I am not a mountain biking master, ninja, or savant.

I am however a Certified Coach. But what I am represents someone who loves to ride bikes and share what I have learned in the process. Mountain biking is an exhilarating experience. But it can also be physically demanding and challenging, especially for beginners. Many riders turn to mountain bike instruction and clinics to improve their skills and enjoy the sport to the fullest. Often times they come to clinics after they have had a bad crash or experience. Sometimes we don’t know, what we don’t know.  Is it better to attend a clinic or just learn from our riding buddies? Read below and determine for yourself what might be the best way to work towards mastery for you.

The Benefits of Mountain Bike Instruction:

 1. Accelerated Skill Development: One of the most significant advantages of mountain bike instruction is the rapid improvement in your riding skills. Certified instructors can teach you essential techniques, such as body positioning, cornering, and braking, that might take years to master on your own. Another major benefit to skills clinics is the elimination of bad habits before they become actual habits. By developing a strong foundation of skills and movement patterns we are essentially setting ourselves up for future growth and success.

 2. Safety First: Instructors prioritize safety, ensuring you learn proper riding techniques and how to navigate challenging terrain safely. This reduces the risk of accidents and injuries, which are common among self-taught riders. By offering risk in a controlled environment, it allows you to feel safe during the learning process, something that will speed personal growth, without the risk of set-backs.

3. Confidence Boost: Gaining confidence on your bike is crucial for tackling difficult trails. Mountain bike instruction can help you build confidence by gradually introducing you to more challenging terrain and providing the guidance you need to conquer it. Immediate feedback combined with repetition ensures that you learn the skill correctly and can commit it to muscle memory by using the correct movement patterns.

4. Personalized Guidance: Our mountain bike clinics have small class sizes, which allow for a smaller student to instructor ratio. This creates more space for personalized attention and a progressive approach to long term skill development.  Instructors can identify your specific strengths and weaknesses. They can then tailor their feedback to address your needs and offer skills to work on after you leave the clinic.

5. Social Experience: Whether you are new to riding or a season veteran joining a mountain bike clinic or group class can be a great way to meet fellow riders who share your passion. It's a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and even make new riding partners. Developing your tribe is a great way to continue personal growth in your riding skill.

In conclusion, taking a mountain biking clinic or private instruction can be a game-changer for riders looking to enhance their skills, boost their confidence, and ride safely. Ultimately, the decision to seek instruction should align with your goals, budget, and learning preferences. Whether you choose to learn through instruction or self-guided practice, the key is to enjoy the journey of becoming a skilled and confident mountain biker. We look forward to seeing you on the trails in the future, and teaching us a thing or two along the way!

Corey Spoores is the owner and lead guide/coach at MST Adventures and the Director of Tours and Instructions at The BikeSmith LLC. He has been riding bikes since he was a small child and is excited to ride with you.