Skills & Fitness Level Gradings

We believe that to truly get the best coaching experience, the coaching syllabus needs to be tailored to you specifically. As such we tailor all our Private Skills  Days to each rider on the day.

Our Public Skills Days are each targeted a different specific skills level met to be acquired progressively and in order.

With this is mind we are using a grading system to help you as potential pupils grade themselves before choosing  their coaching session with us.

This should allows you to better understand what we believe your current riding level should be to maximise the benefit of any given skills day or ride, and more importantly what level you  at after a coaching session with us.

Note: “Pedal time” means just that, hours pedaling. For example: 6 hours of pedal time would likely turn into an 8 hour day out on the bike once breaks are included.

Skills Levels

1 - NEWBIE

You've never ridden a mountain bike before.

 2 - BEGINNER

You have limited experience with off-road trail riding.

 3 - NOVICE

You're hooked on riding off-road and wide dirt trails (atv trails or doubletrack), but don't yet have the skills and confidence to consistently ride terrain with roots, rocks, tight corners, tight trees and steeps. Singletrack - what is singletrack?

 4 - STRONG NOVICE

Your dedication to mountain biking has led you to your first handful of rides on real singletrack. You enjoy the smooth mellow singletrack, although often the trees feel too tight, the climbs come too quick to shift and have you walking, and the obstacles have you a bit surprised as you did not even know people ride right over logs!

 5 - INTERMEDIATE

• TERRAIN: At a controlled speed and on mellow singletrack terrain, you are comfortable riding a variety of singletrack which may include tight trees, mud, loose rocks and sand.
• OBSTACLES: You are comfortable and confident rolling over small obstacles (4cm or 5cm high) like roots, rocks and small rollable drops (4cm or 5cm high). You do not take your wheels off the ground.
• BIKE PARKS: If you have ridden a bike park, you are comfortable on all green trails and easy blue trails. You roll over obstacles with ease, although keep both wheels on the ground.
• BIKE SKILLS: You are confident and successful executing the following basic bike handling skills on mellow singletrack: 
  • Shifting - you anticipate the terrain and shift gears accordingly.
  • Descending - you are comfortable and balanced standing up off of your seat and can maintain level pedals for the entire descent.
  • Speed Control and Braking - you use momentum to climb rolling terrain and are comfortable using both your front and back brakes when required.

 6 - STRONG INTERMEDIATE

• TERRAIN:You are comfortable riding a variety of singletrack which may include tight trees, mud, loose rocks and sand and are comfortable doing so on more challenging terrain.
• OBSTACLES: You are comfortable and confident with a front wheel lift and rear wheel lift to get up and over larger obstacles (up to 20cm) such as roots and rocks that are not rollable. 
• BIKE PARKS:If you have ridden a bike park, you are comfortable on all green trails and blue trails.
• BIKE SKILLS: You are confident and successful executing the following bike handling skills on a variety of singletrack:
  • Shifting - you anticipate hills by shifting gears often and smoothly.
  • Climbing - you shift your bodyweight forward in efforts to keep traction on your front wheel. Climbing is typically successful, unless technical roots, rocks or corners have you walking a short section.
  • Descending - you are comfortable and balanced standing up off of your seat and can maintain level pedals for the entire descent. You are comfortable with speed and letting go of your brakes as long as you can see the exit or end of the descent.
  • Speed Control and Braking - you use momentum to climb rolling terrain and are comfortable using both your front and back brakes when required.
  • Cornering - you understand effective cornering techniques although still need to work on your timing and coordination.

 7 - ADVANCED

• TERRAIN: You are comfortable riding a variety of singletrack which may include tight trees, mud, loose rocks and sand and are comfortable doing so on aggressive terrain with little braking.
• OBSTACLES: You can hop over obstacles such as small roots and rocks that less advanced riders may wheel lift over.   You are comfortable and confident with a front wheel lift and rear wheel lift to get up and over larger obstacles (up to 20cm) such as roots and rocks that are not rollable.
• BIKE PARK: If you have ridden a bike park, you are comfortable on all green, blue  and black trails. 
• BIKE SKILLS: You are confident and successful executing the following bike handling skills on a variety of singletrack:
  • Shifting - you anticipate hills by shifting gears often and smoothly.
  • Climbing - you shift your bodyweight forward in efforts to keep traction on your front wheel. Climbing that involves technical roots, rocks and switchbacks are typically no issue for you.
  • Descending - you use the brakes sparingly, and are open to taking some air off little rocks and roots . 
  • Speed Control and Braking - you use momentum to climb rolling terrain and are comfortable using both your front and back brakes independently of each other when required.
  • Cornering - your timing and coordination on all types of berms is solid. You are comfortable leaning your bike through the corner and exit with acceleration.

