MTB skills training

roundthebend · February 2012

Hi folks

I'm a keen cyclist but new to MTB. I've booked a long weekend in the Lake this May with the intention of doing some trails - probably the Altura Trail at Whinlatter.

Before I go I'm going to get out as often as I can locally to try and get some technique. I live in Peterborough which has limited local trails.

I'm also considering doing some training and found a company called Get Mountain Biking who run several courses including this Core Skills one.

Has anybody used this company before? Any good?

Does anybody have recommendations for other local training providers?

Thanks
Rich

stimpy_76 · February 2012

Go see Jedi at www.ukbikeskills.co.uk. End of.

delcol · February 2012

beaten to it.. there's only one man for the job and he goes by the name of jedi..

well there's not only guy who coaches that was silly but he is one of if not the best of the best..

and your welcome mr jedi..

look at some of his videos this guy can ride,,

roundthebend · February 2012

I've emailed him.

I wonder if for the core skills I might not need to go to the Jedi at £180 for a private session if there are other, perfectly useful, options for less money.

However, I acknowledge my own naivety on the subject.

andymc06 · February 2012

One of his public trail skills courses would be a good start and cost about £70-80 I think. Alternatively yiu could do what I have done and book a private group session with 2 mates. Brings it down to £100 each.

edhornby · February 2012

Ed Oxley is also very good - google greatrock

delcol · February 2012

roundthebend wrote:

I've emailed him.

I wonder if for the core skills I might not need to go to the Jedi at £180 for a private session if there are other, perfectly useful, options for less money.

However, I acknowledge my own naivety on the subject.

i can not stress how much a decentcoach is worth.. a few hours with someone like tony mr jedi will improve your riding far better than any upgraded part..
£180 aint cheap i konw but when you think about it,, you dont think twice about spending £2500-£3000 on a bike
£500-£1000 on a pair of forks £200 pluss on a crank ££££ on brakes etc..
but the £180 pund on a coach and a few hours will improve your riding far far far far better than any part upgrade.
the confidence and core skills you will learn are well worth it... when you are railing that drop or clearing that jump or shrelping that corner at speed,, and you have that permagrin on your face and you look back up the trail and think yes i finaly did it... you wil be glad you spent that £180..

roundthebend · February 2012

delcol wrote:

i can not stress how much a decentcoach is worth.. a few hours with someone like tony mr jedi will improve your riding far better than any upgraded part..
£180 aint cheap i konw but when you think about it,, you dont think twice about spending £2500-£3000 on a bike
£500-£1000 on a pair of forks £200 pluss on a crank ££££ on brakes etc..
but the £180 pund on a coach and a few hours will improve your riding far far far far better than any part upgrade.
the confidence and core skills you will learn are well worth it... when you are railing that drop or clearing that jump or shrelping that corner at speed,, and you have that permagrin on your face and you look back up the trail and think yes i finaly did it... you wil be glad you spent that £180..

Erm....you might be slightly mislead. My bike was nowhere near £2.5k. It's a Specialized Rockhopper with ugpraded Fox forks, Avid Juicy disc brakes, and SRAM X7 gears. I think it's adequate for my needs just now, and I'll upgrade if/when the time comes.

So, £180 represents a significant investment in comparison and isn't something I can afford to pass off as being like-a-component-upgrade.

Sadly, I have too many others hobbies draining my wallet.

Anyway, The Jedi isn't available until after I've been to The Lakes, so if I want the training beforehand I have to try elsewhere

He has been very quick to reply to emails though, and being busy suggests he really is the man.

stimpy_76 · February 2012

I'm on a £500 hardtail that's remarkably similar to yours, except no upgraded forks for me...

And the session I had with Jedi remains the single most cost-effective change I could have made. Better forks, better cranks, better derailleurs, better brakes - all meaningless unless you know how, when and where to position yourself and your bike.

I had a go on Jedi's old Bottlerocket while I was there. Trust me, it cost significantly more than my bike did. My riding didn't get miraculously better because I was sat on a pricier bike with a higher spec. It got better because I listened and put into effect what I had been told and shown. On my old bike still, but £180 of better components wouldn't have made anywhere near the difference as some proper training and technique.

