very fit. Although rode another 8 miles with a knackered shoulder. but to be honest 15 miles has been the most so far and not at a very fast pace

Fitness shouldn't be a concern on any course as they are usually purposely kept to a slower pace due to the need to stay focused. Once your muscles run out of juice, oxygen is directed to them meaning less to your brain and concentration drops off.

The other thing to bear in mind is that you may be suffering from fitness because bad technique is sapping valuable energy.

mobilekat

My only thought though is fitness levels I'm not very fit. Although rode another 8 miles with a knackered shoulder. but to be honest 15 miles has been the most so far and not at a very fast pace

Don't worry too much, I managed to do a days skills course with a stinking cold- OK I was rubbish on the climbs, but no cold was stopping my learning.

As was said skills courses are great for people who want to learn- and you do need to practice afterwards as they are not a miracle cure for bad riding.

I also watch other riders when out at trail centres and its been an eye opener as I am more aware of who rides well, and who rides by luck!- much like watching any true sports person, the one who makes it look effortless is the good one!

Sign up and have fun!

forgotrafe

I've been running a series of beginner courses over the summer and they've been a huge success. I've also attended courses in the past, so am in a good position to comment!

I'd say a course is definitely worth it. I'm always reading posts on here about people that, after a few months of riding, start wanting to upgrade some entry level component to XT or X9 or change the forks from this to that. But far better to spend your money on some training, you'll get a far greater return on your investment!

Most will be run over a fairly short distance so fitness won't be very important. What is important is that you listen and then get the practice in afterwards.

My course was on a route that was 10 miles over 4 hours. I think this was a long distance over a shorter time than most courses. However I did it on natural trails (on/off The Ridgeway) so it had to be this long to get in all the features I wanted. Also this series of courses was meant to get local people out onto the local trails so I wanted to show them some of the stunning riding/scenery we have. And because they were free (yes, really) I squeezed them into a slightly shorter time.

Hope that helps.

Jedi

popstar, thanks for the props

lesz42

after seening what a visit to a decent "teacher" does to a newbie rider, its worth it

better then any upgrade tbh.

SouthwestMTB

If you are looking to book on to a skills course you will need a reasonable level of fitness, however having said that if any coach is worth the money you are paying them they should be able to tailor the session to met your ability.

We believe that the day should not be about going on a long hard slog and break the day down focusing on the core skills and then put them together at the end of the course. Remember that your are not going to be in the saddle all day.