The long-awaited Valmont Bike Park opens next weekend. (Rad!) I did some design work for the park, but otherwise I’ve been watching from the side of the road like everyone else.
My main focus right now: Getting the contract to teach clinics at Valmont.
Hey Lee,
Just wondering if you had any advice for helping me break the vicious cycle I seem to be stuck in at the moment.
At the beginning of this year, I felt like my riding was improving and my confidence was building with most every ride. There was the occasional setback, but I found it easy to shrug it off and not dwell on it.
The past couple months haven’t been so rosy. March started off with a couple crashes that were a little more significant, but still nothing I’d consider major. Some cracked/separated ribs were about the extent of the injuries. However, ever since, I’ve struggled with sections of trails that used to be no problem. I find myself focusing on negative possibilities rather than positive outcomes. Of course, this leads to crashes and close calls, which tend to make me more cautious, which leads to further undesirable situations, and so on.
I know what I’m doing wrong (mentally) but I can’t seem to snap my brain out of it. I keep trying to push through it, but it’s starting to not be fun anymore.
Thanks for any advice you can send my way.
Eric
Hi all, I updated my clinics page with info on road riding. Road bikes are rad — especially when you know how to Ride them (capital R).
Skills clinics with Lee > Road
It’s raining today. The way things are going, I might start teaching trainer clinics …
Hey Lee,
I have been working with a couple of people for a while now and I just can’t get them to lean their bike more than their body. They came to MTB quite recently from other sports and nothing I have tried with them will get them to forget their deeply ingrained past.
Got any hot tips on a drill to make people see the light? I was getting them to slalom down a slope on slippery grass where it is about the only way to get around the corners, but it didn’t work for them.
I went back to your book today hoping there was something. While it talks about the importance of cornering that way, it doesn’t provide a skills drill for it.
Cheers man!
Michael
This year’s Ranchstyle event in Grand Junction, CO is stepping it up in every way. Skills clinics Friday. Slopestyle Saturday. Slalom Sunday.
My skills clinic rocks Friday, May 6, 11 a.m. into the evening. Cost is $100. Last year’s session sold out, and it was rad. I’m stronger and smarter now, so be ready for some turbo kung fu. Sign up at BikeReg.com.
Keep reading for more info:
Here’s a success story from one of last summer’s coaching clients. Jeff came from Kansas lookin’ for some braaap.
He found it.
In a miraculous turn of events, I got a babysitter and went to spend Saturday at the Colorado Indoor BMX in Greeley, CO.
Plus: How does Captain America work for BMX?
MBAction honch Sean McCoy posted a series of stories about our Jan. 21-23 SoCal pump track raising. They fully capture the weekend’s radness.
Student/ripper Christopher Kelly sent these photos from clinics he attended last week in Marin. Thanks dude.
I’m in the Cabella’s parking lot in Reno (gotta check out the aquarium with the largemouth bass — so rad), taking care of work and saying “Whew!”
It’s been a heck of a two weeks:
We built the track Friday and part of Saturday. By Sunday it was all about teaching and riding.
Sweet video by Stephen Messer.
There’s a ton more photos and videos from the day; this sums it up beautifully.
After yesterday’s work, all we had to do today was shape. And ride. Did I say ride?