Teaching tomorrow in Colorado Springs
This was another busy but fruitful week. Highlights:
Help Evan Powell go to Worlds, get a sweet cutting board
Hey all, our friend and ex-pupil Evan Powell has qualified for the junior Worlds DH team. He’s selling some sweet cutting boards to finance his trip.
Buy a cutting board, send a ripper to Worlds.
Rocking the DH: Light hands, heavy crotch
Dude. Yesterday I did a little coaching action at Keystone, and it was good. Except for this one moment.
Losing the front end in turns
Hi Lee,
I’ve been a fan of your site and 1st edition for a couple of years now. I’ve learned a lot from both your site and book which has put my riding to a new level. Unfortunately, there’s been a particular issue that’s put me on the ground a couple of times recently and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. It involves going downhill on a fairly steep and long, fairly supported berm. Generally I’m trying to turn harder than the berm, so I’m leaning the bike, not the body into the turn and pushing pretty hard. I keep “heavy feet, light hands” in mind and look ahead and through the turn towards the next trail feature. Somehow my front wheel manages to tuck in the same direction as the turn, which stops the bike and sends me over the bars. It happens so fast that I don’t even know what happened until I’m on the ground.
Fortunately, I’m wearing my full face helmet and protective gear so I haven’t had any serious injuries but I’d like to try and figure out exactly what’s going on so this can stop happening. I’ve considered if it was just line choice (loose stuff in the turn?) or front/aft weighting (front wheel too light?). I’m riding a Santa Cruz Blur 4x which is a pretty slack and low and likes to rail turns.
Thanks!
-Joe
Do I need an instructor?
Hey Lee,
I’ve been looking at your website a little bit, and you seem to really understand how to coach mountain biking. I live in the Bay Area (south of San Fransisco, CA), and was wondering if you know of any good instructors in the area. Also, if not, in your opinion do you think it is possible for me to teach myself using your book or do I really need an instructor?
Thanks,
Caleb
Practicing crashing
Today I rocked private clinic #2 with a junior female Cat 1 XC racer. She’s picking everything up really quickly, and today we got into some super-techy climbing skills. That was super fun, then she surprised me.
“Hey Lee, I want to practice crashing.”
Coaching the coaches
Last weekend I rocked a lecture and some drills with a group of future high school mountain bike coaches.
This was a fun time and a huge step in the mission to create a standard mountain bike curriculum.
Rock!
Public clinic June 19 for Boulder Walk and Bike Month!
Hey all, I’m doing a special bro-price public clinic to support Boulder Walk and Bike Month. This is your chance to learn the good stuff for cheap. Bring a loved one. Tell a friend!
Finding a good skills coach
Lee,
Since I’m not going to make it to CO and it doesn’t appear your coming to New England anytime soon I have one simple question:
How does a rider find a knowledgeable mountain bike instructor/coach in their area?
At face value this seems like an easy questions but the more research I’ve do on local “instructors”, the more questions I have.
There are two or three options within New England. Each of these options have instructors that have long resumes of wins in various events throughout the country. But my experience (from the snow sports industry) is that
being a good athlete doesn’t necessarily make you a good coach.
Do you have any suggested “interview” questions for a potential coach?
In the end, I hate laying down my hard-earned cash for a sub par instruction.
Sincerely,
Chad
Southern New Hampshire
Tomorrow: Ranchstyle clinic!
I got home from Sea Otter Tuesday night. I cared for Mommy and The Twins, did some work, washed everything, packed back up, and here I am two nights later camping at a ranch outside Grand Junction, CO.
Tomorrow I’m rocking the skills clinic at the Ranchstyle event. Reporting from the idling Sprinter:
Sign up now: Clinic at the Ranchstyle in Grand Junction
Hey all, registration is up for my April 23 clinic at the Ranchstyle in Grand Junction.
It’s going to be a great time.
Keep reading for the event flyer and more info.