Learning to take control
of the bike is the first step,
the rest will follow...



Cost of Course
£125.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)

Course dates for 2011

Weekends of:
Sep 3/4
Oct 8/9
Nov 12/13
Dec 3/4
Girls Only 2 day courses are designed for women who have some experience of mountain biking but want to progress to the next level and build their confidence without encountering the 'willy waving bravado' sometimes found on male orientated courses.

We meet lots of women who ride week in, week out but who's confidence starts to dwindle when things get steep and technical or their wheels leave the ground. For this, our Girls Only Courses are the perfect antidote. We will teach you the physical skills required to control your bike in any situation and you'll also learn how to think about your riding. When the physical aspects are understood and combined with the correct mental processes you'll gain the ability to truly control your bike and not be just a passenger on it ... Do you ever find yourself dropping a pedal as you ride towards that rocky bit? Or is your bum oddly drawn towards the saddle on the approach to a drop or step, your bike gradually getting further and further out of control before you panic and grab a handful of brakes? If any of that sounds familiar, then a Forest Freeride Girls Only course is just what you need.

If there's a group of you and you'd like a bespoke Girls Only course on a date that's not listed ... just ask and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

Skills and techniques covered on Girls Only Courses include:
Body position and bike dynamics ... what effect do you have on the bike and what should you do about it.
Braking ... properly not continually :-)
Confidence at speed ... learn how to alter your perception of speed and ride faster.
Dealing with low and high speed trail obstacles ... how to get over, through and up things.
Cornering techniques ... from a low speed switchback to fast flat corners and everything in-between.
Getting your wheels off the ground ... and back down in one piece.
Drops, steps and jumps ... how to confidently ride the scary parts.


Stuart

Just wanted to say thank you very much for last weekend. I've been jumping sleeping policemen & shopping trolley-ing anything I can on my way to work all week. The course gave me the confidence to try much more than I would've before (not the policemen & curbs - proper jumps out in the chilterns hills!).
Even when I'm cycling to work I'm finding it impossible to brake as I turn corners! Brakes are evil! Cheers Stuart. I reckon I'll be back for another course.

Katie

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

Cost of Courses
1 Day - £75.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)
2 Day - £125.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)


Course dates for 2011

We don't allocate any dates to these courses as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.
Mountain biking is still the UK's fastest growing outdoor activity. It's no surprise when you consider the health benefits, social aspect and the fact that mountain biking is fantastic fun.

Forest Freeride beginners courses are designed for people with no previous off road riding experience but who would like to give mountain biking a try. With our expert tuition and purpose built skills areas, you might be surprised by just how far you can progress. We offer 1 and 2 day beginners courses. The 1 day course will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to safely ride blue grade type trails. The 2 day course expands these skills and should ready you towards attempting red trails. We'll cover all the core skills and techniques required to get you riding off road and importantly we'll also instil the confidence to enable you to do it safely. We don't allocate dates to beginners courses, preferring instead to run them 'on demand' ... just let us know your requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group.

Remember, if you haven't already got your own bike we'll happily supply you with one for your course for FREE.

Some of the topics covered on beginners courses:
Proper use of gears.
Your position on the bike - where you should be and where you shouldn't be.
Correct and controlled braking technique.
How to safely get round corners.
Dealing with trail obstacles - safely rolling over the rougher bits.
How to make climbing slightly less painful.



Thanks for your excellent explanations, patience & encouragement this weekend.

We all had a good time. I will pop my bike into the menders then go and do some practising.

Kate

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

Cost of Course
£75.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)

Course dates for 2011

We don't allocate any dates to this course as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.

Our one day skills courses have been designed for people looking to improve or advance their riding in particular areas. Many riders find that even after a number of years riding there are still certain skills that elude them or perhaps they're lacking the confidence to ride certain terrain/obstacles often caused by a previous bad experience.

This course will give you the opportunity to address your own specific problem areas. It might just prove to be the most productive days riding you'll ever have. As an example you might choose to focus on, cornering and drop offs or perhaps line choice, braking technique and speed perception, the choice is yours. However, if the list of skills you want to cover is five or more, we recommend you book a two day course as one day isn't long enough. We don't allocate dates to general 1 day courses, preferring instead to run them 'on demand' ... just let us know your requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group and remember we don't charge extra for one to one tuition.

Areas you could choose from include:
Correct body position and understanding its effect.
Braking technique and speed control.
Cornering - high speed.
Cornering - low speed.
Trail obstacles at high speed.
Dealing with drops and jumps.
Line choice and reading the trail.
General descending.
Altering your perception (beating the fear).


If you want a recommendation or whatever for your website - just holla and I'll put some words together to promote your good self. You are worth it after all - blinkin' good teacher with a laid back approach laced with common sense and a professional edge.
David

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

Cost of Course
£125.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)

Course dates for 2011

We don't allocate any dates to this course as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.

