Bike Beyond Skill Programs
Learn slow skills to prevent fast accidents.

Bike Beyond skill development programs are grounded in a skills based approach to learning (SBL). Bike Beyond team members have over 18 years guiding and skill development experience (road and mountain bike) between them. They have worked with and alongside coaches, and been coached for extended periods of time. Bike Beyond team members have coaching, guiding, and teaching qualifications - from certificate to Ph.D., and everything in between!

“As a complete novice I would recommend the
Introduction to Mountain Bike Skills weekend. I had a
ball. I got scared a couple of times, but learnt how to
deal with that and now feel I know my limits, how to
extend them, and how to have fun on the bike. The
staff teaching styles were different yet complementary
and very connected to what I wanted and needed to
learn.” Jacqui Kilby (September 09).”

CLICK HERE for information on skill development programs for mountain bike and road riding.

Bike Beyond are often asked what the difference is between guiding, SBL, and coaching. Each area is different.

Skills Based Learning (SBL) - emanated from the Tertiary education sector, in many ways from Ramdsen and Biggs’
work on student centered learning (early 1990’s onwards). SBL is learning and student focused: an open form of learning,
based around the learner not the content. The onus is on the teacher to deliver content, such as, basic mountain bike principles,
to the student in ways that connect with the student. How this information is delivered varies from student to student, trail
to trail, circumstance to circumstance (it’s open). Why? because every learner is different and the core learning outcome of a
SBL approach is learning. The teacher has to be on their toes, well informed, and committed to SBL long before they meet
their students. SBL can be summed up as minimum content for maximum learning. This doesn’t mean that technical content is
watered down; it means that it is dissected so that the bare bones of the skill become apparent and the student receives the
minimum information for the maximum reward. This requires a great deal of analytical work (by teaching/learning staff) prior to
a SBL session, a thorough understanding of learning experiences and Biggs’ work on learning and alignment (learning objectives,
activities, experiences, and outcomes). A SBL approach is excellent for skill development sessions, because an emphasis
on learning (rather than content) means students set the pace of a session. SBL is about giving people confidence in themselves,
their skills, and their ability to learn. It is suitable for any level of rider (it is used from primary school to Ph.D.).

Coaching - in general, coaching qualifications, such as, Level 1 and 2 Road, and Level 1MTB, emanate from the TAFE (or
vocational) education sector. The largest component of these qualifications is technical content. These qualifications are generally
assessed, like most TAFE qualifications, through competencies. There is a list of content that the coach must acquire and
be deemed competent at knowing. How the student learns this content is not a major component of a coaching qualification.
Coaching is a content focused approach to learning and teaching, and appropriate given its context. That is, the coach knows
the content, plans and programs its delivery; the student commits to the coaching program, and trusts the coach to deliver it.
In this sense coaching is a closed form of teaching and learning, based around the content or coaching program. There is no
obligation in a coaching context for the coach to continually assess where the student is, how they are learning, and how to
align learning objectives, outcomes, experiences, and practices. There is an obligation in coaching to deliver the appropriate
program to the student. In the right context, it is a useful and appropriate method of delivering information, however, the student
needs to be aware that even in a single coaching session the onus is on them to commit to the coaches’ program and trust the
coach to deliver it, rather than vice versa.

Guiding - world’s best practice in guiding qualifications, as recognized by the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA)
is the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award [SMBLA] and its sibling, Trail Course Leader [TCL]. The SMBLA involves 6 days of
training and assessment. It’s rigorous as any good guiding qualification should be, and includes a focus on learning. Multi day
guiding (two or more days) involves aspects of coaching and SBL. For example, direct instructions to riders is a necessity
where issues of rider/ group safety are involved, and a list of competencies is crucial in terms of equipment checks. A guide,
however, has to know and connect to (24/7) individual riders - how they are feeling; what happens as terrain/ climate / weather
changes. At all times the emphasis is on the guide to connect with a rider - not vice versa. The logistical component of guiding
is huge; this is content that riders’ don’t need to be aware of (unless it involves safety procedures). The guide keeps this logistical
content to themselves, directs (coaches when needed), yet always places themselves in a SBL approach to riders - supporting
riders to develop skills (whatever their level) that can be transferred to other situations on the trail/tour/expedition.

CLICK HERE for information on skill development programs for mountain bike and road riding.

CLICK HERE to go directly to skill session dates/ further information.