The aim of this review is to highlight my progression through doing a skills course, I realise these reviews provoke some critical replies; if this is your style please feel free not to read on. I would call myself an average rider; enjoy trail centres, local rides and go out about once a week. I had never really been comfortable with my wheels off the ground and therefore usually steered around jumps and drops. I had been on a coaching day before in Wales but found it more like a guided tour of a trail centre and therefore didn’t really have any moments that changed my riding. I had very much plateaued with my riding skills.

I booked a session with Tony Doyle from UK Bike Skills, for the simple reason of the reviews that followed him on all the riding sites. I met Tony down at Woburn Sands.The day started with Tony doing his skills check, I guess so he knows where to take the session and he very quickly gets an idea of your skill levels. He breaks everything down into body position, speed, footwork and looking. This is the physical sense, what Tony is also a master of is mental skills, he works as heavily on your mental skills as physical, in my case this was the part that needed working on most of all. We initially worked on trail energy and using it to best advantage, pumping was utilised and we worked on the disconnected bunny hop. We then moved onto a trail where Tony worked on my cornering and four physical skills. What makes Tony such a good coach is he can quickly identify how you best take instruction, in my case it was visually and therefore everything was played back to me on camera so i could see my own mistakes. Before I knew it we had incorporated a drop and 6ft gap jump into the trail. We then moved to Herts Shore, this place blew me away and I thought it was all well beyond me. Needless to say a short time later and more mental persuasion I had done my first ladder drop and jumped a 12ft log booter. I went away from this coaching day with a complete change in riding ability, not only physical but mental.

About a month after my coaching day I had an ankle operation which took me off the bike for about 3-4 months. I went back to Herts to ride as soon as my ankle was back up to it. I found that what Tony had taught me had stayed with me, so much so I was jumping again before long. I recently went back to Herts and rode with Tony, this wasn’t a coaching day but turned into it. My mental skills were worked on and my commitment to air was once again increased, we then worked on linking sections and various lines with ladder drops, booters and jumps were incorporated. Within this session Tony had me combining the 12ft log booter, 14ft kicker, dirt jump, 9ft gap step down and a hip from a 12ft platform, an amassing day which was mainly down to Tony’s ability to work on my mental skills.

Tony has completely changed my riding ability and given me the skills to go further than I would ever have thought. I don’t want this to come across as a sales pitch for Tony, more as a true reflection on his ability and what he has done for my riding in such a short space of time.

thanks for that …I really must do the same sometime as I’d love to get more airtime but the brain (at 46) just keeps telling me NO!

Tony quickly tunes into one’s pysche to discover what one’s shortcomings/issues are. He doesn’t dress it up in fancy terminology, his focus on one’s riding enables prudent advice to be made.

I honestly believe that my one-to-one skills session with Tony was an investment and look forward to doing another.

Your post made interesting reading and those pics were pretty amazing too! You obviously had a terrific day and now have self-belief. 8)

my one-to-ones with tony were well worth the money, the changes in my riding in 12 months are amazing 😀

cinnamon_girl – Member

“Tony quickly tunes into one’s pysche to discover what one’s shortcomings/issues are. He doesn’t dress it up in fancy terminology, his focus on one’s riding enables prudent advice to be made.”

I felt the same about Ian Potter at A Quick Release… Maybe this is what makes a good coach. Anyone can give good advice but not many people can give the right good advice in the right way

Tim, nice review, but I’ve just got to say – that is a fantastic looking bike!! How’s about a review on how that rides? 😉

Glad the ankle is on the mend.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm feel the need for help from the “force”

saladdodger – do it, it will be worth it !

Nice one 🙂 I’ve got a session on Wednesday, getting proper excited for it now 😀

thanks for your kind words tim. its a shame about your previous coaching experience. you are a pleasure to coach!

tom, see you wednesday 🙂 🙂

+1 for a day with Jedi – just search previous threads on this forum if you are in any doubt – that many people can’t be wrong!!!!

