Hi STW

I just want to know where ine the UK you can become a certified mountainbike instructor, I live in Denmark and we have a big bike culture but no certified instructors. I’m a skilled rider, but if you want to teach others I feel that I need a piece of paper saying that I myself have been taught.

Any good places, people you could recommend?

Cheers
Terry

Copenhagen Trailbuilders

There have been changes in the past few years as there were 3 main organisations: MIAS, CTC & MBLA which had their own schemes. British Cycling is taking over as the over arching governing body of cycling but the other award processes still operate.

Glenmore Lodge (Scotland) and Plas y Brenin (Wales) are 2 of the most reputable mountain sport instruction centres in the UK. They offer the British Cycling leadership qualifications. There are other places to go, but the standard at these centres is a benchmark by which others are measured. Glenmore Lodge offers more for your money and is allegedly better.

I am working toward gaining leadership qualifications myself, I’ll be going to GML.

MBLA or Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award as it was know is still run by Scottish Cycling, British Cycling are setting something similar up, don’t know if this is down to politics or not. Glen More Lodge will be running MBLA awards. These start at Trail Cycle Leader, then Mountain Bike leader and add on awards for night riding winter module etc
MBLA website

I have plenty of instructor hours, teaching isn’t a problem.

I have military and special forces experience, kayak, canoo, telemark skiing, climbing instructor. Bla bla bla..

Do you either of you know how much biking vs. learning how to teach there will be at these places??

And thanks for helping out.

It will depend on what you actually want to do as all these quals (CTC, MIAS, MBLA, BC) are essentially leading quals.
If you want something to say you can teach skills, etc. then the choices are more limited (That’s not to say that there isn’t some teaching in the leadership quals).
CTC do really good skills instructor courses that go into real details as to how to get the best from your tutee…
Have a look here
Although some would say you don’t actually need any quals to be a good coach/tutor, etc… 😉

Skill instructor award.

Entry requirements
Prior to attending you will have hold:

Technical Leader Award
A logbook of led rides in technical terrain (minimum of 6, but evidence of 20 or more leader experiences) and 12 personal rides (covering at least three geologically different areas) in technical terrain
A valid and appropriate first aid certificate.
A business plan detailing how you intend to reach participants, the area(s) you may use and how you can meet CTC Skill Instructor targets. Further information on this is available from the CTC Skill Instructor co-ordinator Ian Warby.
You should also:

Have specifically helped your group members develop some level of riding skills and confidence in technical terrain, appropriate to the riders needs
Be 18 years of age or more

Hmm, not as easy as one should think.

Glenmore Info

PYB Info

I know the higher level course on the MIAS requires that you have a Mountain Leader qualification. If you aren’t familiar with it CLICK HERE. There are shortcuts through the training if you can show extensive experience. I think it is relevant for leading above 600m.

Double check on the British Cycling site. There also appears to be a difference in the lower level leading and coaching awards (or have I got it wrong?).

It’s bloody confusing!

Confusing yes. Especially beacuse all the websites are plain ugly with text boxes everywhere.

Usability my arse..

Thanks for alle the help, keep it coming.

I think you will find most of the people who have set themselves up as “instructors” have started out on either the MBL or CTC courses.
With BC there seems to be a bit of a grey area(imo)in that they sat “coaching” should be done by coaches and “leading” should be done by leaders. Up until they announced their mtb award that was the case.
The people who are credited with helping BC develop the new awards are; http://www.cyclewise.co.uk/
My advise is to contact them, Glenmore Lodge and CTC, come back to us and let us know a definitive answer 😉

The talented jedi from this parish managed to fast track his CTC qualis quickly to enable him to start his business if I remember correctly(if not I apologise).

You can do a Lev2 BC coaching award followed by an mtb award which is different from the actual mtbl award afik 🙄

It’s a joke! Paddlesport, climbing and mountaineering have solid structures. MTB has disorganised faff.

I study adventure education and keep writing about this embarrassment in my essays. We’re getting more recognition but this is not doing the industry any favours 👿

MTB has disorganised faff.

+1 🙂

I study adventure education and keep writing about this embarrassment in my essays. We’re getting more recognition but this is not doing the industry any favours

*bows to the superior font of knowledge*

i didn’t fast track anything. i am ctc, mias and a smbla/ctc assesor thingy

It’s a joke! Paddlesport, climbing and mountaineering have solid structures. MTB has disorganised faff.

But… they are trying to sort it out.
MTB as it currently stands is a relatively new leisure activity; indeed it has only recently been recognised by the AALA [Adventure Activities Licensing Association] I believe.

Some useful and definitive information here

has anyone failed a skills instructors course?

When I was assessing for MIAS have awarded Level 1 to people going for Level 2 and have advised prospective leaders to gain more experience before joining a course.
During a course it is generally possible to bring someone up to a standard. When I was instructing I was looking for group management skills, leadership ability, navigation skills and RoW knowledge; not just riding skills. That was in the days when most awards were required for services personnel, education authorities staff, outdoor activity centre staff, etc..

has anyone failed a skills instructors course?

I think one of our staff did so a year back.
We reasonably often pull our people off training and assessment if in our opinion they are not ready – usually lack of log book / experience, but sometimes just skill level or awareness.
I certainly expect that if I send one of my people on any NGB training or assessment that they should be ‘at standard’ or beyond and it is their responsibility to get to that standard, and my job to assist and check that they are.

