Mountain Bike Skills Coaching
TLDR – Most mountain bikers never take a single lesson – then wonder why they’re not progressing. Think about it: no other sport expects improvement from just “playing the game.” Tennis players take coaching. Golfers get lessons. Footballers drill fundamentals. But MTB riders? They just ride the same trails, repeat the same mistakes, and hit the same plateau.
At Gravity Nelson, we flip that. Our coaching strips out fear and risk first, builds solid technique on easy trails or our private Field of Dreams facility, then progresses you to harder terrain. Private bespoke sessions from $249 for 1–2 people (total, not each). Group clinics, women’s only, after-school programs and more
The best bike upgrade you can buy isn’t a new bike or components – it’s a coaching lesson.
Our Coaching Philosophy: You’re Not a Number
Our Private Coaching Clinics don’t have a fixed curriculum. Every session is tailored to your needs – the skills you want to develop or the trail problems you want to solve.
Why? Because trying to learn technical skills on a stressful, high-risk trail doesn’t work. Fear blocks learning. So we:
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Strip out risk by starting on trails one grade easier than you usually ride or our private Field of Dreams facility
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Focus on building blocks (body position, braking, line choice) before moving to drops, jumps, or steep terrain
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Evolve the session dynamically based on your level, progress, and interests
The result? Real progression in a supportive, safe, and fun environment.
“The best possible bike upgrade you can buy is… a coaching lesson for yourself.”
What Skills Can We Work On?
Our passionate, expert coaches can help you level up in any of these areas. Click the links for more details:
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Cornering
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Body position & balance
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Drops & jumps
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Technical climbing & descending
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Braking & line choice
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Race tactics & endurance
Types of Coaching We Offer
We offer coaching for every age, gender, and ability level – from first‑time trail riders to advanced racers.
- After School Coaching programs for a variety of levels of school aged riders, there are offered every term of the year.
- Adult group (one-off and multi-part) courses focusing on progressing particular skills over several sessions (“Sendy Sundays”, “Tackling Technical Terrain”, etc)
- Women’s only coaching (“Queen of the Mountains”) courses.
- Private bespoke courses on a wide variety of skills including Cornering, Body Position, Drops and Jumps and more.
- Courses in a wide variety of locations including our private “Field of Dreams”, Codgers, Sharlands, Wairoa Gorge, Cable Bay Adventure Park and more.
- If you would like to learn more about the background, experience and qualifications of our coaches you can visit Here.
Where Do We Coach?
We generally focus initial sessions on trails one grade easier than you currently ride (safe, low fear) or our private Field of Dreams progression facility. This allows us to isolate and correct technique errors without the pressure of steep, loose, or rocky terrain.
Once your fundamentals are solid, we take those skills to harder trails – Codgers, Sharlands, Fringed Hill, or even the Wairoa Gorge.
Even experienced riders benefit: we often spot basic technique errors that are easy to fix on easier terrain, then immediately apply them to black diamond runs.
Cornering coaching on Crazy Horse in Codgers, Nelson
Pricing – Excellent Value for Regular Coaching
We believe you should maintain your skills just like you maintain your bike – with regular check‑ups and upgrades. That’s why we’ve kept our coaching prices accessible.
Private Bespoke Session (2.5-3 hours)
| Participants | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 or 2 people | $249 (total, not per person) |
| Each extra person (beyond 2) | +$99 |
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Flexible location & timing
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Reduced bike rental rates available (use one of our premium acoustic or electric‑ mountain bikes)
Book now
Coaching clinics on Nelson’s fantastic trail network
Field of Dreams – Your Private Progression Playground
Our exclusive Field of Dreams facility is a safe, controlled environment to push your limits:
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Drops of varying heights (30+)
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Jumps & tabletops (40+)
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Airbag landing (for practicing new tricks) – one flat bag and one lander bag
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Cornering berms & technical features
Drops clinics at the “Field of Dreams”
Why “Semi‑Regular” Coaching Works (And Why Most Riders Get It Wrong)
In almost every other sport, people train regularly – tennis lessons every few weeks, football practice weekly, golf coaching monthly. But in mountain biking, many riders take one lesson and then never return.
That doesn’t make sense. Skills fade. Bad habits creep back. New challenges appear.
Our pricing is designed to encourage you to book a session every 2–3 months – building your skills step by step, upgrading your confidence, and progressively tackling harder trails.
“Have you ever heard of someone taking just one tennis lesson and then never another – and still progressing?”
Neither have we.
Ready to Level Up Your Riding?
We’re always happy to chat about which coaching package, session, or skill topic is right for you.
Pop into our shop:
140 Bridge St, Nelson
Or contact us:
info@gravitynelson.co.nz
027 766 6032 or 03 545 8484
Facebook Messenger – GravityNelson
Instagram – @GravityNelsonNZ
Coaching vouchers also make excellent gifts – for friends, family, or that riding buddy who keeps crashing.
Bonus: Want to Become a Mountain Bike Coach?
We’re always keen to talk to passionate riders who want to get trained and qualified as MTB coaches.
Our founders Alistair and John bring decades of experience – Alistair is a trainer and assessor for New Zealand’s two official mountain biking qualifications (Skills Active and NZOIA). He can guide you through the process while you work with us.
📧 Email info@gravitynelson.co.nz if you’re interested.
Ride on. Progress every session. See you on the trails.
Coaching customised to your needs, skills, and interests
