The Mountain Bike AcademyReviews of mountainbikeacademy.com

Community, Coaching and Members are all friendly, Knowledgeable and helpful Currently working on mobility, balance, strength on bike as well as being coached on the basics, Wedge, Starting, Stopping, Cornering, Movement on bike, Wheelies, Drops, Jumps. So much useful information all in one place, A state of the art Information Hub with everything you need to become successful and top-notch coaching. I feel so much more confidant on the Bike. I Highly recommend you get some mountain Bike Academy for Yourself!

After 30 years of pretty successful XC and Marathon racing, I decided it was time to improve my times in the more technical sections of racing. Like many, I watched a ton of videos but wasn't making the improvements I was seeking. The approach of combining one-to-one coaching as well as a focus on mobility and strength specific to technical riding was the right mix I had been looking for. I'm only a few months in, but already reeling faster and more confident.

I'm not one to write reviews. So if I do,it is because the experience or service was extra extra. I joined The Mountain Bike Academy back in August. To be honest it was an odd experience video taping riding activities and I complained to myself and friends. So I moved slow in my progress the first few weeks. I finally decided to buy in and follow the custom workout plans and I started video taping my jumps. I have come to realize reviewing my movements and practices is valuable. I can see if I'm not where I should be on the bike and have learned to make corrections. When I submit a video to Coach Kevin or Dave , the feedback is detailed often a new drill or exercise is suggested. I would have to say I have become more locked in on the bike ,my cornering is 90 percent better and I'm confident in jumping. I'm more stable and flexible do to the workout program. MBA is a community and you have support from others like yourself. The two weekly calls gives you the opportunity to meet others and review videos of their riding as well as your own. The feedback from the group and coaches gets you pumped up and informed. Everyone always says if it's not on Strava, it didn't happen. I use Strava as a tool to judge where I may be in my riding. I've noticed I've taken minutes off of my time on some trails. Thanks to David Davidson and Coach Kevin and John Lindsey.

I signed up for Mountain Bike Academy in mid-February in a moment of madness! I had just finished an all-consuming bikepacking race that had taken over my life for the last few months. I needed a new goal, and breaking through the glass ceiling of my riding skills seemed like it would be fun and rewarding. I had an online meeting with Dave and he seemed to be a nice guy who was promising to help me achieve my goals. In a moment of madness, I paid up. I spent the next few days worrying that I had fallen for a scam, and calculating how many one-on-one lessons I could have paid for instead. I have now been in MBA for nearly two months and have no regrets. After the riding assessment and some discussion with Coach Kevin around my goals, we began by working on cornering and pressure control. Kevin gave me some carpark and pump track drills and sent me out to find some stairs to ride. Each time I send in a video, I get written or verbal feedback almost instantly. Kevin encourages me to assess my own videos too, so I feel that I am learning skills which will allow me to continue my learning journey independently post-MBA. Kevin always gives really useful pointers for the best way to improve, and provides suggestions for progression. The quality of the coaching is excellent. I have actually found that the online video assessments work better for me than traditional coaching. I have found that I can only take in so much information in a one or two hour session, limiting the amount I can learn. With MBA, I can work on a skill for twenty minutes or so and upload a video, and get rapid (often instant) feedback. I have found these bite-size lessons to be a much more effective way to learn. This means that I can fit in my practice around other commitments and get feedback every day. MBA incentivises frequent practice and engagement, so it has become a habit to work on my skills as often as possible. The daily workouts build movement patterns that can be taken out onto the bike. Everything is explained in terms of the benefits to riding performance, making it feel relevant and easy to find the motivation to do the workouts. The community is really friendly and supportive, and I feel like I have a whole new group of MAMIB (middle aged men in baggies) friends! Members are encouraged to share their videos in the community feed, giving additional opportunities to learn from each other. This has also helped me to develop my eye for analysing riding videos, useful for self-evaluation and for improving my coaching skills. I posted a video of a feature that intimidates me, and the coaches provided a roadmap of skills to work on so that I can break it down and build up to it gradually. As well as the necessary riding techniques we have talked about mindset strategies for having the appropriate level of confidence to tackle features. When you first start mountain biking there’s a steep learning curve and you get frequent thrills from clearing a trail or riding a new feature. Since I joined MBA I am getting that feeling back. I’ve ridden features that I’ve been avoiding for years, and have taken some QOMs at my local park; but most importantly, I’m having so much more fun and can see a pathway to becoming a shredder!

