British Cycling Mountain Bike Leader (Level 2) Award
The British Cycling Mountain Bike Leader (Level 2) Award enables experienced mountain bikers to safely guide others on off-road terrain.
The award is the entry point for most aspiring mountain bike leaders, enabling qualified leaders to use their experience to safely guide others on off-road terrain. The award is ideal for anyone with experience in mountain biking, who is either working in the outdoor sector, volunteering at a club or simply has a personal interest in gaining additional skills. These skills can be used to go out on a mountain bike, be safe and have fun.
We run these 2 day training courses and we make the most of our excellent British Cycling approved trainer, onsite bike tracks & skills park, training rooms and our fantastic location in the heart of the Peak District. The majority of the two day training course is practical and you will be riding in both the limestone White Peak and gritstone Dark Peak areas; giving you a great variety of terrain to learn new leadership skills.
Course Content
The course covers a wide variety of topics including:
- Planning and delivery of appropriate rides or your group
- Leading techniques for effective group management
- Map reading and navigation for a flowing journey
- Management of accidents and emergency situations
- Equipment set-up and trailside repairs
- Core mountain bike techniques.
Training Course Pre-requisites
- Be 18 years old or over
- Have a British Cycling membership
- Have mountain biking experience in a variety of terrain and weather conditions.
- Be competent in the techniques and skills required to safely negotiate the typical trail features encountered in the Level 2 environment. As a general guide this is comparable to red-graded purpose-built trails.
- Undergo and evidence safeguarding training appropriate to the country you are leading in.
- Hold a current two-day Outdoor First Aid certificate (this can be undertaken at a later date, but ideally is submitted shortly after assessment). It is suggested that the course include 16 hours of contact time. For further details on context and outdoor industry best practice guidelines please see the requirements under band 3 within the Institute of Outdoor Learning first aid statement. This course can be taken at Thornbridge Outdoors – please see our Outdoor First Aid dates.
- You will need to provide your tutor with a logbook of evidence of your recent rides in appropriate terrain (we recommend a minimum of 15 quality rides in the 12 months prior to assessment, four of which should be 4 hours or more in duration). You can use the British Cycling MTB Leadership logbook or alternatively discuss alternative methods for logging the information required with your tutor. The logbook should provide evidence not only of the location, duration and route of the rides but also demonstrate to the tutor your ability to self-reflect on each ride, for example, how you performed, how the conditions impacted the experience, if you had been leading a group what might you have had to consider? We strongly encourage learners to conduct as much riding and navigation as possible outside of a trail centre environment in preparation for training and assessment.
2 Day Training Course Dates
Please note that British Cycling have set a minimum number of candidates for a course to be able to run. The deadline for bookings for this course is 2 weeks before the course start date.
1 Day Assessment Dates
Please note that British Cycling have set a minimum number of candidates for an assessment to be able to run. The deadline for bookings for this assessment is 2 weeks before the assessment start date.
Please see the British Cycling website for more information about the award.
Further Information
We provide hot drinks and other refreshments during the course but meals are not provided so please bring a packed lunch.
For written directions see our find us page.
Please read our course booking terms and conditions.
