[Closed] Anyone else from STW on Ed Oxley's Alpine Prep Course next Friday?

I'm not on it, but the idea of a dedicated Alps skills course before my trip in the summer sounds really appealing!

Can you post up if it was good afterwards? I had a day with Jedi in Jan, which was superb. If Ed O is good too, a day on some steep terrain could be awesome.

Likewise - I'm considering doing another course with him later this year and the Alps prep one was the one I'd planned to do

Full report required once you're back!

No, but I've got a 'jumping for dads' day booked with mr beardie next Thursday!.

Will do.

I'm really looking forward to it. I'm not going to the Alps or owt but when I spoke to him, it was the course that he recommended. Seems like a top chap in the dealings I've had with him so far and I've heard good stuff about his courses.

Was thinking about a day with Jedi later in the year to deal with some wheels off the ground stuff.

Did the Stop Crashing 2 course with him a while back - initially thought that I'd underestimated my abilities and that the course was a level below what I wanted to do but ever since then I've been replaying stuff in my head and trying to put it into practise - in retrospect it was the best 80quid I'd spent on the bike for a long time

He's a good teacher - would like to do his jumps course as well sometime

Not done the Alpine Prep course but have previously done the "Jumps for Dads" and enjoyed it.

For me, the benefit is in having someone like Ed point out what you are actually doing, rather than what you think you're doing.
Even if your riding buddies have the skills to do something and maybe also the ability to explain how they're doing it, chances are they won't notice what you are doing differently. That objective assessment is where the value is.

I think I am giving it a lash after seeing this thread.

I did the Alp Prep course last year.

Great fun, informative & very useful - need to do more.

Sure it'll be great. I did the 3-day version with Ed in Sospel this year...learnt a lot and rode some superb trails!

[img] [/img]
Worse places to spend a few days in early March 😉

Nuke...that looks ace. A bit more dramatic than Hebden Bridge (which I'm quite looking forward to in its own rigjt!).

A word of warning...

I did a "stop crashing 2" course with Ed Oxley about 5 weeks ago. Although at the time I'd thought the course to be not only fun, informative and great value.

For a good week or so I was carving corners and railing berms, however, it turns out it did absolutely nothing to stop me crashing and if I'd not been carrying the speed through the corners maybe, just maybe I'd still be riding.

I will admit I binned it on a jump though so probably my own fault for not doing the jumps for dads course and will get that booked in once I've got to all clear from the doc!

For a good week or so I was carving corners and railing berms, however, it turns out it did absolutely nothing to stop me crashing and if I'd not been carrying the speed through the corners maybe, just maybe I'd still be riding.

I can't decide if you missed the ' 😉 ' off the end there 😕

To be fair though, I came home from my course with Ed and a month later I broke my wrist, first bone I've ever broken...coincidence!!! 😉

OOh, what does it cover?

One of the skills I lacked the most was tight swithchbacks, I even emailed phil @ mbmb at the time (2009) suggesting he hook up with Jedi to create the course.

I'd love to get another skills course done but there don't seem to be so many in my area.

I'm in the midlands but am missioning it up there to Ed..although in all fairness I do have family in Sheffield, so it's a good excuse to see them and ride my old local spots the following day. Hopefully putting some stuff I've learnt in practice ideally without breaking myself like you two! 😀

I'd not missed a 😉 off, I'd assumed that the fact I'm planning on going back once I'm healed would suggest I wasn't holding it against him 😀

If you are talking about the course on Fri 26 Apr, I am on it now!! weather looks pants, but hey ho!!

I'm booked in on 26th too now as had a bit of last minute free time. I spent a couple of days with Ed last year and it was great. Hoping I can make some more progress. See you there...

Me too, was looking at a june date, but the boss veto'd!! Its a bit of a trek from East Sussex, but i'm going to drive up on Thursday and get a B&B nearby. Does anybody know the start time - I cant see it on there?

Hmm, just seen the course is showing as -1 availability. Maybe one of us isnt going after all!!

I managed to get a really cheap single room in the post office B and B in long Preston. 35 quid for a single room is spot on.

I'd missed all this but one of these skills days could be really useful.
Any one got a link to a schedule or an email to post up please?

Ta - Ive emailed The Dene in Sowerby Bridge which is also £35. If no joy, Ill try that one.

[url= http://http://www.great-rock.co.uk/courses/more-advanced/alpine-prep/ ]Great Rock - Alps Prep Cse[/url]

Nice riding with you Dantsw13 and j3ffo today.

For those wanting to know what it was like, I've to to say it was pretty good. Ed is a top chap - really patient, explains things really well and is a little nit handy on a bike. Hebden Bridge is great, I'm looking forward to my next visit for some riding. The weather was good too.

What I really liked was that we'd work on something on one particular part of a trail and then go and do it somewhere else that was different. For example we did some stuff on corners in the afternoon and rather then just doing one a certain way and calling it a day we went and put it in a slightly different context along with some stuff from the morning.

I definitely flt like things were better in the afternoon so I think it was money well spent and I'd highly recommend going to see Ed...even if its just for his descriptions on Jerome Clemance the angry beast of fury!

I'd echo that!! Having just got home to East Sussex, even with the monster drive home, it was well worth it! Hebden Bridge riding was ace, and the coaching was top notch. It definitely felt tailored to us, rather than a standard package.

Nice to put faces to some fellow STWers too! They've even persuaded me to try 1x10 - the fact my chainrings are FUBAR'd also helps!

Aye, agreed, my mate and I travelled down from scotia to do the jumping for dads course at gisburn on Thursday, good guy, good rider and very easy on the ear. Puts his points across very well, not condescending or overly complicated. That on one prototype 29er he's riding is quite nice too.

Good lad Dan....you'll see its the way!

Nobeer. Definitely agree, the way Ed gets his point cross makes you go 'ah, that's so obvious, why didn't I do / try that before?'

It was a really fun day and there was a great mix of riding different trails and then focusing on particular sections. Ed has a way of breaking things down and getting you to do simple things well. I think everybody felt a lot more confident and in control at the end of the day. I would definitely recommend the course.

Sorry I couldn't stick around for a pint lads, it was great meeting you all!

Andy

Nice to meet you too Andy. Hope you managed to avoid that gardening you said was looming!

There are a few pics up on Ed's Facebook page is anyone is interested. Quite a few of you Dan.

Glad you had a good time guys and thanks for the feedback.

I did Ed's Alpine Prep, I've written a blog entry:
http://www.torquesense.com/blog/alpine-prep-course-with-ed-oxley-in-hebden-bridge/

I also fell off after taking this course, rode down some unfamiliar steps without checking out the line first, so you could blame over confidence. I'll be sticking a "gallery of pain" up on www.torquesense.com in the not too distant and you can all laugh at my misfortune and scars.