Interestingly I had a private 4 hour session with Tony before I went out to Switzerland for the summer season. I’m not sure how much I really took away from it. He did teach me some useful stuff but I found it very hard to apply outside of the controlled environment that he teaches in.

I have often thought about doing a skills course, having read this thread tony will be receiving an email from me! Cracking review.

I am hoping to get a sesh for Christmas…if not will just book one myself in the New Year I reckon…..

Thanks for the review Tim – it looks like incredibly good value for money! I’d love to do a course like that and I know my husband would too!

Does anyone have any experience of Jedi’s 2-1 courses? I’d love to book each of us a 1-1 class, but even the 2-1 would be seriously stretching the Christmas budget! Would it be worth our while doing a course together when are skill levels are quite different? Or should I we just wait and save up and each have a separate day?

Any advice gratefully received!

Tim thats a great review of Tony’s skills training, you really hit the nail on the head about his skills and methods, and it looks like you made some fantastic progression from your experience.

@MountainMonkey, I would defiantly recommend the 2-1 course regardless of skill level. A group of riding buddies and I had a days training with Tony, we were all of different ability levels from people that ride 2-4 times a week to guys that ride once or twice a month and we all took so much from the course, and what really surprised me was that all you take onboard during the day stays with you so you can do a lot of self regulating during your time on the trails, which if your both riding together all the time you will be able to help each other with the knowledge you have learnt from Tony. If your keen about your riding its a fantastic experience to spend a day with Tony, who truly has Jedi training skills. Enjoy.

Cheers jb71 – that’s really encouraging (and not what I was expecting either!) It sounds fantastic, so now it’s a case of finding the money and a babysitter! Cheers!

This is you

Next time try a couple of tins of cider 🙂

tom, let us know how you get on after Wednesday mate, v v interested here as i know you had jumps nailed until crashes wrecked yer confidence… 🙂

Timpol – nice review. Out of interest, what bike is that?

Do you get a discount from Jedi if you promise to come on here and tell everyone about it?

mcinnes – its a Nicolai ST

mildred – you got your am yet? is good tp swap between them, the st loves air

Yes, ST’s are so stable and planted, and I do miss mine 🙁

Changed my mind on the AM and got a 5, then decided I need a DH bike after all and now waiting for a Norco Atomik to arrive!

tom, let us know how you get on after Wednesday mate, v v interested here as i know you had jumps nailed until crashes wrecked yer confidence…

Will do, I’m quite sure I’ll start a new thread with a glowing review 😆 I think it’s definitely more mental for me than the physical jumping skills cos I already know how it should feel, I just don’t dare do it any more! Gonna pad/full face up and go for it 🙂

Do you get a discount from Jedi if you promise to come on here and tell everyone about it?

er no, his coaching has such a positive effect on people’s riding that they choose to share their experience 🙂

tom,
we’ll have a good day . i’ll sort out the physical before working on the mental side also 🙂

Tony looks more like Yoda, to be fair.

😛

Thanks for that scruff. Lol. 🙂

You look tense in those pics.

molgrips. who does?

The op..

you think, limbs are bent and not straight. he rides pretty relaxed and that will become easier with time too

I think a lot of stills photos can make people look tense when they’re not.

Wow. Im impressed and blown away. I’d love to have a session with Tony

Thats bike ridin session, not a session 🙄

hora, you mean both! lol 🙂

Shoulders look a tad bunched up like he’s holding his breath or bracing himself for something scary. Like I do 🙂

But of course it’s just a pic and I R no expert. His weight does look a bit far back tho. He is surely going to land rear first in the second pic?

I want a discount then 8)

I’m off for a session with Jedi in January with PeterPoddy.
I’m hoping to be that much in the air too!!!!

Tony, when my house renovation is nearing the end I’ll be booking a 1-on-1.

I really do need help sorting out my psychological riding block/inconsistent riding ability.

I don’t care for ‘air’- its consistency that I crave 🙂

molgrips, he didnt no. heres a blog for him http://ukbikeskills.blogspot.com/2010/11/tims-freeride-session.html