I did my TCL (SMBLA) training a couple of years ago, but never got around to doing the assessment. Since then I’ve done some voluntary guiding work and want to get my qualifications sorted out for next summer. I’ve got an outdoor first aid certificate.

Question is – is it worth doing my TCL assessment, or should I start down the BC route from scratch? If I do my TCL, can I then start the BC program at stage 2 or maybe 3?

Or, do I wait for the UCI and French authorities to finally agree on what they consider necessary, and maybe start my ML in the mean time??

For any TCL assessors on here – will there be any particular issues doing my TCL assessment 3 years after the course, has much changed? Looking for someone near Bristol to assess me.

Give the guys at Cyclewise a call

Big hoohaa in France earlier in the year re people needing the French quali rather that a UK one. Try a forum search, was discussed.

Could add Italy to your choices, seems to becoming a popular alternative to France 💡

Having done MBL a few yrs ago I think I would go with the new BC one at Whinlatter. The guys there helped develop it so should be of a good standard and be a bit more structured with better back-up from BC, something SMBLA lack imo.

Thanks. I could probably get a discount at Cyclewise, just a shame it is such a distance from Bristol (when I could go to Porlock or Wye Valley instead). I have heard good things about them, and obviously the riding is top notch in the Lakes.

And yep, guiding around Lake Garda would be heaven!

Hey Stu

This company works in conjunction with the Italian qualification….I’m not sure how it works, but if the course is anything like the Italian one bring something to stop you falling asleep….

Seems like the growing number of visitors to certain ski resorts (Les Arcs for example) the local ski instructors see a new avenue of work and this (rightly or wrongly) will affect non french qualified guides……

Somehow I cannot see French authorities backing down…… good luck anyway and remember when changing disk sizes, change the adapters also:D

French ski instructors wont automatically have the qualifications in France to act as mtb guides. You need to be what is generally known as an AMM with the mtb add on.

Thanks Ade – you wouldnt let it lie! Long time in the past that one, I even mainly get the rotors the right way around these days.

You still flogging those dodgy kashima shocks?

Apparently pressure from the UCI is more likely to have an impact on the French than pressure from the EU re freedom of movement of workers etc.

I’ve heard that the French VTT qualifications spend as much time teaching you about flowers as they do about bikes. IML similarly.