Common Queries
Answers to All Your Queries
How do I know what I should get a lesson on?
When we meet I will find out about your riding experience and we will go for a short ride. I will plan the lesson based on what I've learned about you, your goals, and will give your recommendations on some fun skills to learn based on evaluating your riding.
How does a private lesson work?
You will arrive at Alafia State Park ($5 fee to enter park or free with state park pass). Go to the trailhead where you will find bathrooms, bike wash, playground, pavilions and UBC Bike Shop. I will be waiting for you at the picnic tables outside of UBC wearing my "Ur Ride Guide" mtb jersey.
You will fill out a quick intake form and waiver and then we will get started. I will take you for a short ride while asking about your experience and evaluating your riding level. With my evaluation and along with your goals I will come up with a fun mountain bike training session that will leave you feeling proud and having attained new skills. We end the lesson back at UBC and I will follow up with pics and videos from your lesson to help you learn along with other helpful resources.
What is a group clinic like?
A group clinic is a fun way to learn new techniques with others. We meet at UBC bike shop located at the Alafia Trail Head. We then pedal to the training area together. Group clinics will often have cones, man made objects to roll over, ramps to jump off, objects to go around and markers to help you visualize your movement and learn skills in a controlled environment that's more conducive to learning.
I will explain how to do a technique, when tp use it, demonstrate is slowly and in normal speed, and give you an easy-to-understand breakdown of the technique. Then it's practice time with lots of feedback.
These clinics are multiple hours long and give you a good amount of skills in a class.
At the end we take it to the trails and apply these skills on trail features.
Do I need a bike?
We recommend you bring or rent a mountain bike. If you do not know if yours is in great shape it's a good idea to bring it to UBC (or your local bike shop) to get a tune up so they will ensure your bike is running smoothly. UBC at Alafia rents bikes Wed-Sun but please reserve ahead of time to make sure one is available for your lesson or guided ride.
What should I bring?
A helmet is a must no matter the trails you are going to ride, it's park policy but trust me you will be glad you have one when you see what's on these trails or take your first spill. Accidents happen to all level riders even on easy trails.
Mountain bike shoes are sport specific to protect your toes from being smashed on trail roots or rocks. Something like Vans also has fairly good toe protection.
Mountain bike gloves. Many people start with short fingered gloves but everyone at some point graduates to long fingered gloves after there hands get cut up. Also bike parts like rotors can be sharp and it's a good idea to protect those fingers. Gloves are not needed but is a good idea to prevent your hands from getting calloused or slippery from sweat which can make gripping harder.
Water!! Bring a water bottle. There is a bathroom with water fountain but it's best to bring your own water and maybe some gatorade or electrolyte of some kind. Better yet it's a good idea to bring a camel bak filled with icy cold water. A good way to keep your water bag clean and ice cold is to put it in the freezer after your ride with 2-3 cups of water in the bottom. You may need to run water on it to thaw it out for a minute before you fill it up with water but you will have icy cold water your whole ride and it stays clean after use if you freeze it.
Your phone. It's always a good idea to have your phone for photos as well as getting a hold of anyone in an emergency.
*Bonus: If you have a master link for your speed bike then we can fix your chain if it breaks. It's a good idea to always have a master link.
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Can I take a class with a friend or family member?
Yes of course! We offer discounts for friends and family members that share a private class. Add the promocode: "AddFriend" and it will take 50% off a private class.
How do I prevent my butt from hurting?
Haha! You are not alone, this is a common problem for every new rider. First I highly recommend chamois. Look up bike chamois on amazon and your will find a ton to chose from. You wear them as your underwear under your shorts and they are padded. You can also use chamois cream/AD ointment/coconut oil/jock itch powder on all your parts down there to help prevent getting saddle sore. Don't worry this is something that goes away. It's very much a new rider issue or sometimes occurs with extremely long rides or not using chamois or cream.
How do I find my way around the mtb trails at the park?
I highly recommend a guided ride if you've never been to the park. I'll make sure you don't miss any fun trails, I'll give you a heads up about every hill or feature that's coming, I'll warn you of an hazardous areas and I'll give you the best mtb tour experience .
There's many apps that can help you find your way around the park. My favorite app is "TrailForks". I download the state and it shows me all the parks in the state. There's way more than you'd ever imagine! Hit record and it will show where you are on the map, a blue dot will move along the map as you move and it will record your ride, speed and more. Some options have gone to a paid feature recently but I feel it's definitely worth it.
Another app people use is "MTB Project".