Tailored Mountain Bike Skills Coaching

We tailor all our Mountain Bike Skills Courses to meet your individual requirements. We’ll create a bespoke course for you. Obviously we want to make sure we put together the right course for you or your group. Please Contact Us if you have any questions or would like any additional information regarding our courses.

Firecrest Mountain Biking are one of the most experienced Mountain Bike Skills Training providers in the UK. We have used our years of experience to pioneer and develop Mountain Bike Skills Courses for Mountain Bikers of all ages and abilities.

We've worked with thousands of riders looking to improve their skills and technique whether it's a on the way to achieving a personal goal or closing the gap in terms of speed and skills to their friends out on the trails with 'The System' we have the key to unlock your skills.

If you've been into mountain biking a while you've probably spent lots of your hard earned cash on the latest upgrades and widgets for you and your bike only to find that your still riding no faster. That's when Mountain Bike Skills Training can really make a difference. Often referred to by those in the know as "the ultimate upgrade" a Mountain Bike Skills Course will Firecrest MTB will get you riding faster with the confidence to ride the trails and get the most from your mountain biking.

Lots of the riders we work with have watched all the online tutorials and read all the online and magazine features to try and find 'the flow' but end up confused and over thinking what they are doing out on the trails.

We tailor your mountain bike skills course to you, 'the Firecrest MTB Skills System' lets us explain in a simple and understandable way what you need to do to improve. So you can find 'your flow' giving you an insight into the way that the elements of 'the System work together to make you a better mountain biker wherever your riding.

1-2-1 Mountain Bike Skills Course

Carol Mathews

As a newcomer to MTB riding, this was my  2nd session with Ian. He helped me to progress, and  I was guided to ride areas I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do alone. Throughout the session, Ian was always explaining the system of riding, equipping me with the confidence and knowledge to progress and enjoy my MTB riding.

Arthur Goetsch

Great day out - lots of fun and very informative. Definitely recommend!

Chris Ellis

My son has had two 1-2-1 lessons with Ian now and all I can say is “amazing”!  Years of knowledge, racing and teaching has given Ian the ability change your riding style and mindset with in a few hours.  The way Ian uses video to capture your riding and explain body position is extremely helpful. The best upgrade you could buy!! If we lived closer, we would attend weekly!  The trails at Rushmere are amazing too!! Thanks Ian! 

Emilio Tarallo

The course is amazing Ian is a brilliant tutor even for a novice rider like myself I learned loads and have booked for another session 

Sally Deane

My son and friends enjoyed their session with Firecrest MTB. Ian was really enthusiastic and informative, with excellent knowledge to help each rider improve. 

Oliver  Meentzen-Alldritt

Excellent skills training helped with my cornering and flow on the xc bike enabling me to carry more speed. Can highly recommend to those wishing to improve their times and technique. 

michael reynolds

Spent an afternoon with Ian and learnt quite a lot about my riding. I came away with lots to think about  concerning my cornering.
Cant wait to get back into it next time for the jumps.

Ian is very relaxed clear and concise in his instruction, and if your thinking of getting some tuition, then he should be your first stop.

Alex soignon

Very knowledgeable and interesting. Will help you to go further to the next step. 
I will recommend to everyone. 

Jamie Purser

I had my first session with Ian yesterday. It certainly won't be my last.

He's an excellent coach, who is equally passionate about mountain biking as he is sharing his knowledge and expertise. I found him immediately relatable, and the course material and his teaching methods simple and powerful.

I started the day a beginner and ended it with a solid skill base and respect for the trail. I will be booking a series of sessions with Ian  and hope to work with him for months and years to come. I can't recommend Firecrest Mountain Biking highly enough.

Fabrice Temmerman

Great session with Ian. Everything was explained in such a way that it really clicked when putting it in practice. My confidence has grown and I enjoy my rides a lot more. 

