Embarking into the world of Mountain Biking can seem daunting. Where do I go? What bike should I ride? How do I do it safely? On this fun and action-packed one day course we'll give you all the tools you need to begin Mountain Biking and then keep you coming back for more.
Our Mountain Biking Taster Day covers the core trail skills and is ideal for either complete beginners or for those wanting to progress their mountain bike experience from moderate off-road tracks to more technical intermediate trails. Our experienced guides and instructors will cover the fundamental trail riding skills of body position, footwork, line choice and cornering to get you tackling natural trail features both confidently and safely.
We'll also cover the basics of bike set-up, maintenance and safety to insure you have the right knowledge to head out and further progress by yourself. The Peak District has some of the best and most iconic 'natural' mountain biking in the country with a range of terrain from gentle flowy tracks to rugged and remote trails. With the help and guidance of our knowledgeable local instructors we'll get you riding the right trails in the right conditions to progress your riding whilst ensuring you have a fantastic day out in the hills.
Bike hire is available, however this must be prebooked with our neighbour, The Bike Garage. Upon booking, you will have the option to add bike hire to the order (£30 per day to be paid directly to the Bike Garage). The add-on product shows up as £0, however this just enables the system to forward your details on to the bike shop to get you booked in. They will contact you shortly after booking to confirm.
YOUR MOUNTAIN BIKING TASTER DAY
9:30 - 16:30
ARRIVE AT THE ADVENTURE HUB
Your instructor will welcome you to our base and outline the objectives for the day over a great cup of Italian coffee or tea. After ensuring everyone has a suitable bike and kit for a day out in the hills (bike and helmet hire is available at an additional fee) there will be a brief introductory session looking at bike set-up, brake use and riding safety.
HEAD TO THE TRAILS
We will head out onto our local trails which will be chosen on the basis of weather conditions, along with the experience and ambitions of the group. We will either strike out from our centre or drive around 15 minutes to an alternative start point.
PRACTICAL SKILLS SESSION
Once on the trails, expect to cover approximately 15-20km during the day. We'll begin by looking at body position and weight shifting in a variety of terrains whilst climbing, descending and cornering; discovering that freedom of movement on the bike is key to good technique. Your instructor will choose appropriate sections of trail to 'session', allowing you to experiment with different line choices, sight lines and feel the benefit of improved technique with multiple attempts at certain trail obstacles. We'll then put it all into practice by tackling some classic Peak District trails. There will be loads of opportunities to chat about where to ride, equipment and suitable bikes.
BACK TO THE ADVENTURE HUB
At the end of the day we'll return to The Adventure Hub for refreshments and to review the day's key points and progression targets for the future.
All abilities welcome, some general cycling experience necessary.
Anyone aged 13 or over can attend any of our scheduled courses with the exception of Mountain Biking and Winter Skills where the minimum age is 18 unless accompanied by a parent.
We hold an AALA license and are able to take out children who are younger than 13, however we only offer this on a private guided basis. See our private guiding rates, as this can work out very competitive, especially when booking as a family. There is no maximum age, if you feel young enough to attend then you are very welcome!
Our instructors can be booked privately to deliver this course. Benefit from private tuition, pick a date that suits you and your instructor can design the day to suit your needs. You can hire one of our instructors from just £250 inc vat per day. (Click here to book a private course)