This course is suitable for riders who feel they've perhaps reached a plateau and would like to progress their skills further or are trying to regain their confidence following an accident or riding layoff.

We train on our own purpose built skills areas which means no one else will be getting in your way, we don't have to waste valuable training time riding from one section to another ... and we're never too far from the kettle.
It's often amazing that the smallest of changes can have the biggest effect, do you drop a pedal on the approach to a drop? Are you looking where you ought to be through switchbacks? Is your body position causing the front tyre to lose grip on steep descents?
The comment we hear most often is, "I'd never have ridden that before the course". This could be two days that change the way you ride forever. We can take a maximum of 6 riders per course but we also offer one to one tuition at no extra cost if preferred. We don't allocate dates to general 2 day courses, preferring instead to run them 'on demand' ... just let us know your requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group and remember we don't charge extra for one to one tuition.

Subjects covered include:
Bike fit and set up.
Body position and its effect on your riding.
Braking technique and speed control.
Speed and your perception of it.
Trail obstacles at low and high speed ... how to clear the stuff that gets in your way.
Drops and jumps.
Cornering, low and high speed, switchbacks, etc.
Line choice and reading the trail.


Big thanks for the course, really was worth it, still can't quite believe
riding that natural rocks'n'roots outcrop between the trees and how easy it
was, really made a difference to how I viewed the track across the tops at
Nant, rode and felt safer than I ever have done by just relaxing and letting
it flow.

Regards
James

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

Cost of Course
£180.00 per person (includes t-shirt and course notes)

Course dates for 2011

Sat, Sun, Mon Oct 22/23/24
Our three day course has being designed to give you the skills required to confidently venture a little further afield, the moors and dales of Yorkshire, the Lakeland fells or perhaps the mountains of Scotland and Wales. The course will teach you all you need to know, to confidently take to the hills knowing that you won't get lost on a hill side, in the dark with a buckled wheel with no idea what to do.

Whilst riding and bike handling technique obviously play a major part, navigation, trailside repairs and emergency procedure can be equally as important when riding out in the hills and mountains where help and assistance might be hours away.

We'll spend our first day looking at the fundamental riding techniques that go to make a good all round rider. Body position, speed control, trail obstacles, drops and cornering technique are some of the areas we'll cover. It's often surprising how the small details add up and make a dramatic difference to both bike control and rider confidence ... it's also these small details that are often missing.

On day two we'll deal with navigation, trail side repairs and how to cope with emergency situations. There's a multitude of things which could go wrong on the hills from underestimating the length of a ride to a split tyre or snapped chain, so a practical knowledge of these things can mean the difference between an enjoyable epic ride in the mountains or a disaster that you'd much rather try to forget.

The last day is when everything comes together. We'll take a ride out into the hills, you'll get the chance to try out some of the things you've learned over the previous two days including the opportunity to route plan and navigate.

If the course dates don't suit, contact us and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group on another date.

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

guided wilderness rides
Cost of Guiding per day
£49.50 one to one
£80.00 for 2 people
£105.00 for 3 people
£20 extra per person above 3 (max 6)


Dates for 2011
We don't allocate any dates to the rides as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.

This part of Wales is one of the least populated in the entire country, it is described as the UK's last real wilderness outside of the Highlands ... it's quite possible to ride all day and not meet a single person.

As well as a tiny population, the area benefits from a very large network of bridleways, old drovers roads and various tracks and trails. Let us take you out into the hills, valleys and mountains so you can experience the fantastic riding for yourself. There's also a few 'secret' bits we'll take you to if you ask nicely. We know that there are as many different types of rider as there are bikes so we try to make our guiding as flexible as possible. Anything from a steady ride out into the hills to soak up the massive views to a 50 mile epic ride through the mountains is possible.
You don't have to be super fit or a brilliant technical rider to benefit from our guiding service as we can tailor the route to suit any level of rider, the only thing we can't do is flatten the hills ... but we can always push!




Mike and I had a great day and any moaning groaning and whingeing is just what we do. The day did exactly what it says on the tin. We really enjoyed the whole experience and your companionship contributed to this greatly. We particularly got to like your ability to bare-facedly lie about things not being as bad as they seem - ;o). Feel free to quote us about the fabulous time to be had. Hope the rest of the Summer goes well for you both.
Cheers
Der. and Mike

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

Plynlimon 2 Day Trip - £85.00 per person
Sat, Sun Sep 3/4
Sat, Sun Oct 29/30
Sat, Sun Nov 19/20
Sat, Sun Dec 10/11


Elenydd 3 Day Trip - £130.00 per person

Fri, Sat, Sun Sep23/24/25
Fri, Sat, Sun Oct 21/22/23
Fri, Sat, Sun Nov 25/26/27

The best way to think about bikepacking would be to consider it as 'off road touring'. The emphasis is often on light weight, self sufficiency and adventure. It's something which is gaining quite a following, races such as the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail race and even our own, Welsh Ride Thing help to keep interest high.

