MTB Foundation bike skills for beginners
Learn the essential skills for tackling common mountain biking trail features. We’ll give you the techniques to make yourself ready at all times to tackle the trail ahead of you. From positioning yourself correctly on the bike to absorb obstacles and promote freedom of movement, to maintaining your momentum, learning how to stay in control with the confidence to start tackling more technical features.
This course is designed for the beginner or lapsed mountain biker that needs to build or re-establish the foundations to ride confidently and safely.
Learn the essential foundation skills for riding the most common mountain biking trail features.
During our beginners mountain bike skills Course we’ll give you the techniques to develop into skills so you can confidently tackle the trail ahead of you. From positioning yourself correctly on the bike, showing you how to move freely, to maintaining your momentum on blue and red style trails. You’ll learn how to stay in control with the confidence to start tackling more technical trail features. The course is progressive to build your skills.
Newbie or coming back to cycling we will establish the foundation skills so you can go out and have more fun on your bike in a safe and confident manner.
MTB foundation skills include:
- MTB Equipment, safety checks.
- Mounting, dismounting
- Body position, weight shift
- Safe and effective braking.
- Conserving momentum on the trail.
- Reading and reacting to the trail ahead.
- Rolling over trail obstacles.
- Basic cornering techniques.
- Gear selection
On this course, we spend the first part at our skills park developing the foundation skills before moving off to the main trails. We will explain the skill of absorbing trail features in the context of positioning. We’ll also look at techniques for cornering and braking out on the trail to inspire confidence in the areas you’re tempted to be conservative.
Having gained the foundation skills we’ll move on and take you on an enjoyable trail ride to put it all together. In addition we’ll have a full debrief to reflect on your experience including some well deserved refreshments.
COURSE LOCATION: | Chalet a Gobet, Lausanne |
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KIT LIST: | Suitable MTB in good working condition. An undamaged well fitted modern bicycle helmet and full fingered gloves. Please bring snacks and at least one litre of water. Please wear clothing suitible for the days conditions. |
Age | 16+ |
SUITABLE FOR: | For those who are new to mountain biking or who are coming back after a few years off. |
HOW THE DAY RUNS: | The course will start at 9:30am and finish around 3:30pm with plenty of breaks. This is delivered as a low pressure course but can be both mentally and physically taxing. With this in mind, you should also expect to finish early. |
Dates 2022
Date | Day | Start time | End Time | Number of places |
Places available |
Price pp |
TBC | Saturday | 09.30 | 15.30 | 9 | 9 | CHF200 |
I was part of a diverse group of MTB riders from relative novices to riders that had completed multi day MTB races over difficult trails. Any concerns that a single session could benefit riders from such different backgrounds were dispelled in a single enlightening and motivating technique-based morning session. We were based in the final6 bike park where each technique was broken down into its simplest forms and step by step drills were used to build up (and often rebuild for those more experienced) those techniques. In the afternoon we moved the training to the nearby trails to practice the techniques on real trail features and start turning them into skills.
What was clear by the end is that a few hours of expert coaching can accelerate learning faster than years of just riding a bike. All sessions were done in a friendly and safe environment where egos were soon forgotten, minds opened and progress made by all. Our journey was more than rapid personal improvement. We were each part of a fun bonding group journey where long term friendships were rapidly made around unforgettable experiences.
I highly recommend the Final6 MTB skills training to anyone wishing to develop their skills. As a result of the training I am having even more fun on my MTB!
Nick Gatland, Business entrepreneur and re-energised MTB rider.

