Category: <span>Learning to ride</span>

I’ve made considerable progress in my jumping skills this year. I’ve been taking Ryan Leech’s Jump With Confidence course via his Ryan Leech Connection (RLC) online mountain bike skills coaching website and practicing several times/week at a local skills park where I’ve built several beginner-level table tops.

Here’s a one-minute clip of some of my recent beginner-level jump attempts this fall.  Yes, I know, there are visible flaws in these attempts which I’m still working to correct even as the ground is now frozen and covered with a few inches of snow (I’ve been shoveling). But the cool thing is my confidence is solid. The course is aptly named.

In 2017, my skills focus was on learning to bunny hop and manual via Ryan’s Bunny Hop Master Class and his Manual Master Class. Here’s a one-minute of my beginner-levels skills:

 

In 2015-16, my focus was on track stands, hopping, and rocking via Ryan’s Baseline Balance Skills course. Here are two short videos of me putting those skills to use on technical sections of some local trails:

I also happen to be one of several RLC skills coaches who answers questions and provides online feedback to those taking the online courses at the Ryan Leech Connection (RLC) online mountain bike skills coaching website.

RLC Coaches and Staff

 Here are a couple of marked-up images showing how I sometimes use a screenshot from video submitted by a student along with a screenshot from an instructor (I’ve blurred the faces of the students in these examples):

I’ve been recently learning what I’m teaching and I think that perspective, along with feedback from several coaches who are vastly more experienced than me, is partly what makes the courses at Ryan Leech Connection so valuable.

Join us, risk-free.

Learning to ride Video

Learning to ride

On my recent MTB trip to northern Minnesota last week, my main goal was to put some of my beginner-level bunny hop and manual skills to use on the trails at Detroit Mountain Recreation Area, Cuyuna Lake Mountain Bike Trail System, and the vast network of COGGS MTB trails in Duluth.

I also wanted to A) experiment with cornering, primarily on bigger bermed corners since I’ll be instructing riders on those at Welch Village’s new MTB park in a few weeks; and B) ride lots of drops and gnarly stuff to see what it’s like on my new full-suspension Kona Process 134 Supreme from Michael’s Cycles.

Here are several videos from the trip, with some commentary on each:

Facebook video Learning to ride

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVNpFzDDWG7/

Instagram post Learning to ride Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUyDSfyjPld/

Instagram post Learning to ride Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUhWudrDXVY/

Instagram post Learning to ride Video

Learning to ride Video

We’re pleased to announce that Kat Sweet, professional coach, jumper, downhiller, and owner/founder of Sweetlines, will be our next featured MTBSN guest expert. She’ll be live in an MTBSN Business Hangouts Google video chat next Sunday, May 7, 9 pm CDT.

FEATURED TOPIC: How to Ride Drops (If there’s time, we’ll also consider questions about bunny hops, manuals, jumping, cornering, etc.)

REGISTER FREE HERE

QUESTIONS FOR KAT: Anyone will be able to submit questions for Kat during the live Q&A. If you can’t attend, submit your questions here.

Kat’s mission:

“… is to build confidence, create community, and promote stewardship through educational mountain biking programs that empower women and youth.”

LINKS FOR KAT SWEET & SWEETLINES:

REGISTER HERE FOR THE LIVE VIDEO CHAT ON MAY 7, 2017

Guest expert instructor Learning to ride

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTVSz00DtG6/?

Instagram post Learning to ride Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtm8_GgwK8/?taken-by=mountainbikeskillsnetwork

Instagram post Learning to ride

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOpLelhAs74/

Instagram post Learning to ride