The Cambrian mountain range offers fantastic terrain for bikepacking. Miles and miles of valleys, peaks and forests the majority of which have very few inhabitants, so the feeling of 'being out in the wilds' is a very real one.

The thought of packing your bike with everything you need for a couple of days and heading off into the hills can be quite daunting at first. What do I need to take? Where will I sleep? What will I eat? plus numerous other questions will all require answers ... that's where we come in. Throughout 2011 we're going to be running numerous bikepacking trips. There will be two types of trip available so we're hoping there'll be something to suit everyone regardless of experience or ability.

Plynlimon 2 day
An ideal introduction to bikepacking. A two day/one night trip following a route high up on the plateau below the five peaks of Plynlimon. An area as rich in history as it is in spectacular scenery. The first day we'll ride south steadily gaining height which will eventually lead us on to the plateau and our overnight spot high in the hills. We'll spend the night beneath the shadow of the mountains with Red Kites, Ravens and perhaps the odd mountain sheep for company. The following day we'll continue our journey through the Cambrians before turning north and heading for home.A long descent will see us finish and back to our starting point. A well earned cup of tea awaits and a chance to reflect on what you've just done. Total distance covered over the two days is around 60 km, ridden at a leisurely pace.

Elenydd 3 day
A tour of Elenydd, an old Welsh name for the area we'd today call the Cambrian mountains. A three day/two night trip through an area largely unknown by mountain bikers. The Elenydd tour involves a higher mileage than the Plynlimon trip and obviously the need to carry more supplies due to the longer duration, however there will be the odd chance to replenish supplies along the way. The route is pretty circular and mostly made up of old drovers roads, forest roads and ancient tracks some dating back nearly 1000 years. Over the three days we'll cover somewhere in the region of 150 km and spend two nights sleeping at some very special locations.

 

To help keep the bikepacking trips as accessible as possible, we've kept any kit requirements to a minimum. Obviously there will be certain items required such as a sleeping bag and backpack but other more specialist equipment such as bivvy bags and sleeping mats can be hired from us. A full, suggested kit list, including tips on how to pack, will be sent out well in advance of trip start dates. If you've got any questions regarding bikepacking trips or would like a bespoke trip arranging for your group, don't hesitate to get in touch.

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

navigation course
Cost of Course
£65.00 per person

Course dates for 2011

We don't allocate any dates to this course as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.

If you've ever wanted to plan your own mountain bike route or fancied a ride into the wilds for an epic adventure, then this course could be just what you need. We'll show you everything needed to get yourself from A to B and very importantly, back again.

Throughout the morning you'll learn the skills required to plan a route, find the hidden trails on your doorstep, relocate when you get lost and gain the confidence to just get out on your bike and explore. During the afternoon you'll get the opportunity to devise a route, compile a route card, work out how long the ride should take and what we might encounter on the way. Then there's only one thing left to do ... put it into practice with a ride into the hills! We'll provide maps, route cards, compass, romer etc on the day.

We don't allocate dates for navigation courses, we prefer instead to run them 'on demand'. Please contact us with your requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group.

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

wheel truing and tools for maintenanceCost of Course
£80.00 per person

Course dates for 2011

We don't allocate any dates to this course as we aim to be completely flexible.
Contact us with your preferred dates.

If you don't know a bottom bracket from a headset then we can help. We're going to be running one day Mountain Bike Maintenance Courses throughout the whole of 2010. All the basics will be covered and a few not so basics too.

We'll look at everything required to enable you to look after your bike whether at home or on the trail. Or even build up your dream bike from a bare frame. Apart from the satisfaction of doing your own maintenance and repairs you'll also save yourself a fair sum of money by not having to take your pride and joy to the bike shop every other week. We understand that not everyone has access to every bike specific tool ever made so we'll also explain how to improvise in certain situations. The course is designed to be very much hands on so feel free to bring your own bike even if it's a collection of parts for assembly. You may as well start as you mean to carry on!

Areas covered include:
Gear adjustment and servicing.
Replacing cables.
Headset overhaul/adjustment.
Disc and V brake servicing.
Wheel truing.
Puncture repairs / tyre repairs.
Understanding suspension.
Get you home fixes.

We don't allocate dates for maintenance courses, we prefer instead to run them 'on demand'. Please contact us with your requirements and we'll do our best to accommodate you or your group.

 

 

Want to book?
Either ring us on 01650 521301 or send an email with your chosen dates and we'll check the availability. We will then send you a booking form for you to complete on-line and pay with your debit/credit card (only available on-line) or alternatively you can print off the form and send a cheque through the post.

Need accommodation?

We support
Wales Air Ambulance logo

Forest Freeride, Ceulan, Pennant, Llanbrynmair, Powys SY19 7BH
Telephone: 01650 521301

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