I ALWAYS say yes!!!! But I dont always win! 
Fair play mate, perhaps next time your back we could have a friendly race for cake? In the Cheviots they look sweet!
Those drops are a decent size you painted a picture of a rider who was firmly planted rubber side down!!!!! You look like you have them nailed though you might want to work on your gurn in the second pic! 
Ok, been away from the keyboard and just wanted to give a big thank you to everyone for their help, I shall be looking at all the links.
I am sorry if started any arguments, I mentioned jumps and drops as they are something I cannot do - mostly nerve but also skill - I have no wish to be doing 2 metre dropoffs and I want to learn how to go faster both au natural and at centres. Speed over rough ground and cornering is going to be another course ...
Alverston park is a def iain1775, I shall take my small boy along as cover ......
So thanks all and see you out there
Singletrackmind it sounds either ... you didn't want to listen and understand your coach, OR your coach was pretty much useless at teaching or comunicating to you.
Yes , you are probably right . Old dogs etc.
All 3 coach's were hard to understand . I didn't want to listen to any of them, despite handing over my hard earned cash and taking days off work specifically . All 3 of them were pretty much useless at teaching , because thats what they do for a living, plus i am divvy so find it hard to follow step by step instruction with demonstrations.
I was trying to put across that for some people its not an easy thing learning a new skill , or having the self confidence and belief that you will not die if you attempt a jump or drop off.
I did a training day with Bob at Llandegla & got a lot out of it.
It was basic riding skills as well as tackling drop offs & we got started on jumps but ran out of time.
Problem was, I didn't practice what I learnt often enough and have lost what I learnt to a certain extent.
My fault entirely & just a case of not having enough time to get out & mess around.
I think it's all too easy for those experienced at riding bigger drops to underestimate how hard even seemingly small drops can be for some riders. I grew up riding BMXs and MTBs in the '80s and loved it but I was neither naturally gifted nor fearless and lived in one of the least gnarly counties in England. Anyway following a long theft-induced MTB sabbatical I started riding again in mid '09. Early in '10 I found an excellent posse of local riders who like to ride more interesting stuff than my local area provides naturally which thus fired me up to develop jumping and drop technique. I guess I'm ok up to about 2' drops, or at least I was... Looking at the drops GEDA's shown above they're much bigger than that in total fall and I suspect many MTBers would be scared of them. Of course many wouldn't either but that isn't the point! For those intimidated by big (aka small) drops, skills coaching would appear to be a fine way to develop flow down trails with drops. I'm good at teaching myself from books and Mastering Mountain Bike Skills has hugely helped but it's hard to self-assess your riding accurately.
In a couple of months time I'm going to have the uphill battle of rebuilding my strength, fitness and belief having recently broken my ankle on the bike doing something very boring (cycling uphill less than two minutes from home - bloody ice!) I do know that I'm going to have to get my technique absolutely rock solid before dropping off anything much bigger than a kerb because I am so scared of breaking myself again. The crazy thing is that whilst I could still ride (he looks back wistfully to last week...) if you made every 4' drop look like a 2' drop I'd ride it just fine - tidy technique, pretty relaxed. But show me the real height and my confidence would fail and in tightening up my skills would go out of the window.
good video, unfortunately he is dead right ....
Nice vid Tony, some good points in there re speed control concentration and commitment. Start small folks and build up, good technique is essential and this can be developed in a safe progressive environment - start small and work your way up with height and distance. I should emphasize it is essential that you can perform a proper American style bunny hop (lifting each wheel interdependently) to jump correctly, that of course includes being able to perform the opening maneuver, a manual. Build your foundations and the rest will flow as will your control and concentration, all elements improve side by side, you will inevitably build you confidence and soon you will commit to trail features. Not to detract from what Tony does but lets make it clear, there are more of us out there who teach in a progressive fashion than you may think. I would recommend Tony UK Bike Skills, Bob at Campbell coaching and Rich Kelly from All Biked Up in the Surrey hills, the creme de la creme of the CTC trained line up, if you fancy a trip to some real mountain bike trails then were based in the Scottish Borders. Clive - http://www.mtbskills.eu All the best and happy riding.
As above. Choosing the right provider can vastly increase the riders skill levels and confidence.
Getting the basics sorted, is of paramount importance, as is assessing each individual.
MBI approved coaches http://www.mountainbikeskillscourses coach from basics to advanced levels. Please see link below Leon MacLean (MBI Appoved Coach) out riding for fun, not coaching :o) There are a lot of good mountain bikers out there. However, a top coach is I feel, harder to find.
Very true Ray ... oddly, the best rider in the world won't always make the best coach / instructor.
As I think someone said earlier. Getting the basics sorted is like building a house with good foundations, it enables you to progress. These basics are often the areas which make the biggest difference to peoples everyday riding, they're also the bits which are easily overlooked. Change a few little bits and the positive difference can be quite dramatic.
When you're riding nothing exists on its own, riding a drop without the ability to control the bike afterwards (perhaps braking, cornering, etc may be required) may still result in a crash. If someone asks for a days instruction in riding drops, we don't go marching up to the drops straight away. There's a build up of skills and techniques (mental and physical) to get them there ... if there wasn't then every instructor could just hand out the MTFU speach and leave you to it
Too true chaps, being able to articulate the theory and practice in an understandable fashion to the various type of client is an essential component to being a good teacher, it also helps (a great deal in my opinion) if the tutor can ride to an exceptional standard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSjhden4e_E&feature=player_profilepage
Enjoy.
Clive.
essential to bunny hop?
It is if you are a rabbit, otherwise you wouldn't get anywhere
if the tutor can ride to an exceptional standard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSjhden4e_E&feature=player_profilepage
this is meant to be a joke, right?
Geda - is that a Mk1 853 Prince Albert? If it is I've got it's sexy battleship grey twin sister in my garage 
where'd it go musky 
wierd eh
Has it jumped or just dropped off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :O)
i think it was "pulled"
Yes it is a mark 1 853 PA. Though it is some what retired at the moment and been replaced by a Dialled Bikes Alpine.
When I get back in the forest in Sweden I will get a picture of the big drops so you can see what a wet lettuce I am.
it doesnt matter what you ride as long as you enjoy it.
I'd recommend Elements in Sheffield. They're doing loads of different sorts of skills training in the stell town and Peak and have a few folks who are good at jumps and drops.
Also they provide bikes and lids if you want to take a friend along too.
elements@recyclebikes.co.uk
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