So I'm what I feel to be a somewhat typical 52 year old rider who's been riding bikes since I was 4. My dad and uncle bought brand new Trek 830's when they first came out and I got my first taste of mountain biking. All these years later I'm still riding at what I consider a relatively high level, I'm constantly pushing into black and double black trails and features and always the one pushing my friend group both physically and technically. After watching some of the MTB Academy videos I realized I'm probably riding with some old habits and muscle memory that could corrected or improved. While talking to Dave Davidson directly I mentioned that I felt like the trails and riding styles now have surpassed my comfort level and that I would reallyl ike to be more comfortable on some of the bigger/funner trails and features. He said that is absolutely what his mission is and he could help for a price (gulp). Now somewhere close to 2 months in I'm shocked at the progress with the off bike work and workouts that have been custom tailored to me and my abilities. I'd never thought of taking things all the way back down to the basics and fundamentals in order to improve the overall experience the way Dave and his team have done. With my experience I have to say I feel a little silly doing some of these drills but then I hit the trail and realize there is a purpose behind every one. I'm smoother, faster, and more in control in the corners, I'm more comfortable and balanced on the bike, and working on jumps in order to add to rockin style. I cannot wait to see what this year long coaching, training, community, and friendships will bring. WORTH IT!

I’m 46 years old and I’ve been riding for decades so, I was just looking for a MTB specific workout plan for the winter. Just a few weeks into the program I was seeing a noticeable difference in my body and my riding. The coaches are super helpful and were able to point out my weaknesses and give me actionable steps to ride better. I feel like I’m riding better now than I was 20 years ago.

I am an older mountain bike rider. I have been mountain biking for 10 years and have tried various training and coaching programs. This is a holistic program that addresses your mobility and flexibility, strength on and off the bike and specific movements, techniques and strategies and skills on the trail. I can’t say enough about how well this program is working for me. This program is not in person although there are group rides that may likely happen later this year. This is an online program, but unlike some other programs there are weekly zoom riding clinic meetings. The coaching is very supportive and extremely knowledgeable. After enrolling, you submit video(s) of a pre-assessment on your flexibility. Based on this you receive a custom daily mobility workout and a custom three day strength workout. You also submit videos of your riding for a riding and skills assessment. I was new to filming but it is super easy to submit videos. I got feedback on my riding almost immediately but no later than a day after I posted and set up times to meet with a one of the coaches to discuss my progression and what to work on next. The strengths of this program are - Customized off the bike mobility and strength routines - Extremely knowledgeable and supportive coaching - Frequent online meetings to discuss progress (either in a group or just with your coach) - An organized progression of skills with videos and explanations - An online community that supports and encourages each other - Timely and insightful feedback on your videos This program is the most expensive mountain bike training program that I have enrolled in. The mobility and strength workouts were and are a challenge. But I am putting in the hours and the effort and I am seeing changes in the way I ride. This was less the case with other programs that I have done. I highly recommend Mountain Bike Academy, it will fundamentally change how you think about becoming a better mountain biker. And you will become a better mountain biker.

How, as someone who thought I knew how to ride, I was accepted into the MBA and immediately realized I was not in a basic riding class. I was now enrolled in a once in a lifetime opportunity to surpass what I thought I knew about riding to riding and training like a pro athlete. I might add that I am 74 years old, and riding with the excitement and enthusiasm as someone much younger. Thanks to the coaching staff I am already achieving new heights in my ability and conditioning. I could not speak at a higher level for my confidence in Mountain Bike Academy.