So I’m currently looking for some skills courses, I’m a lot more confident now on steep technical stuff and I’m starting to hit jumps faster and faster, however I’m still struggling a lot with cornering at a reasonable speed and how to hit doubles properly. I’m based in the Scottish Borders and just wondered if anyone could recommend a company/person in or around the Scottish Borders that provide courses.

Thanks in advance.

Andy Barlow @ Dirt School (Glentress/Innerleithen) would be top of my list

There are a number who work around GT and Inners, Ridelines and Dirt School to name two.

Thanks for the advice, I have googled them obviously but I was hoping someone with some good past experience would be able to give me some feedback of a company they used.

I did a course with Andy Barlow of Dirt School. He was really good. Heard Ridelins are good also.

I did a course with Andy Weir of Ridelines last October, and I couldn’t recommend him/it enough.

Had a full day 1-2-1, and it was great. We spent the first bit of the morning with Andy just observing my style and watching what I did well and what I did not so well. After a bit of a chat he decided on the best way of teaching me, and we spent the rest of the day polishing up my cornering, drop offs, manuals, “flow” and generally mucking about on bikes. Top notch stuff and well worth the money.

I did one a few years back with Dirt School and they were good.

I’ve been out with Ridelines (only a short course) and Dirtschool a couple of times. They’re both excellent, no wrong answer, but I think they have different strenghts.

Andy Weir at Ridelines is a better teacher. He seems to get more out of people and is more encouraging/supportive, and I thought his explanations were clearer. And his class management just seems better. (more on this) Meanwhile Andy Barlow at Dirtschool is probably the better performance coach from what I’ve seen, I reckon he can lift you higher and faster- but you need to be a bit more motivated and focused. He’s brilliant solo or in a small group.

The only criticism I have of Dirtschool is about the class management. In the 6-person class, 1 person was in the wrong class entirely, but instead of addressing that he ended up spending a huge amount of time with them, while others got very little time. That’s a tricky situation but I felt like we all subsidised them. And in the end we didn’t quite cover the full course as we spent longer on basics. Not ideal.

But, the coaching I did get was excellent, so it was still a good day and worthwhile- it just stopped it being five star. But I think at the end of the day, if you’re doing a group course (especially at the lower ends) Ridelines would get my money. For solo coaching or a more advanced course, I’d probably go back to Dirtschool (I did!) But I would happilly give either my money and I can see me going back to either in the not too distant.

Phew! You are spoiled for choice.