2013 Women's MTB 101 Clinic - Sunday, April 21, 2013 9:30 AM Sylvan Island

[Bexter]

QC Women’s Outdoor Club offers beginner mountain biking skills clinic -- Sunday, April 21, 2013

Are you interested in riding mountain bike trails – the kind that take you through the woods, up and down hills, over rocks, roots, logs and creeks? Or, do you already ride but want to learn to ride faster and more confidently, corner more smoothly, and handle small obstacles while mountain biking? Look no further! The QC Women’s Outdoor Club is offering a FREE women’s off-road (mountain biking) skills clinic designed for beginner riders. The clinic is open to any woman 15 years of age or older.

WHEN: Sunday, April 21, 2013 9:30 AM
WHERE: Sylvan Island (1st Street and the Mississippi River, Moline, IL)

What do I need to bring? A working mountain bike (a HYBRID BIKE WILL NOT WORK) and helmet are mandatory, gloves and water recommended, and elbow and knee pads an option.

What should I do prepare for the clinic?

• Set proper seat height: If you can reach the ground while on sitting on your seat, the seat is set WAY too low. Your seat should be set so that your knee is almost straight while seated on the bike and the pedal is at the bottom of the rotation (6 o’clock).
• Set brake levers: Your brake levers should be positioned on the handle bars so that while seated on your bike with your hands on the grips, the brake levers should be in line with your arm from your shoulder to your hand.
• Set tire pressure: Mountain bike tires may be rated for 50-70 pounds of pressure, but you don’t want that much. Set your tire pressure at 36 psi. This will be a good start for most riders.

What you will learn: Body positioning on your bike, standing while riding, balance (side to side / fore and aft), proper braking, pedal position in corners and over obstacles, proper gear selection, cornering and managing switch-backs, use of momentum, riding narrow bridges, negotiating drop-offs, front-wheel lift over obstacles, and wet weather considerations.

Please arrive in time to have your bike unloaded, you ready to ride, and the waiver paperwork signed so we can begin promptly at 9:30 AM. Participants under the age of 18 must have a parent/legal guardian present to sign a waiver.

*In the event of rain on April 21st or the 24 hours preceding the event, please check this thread to verify that the clinic will still be held. We will do everything possible to proceed, however this event is dependent upon dry trails.

[dirtboy]

the browns will give you a hand with this. Who else is in?

[acw4red]

I am likely in.

[Russhole]

i can give a hand too if you need more help. I suppose i can help adjust seats fix flats etc.

[Bexter]

Thanks guys! Hopefully it's dry and we start the day at a decent temp. The high is only supposed to hit 57. See you Sunday!

Jon and I are going to build a few obstacles Saturday -- a couple skinnies, a platform/drop, and we will have a few different logs and a log pile. No teeter.

The plan is to cover some of the basics on the flat grassy terrain just across the bridge (where we were for the kids MTB 101 last Fall), then go hit a few targeted areas on the trails (if they're not swampy) to practice real-trail skills.

[acw4red]

I was going to clean the Mango Mistress on Saturday, but maybe I'll wait to Sunday afternoon after the 101.

[Bexter]

Ladies, thanks to Shinbori, we have a fun fun fun skinny built for your pleasure and skill building! We will build the drop platform on Friday. We have received a ton of rain, but the winds are supposed to be fierce on Friday and dry weather on Saturday. I will check conditions at Sylvan on Saturday and will post an update after that. Keep your fingers crossed that we will be sessioning on Sunday...

Fergucast says this about the weather:
Still a bit of drizzle out there, but no significant rain for the rest of the night. At the moment, tomorrow also looks dry. Friday, high only in the low 40s with 20mph winds. Unpleasant. Saturday, sunny and 50s and dry. Sunday, partly cloudy and low 60s and dry.

[forcmeister]

I will try to make it down if you need some more help.

FM

[Bexter]

Thanks FM!

I just got done walking the trails at Sylvan and we are GOOD TO GO!! The trails there are amazingly resilient (and drain/dry quickly). Part of the island is flooded, but there are plenty of trails on the East side for people to ride and the field is astonishlingly dry. Hooray!

[jJohnson]

If I wake up in time I'll probably swing down and see if you ladies need help.