I’d like to treat my lad to a MTB skills course for his birthday. We ride together a lot so I might as well make one in. We’re both at that sort of Intermediate stage where we’re happy on reds but would like to be faster and braver, so learning flow etc may be the sort of thing. We are both getting there with jumping, although I am a bit hesitant at drops over a foot or so.

So, we’re based in West Yorks but happy to travel. Who would you recommend and why, and what haven’t I mentioned that I need to consider?

Pro Ride guides

Great Rock at Gisburn.

+1 for great rock

Great beard too

Edit – one to one would be good for you

Great rock. Ed is a really good teacher.

Another vote for great rock. Great coach, he explains things really well and really inspires confidence.
great-rock.co.uk

A 2nd vote for Pro ride guides, amazing! Alex or joe will get your boy riding like a pro

Pro Ride Guides

There’s a chap called Chris who is starting out. Alliancemtb is the company name. He can work out of the peaks but also uses Sherwood Pines. He’s great with younger riders (and the not so young) and well worth having a chat to. Very affordable and prefers to run 1-2-1 or 1-2 rather than public days. Typically doesn’t run a syllabus as such, every course is built around your needs.

Yet another vote for Ed Oxley. Top bloke, great teacher & very patient. He’s not a “look at me I’m so much better than you” type bloke, he’s a “how can I help you ride better to make you the rider you want to be” type bloke.

I have only heard bad things about Ed Oxley, friends of mine who have been on his courses have come away with no more confidence or skill and moaned to me about his course.

Your friends are obviously completely useless, and phuckwits to boot. Unteachable maybe? You can’t get a silk purse from a sows ear/tulip from a turnip seed.

Cyclewise at whinlatter, I think they do family sessions in the school holidays too. Whatever you do book just for you and your lad if you can then you get to cover what your keen on.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I’ll need to go and do a bit more research. I forgot to say this will be my lad’s 16th birthday, and he’s been riding since he was 11, same sort f time as me. It looks like we maybe ought to go 1:2 so we can get what we actually need out of it. Ed’s “jumping for dads” for example would be great for me!

Any other ” bespoke for the rider and his needs” style courses?

Mountain bike skills. Runs out of the lakes, gisburn and pennines, great guy , you ‘ll be entertained as well as good instructor.

Hi Chay, do you mean mountainbikeskillscourses.co.uk?

i recently went on the great rock basque mtb adventure and what you need when you arrive at the airport is a waving ed with his big bushy beard. Made me feel all special.

the little things are important (i think).

Your experience really are a stark contrast to mine so thanks again Doug and Ed.
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/a-shambolic-week-with-sierra-cycling/page/3

2 years ago – Really!

Another glowing recommendation for Ed and Great Rock. Had a superb day out at Gisburn in the summer with him, and ended the day riding stuff that I really would not have believed myself capable or confident enough to go near by the end (big rocky drops which area nemesis of mine!).