It's a shame he's not available until after your ride, but trust me it's the best value money you'll ever spend (bangs-per-buck) on your MTB hobby.

stimpy_76 · February 2012

And +1 on the permagrin delcol

roundthebend · February 2012

stimpy_76 wrote:

I'm on a £500 hardtail that's remarkably similar to yours, except no upgraded forks for me...

And the session I had with Jedi remains the single most cost-effective change I could have made. Better forks, better cranks, better derailleurs, better brakes - all meaningless unless you know how, when and where to position yourself and your bike.

I had a go on Jedi's old Bottlerocket while I was there. Trust me, it cost significantly more than my bike did. My riding didn't get miraculously better because I was sat on a pricier bike with a higher spec. It got better because I listened and put into effect what I had been told and shown. On my old bike still, but £180 of better components wouldn't have made anywhere near the difference as some proper training and technique.

It's a shame he's not available until after your ride, but trust me it's the best value money you'll ever spend (bangs-per-buck) on your MTB hobby.

Excellent - I'm convinced now that training is without doubt a worthy investment. Now I just need advice on good providers, reasonably local to me, that aren't fully booked until May!

Jedi · February 2012

stimpy_76 wrote:

I'm on a £500 hardtail that's remarkably similar to yours, except no upgraded forks for me...

And the session I had with Jedi remains the single most cost-effective change I could have made. Better forks, better cranks, better derailleurs, better brakes - all meaningless unless you know how, when and where to position yourself and your bike.

I had a go on Jedi's old Bottlerocket while I was there. Trust me, it cost significantly more than my bike did. My riding didn't get miraculously better because I was sat on a pricier bike with a higher spec. It got better because I listened and put into effect what I had been told and shown. On my old bike still, but £180 of better components wouldn't have made anywhere near the difference as some proper training and technique.

It's a shame he's not available until after your ride, but trust me it's the best value money you'll ever spend (bangs-per-buck) on your MTB hobby.

ah man, kind words indeed.

1mancity2 · February 2012

Ive done a few skills courses now and they may seem expensive, look at it as a long term investment that will stay with you way past your current bike.

Worth every penny if your coach is decent, Jedi is highly recommended on here as is Ed oxley.

You won't regret it....

nferrar · February 2012

I've been Jedi'd as well and certainly learnt a lot - it's important to realise though it won't make you into a cycling god overnight, it's more about showing you how to do things properly so you can then go off and practice knowing you're doing the basics right. I've fallen back into a few bad habits (especially when it comes to looking down the trail) and might do a return visit but I still got a lot out of it.

delcol · February 2012

I've fallen back into a few bad habits (especially when it comes to looking down the trail) and might do a return visit but I still got a lot out of it.

thats why is pays off to get the coaching as a newbie rider so you dont develop these bad habbits,, as we all know bad/old habbits are hard to brake..

when i first went to whistler back 08 i was a total newbie i had never ridden singletrack or anything technical..
within the cost of our holiday we had a guide/coach,, so from day one we had someone showing us the right way of doing things so did'nt get the chance to develop bad habbits...

without the coaching i had i would never have attempted to ride things, i dont think twice about riding now.. features i could only look at on my first trips mainly hucks(drops) i hit without thinking about it..

roundthebend
you say you have this trip to the lakes booked and mention whinlatter, they have coaching there so maybe you good book and do it there as part of your trip...
cyclewise

fat_homer · February 2012

I love reading things like this, I'm going to see Tony in April and it makes me look forward to it even more.

clamps81 · February 2012

nferrar wrote:

I've been Jedi'd as well and certainly learnt a lot - it's important to realise though it won't make you into a cycling god overnight, it's more about showing you how to do things properly so you can then go off and practice knowing you're doing the basics right. I've fallen back into a few bad habits (especially when it comes to looking down the trail) and might do a return visit but I still got a lot out of it.

This exactly. Although I did briefly feel like a cycling god when I first nailed the tabletop.

MTB skills training

Comments

Categories