Join MB7 for a one or two-day introductory course and we’ll
show you just how much fun mountain biking
can be. Our tuition will ensure you gain a full grasp
of the bike-handling techniques that will set you
on your way to a seriously speedy mountain biking
habit. You'll get the chance to tackle great trails
at Glentress Forest with confidence and new skills. The introductory mountain biking course is aimed to take those with little or no experience of offroad cycling and turn them into mountain bikers! By this we mean giving you a thorough understanding of the difference in techniques of riding a bike on tarmac and riding a bike on the hills and in the forests. There are a set of core techniques that will allow you to pick up the basics of mountain biking in a day and have a comprehensive skill set in a weekend. These techniques are often overlooked when first trying mountain biking and thus the course is great for getting back to basics and learning the fundamental stuff right – be it for the first or second time! A basic level of fitness is presumed, however the course is not designed to test your fitness. If you are unsure, try going for a moderate cycle for 2 hours, with a break every half hour. If you can do this, you can easily complete an MB7 course.
WHAT IS COVERED IN THE COURSE?
During the course, you will cover the following core skills (although our guides always adapt the sillabus to suit the group):
Day 1
Introduction to efficient bike set-up
Effective and safe use of the brakes
Effective use of the gears on changeable terrain
Dealing with bumpy terrain and obstacles on the trail
Core cornering techniques |
Day 2 (if doing two day course)
Fundamentals of climbing & grip
Advanced cornering techniques & high speed cornering
Fundamentals of descending & balance
Dealing with drops in the trail
Low-speed balance: the ‘trackstand’ |
WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Our one and two day courses take place at Glentress Forest, in the Scottish Borders. Glentress is 23 miles south of Edinburgh and is widely regarded as the UK’s finest ‘trail centre’. Glentress provides the perfect skills venue, with its variety of graded trails and purpose-built obstacles to learn core skills on. All of our tutors have intimate knowledge of Glentress, as all of our tutors have worked on the trails in Glentress. Map here. If you use a GPS, put postcode EH45 8NB to navigate to Glentress.
WHEN DO THE COURSES TAKE PLACE?
| 2008 |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Introductory course dates: |
9/10 |
1/2 |
19/20 |
17/18 |
14/15 |
5/6 |
30/31 |
20/21 |
11/12 |
22/23 |
13/14 |
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THE COURSE?
Our courses are always designed to be fun and action packed. You’ll find your skill set and confidence improving without you realising you were ‘studying’ skills. The safety and comfort of our clients is our no.1 priority and our expert tutors will never throw you in at the deep end. At the same time you will not be held back from pushing your limits in a controlled manner. As our courses advance, participants gain the skills and confidence to take on more and more challenging trails. Our introductory courses are designed to take participants from ‘green’ beginner level to take on blue graded trails and after two days be comfortable taking on red graded sections. If you excel, you will even be allowed to attempt a black graded obstacle at the end!
HOW DO THE COURSES RUN?
Day 1
09.45 - Meet at ‘trail info board’, Osprey Car Park, Glentress
10.00 - Skills session, e.g. efficient use of gears & brakes
12.30 - Lunch
13.30 - Skills session, e.g. attack position, & cornering
16.00 - Session ends after introduction to the ‘trackstand’ |
Day 2
09.45 - Meet at ‘trail info board’, Osprey Car Park, Glentress
10.00 - Skills session, e.g. climbing and cornering
12.30 - Lunch
13.30 - Skills session, e.g. descending & drops
16.00 - Session ends after ‘trackstand’ competition |
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING?
The most important thing to bring is enthusiasm! In terms of equipment, you can bring your own well maintained bike or hire one of our performance ‘hardtails’. If you are unsure if your bike is suitable, it should be a mountain-specific bike with knobbly tyres and preferably with front suspension. Well built fully-rigid bikes are fine. As a guide of quality, if your bike is more than 5 years old, it should have cost you at least £400 or if you bike is under 5 years old, it should have cost you at least £250 to be generally suitable. If you are unsure about any of your equipment or need to arrange hire, please get in touch – the main consideration is that the bike is in good working order! Other equipment you will need to bring:
- A standard cycling helmet – NO HELMET = NO RIDE
- Comfortable sports clothing & spare layers including a wind/waterproof jacket
- Gloves, preferably cycling-specific
- A small rucksack to carry water and spare clothing
- Lunch - supplies can be bought on-site at the start of the day
- Recommended extras include protective glasses, snacks and simple spares including a spare inner tube, bike pump and multitool
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
A one-day course costs £65. A weekend course costs £115. If you would like to hire a performance hardtail mountain bike for the course, it costs £20 per day. We can arrange accommodation in a friendly local B&B at £30 per night.
WHAT ABOUT…
If you have any other questions, get in touch on 08706 093 096 or email ride@mb7.com.
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