Can anyone recommend a skills course run by women, for women ?

My missus would like to do one instead of listening to me shout advice at her 🙂

I seem to remember seeing someone (female) teaching up at Woburn a few times last year and the year before. I also googled Dirt Divas, but their website doesn’t seem to be up to date. Are they still going ?

Ali at Campbell Coaching runs them (Afan area). Katy Curd runs them out of FOD as well.

My Wife really likes Tony Doyle’s coaching technique at UKBikeSkills in Heryfordshire,

Tom KP

I’ve used Tony, who is great. But he is £200+ for one to one and booked up for ages and ages. She did really want a female. Does Katy Curd have a website ?

Yes, google Katy Curd, it comes straight up. She has coached 4 or 5 groups from our club and they have given great feedback.

Whats wrong with a male teaching her?

Nothing, but if she wants a woman, why not?

http://helengaskellcoaching.co.uk/

Former DH’er and now an enduurist.

a couple of friends were coached recently by Katy Curd, and said she was lovely to work with 🙂

I think Hannah at Pedal2pedal does adult coaching. She is based portsmouth/QECP way, not sure if thats too far!

Speaking as a middle aged woman who came to riding bikes late in life I had a one to one session with Tony. I felt extremely comfortable with him, he didn’t pre-judge me or my lack of skills nor my not ‘getting’ things first time. It really is about the instructor and their people skills, Tony has those in abundance.

FWIW I’ve also had a female instructor and realised it’s not about their sex.

Bit different to just a day’s training but http://www.bikeverbier.com do a women-only week every year, I think. Popular and very highly thought of. I think Tracey Moseley does the skills training.

I’ve personally used Tony and Tom, both great. But she asked for a female, so Id rather find a female instructor. I want her to look forward to the session and anything to put her mind at rest will help.

Helen Gaskell looks great, shame its so far away from us. We are Oxford based, so somewhere closer would be better.

But she asked for a female, so Id rather find a female instructor.

Do you know why? Could be useful to know if she has any preconceived ideas/thoughts.

Probably because she wants the course to be run from her perspective.

She will assume a bloke will want to teach her how to do gap jumps, whereas she just wants to ride over a few roots without panicking.

She will also have some preconceptions that wont change by me telling her to change them.

I know this is wrong, but doing a skills course is a big step. If having a female coach makes her feel confident I don’t want to upset that before she has even tried it 🙂

The aim is to improve her confidence, not alter her assumptions of male / female coaches.

Seriously Katy Curd will be ideal, and FoD isn’t too far from Oxford. She has coached female only groups from our club that were looking for the exact thing that your better half is after

I’m ringing her now…………………

I believe the instructor you were originally asking about (Female/Woburn based) was this outfit; http://www.getmountainbiking.co.uk

My wife had a lesson with them a few years back. Instructor was called Helen I think (but not the one linked a few posts back).

Trimix, if you are out there, did you get in touch with Katy Curd? I’d like to get my other half some coaching when we are in the FoD in May and she sounds ideal but I’ve not had a reply to an email. I’m suspecting it’s a busy time of year for a DH racer

Whats wrong with a male teaching her?

To be honest I really like female instructors. Generally they are much less set in their ways and a far better at listening. Some instructors are set on transmit and even when they let you speak, you can see that they are just queuing up their next burst.
This isn’t MTB specific BTW, I have never been taught bikes by a female but I’d like to give it a go.

Ruth @ Bottle Green Biking, based further up north but worth noting for reference I guess.

http://www.bottlegreenbiking.co.uk/

I spoke to a few and chose to use Jacqueline from Dirt Divas.

The training took place last weekend near the Swinley trails. So I did a couple of laps of the red trail while Jacqueline worked her magic on my wife.

Prior to the session my wife would find singletrack scary, hate trail centre’s, never ride drops, hate roots and couldn’t do right hand corners. Oh, and my advice never helped 🙂

Two hours later I met up with them to see how they had got on. My wife took me round the trails she had done her skills sessions on and I was genuinely shocked.

She rode way faster, more assertively and with flow. She attacked the difficult climbs, cornered like a pro and kept telling me to look ahead.

Then we got to a section known as the “Corkscrew” – its a proper twisty rooty droppy fun play area. My wife then proceeded to flow round it several times and even watched me have a go while pointing out my errors.

The difference was unbelievable, best investment ever.

Thinking about it the cost was £15 more than the two new tyres I bought the other day.

So don’t hesitate, book one now.

Thanks Trimix, nice mini review and is exactly what I’m looking for. Yours and mine appear to have a similar starting point so if I can get the same result it will be brilliant. I will see if I can get her booked in before we go to FoD, I wouldn’t mind another go around Swinley myself

http://www.singletrackschool.co.uk/courses/womens-courses/index.php

I can recommend their teaching (although I am a bloke) and they do sessions specifically for the ladies.

Jess if a v good rider too

The other good thing about the Swinley area is its pretty weather proof. Jacqueline is local so she knows just where to do the skills sessions.

http://www.dirtdivas.co.uk/

Gold option. Bike Verbeir do a week with Tracey Moseley. Tony Doyle is outstanding whether you are a man or woman. He could do a session for you both.

That’s going to cost more than a pair of tyres though 🙂

Bike Verbier? You kidding? We are at the point where a good chunk of fear needs to be converted to fun. Until that happens any 100% mountain biking holiday will be one I do on my own. Tony is excellent, I’ve done two group sessions with him but for what I need right now Dirt Divas sounds perfect. In the future hopefully more choices will open up but we have to get MTB to be the fun I know it is first

DD seem v good value – do they ever teach blokes? I could wear a pink top if necessary.

I have an irrational scaredy cat approach to T Centres – even the jumps at Swinley – and they seem good value specialists

Another +1 for Helen Gaskell, had a session with her and Emma Guy at Jayfest and it was most excellent.

One more option to add to the mix is Julie Phelan

+1 for bottle green biking. Ruth is really excellent at what she does and can explain things so well that even a newbie gets it. Her 1to1 sessions are also really reasonable cost wise.

Air maiden also run out of Glentress – if it’s not your area you could make a mini-break out of it?

Thanks again for the recommendation Trimix.

Other half had a session with Jacqueline from Dirt Divas and loved it, her riding was instantly transformed giving her loads more confidence. We have just been away in the Forest of Dean and spent three of the days riding including the Verderers Trail each time. That wouldn’t have happened before the training

Years ago I had a day’s tuition with Helen at get mountain biking at woburn. Reccomended.

Allegedly, if you book with Jedi on a Sunday,, he’s called Susan.. allegedly..