2nd coaching session from Ian and I'm really pleased with my progression.
We tackled jumps on sunday and despite my innate feelings of trepidation I very quickly realised that having that immediate feedback really helps with the confidence building.
Pretty soon i had forgotten about how intimidating the task was I was to busy enjoying myself!!
Ian is an excellent and hugely experienced teacher and really goes into  the science behind the techniques to help you understand the why and the how 
Lots more to come for me cant waif to continue 

Srik Reddy

Ian’s passion is infectious!  He comes armed with a wealth of experience, knowledge and anecdotes to inspire.  I booked in 3 one-to-one sessions to try to get a solid base and feel comfortable trying, what for me is, a new hobby/sport.  He provides technical, emotional and cerebral tips and grounds them with why they are important.  Have absolutely loved every minute of it and will be back to have more soon.

chris atkins

I had 3 sessions with Ian & learned so much from him to improve my technical riding and confidence.  Highly recommended!!

Ellie Boggis

Love love loved my 2 sessions with Ian! Having the sessions has improved my riding so much! Ian is incredibly knowledgeable and has a real gift in breaking things down so I can understand what I need to be doing. Ian has also really helped with my rider confidence allowing me to push myself more than I have been able to previously. I highly recommend getting a session with Ian, the results are immediate and he’s just a really lovely guy too! Thanks ian :) 

Guy Clark

Ian really knows his stuff and his passion and experience shines through. He managed to progress this 59 yr old from someone who avoided anything that involved wheels leaving the ground to someone able to tackle jumps and drops with confidence inside a couple of hours.  I can’t recommend his skills courses highly enough.

David Whittingham-Jones

Ian is a great coach combining theory and practical brilliantly. I have had a few lessons with him now - both 1-1 and small group - and learn new skills every time which I benefit from immediately. Would heartily recommend!

stephen huxter

What a great session! I loved every second of it. Can't wait to book again. Ian is a great teacher.

steven edmonds

The best by far.  World class racer or total beginner Ian has  the over 25 years experience  and a lifetime of experience. he will get you where you want to be. Thank you Ian. I never knew I could be this  good.   Simply an amazing insight and dedication to the sport. 

Desislava Dragieva

Took my son for a session with Ian today. He was so impressed and happy after the session. He said that his skills have improved a lot and feels very confident in his ability. He had a blast and will definitely try to return for more !!
Thank you

Dan Jones

Every coaching session with Ian is the best experience.

Ian has been coaching me for around 3 or 4 years, and in that time my skill level has shot up. I went from riding a cross country bike to riding the most demanding of tracks in the UK and overseas, and it's all thanks to the skills and confidence that Ian has instilled in me. 

he not only gives you the physical skills to get down these tracks, but the mental ones. Showing you how to confidently read any track you go to and to get down it in one piece and (importantly!) down it fast. 

I would and do recommend coaching and especially Ian to every one I meet. 

Don't stop at one session! Ian is continuously improving his teaching methods so that you can continuously improve your riding

Hugh Moss

The short version is: I booked a 3 hour 1-2-1 session for my 11-year-old son, who came away very happy with the progress he's made.

The short version doesn't do justice to the detailed thought that lies behind the success. Ian has distilled all his experience into a formula that makes sense and works. There's a science behind what he is teaching.

To begin with, my son found it hard to makes sense of all the parts of Ian's theory, but then as it was all put into practice, it fell into place and made sense. The fact that there was sound reasoning behind what Ian was teaching made it easier to discard the conflicting information that he'd seen on YouTube.

Ian was patient and encouraging, using video to good effect to help show how to improve the technique.

All in all it was a very worthwhile lesson and my son will be returning for more very soon. 

Pete Owen

Ian is a fantastic coach - I got a huge amount from the three hours I spent with him and will definitely be back for more!

Jason Taylor

Great informative MTB course, run by the very knowledgeable Ian. Would highly recommend for those wanting to improve their bike skills.

Max Cheshire 

had one session with Ian and seriously noticed a difference in my riding. I feel in more control, technically better and confident which allows for speed. looking to go back in a couple of weeks for a refresher to make sure my riding is on point. would seriously recommend to anyone who's wanting to get better at bikes. 

Paul King

Super friendly and really educational, I learnt a lot and managed to overcome my fear of jumping! 
Thanks again Firecrest and will be heading back soon! 


