Biking Networking: Bike Skills Course write-up

Disclaimer

Cycling is a dangerous activity which can result in serious injury or death. All cyclists are responsible for their own safety and must decide for themselves if they are a competent cyclist for the event they attend, cyclists must assess the level of risk for themselves before and during any event, and must not put other people at risk. No assessment of a cyclist's competence is made by the ride leader. Individuals must be able to assess obstacles and decide whether they have the skill to safely ride them. If an individual isn't sure whether they have sufficient skill to ride any section of the ride then they should walk it to avoid injury. All cyclists must wear a helmet and take responsibility for disclosing any relevant medical conditions, allergies and emergency contact details to the ride leader before each event.

Monday, 16 November 2009

Bike Skills Course write-up

On Sunday, Andy and I had the benefit of some instruction from Lee of Peak Mountain Biking ( www.peakmountainbiking.co.uk ). The course was aimed at either beginners or those who wanted to build confidence and check they were doing it right. Arguably Andy and I fell into the latter category!
The weather hadn't read the script. Although there had been storms the night before, it was dry and sunny - yes sunny - for most of the day. The morning consisted of some short sections to brush up on use of gears and brakes. Checking that we were positioning ourselves right on descents and ascents. Neither of us were hanging back far enough on steep descents. Lee also taught us how to use the back brake when doing slow tight turns or to regain balance. Very useful trick and we both found ourselves using it.
After some comedy offs on technical climbs we stopped for a quick lunch before setting off up a 1k technical climb, some mud sliding (first time I have had to pedal down hill!) and the Haggs Farm descent. All in all we rode about 40k in the day and were clearing things with more confidence by the time we got back to the car park.
The skills course is a must for anyone new to riding - it will save you months of trial and confidence sapping error. For those who have been riding a while but feel that they clear sections using luck rather than technique it is also a great way to spend a day. Lee tailors the ride to the skill level of those on the course. It meant we covered some harder sections than a beginners course. All in all it was excellent value for money.
Mark