MTB Instructor Course?

RushAdventures

Appreciate that this is not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm considering doing a MTB instructor course and wondered if anyone has done or heard of one that was good?

I would ideally like to be able to take adults and kids over any type of terrain at any height in the UK and maybe Europe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers, Chris

andrewjoseph

I have MIAS level two, up to 600m only.

Scottish MTB Leaders are apparently the best courses to go on.

I'd think carefully about taking 'kids' over wilderness areas.

welshkev

andrewjoseph wrote:

I have MIAS level two, up to 600m only.

Scottish MTB Leaders are apparently the best courses to go on.

I'd think carefully about taking 'kids' over wilderness areas.

did you do it at afan?

trailpuppet

Jules @ http://www.cyclewildscotland.co.uk/

Give these guys a call and they will advise on your requirements;
http://www.cyclewise.co.uk/

Probably the best 2 that I know of to give you the info you really need

Cyclewise work with Brit Cycling

Jules works with both Scot Cycling & Cycling Scot. He also does courses for LEA(in Scot anyway)

Anonymous

RushAdventures wrote:

Appreciate that this is not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm considering doing a MTB instructor course and wondered if anyone has done or heard of one that was good?

I would ideally like to be able to take adults and kids over any type of terrain at any height in the UK and maybe Europe.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Cheers, Chris

If you want to go above a certain height, I believe you need a mountain leader course as WELL - even though that's generally a walking one.
Without it, it would appear you are not covered in case something happens.

That's what we were told the other day by a British Cycling representative.

stumpyjon

SMBLA TCL (Trail Cycle Leader up to 600m) followed by the MBL (Mountain Bike Leader).

As above speak to Cyclewise at Whinlatter, very good training, recently passed my TCL with them and a couple of our group have gone on to do their MBL as well.

Anonymous

stumpyjon, from what I remember we were told, MBL doesn't cover you for high altitudes even. O maybe it was only in "non summer conditions".

I definitely remember that to do any altitude, in any condition, you need mountain leader, not mountain BIKE leader.

stumpyjon

I think you do have to do a winter module extension for winter conditions, from the Cyclewise website

On successful completion of the Mountain Bike Leader assessment the candidate will be qualified to lead groups of up to 6 riders within the UK as detailed below:
• On public highways, way marked routes, rights of way on which cycles are permitted,
identifiable routes, tracks and trails with obvious navigational features and routes of considerable technical difficulty.
• On routes which are 90-95% rideable over the total length.
• In terrain more than 30 minutes walk from the nearest shelter with communication.
• To any height above sea level.
• In normal summer conditions during daylight hours.
• On multi day trips where the group does not require to be self-sufficient.

Anonymous

Ah, it was that summer conditions thing that confused me then.
Looking to do my CTL in a month, and do the night riding add-on in December, with a possible MBL in the near future, although that's not strictly necessary yet.
So many courses, so many odd facets to remember :?

andrewjoseph

welshkev wrote:

andrewjoseph wrote:

I have MIAS level two, up to 600m only.

Scottish MTB Leaders are apparently the best courses to go on.

I'd think carefully about taking 'kids' over wilderness areas.

did you do it at afan?

yes, I can't remember when now, at least 4-5 years ago.

Neil Fat man on a bike

trailpuppet wrote:

Jules @ http://www.cyclewildscotland.co.uk/

Give these guys a call and they will advise on your requirements;
http://www.cyclewise.co.uk/

Probably the best 2 that I know of to give you the info you really need

Cyclewise work with Brit Cycling

Jules works with both Scot Cycling & Cycling Scot. He also does courses for LEA(in Scot anyway)

+1 for Jules.
I've just passed my assessment for Trail Cycle Leader.
I did both the training and assessment with Jules.
He is a really good, great technical skills and fantastic motivational skills and puts it all over in a really understandable way.
I'll be going back to cyclewildscotland for the winter module too.
He also does all the other SMBL training too along with the 'Go Mountain Bike' scheme trainers induction too.
Plus all the usual skills training.

Another bonus is he'll show you loads of fantastic single track around the cairngorms !