Introductory Mountain Bike Skills Courses

Introductory mountain biking courses are structured to cover all the core mountain bike skills you are likely to need to get you riding off road.
The following modules are covered during the course:

- Correct bike set up and rider positioning
- Going uphill
- Getting downhill
- Cornering
- Drops offs
- Front wheel lifts
- Emergency trail repairs (including punctures and broken chains)
- Balance techniques to improve your riding

Course Prerequisites

This course is suitable for those either new to mountain biking or those who have experience of riding but have struggled on obstacles when riding in Wales or Scotland.

The course is also suitable for those who do road cycling or triathlon and wish to try mountain biking.

The courses covers approximately 8 miles of cycling in the 6 hours so is suitable for most people with some fitness, if you are unsure if you have the fitness or confidence to try this course then try out our novice course first.
mountain biking skills course positioning mountain biking skills course lifting front wheel mountain biking skills course downhill

Women Only Mountain Bike Courses

Women's Specific Introductory Skills Courses are available for females that want to have the Introductory Course Instruction but without the guys around. These run on the last Saturday of each month and are delivered by female instructors.

Mountain Bike Weekends Riding

We offer a variety of ways of putting together a weekend of mountain biking for you, the quickest way to get you up and riding. First try our weekends with the luxury of a fantastic hotel break as well as a great riding weekend. The weekend consists of the introductory course on the Saturday and a chance to put those skills into practice on a guided ride on the Sunday, with an Executive hotel room and hotel with pool, gym and sauna why not make the most of your weekend and have a great time away as well. (or he rides and you relax!). See Highgate House for more info. The cost is £175 per single room for the complete weekend or £295 double both riding, or £205 double room but 1 riding.

Alternatively you can organise the weekend yourself to keep the costs down and book a Saturday course, Sunday guided ride and you choose the accommodation. See the courses below marked with * for courses running on a Saturday with the guided ride on the Sunday.

Course Dates

March 19th (woburn Trails) - places available
*March 20th (Woburn Trails) - fully booked
March 27th (Harlestone Firs) - women only - fully booked

April 3rd (Thetford Forest) - 2 places available
April 4th (Woburn Trails) - places available
April 17th/18th (Harlestone Firs) - Highgate House Weekend Course (booking through Highgate House)
*April 17th (Harlestone Firs) - fully booked
April 18th (Harlestone Firs) places available
April 24th (Woburn Trails) - women only - places available

May 1st (Thetford Forest) - fully booked
May 2nd (Woburn Trails) - places available
May 15th (Woburn Trails) - places available
May 29th (Woburn Trails) - women only - places available

June 5th (Thetford Forest) - places available
June 11th (Woburn Trails) - places available
June 19th (Woburn Trails) - places available
June 20th (Sherwood Pines) - places available
June 26th (Woburn Trails) - women only - places available

July 3rd (Thetford Forest) - places available
July 9th (Woburn Trails) - places available
*July 17th (Woburn Trails) - places available
July 24th (Sherwood Pines) - places available
July 31st (woburn Trails) - women only - places available

August 6th (Woburn Trails) - places available
August 7th (Thetford Forest) - places available
August 22nd (Harlestone Firs) - places available
*August 28th (Woburn Trails) - women only - places available
August 29th (Sherwood Pines) - places available

*Can be combined with a Guided Ride the following day to make a weekend of it, for bike friendly accommodation pls see our FAQ page.

Time: All courses run 10am till approx 4pm

Cost: £60 per person (includes all instruction and Permit to Ride)

Courses run at the following locations Harlestone Firs, Northamptonshire, Woburn Trails, nr Milton Keynes , Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire and Thetford Forest Park, Suffolk.

If you have any queries on the course or whether it is suitable for you please see our course decider.

Reserve your place and make your booking now!

mountain biking skills course dropoffs
"Just wanted to say "thank you" again for the tuition you gave on Saturday. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and feel like I learned a lot. I'm actually excited about going out on my bike now, rather than dreading it"  

"I had a brilliant day learning and brushing up on the basics. I found you a very knowledable instuctor and it was great to build some confidence on the things with a trained eye watching, as well as learning new techniques for cornering etc" "I would just like to say thank you so much for excellent course, it has given me so much more confidence when biking and renewed my love for the sport. I have been blasting around the courses and attempting alot more than what I had done before. I have remembered that speed is my friend!!!! Thank you once again, I would certainly recommend you to anyone who is browsing this site" Jonathan, Mar 10