Advanced Braking Clinic at Beech Mountain

Location

Beech Mountain, North Carolina

Group Size

6 people per guide

Duration

3 hours

Advanced Braking Clinic

More Braking Control = More Confidence and Speed! 

Are you afraid of the front brake? Want more control on steep trails? How about more confidence riding downhill in general? What’s the correct ratio of front vs rear brake for any given situation? HOW to brake is an often overlooked key component to riding confidently with more control. Confidence and control leads to more speed when you want it! 

During this clinic, we’ll start with bike set up and hand position to maximize strength and stability. We’ll refine body position to create front wheel grip and a strong stance, work on a gradual application of the levers and modulation of lever pressure based on grip, and get super comfortable controlling our speed with the front brake in a variety of terrain, including steep trails, tech sections, and corners. After we learn HOW to brake, we'll work on the tactics of WHEN to use the brakes through the concept of braking zones and HOW MUCH to brake depending on conditions and needs for individual features. 

 

Who should take this clinic:

• This clinic is appropriate for all level riders wanting to learn to ride with more intention, control, and confidence.

• Riders who are comfortable on Green and Blue rated trails. 

• Riders who use both brakes but have no conscious understanding of ratio of front brake to rear brake for different trail scenarios. 

• Riders who find they skid the rear wheel all the time on steep trails

• Riders who are searching for more speed and confidence 

Who are the instructors?

• Tiffany Litsey - GSMBC / PMBIA Level 2 "Air Instructor"
• Josh Whitmore - GSMBC / PMBIA Level 4 + Head Coach
• Kristian Jackson - GSMBC / PMBIA Level 4 

What to expect:

• We’ll start with an intro to listen to your previous experience and goals, then set expectations and a plan for the clinic

• We'll look at everyone's equipment set up to explore options for hand position to maximize strength and stability. 

• Then, we’ll move into a skills assessment and move through the essential HOW skills including Body Position / Balance and creating effective pressure/grip on each wheel. We'll work on modulation of the brake lever by feeling the grip of each tire. 

• After we get some mastery of the HOW, we'll move into WHEN to brake and introduce the concept of braking zones and work on HOW MUCH to brake for each feature by adjusting the ration of front vs rear as needed.