Craig Clayson

I've had group and 1-2-1 session recently. Ian breaks items down, explains clearly and very encouraging. 

Vaska Prostova

Still can’t believe how Ian transformed my riding in just a few hours! Stuff that I have struggled with for years finally felt easy with Ian’s simple and effective tips. Also he is such a nice guy and made me feel at ease straight away. Can’t wait for my next session and to see how far we can take my riding by the start of next race season. 
Thanks a lot Ian! 

Steve Downes

Ian is a wonderful coach. As a complete MTB newbie last year he taught me how to enjoy riding XC trails. This year he taught me how to jump a MTB. I'm not the typical MTB newbie as I'm the wrong side of 60. You're never too old to start MTBing, especially with Ian to show the way.

Aaron Whitfield

Had a 3 hour 1-2-1 beginner MTB training with Ian in October-23. Excellent coach. Friendly and easy to work with. The training session was fun and tailored to what I wanted to get from it. Ian is very experienced and knowledgeable and was a great coach. Good teaching method. Uses video recordings and live sketching to analyse your riding and help you understand and improve your technique.  He also provided advice on bikes and equipment. Very efficient service. Highly Recommend!

Oscar  Kehoe

My son loves having lessons with Ian. Oscar has participated in group lessons and individual ones. Ian is amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable, kind and patient. 

fantastic jumps and drop session. Thanks Ian

Laura Webb

We booked a one to one with Ian for my son’s 13th birthday as he had a new bike, he absolutely loved it and learnt so much. He had so much fun and Ian made it very enjoyable for him. We would definately recommend and will book again.

Karen Cutbush

I arranged 1-2-1 training with Ian to set me up for navigating jumps.  I am an "older" rider taking up MTB with the introduction of e-bikes.  I ride mostly trails, and jumps are my nemesis when it comes to confidence and injuries. 
I enjoyed my afternoon with Ian, his training and direction was on point. He not only delivers on technique, but also mentality when riding technical terrain and jumps which I found very helpful.  
By the end of the session I was jumping further without fear and left feeling super confident.
Thanks Ian for a great training session.  I will not hesitate to recommend to my friends.  

Nathaniel  Cagliarini

We travelled for my 12 year old son to have a 1-2-1 with Ian. He had a great time and learnt a lot from the session. Definitely well worth the travel and will book again. 

Simon Webb

Coaching hot my aims exactly. Highly personable with great technical understanding. Built my skills quickly and I had great success - rejuvenating!!

Chris Cook

I had a great first lesson, it’s been  a long time out of the saddle and wanted to start the right way! Ian is very easy to get along with, and instructs in a manner which is very easy to understand. Left feeling very positive and with lots of knowledge. I shall be booking more in the coming weeks and months. Can’t wait!!!

Dom Haines

As always a brilliant session with Ian getting me back up to speed. His teaching methods and video analysis are next level! 

Marco Rabbini

A great gift for my birthday, and looking to book a follow up session soon. When you hit the sweet point of putting the advice into practice you can feel the difference, so good. 

Ewan Elliott

Ian is an incredible coach - friendly and knowledgeable, and his ability to provide tailored guidance is remarkable.  I would highly recommend Ian for anyone seeking a transformative MTB experience, whether you're a novice or seasoned rider. Thanks, we will be back!! 

Chris  Bostock

Brilliant tuition. Never had lessons before. Just what I needed to give me things to practise. 

Ollie Cacchioli

Ian is a brilliant instructor. Have absolute confidence in him, he knowledgable, enthusiastic and responsible. 

Marcio Schmitt

It was a great coaching session 🙌
Will be booking another session with Ian 

steven Edmonds

The lesson was great fun and I learnt a lot. Ian is a great teacher Thank You. I will definitely be back for more.

Sam Hayman

Brilliant day with Ian improving my jump skills. Loved it

Nigel Marriott

I had a 121 session with Ian and found it really useful. He gave me some tips that were simple to implement but made a huge difference. I now need to practice them before going back for some more advice.

Andy Sutch

Hi Ian, thankyou for the lesson yesterday, it was revolutionary for me and has left me with a 100% positive outlook on what we worked on, can't wait for to practise and book another course.

