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British Cycling Level 1 Mountain Bike Leadership is a site specific award designed specifically for organisations such as outdoor education centres, schools, colleges and community organisations.

Before staff or volunteers can be trained, the centre must first complete their Centre Accreditation with British Cycling and then the Level 1 training is site-specific to the that centres approved site and MTB trails. The minimum age for level 1 Leaders is 18 years old.

The aim of this award is to upskill members of staff or volunteers, either from a basic level of MTB proficiency or from 'in-house' training. The Level 1 Leaders will be trained to a standard that enables them to lead introductory level mountain bike rides on limited pre-determined routes in a safe and enjoyable environment. This limits the level of route planning and navigation skills required by the individual and places greater emphasis on the centre’s standard operating procedures.

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Essential Information

Pricing

Training and Assessment

£180.00 for up to 8 learners from your centre.

Course Duration

One day, on your facitilies British Cycling approved MTB Trail & site

Course Dates

Specific to your centre, please contact us to discuss your individual requirements.

Remit

• Leaders trained at Level 1 can lead on limited pre-determined routes they have been trained on and in terrain that;
• Can be ridden seated and only requires basic weight-shift application
• Has one clear line choice, so no decision making is required from riders. If there are two choices then the leader needs to tell or show riders which line to take
• Is no more than half an hour’s walk from where an ambulance can get to
• Is during daylight in normal summer and intermediate seasonal conditions.
• Leading ratios  1:10  (instructor to group members with a responsible adult)

Level 1 training

The one day Level 1 training course includes training and assessment of:

• essential leader equipment
• effective puncture repairs
• equipment set-up and safety checks
• fundamental mountain bike techniques
• bike games
• techniques for effective group management
• accident and emergency procedures.

As it is a site-specific course, the centres’ existing procedures such as Emergency Action Procedures are incorporated into the training. This will give the leaders all the skills necessary to operate in their specific environment.

Assessment

There is no formal assessment during this programme; the assessment for this course will be ongoing throughout the day. Upon successful completion of the required criteria staff will be signed off by the tutor. This will enable them to lead rides on the site specific route.

What can I expect on the level 1 training course?

A one day training course with ongoing assessment by the tutor throughout the day.  All training/ assessment must take place at the centre requiring the training and using the route(s) used for leading mountain bike sessions.

The course has a mix of practical and theory sessions. There will be some classroom sessions and some practical sessions around the venue.

Centre Accreditation

Centre approval is carried out by a British Cycling inspector. It provides quality assurance and confirms that the organisation meets relevant criteria concerning the following key areas:-

• Operating procedures
• The centre-specific kit bag/ leaders kit
• Maintenance and storage of bikes and reporting faulty equipment
• The route and skills areas

Appropriately trained “Senior Leader” British Cycling (or MBLA) Level 2 (TCL), Level 3 (MBL)

Pre-requisites of candidates

The course will solely cover the cycling specific aspects of leading group rides. It is the organisation’s responsibility to ensure staff are trained in the following key areas:

•   General Group Management

•   Communication

•   First Aid (proof to be provided to British Cycling)

•   Safeguarding Children (proof to be provided to BC)

•   General safety briefings

•   Dealing with challenging behaviour

Please contact us if you require further information