Manawatū Mountain Bike Club offering free mountain bike skills coaching

More experienced riders may learn track stands, wheel lifts, slow, tight turns, and how to manoeuvre tricky spots. Photo / John Stone

The Manawatū Mountain Bike Club is offering free mountain bike skills coaching for riders of all ages over the next couple of months.

The sessions will be held at Paneiri Park in Awapuni for six Thursdays, starting on October 27 and ending on December 1.

"These sessions are a great way to help your kids (or you) gain some extra skills and confidence on their mountain bikes and get ready for a summer of riding," says Michelle Ebbett, the mum of three mountain bikers and a mountain biker herself.

The club has offered these sessions for at least the past 10 years. They are led by local riders and are based on the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA) curriculum. PMBIA is an international mountain bike training organisation and four club members who are PMBIA-certified coaches will oversee the sessions.

On the first Thursday of the term (October 27), basic bike fit and position will be checked and rider skill level will be assessed through a range of activities and games. Riders will be assigned to a coach and group for the rest of the term.

Regardless of skill level, all riders will benefit from a return to the basics including body position, brake control, how to climb, cadence, how to corner, and how to flow in technical terrain. More experienced riders may learn track stands, wheel lifts, slow, tight turns, and how to manoeuvre tricky spots.

The sessions are not just for beginners. "I have been languishing in grade three trails for a while now," says adult rider Megan Bryce. "Other than trying to go faster I was not quite sure how to progress. Going back to basics helped me put all the parts together in the right order. Who knew getting the right body position is the key to riding grade four confidently!"

Sessions will be divided by age group. Children aged 5-13 will be coached from 5-5.45pm and those aged over 13 (including adults) will be coached from 6-7pm.

All riders must have a geared mountain bike in good condition with working front and rear brakes. They must have a certified helmet - that fits - and covered shoes. It is recommended everyone also has a bottle of water and a jacket.

If your bike hasn't been serviced in a while, it might be a good idea to take it to a bike shop before the first session.

Not only will your riding improve, but you'll probably have fun.

"I never really thought about how I ride so I never really knew how to get better," says adult rider Leanne Norman. "These sessions helped identify what I was and wasn't doing well and gave me the skills to keep improving. Just as importantly for me it was fun, friendly and got me meeting new people."

+ INFO Registration is open until October 17 but spaces are limited, so get in quick. If groups are full, priority will be given to club members. For more information and to register, click the Paneiri Park Skills Sign Up button at mmbc.co.nz. You can also join the club on the website.

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air