Geoff White

Had a MTB skills lesson with my 13yr son,  got straight out to the trails, had very good instruction, plenty of practice on trails and jumps with video feedback. We both felt safe, learnt a lot,  and keen for more!
Clearly has a lot of experience in training different ages, abilities  and experiences of riders.  would definitely recommend Ian

Paul Dilley

Ian has researched his subject thoroughly and finely tuned his teaching over the years, and this is very apparent when working with him. He imparts a great deal of information at the start, to such an extent that you feel overwhelmed, but as the day progresses it all becomes clear, especially when your jumps, drops, cornering are dissected in slo mo on the tablet. I went mainly for more confidence on drops and jumps and came away with better corner speed, a better understanding of jumping and my own personal hang up, drops with a new found confidence. 
I now ride off drops with a great deal of confidence, safe in the knowledge that I know what I am doing and why, and just as importantly what to do if I don't get it quite right!
Thank you Ian for a very enjoyable and informative Session.

Another great lesson from Ian, easy to understnd and goes through the procss with clarity and at a pave suitable for you.
The video part of the training is fantastic and allows you to see where you are going wrong or doing right.
look forward to practising and next catch up in September

Gus Bartolini

Excellent briefing and run through of the “system” prior to commencement of the course. Ian instills confidence in his students and takes time to walk through the trails before riding them. Can’t wait for the next 1-2-1.

LIONEL SHERMAN

Ian is able to analize skill levels and explain clearly how to progress using both theoretical models that are comprehensible and practical drills that inspire 

Mark Dial

Brilliant, Ian was extremely knowledgeable and patient. I was booked in for jumps and drops but he managed to taylor the training to suit my needs with a focus on downhill thrown in. I'll be booking in more sessions for sure

Andy Sparkes

Being a triathlete, I turned up with nominal fitness, but recognised that my skills were all in straight line cycling with little variation. Getting an E-MTB which is heavier than my classic MTB, I knew that I would have to learn how to get the most out of this exciting machine. Ian is friendly, knowledgable, explains in laymans terms what can be otherwise difficult concepts. I felt safe and motivated to "give it a go", and over the course of the session, I learned that MTB skills have moved on to reflect the new bikes, better components and different approaches to positioning. Ian showed me how to descend left and right turns, S-Bends, all in the Woods. I was nervous when I first saw them, but Ian broke them down into bite-size sections and progressed at my pace, trying many times or moving on to the next section. Putting all sections together was a moment to make you smile as I learned by doing. Importantly I didn't learn the course, but learned how to read the course, meaning I can go to a new place and apply the skills I have now learned. To top it off, I have not dared any jumps since a child (many moons ago now). Yet, with some pointers to add to what I had already learned, and Ian demonstrating that what I have learned applies on a slope, and putting it all into action, gave me a great feeling and a big smile of success. I could not have done this without a coach seeing my current status and building on it over the session as I would have kept my bad habits from my old MTB days. So I have started from scratch, had a great session, with lots of things to try near to my home, and I will definitely recommend this to anyone who wishes to get it right first time. As I write this a day later, I am still smiling as these skills will help me on my Tri-Bike as well as the principles apply. Thanks Ian.

Greg New

Great day riding and invaluable time tuning up my riding-  absolutely recommend some coaching with Ian.

Clare  Murray 

Great morning developing my mountain bike skills. Ian is very knowledgeable and tailored the coaching to my needs. I loved it. 

Jez Pugh

Booked two sessions with Ian to try and hone my skills, been riding for 20 years but always knew I could continue on learning, and oh my word yes there is so much still to know with new riding techniques. 
Highly recommend whether you are a complete beginner or and old bugger like me. 

steve Edmonds

What a great lesson Thank you so much Ian, I will certainly be back for more

Sarah Isaac

My son (12yrs) loved the 1-2-1 session.  Ian engaged at his level and had his full attention and respect.  He learnt techniques to help him move to the next level safely.  Will definitely be back for more sessions.  

