Improving your riding with everything from tips on what footwear you should have to how to float over roots with confidence
eMTB LESSONS
FROM $250
FROM $250
FROM $250
FROM $250
FROM $250
FROM $250
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
022 600 6562
CALL NOW
Getting an experienced instructor is the best way to fast track your riding, gaining the skills to be more confident and take your mountain biking to that next level.
GRADE 1-5 BEGINNER – ADVANCED
DURATION 3 HOURS
ROTORUA BASED
CUSTOMISED AND TAILORED TO SUIT YOU
eMTB LESSONS
COST FROM $250
COST FROM $250
COST FROM $250
COST FROM $250
COST FROM $250
COST FROM $250
CONTACT US TO BOOK YOUR E-MOUNTAIN BIKING LESSON IN ROTORUA
Mountain bike lessons are the best way to confidently take your riding to the next level and get the most out of your e-bike. We break riding down to bite size pieces so that it is easy to understand and is super low stress. With your own experienced instructor and the best place in New Zealand to put new mountain biking skills to the test, we are continually helping riders gain new skills to get the most out of their eBike, their time, and trails on offer! Check out our range of skills videos below to get a taste of what we work on with you – ranging from basic skills to advanced technique on the most technical terrain for both MTB and eMTB. Round up some friends and get in touch to book a private lesson in Rotorua and call 022 600 6562.
BASIC BODY POSITION The details...
Body Position
Body position is the first thing we teach in our lessons because it is crucial to keep in control on a mountain bike. We like this to be second nature so we teach good body position to create good habits right from the start. It will increase stability and traction, and make you look & feel good! We use video analysis in our lessons so that you can see what you really look like to perfect your body position.
The two positions we talk about are Neutral (Relaxed & Tall) and Ready (Low and Aggressive). We move seamlessly between the two and be as dynamic as we can. As you progress, we get more into bike/body separation.
Here is an activity that you can do at home to practice and feel what it is like to be conscious of your body position.
Set your bike up for down hill – seat as low as it goes, suspension unlocked, pedals even. While coasting in a straight line try the following positions:
- be as tall as you can
- be relaxed so that all of your joints have free movement
Now practice your Ready Position:
- Get low – Keep chin above stem * Hinge at the hips to keep a flat back. Hover hips above the back of your seat * Very slight bend knees and drop your chest by bending your elbows – keep elbows forward and knees over pedals.
Key Points for DH body position
Move between ready and neutral positions like a dimmer switch. * Seat down when going down hill. * The more gnarly the terrain, the more you lower your chest to allow the bike to move freely below you.
BRAKING The details...
Braking
It really is impossible to go fast without being able to stop on demand. Braking is an essential skill for a mountain biker. By being conscious of how we are using our brakes we will be able to get the most out of our brakes!
Cover your brakes with one finger only and we are aiming to brake purposefully by doing the following:
- Braking gradually – not just full on or full off but easing on with the pressure.
- Braking consistently. Finding the consistent spot that your wheels don’t lock up.
- Modulating the pressure on the lever with your finger to maintain traction of tires with dirt.
- Being dynamic with your body position to maintain maximum traction and keep both tires on the ground.
Find a different trail surfaces and practice coming to a stop as quickly as you can (an emergency stop) by following the above principles (steps in the video).
Key Points for Braking
Identify braking zones – before features like drops, corners, roots on a nice trail surface. * Be dynamic with your body position keeping weight low and braced against braking forces. * Front brake is best for stopping you and the rear brake is great for maintaining speed. Combining the two is generally the most effective way to slow down!
Follow these key principles above to prevent OTB’s!
CADENCE The details...
Cadence
We want to be efficient and feel stable on our bikes. Being in the right gear means that you will be efficient and always be able to put pressure through the pedals. This is just as important on an eBike!
Mountain bikes have a big range of gears from easy to hard. Use them all!
Be in control of your cadence by following these tips.
Finding the ‘perfect gear’ (60-90 revolutions per minute no matter your speed) “Doesn’t feel too easy, Not too hard” * Identify your gear levers as ‘easier’ and ‘harder’ levers. * You should always be in a gear that you are able to accelerate in.
Activity To Get the Feeling of Your Gears
The perfect gear exists!
Ride in a large circle in your easiest gear. Feels ridiculous! * Ride in a large circle in your hardest gear. Feels way too hard! * Ride in a large circle in your perfect gear. Feels comfortable.
Once you have found your perfect gear..
Count your right knee as it rises to the top of each stroke over 15 seconds. The perfect RPM will be somewhere between 15-22 RPM.
Main points of Cadence
Change gears often so that you can always accelerate. This will also help you get the most out of your pedal assist * Look well ahead to anticipate gear changes. * Must be pedaling to change gear (unless you ride a Zerode). * Be in that range of 60-90 RPM no matter your speed.
Get that POP The details...
Get that POP
The front wheel lift is the first step towards getting your wheels off of the ground. It’s as simple as pressure and release. The key to this one is set up, and trusting that your bike will do the work. You can use this on the trail to get your front wheel over things like roots or poodles, and off of things like small lips (jumps & drops).
The best way to practice this is on a big flat area and concentrate on the following:
- Set your bike up for DH – Seat down, suspension unlocked.
- Roll in “Neutral Position” and compress straight down into the bike (deep deep “Ready Position”).
- Explode straight up as if you are being pulled up to the sky by your helmet
- As you explode up, let your arms stay relaxed and your bike/ front wheel will pop up off the ground.
- Practice this over a stick or line on the ground at different speeds to practice your timing.
*if you pull up with your arms, you are now bringing your weight forward which is counter productive!
Takeaways
To guarantee your success, fully compress! No compression = No explosion. From there, let the bike do the work and your wheel will come up.
RIDING DROPS The details...
Riding Drops – Be a chicken
Being confident on drops is easy with a bit of practice. Take this technique, the rollover, and add speed and you can achieve small to medium sized drops with stability and confidence. Once again, a good set up will mean that you can be confident!
Try this at home..
Find something you can roll off and that you have a good lead in/run out of and practice these things
- Bike set up for DH – Seat down, suspension unlocked
- Get your set up right on your approach – level pedals, good speed, stable, Ready Position
- Decide where the point of commitment is on your drop and be comfortable by this point!
- Get your timing right, and push your bike off the drop extending your arms
- Be ready to catch yourself as your bike lands at the bottom of the drop/ rollover
- Re-center your body on the bike and lift your eyes so that you can start scanning for what is coming up next!
- Try this at different speeds/ drop heights to practice your timing and to feel what speed works best for you.
Takeaways
Remember that point of commitment, if you are not ready, just stop, and go at it again.
Check out our YouTube Channel here
Skills Clinic Availability
The Dirt on the Details
INCLUSIONS
3 hours of personalised instruction with an experienced mountain biking instructor who knows how to get the most out of your eBike
Video analysis to help fine tune your riding and help you understand what you are doing on your bike.
Good times out in the forest with your instructor and friends (up to 6 per group – *Extra fees apply*)
Things to work on when the lesson is over so that you keep progressing until the next session
*Extra people are $50pp
EXCLUSIONS
eBike & personal riding gear. Please bring your own eBike! Ensure your eBike is well maintained and has plenty of charge⚡️
Transport – we’ll give you a time and place to meet in Rotorua.
Extra personal riding gear. Eg. elbow pads, water/hydrations system backpack etc
Gallery
“Absolutely recommend Jamie, he is a great instructor and certainly helped explain so much to us. Everything from the correct footwear to the geometry of our new e-bikes and the importance of our body position to achieve best performance!”
