Mountainbike Skills Clinics New Zealand

PRICING: ONE ON ONE OR PRIVATE GROUPS
Instructors are available in some areas for One on One and group sessions, check out the rates below. To arrange a date please email or call us to arrange:

Auckland office
Rotorua office
Wellington office
Nelson office
Christchurch office
Dunedin office

email info@mtbskillsclinics.co.nz or call 021 2309120

One on One coaching (approx four hours) $229
One on Two coaching (approx four hours) $329
One on Three coaching (approx four hours) $429
Small group private 4 people+ (approx four hours) $129.00 pp

Times
All clinics start at 9 am unless pre-arranged. Most clinics finish around 1 or 2 pm (it is very rare you can fit more than four hours solid concentration in anyway!).

Postponement
In the case of really bad weather or insufficient numbers your clinic may be postponed.
Weather - In the case of bad weather your instructor will call you the night before, or on the morning of your clinic to discuss and arrange postponement options.
Insufficient numbers - Group clinics require a minimum of two participants to go ahead. This will be assessed the week of the clinic. The clinic will be postponed to the next available date as mentioned in the booking details.

Lunch
There is not an official lunch break on most clinics but there will be time to stop and have a snack between lessons. You are also welcome to snack whenever...

Locations
To find out which forest the clinic is being held in, click on the advertised date on the bookings page and then any of the payment options. A box will appear with location, times and how many spaces are currently available on that clinic. If you do not know exactly where the location is use the google links and webpage listings below.

Auckland - Totara Park, Manakau (Redoubt Rd entrance)

Auckland - Puni Park, Attewell Rd, Pukekohe

Rotorua - Cnr Eight Mile and Hill Rds Rotorua
Rotorua - Main Waipa carpark
Napier - Tait Rd

Napier - Mill Block SH 2 entrance

Palmerston North Arapuke MTB Park (Scotts Road carpark)
Wellington - Miramar - Access Rd to water tanks/pump track, top of the hill below the prison
Wellington - Makara Peak
Wellington - Waiu St MTB Carpark Wainuiomata

Nelson - Silvan Forest, Richmond

Nelson - Richmond, Easby Park (Marlborough Cres)

Nelson - Codgers Trails Cnr Brook St and Tantragee
Christchurch - Bottle Lake (Waitikiri Drive emtrance car park)
Christchurch - Playground Carpark Victoria Park

Christchurch - Halswell Quarry (off Cashmere Rd)

Bike set-up
This is a very, very important aspect of the Phundamentals. Because the day is almost entirely spent working on a stable platform, a stable and comfortable bike makes a massive difference. This set-up is done in conjunction with your new riding style so it may differ from what you currently prefer. It is also by no means compulsory. Unfortunately though it takes some time to get through all the bikes so please come prepared with warm clothes and an open mind. There is no other way around doing bike set-up on the clinic, trust us we have thought through every possible scenario.

Gabby is available for One on One and group sessions, check out the rates below (effective 17th May 2010).

One on One coaching (approx four hours) $219.00

One on Two coaching (approx four hours) $319.00

One on Three coaching (approx four hours) $419.00

Small group private 4 people+ (approx six hours) $125.00 pp

Do I have to do the Phundamentals first?

Yes you do.

It is too difficult for the instructor to catch you up to speed if you go straight into a Trailmaster Clinic and very unfair on the participants who have paid to learn something new.

If you cannot bear the thought of doing a group clinic and the possibly of overlap then you will need to do a One on one to fast-track through the Phundamentals platform.

I'm an experienced rider, do I really need to do the Phundamentals?

We prefer that you do, especially to make sure your body position is sorted and you have the understanding and awareness supporting that.

But we do have a Gravitymaster clinic for experienced riders who are very comfortable with their bikes, and who may feel like they are well past a group Phundamentals session. Gravitymaster is often a quick route into the more advanced Trailmaster clinics.

How many people will there be on the clinic, will I get enough attention?

We limit the numbers to seven per instructor for Phundamentals which we have found to be the ideal group size. For Trailmaster/Gravitymaster we limit group size to five. We have structured the clinics so that there is group theory and then riding drills and there is plenty of time allocated for individual instruction during the drills.

I have never rode off-road before, will I be OK/learn anything?

It is a good idea to do the Phundamentals as soon as possible to save yourself learning bad habits from the start. We have had many people do the Phundamentals with great success having not rode a bike since childhood.

Is the Phundamentals suitable for kids?

Depends on the child, under 13 we require they be accompanied by an adult. The techniques taught are entirely valid for kids and will set them up from early on to be safe and controlled riders. But, because the day is aimed at adults there is quite a bit of theory. Some kids love listening and others don’t.

If your child is particularly fidgety it is better for them to be accompanied. The Phundamentals techniques are also quite easy to pass onto children as they don’t require all of the background info that adults need. If you ride with your child you could consider doing the course on your own and teaching them over a period of time as they require the help.

What will you want to change on my bike in bike set up? I have already had my bike set up.

We are well aware that there are a lot of people doing a great job of bike set up out there. In the bike set-up section of the course we will look at making a handful of changes only if you need it, these changes aim to make you more balanced, stable, and comfortable on your bike.

We do two things different than everyone else.

First we actually watch you ride your bike so we know we are not setting your bike up on a theory, we can see first hand what needs to be changed.

Secondly most people look at a seated static riding position which is great for road cycling, but when it comes to mountain biking it’s not that simple. Over the period of a one hour ride on a mountainbike you will change your position hundreds of times and you will need to deal with many different types of riding; technical descents, technical climbs (up to 15 degrees), jumps, bumps and everything in-between. If you were to set your bike up for one specific type of riding, i.e. a flat road, your bike performance would suffer on the other type of trails you ride. We look at an overall mountainbike set-up depending on the riding you do most and your weaknesses. This will mean you have the most fun out on your bike possible.

Will I get a workout on the clinic?

No, if you are very fit and used to riding a few days a week do not expect to get a good workout. The clinics are aimed at instruction and are more than enough energy output for the average person.

If you are champing at the bit to ride then it would be a good idea to go for a ride before the clinic to burn off some steam.

Do I need to be fit?

The Phundamentals is made up of theory and short, easy drills so fitness is not an issue. We also encourage everyone to take breaks whether to catch their breath, observe others practicing or relax for a moment to regather thoughts.

I am incredibly unfit, will I be holding the group up?

No, we ride to a location and tend to stay there for big blocks of time doing drills. If you are unfit you can skip the odd drill and catch your breath while others practice. The techniques you learn will be your best chance of keeping up with your friends until you do get fit!

Should I do the whole the Trailmaster series?

We see thousands of people come through our Phundamentals courses every year and we also see a fair few of them out on the trails in the weeks after the course. We can give you all the information in the world but you won’t change Rome in a day. After you have attended a course you will still need to remember to do all the good things you learnt when you need them out on the trails.

We regularly see people a couple a weeks after a course and they look great and can’t believe how much difference it all makes but then we see them six months down the track and their good habits have often faded. After completing the Series you will have replaced your reactionary habits with good ones that are there to stay. We see guys and girls out in the forest all the time that have completed the Trailmaster Series and they are different riders and they will ride like that for the rest of their lives.

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