Jack Truby

Had an amazing 121 lesson and learnt so much would recommend this to anyone, 
It massively helped my confidence and can't wait to try out everything I learnt 
Thank you 

Jacob Harris

Rhys Booth

I had a fantastic time and really enjoyed the session. 
Ian was super helpful and really look forward to doing some on the Devo sessions in the future.
Would highly recommend.

Gavin Nash

Ian at Firecrest Mountain Biking was absolutely fantastic with my son, Dylan. His calm, encouraging approach really helped build Dylan’s confidence on the trails. Ian’s instruction was clear, patient, and perfectly tailored to Dylan’s level. By the end of the session, Dylan was riding with more skill and a huge smile on his face. Highly recommend!

Harry Bailey

An absolutely brilliant 1-2-1 with Ian, with so much fitted into the time. If, like me, you've reached a point where you can't seem to progress on your own, Ian is brilliant at spotting the areas where you're strongest and weakest, and breaking it down into simple steps to improve on.

Ian is very friendly and approachable, and a wealth of mountain biking knowledge. Highly recommended 

Charlie  Setford

A fantastic first coaching session for my teenage son and his friend, both very confident riders but self taught. Ian was brilliant, continuously assessing them on various parts of the trails and jumps within the park giving detailed feedback to refine their technique in language they could understand! They both took away some valuable tips which will certainly help them continue to progress. We’ll be back!

Will Barton

The first coaching session I and my Son had with Ian was a great session, and we both found immediate improvement in skills and techniques on the trails, and in the jump park. Ian's style of coaching is very engaging, and his system for teaching is very intuitive and confidence building. 

Matt McCue

This is the second course I've been on with Ian.  He is hugely knowledgeable and great at communicating this across to you. Definitely recommended.

Jon Parratt

Ian was excellent. He has a deep knowledge, and explains his methods in a way which is very easy to understand. 

Jakub Kopczyk

I've had an amazing time with my 1-2-1 session. Ian is very knowledgeable and very passionate about the sport. Highly recommend! 

Remy Hamerton 

Absolutely fantastic, my son loved his 121 session with Ian and got so much out of it. Highly recommend.  It helped build his confidence and he learnt so much from Ian who is so knowledgable.

Anne Neill

Great course learned more than I thought I ever could In 1 day.

Simon Jarvis

Myself and my son had a lesson to try and improve our trail speed, cornering and a little jumping. We rode our usual bike park the day after the lesson and I can't believe the difference already. Much faster without trying to go fast. I would highly recommend and will definitely be having more lessons. 

Siobhan Baynes

Instructor was a nice pleasant person but spent more time talking than riding,  In a three hour jump course I think I did half a dozen jumps or so. He took videos which were useful but didn't send me a copy,

Mark Barnard

Ian is an amazing coach. He takes a mindful approach to passing on his skills, carefully adapting his pace to suit individual needs. His enthusiasm for the sport is infectious, and his nurturing approach has helped my son to thrive – he can’t wait for his next session!

James Kennett

Excellent course and great location
Ian took his time to explain everything 
Honestly a really friendly and patient instructor 
Will be booking another course in the future

Graham I Jellis

Booked a 1 to 1 session for my son (Leo), Ian was absolutely superb,  Leo was riding  downhill trails /jumps with confidence, Ian's coaching and technical expertise were outstanding, we will be booking again to upskill and build on confidence for more technical trails.

3hr - 1-2-1 Mountain Bike Skills Course

simon levine

Spent an awesome morning with  Ian at Northampton Bike Park. He was brilliant. So knowledgeable and patient and the lads came away so happy. They even cleared huge jumps and his method of teaching has given them a much more understanding of how to handle their bikes. I would recommend everyone no matter their capabilities to have a lesson with Ian

Russell Worrod

Excellent experience! 
Ian has so much knowledge and a very good way of teaching to understand what is required to improve. 
The course made me feel much more confident and with a few tweaks from Ian I improved instantly, which was unexpected. 
I highly recommend the course for anyone, looking to improve or learn proper technique, from a very experienced MTB rider.

Tailored Mountain Bike Skills Coaching

We tailor all our Mountain Bike Skills Courses to meet your individual requirements. 