You don’t actually need a qualification as far as I’m aware, I believe a certain well known instructor oop north hasn’t got one.

jedi – Member
i didn’t fast track anything. i am ctc, mias and a smbla/ctc assesor thingy

POSTED 4 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Apologies. Long time since your discussion on here and I obviously picked it up the wrong way 😳

Terry. You may wish to check with your local authorities as to whether any UK quali would be recognised where you are.

Another organisation you may wish to contact for guidance;
http://www.cyclingscotland.org/about/the-staff-team/
Jim Riach was one of the people who helped develop the SMBLA scheme with Glenmore Lodge. Rik from Drumlanrig and I were the first 2 people/trainees to participate, Rik being the proud owner of cert nbr 1 🙂

Another course provider;
http://www.cyclewildscotland.co.uk/courses.htm

Friends of mine had their MIAS1 delivered by a reputable leader in the South East who was lacking in skill and pretty much guaranteed passing. Apparently he struggled with some of the technique demonstration and ended up ego clashing with his group!?

Matt, bow not! I’m not even qualified yet, you on the other hand are working in the field. Theory without practical experience isn’t worth a great deal.

Maybe part of the problem with British Cycling is the fact that MTB is one of the many cycle sports they represent? BC could learn a lot from the BCU (British Canoe Union) who do loads for paddlesport.

has anyone failed a skills instructors course?

I got qualified up at Lagganlia (as MTB leader) and one of the lads on the course failed, he simply didn’t have enough experience. That was back in 02 though.

to this discussion i would just like to add:

‘those that can’t, teach.’

cheers!

MIAS, BC, SMBLA, CTC, Mountain Bike Qualifications are all recognised.

In my opinion, which qualification you choose, is not that important as for the above reason.

However, which provider you choose, should i feel, be given more consideration.

Ray Mazey

Says mr MIAS 😉

Hi Matt

But I did not say MIAS or any other for that matter was the best one 🙂

Pfft, not even a nibble!

slowride-
to this discussion i would just like to add:

‘those that can’t, teach.’

cheers!

Och!! That hurt 😀

^ having spent a day with Ray (albeit several years ago) I can safely say that he can do and teach 8)

😉

sc-xc

Thank you Sir

Herman Shake – It’s a joke! Paddlesport, climbing and mountaineering have solid structures. MTB has disorganised faff.

I study adventure education and keep writing about this embarrassment in my essays. We’re getting more recognition but this is not doing the industry any favours

That is one way of looking at it – but perhaps you could write your next essay on the hypothesis that “a single highly prescriptive structure to instructor training (as per BCU, RYA etc) may impede innovation, commercial competition and the ability of outdoor training centres to differentiate themselves”, or “the presence of a single governing body for an outdoor activity tends to result in a narrow selection of “flavours” which limits both participant and instructor involvement in the activity”.

Well, that fish failed to bite 😉

I too know people who did courses with Ray and have nothing but praise 🙂

*picks up where poly leaves*

I would like someone to also write an essay on ‘What would the industry do if a NGB became unfit for purpose?’. There are a couple of working examples looming I reckon 😉

I agree with Poly

@ matt_outandabout

Thank you for your feedback

Apologies. Long time since your discussion on here and I obviously picked it up the wrong way
Terry. You may wish to check with your local authorities as to whether any UK quali would be recognised where you are.

Another organisation you may wish to contact for guidance;
http://www.cyclingscotland.org/about/the-staff-team/
Jim Riach was one of the people who helped develop the SMBLA scheme with Glenmore Lodge. Rik from Drumlanrig and I were the first 2 people/trainees to participate, Rik being the proud owner of cert nbr 1

Another course provider;
http://www.cyclewildscotland.co.uk/courses.htm

In Denmark most people are covered in lycra, wrapped around their carbon bikes spending more time looking at their heartrate monitor than the trail.
I really don’t care whether the course is approved or not, there is no organisation to get approved by – so problem solved. Most teachers and clubs are selfproclaimed instructors. I just want something saying I have tried to reach som level of skill.
I run XC, trail, dh, dj and pumptrack so I try to get all the way around. I’m a first aid instructor and an outdoor guide. I have several hours of leadership training and have had the responsebility over 50 plus men.

I am still not planning the great grouprides above 600 meters, we don’t even have mountains. But I would love to do skills training and skills courses.

I apologize for the poor spelling, hope your danish suck.

Poly, your proposed content was the balancing half of my argument. Unfortunately I think that unregulated people leading those in a highly injury prone sport (statistically more than climbing or paddlesport)is dangerous and reduces the credibility of MTB.

The interpretation of NGB structures in other adventure sports is quite flavoursome as instructors have their own minds. The NGB provides regulation and a framework. Sheep will copy poor practise and those with half a brain will provide a good service. Way too many variables extend from the qualification procedure alone, hence the need for a cornerstone of some kind. The range of ability I have seen from climbing instructors with the same qualifications is a tad concerning, they are quite clearly adding their own flavour.

Anyway; Terry I reckon British Cycling’s scheme will last longer than the others which may be phased at some point. Don’t spend your money twice.

The range of ability I have seen from climbing instructors with the same qualifications is a tad concerning

A qualification is only a suggestion that you met a standard on a day, at some point in the past.
It infers nothing of being up to date, nothing about putting in effort to be professional / better, nothing about being upto date and takes no account of having a bad day in the office.

The TCL/MBL awards are being retired and BC will introduce 2 new awards in their place. I don’t know about MBL, but TCL is to be replaced with a BC level 2 award, which is mostly the same as the TCL.

I’m informed that there will be an announcement in the coming weeks. Hopefully this will give some much needed structure around MTB qualifications.