RideCamp: Ride, learn, laugh and live
RideTechnics have branched out from one on one skills sessions into dedicated camps – but skills is just one part of it.
Words and Photos: Mike Blewitt
Mountain biking is one of the best ways to escape into the bush and spend time having fun, getting a thrill, spending time with mates, making new friends, getting fit, connecting with nature or all of the above! One of the reasons mountain biking has had such great growth as a sport recently isn’t just because it’s awesome, but because mountain biking is becoming easier to get into. Trails are built for us, companies are set up to guide us on trails, and you can get great bikes for less money than you had to pay 5-10 years ago.
There is a catch though. While many of the skills for mountain biking can be self-taught, it is very easy to learn poor technique that can leave riders very open to major injury when they try to ride the more demanding trails that are being built around Australia. And this is exactly why skills instruction has been on the rise, and why we always have a skills section in the back of the mag thanks to Jared Rando.
I have had instruction from Dylan Cooper who runs RideTechnics once or twice a year since 2016. Dylan is a maestro of bike handling, and with a number of coaches they run sessions for anyone up to professional mountain bikers and even road riders. The right technique and skills is not just about safety, but about efficiency and proficiency – and it all leads to more fun.
One thing Dylan is passionate about is how being fast, smooth and skillful on a bike isn’t just about knowing how to pop a wheelie, clear a gap or drift a corner. It’s about good nutrition, strength and flexibility, a bike that works like clockwork and a good group of mates to ride with. And that’s why he hosted the first RideCamp in November 2018.
Back to camp
Based at Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa, the concept of the RideCamp was to tune your skills, bike and body. Attending riders would work on set skills with three coaches, have great meals, do some pilates in the morning, and go over bike and suspension setup with a dedicated mechanic. And while riders would hit the trails on Friday afternoon and on Saturday, on Sunday we would ride up to Thredbo and back again putting refreshed skills into action.
Just about everyone who came to the Snowy Mountains for the camp had done some tuition with Dylan or one of his other coaches who were in attendance, such as Claire Whiteman or Rowan Beggs-French. Doing intensive sessions to progress your riding on your own trails or those in the RideTechnics office (Mt Stromlo) are one thing, but having the ability to quickly take those skills to the trails and discuss your own progress further, aided by video analysis, is another thing entirely.
With a group of riders that ranged from quick XC riders, people who wanted to gain more skills for trail riding, riders who have big bikepacking goals or event targets, and those chasing self-improvement, you could be forgiven for thinking that the camp would have a one size fits all approach. But that’s where the difference with what RideTechnics do transferred to RideCamp.
If you have done sessions with RideTechnics you will have a login to see your video analysis and breakdowns of what skills you need to work on – and how. Consider it homework after your session. It’s a premium offering and that service remains at RideCamp. We were broken into groups with similar skill sets which meant we could all progress at the right rate, and work on skills and development suitable to where we were – and where we want to be. And on Saturday night we had video analysis of how we were going, over some drinks and dessert after dinner.
5 things you can do right now to improve
1. Keep your eyes on the trail and where you want to go.
2. Take the time to get your suspension and tyre pressures just right.
3. Stop on the trail and look at the next feature you can’t ride. What should your approach be?
4. Lose the death grip – look ahead, smile and have fun!
5. Finished your ride? Stretch!
This meant we were all set to go with what to work on for the out and back trip up the Thredbo Valley Trail on Sunday. After a bike-specific pilates session and sumptuous breakfast overlooking the lake anyway. We all had notes on our bars on what to work on – key points to think about that would help us improve. And in our small groups we stopped frequently but quickly to regroup, and tackle the next section of trail. Standing back as an observer on the ride, it was impressive to see how much more dynamic everyone was compared to riding on Friday afternoon. No doubt a combination of working on skills, but also spending time in the Snowy Mountains, interacting with others and loving riding, and getting their bikes and bodies dialled in too.
And that’s exactly the result that RideTechnic’s Dylan Cooper wanted.
“There’s been a clear shift away from racing these days, but riders still seem to want a special MTB experience or getaway of sorts. Based on what we were seeing in the market it was evident that a more social experience in a nice location was what many people were after. But I didn’t just want it to be a basic weekend where you do things that people could just organise themselves. What we set out to achieve was getting a bunch of avid riders together for fun times and meeting new people, but offering a jam-packed MTB weekend with a holistic approach and high value for money. An experience that they would be hard pressed to organise themselves. What we packed into the event are things people don’t always have access to. So we just condensed it all into three fun days, which went really well.”
Sitting around after our final ride, some headed off for more trail time on the singletrack at Lake Crackenback, and I caught up with a couple of other people on the camp. Marty Jilek was there for more than just the skills work – like most people – but really appreciates how he can advance his riding.
“I like the community aspect of coming here. Getting outdoors and getting to know new people is great. But the skills part is so vital. There are so many people out there who ride that are self-taught and have then developed bad habits. Coming away for a weekend to ride, work on skills and put them into practice is so valuable. There’s so many reasons to come, but you know, I can go home with new friends and new techniques to work on on the trails.”
Cornelius had a similar attitude, but really enjoyed how RideCamp melded many aspects of what he likes about mountain biking together.
“Beyond the skills and bike aspect, the fact that you get together with a whole lot of like-minded people makes you want to go and ride your bike more! Mountain biking is a social pursuit for me. We don’t race or anything. For us it’s about getting out on the bikes, getting to amazing places and drinking beers! It’s a good lifestyle.”
Personally, I went home with some new friends, an improved manualing ability, memories of some great rides and conversations and an update on a few essentials I should remember to keep my riding up to speed. And that sounds like a good weekend to me.
Learn more about the Ride Technics camps including the Singapore camp and other coaching services HERE