 8 - EXPERT

• TERRAIN: You are comfortable riding a variety of singletrack which may include tight trees, mud, loose rocks and sand and are comfortable doing so on aggressive terrain with little braking. You rarely, if ever, walk.
• OBSTACLES: You often hop over obstacles such as roots and rocks that less advanced riders may wheel lift over.   Small drops are no issue for you and you are comfortable with having both wheels leave the ground.  You are comfortable and confident with a front wheel lift and rear wheel lift to get up and over larger obstacles (up to 20 cm) such as roots and rocks that are not rollable.
• BIKE PARK: If you have ridden a bike park, you are comfortable on all green, blue, black and double black trails. 
• BIKE SKILLS: You are confident and successful executing the following bike handling skills on a variety of singletrack:
  • Shifting - you anticipate hills by shifting gears often and smoothly.
  • Climbing - you shift your bodyweight forward in efforts to keep traction on your front wheel. Climbing technical roots, rocks and switchbacks are no issue for you.
  • Descending - you use the brakes sparingly and air off of every rock, root and drop you can find.
  • Speed Control and Braking - you use momentum to climb rolling terrain and are comfortable using both your front and back brakes independently of each other when required.
  • Cornering - your timing and coordination on all types of berms, switchbacks and corners is solid. You are comfortable leaning your bike through fast corners and exit with acceleration.

 9 - PRO

You are a mountain bike god/goddess. You can handle the most technical terrain imaginable, eat up steeps for breakfast and can hit all the gaps, drops and jumps any park throws at you.

Fitness Level

LEVEL 1

• You are a couch potato.
• You cannot ride for more than half an hour on flat terrain at a time, and the thought of climbing on a bike is daunting.
• You exercise less than 1 hour per week.

 LEVEL 2

• You live a fairly sedentary life with little physical activity other than walking.
• You can handle a 1 hour bike ride on flat terrain at a relaxed pace.
• Riding for multiple days in a row is not possible.
• Small, short hills are challenging to climb, but are sometimes manageable.
• You exercise on average 1 hour per week (including riding a mountain bike).

LEVEL 3

• You are capable of 2 hours of pedal time in a day at a relaxed pace, as long as there are several breaks.
• Riding for multiple days in a row sounds daunting, but you could handle 2 or 3 days of it at no more than 2 hours of pedal time per day.
• You can handle one or two easy climbs of up to 150 vertical metres total.
• You exercise on average 2 hours per week (including riding a mountain bike).

LEVEL 4

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 2 hours of pedal time each day. You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 3 hours of pedal time. 
• You are capable of climbing up to 200 vertical metres in a day.
• You exercise on average 3 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.

 LEVEL 5

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 2-3 hours of pedal time each day. You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 4 hours of pedal time. 
• You are confident climbing up to a total of 300 vertical metres in a day.
• You exercise on average 4 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.

 LEVEL 6

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 3-4 hours of pedal time each day. You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 5 hours of pedal time. 
• You can handle moderately steep climbs of up to a total of 500 vertical metres in a day.
• You exercise on average 5 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.

 LEVEL 7

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 3-4 hours of pedal time each day. You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 5 hours of pedal time. 
• You can handle moderate climbs up to 750 vertical metres total in a day.
• You exercise on average 6 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.

LEVEL 8

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 3-4 hours of pedal time each day. You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 6 hours of pedal time. 
• You have little trouble climbing 1,000 vertical metres in a day on steep terrain.
• You exercise on average 6-10 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.

 LEVEL 9

• You are capable of riding for multiple days in a row at a moderate pace for an average of 3-4 hours of pedal time each day.  You could handle adding in a day requiring up to 6 hours of pedal time. 
• You can handle steep, sustained climbs of up to 1,500m  in a day.
• You exercise over 10 hours per week.
• Your exercise regime includes a combination of endurance training like riding a bike and strength training.