Skills Academy Cards
A real-world skills academy system to track your mountain biking progress.
With five levels of riding and technical skills, it provides a structured, progressive approach to learning new MTB skills.
The skills card system can be used by kids and adults alike – the skills (and fun) are the same no matter what your age! You don’t even have to be a part of our Kids Club or be coached by us to use the system by referencing the skills descriptions below.
Levelling up!
The 5-level system will give riders a clear perspective of their journey and what lies ahead for them, but additionally, perhaps more importantly, a reminder of how far they’ve progressed.
The list is not exhaustive, there are many, many skills and depths of knowledge and experience that can be developed for years – this is a core principles guide that aims to instil good practice, healthy habits and confidence in the long term.
The cards are made from metal so are very durable and fully recyclable – this also allows riders to experiment with other hand-crafting skills by letter-punching or engraving the cards with the rider’s name. We use an automatic centre punch to mark the skills as complete, as seen here, with a few of the Level 1 skills marked as complete.
Bonus Reference Cards
Four complimentary cards come supplied in each pack to provide a quick reference guide for;
- Bike Settings
- First Aid
- Trail Etiquette
- Rider Notes
Each card has space to note down your preferred settings and to keep track of any significant personal milestones or coach feedback. These cards are non-coated to allow them to be written on easily.
Leatherette Wallet & Options
The cards come in a neat leatherette wallet to keep them safe and so are easy to carry with you on a ride. Also included is a stubby pencil for taking notes on the reference cards. There are two versions of the metal card set on offer; a white version using ink/paint for the writing, or a fully-laser etched version.
Budget-friendly
We also understand that not everyone will want to fork out for the metal cards so we’re offering a downloadable PDF you can print at home to keep track of your progress. Ask us for a free pencil at Kids Club!
Skills & Description
List of skills and detailed descriptions below:
Riding Skills
| Level 1 | Riding Skill Description |
|---|---|
| Attack Position | Standing on the pedals while coasting, centrally balanced with eyes looking ahead, elbows in a strong press-up position, heels down and ankles relaxed. Demonstrate full range of motion on a vertical plane, from fully extended limbs, moving down to touch the bars/saddle and back up again. |
| Wobbly Waver | Take one hand off the bars and wave to the audience while riding in a straight line. At least 5 pedal strokes minimum, although aiming for infinite riding with some gentle cornering. |
| Front Pop | Cruise in attack position and manually lift the front wheel (without pedalling). Complete when coordinated by lifting the front wheel over a brick without touching it. |
| Pit Stop | Come to a total stop in attack position, pause for 1 second in a trackstand and ride away again. |
| Big Skid | Go really fast and do a big naughty skid for at least three bike lengths by pulling your rear brake and shifting your weight forward. |
| 10km/100m ride | Complete a ride with at least 5km distance and 100m elevation. |
| Level 2 | |
| Pump It Up | Utilise vertical range of motion to ‘pump the trail’ and generate speed while moving over rolling terrain. Complete a full lap of a pumptrack without pedalling! |
| Push Drop | Demonstrate the preparation of potential in the vertical plane while approaching a drop and use the extension of limbs to absorb the negative elevation of the trail – the outcome should be a smooth, quiet process with no head-bob or fore/aft movement of the body with full limb extension and full, intentional and powerful composure. |
| Rear Pop | Coast along in attack position and lift the rear wheel only. Complete when coordinated by lifting the rear wheel over a brick without touching it. |
| Ride No Hands | Take both hands off the bars, perhaps placed on the helmet, while riding in a straight line. At least 5 pedal strokes minimum, although aiming for infinite riding with some gentle direction correction or turning. |
| Tabletop Jump | Get both wheels off the ground to clear a tabletop jump, making sure the front wheel lands first and the rear wheel lands on the downslope. |
| 20km/250m Ride | Complete a ride with at least 10km distance and 250m elevation. |
| Level 3 | |
| Pedal Wheelie | Perform a pedal-powered wheelie while seated, lasting for at least 4 full pedal revolutions. Aiming for continuous wheelies on demand! |
| Bunnyhop | Coast in attack position and create a dynamic lift to get both wheels off the ground and over a brick without touching it. A two-step process of front wheel lift (manual) and rear wheel lift to create a rocking motion that will mean the front wheel leaves the ground first and also lands first. |
| Trackstand | Come to a total stop in attack position, pause for 10 seconds and ride away again. Turning the handlebars is acceptable to keep balance but the wheels must not rotate. |
| Gap Jump | Utilise the experience gained on tabletop jumps coupled with the height-building bunnyhop technique to clear a jump with a gap of at least one bike length between the lip of the ramp and the landing. |
| Endo | Use dynamic body movement coupled with strong application of the front brake to come to a stop while lifting the rear wheel, land again and pedal away. The rear wheel should be above axle height and full-stop must be engaged for the duration so that the rear lands before the front brake is released. |
| 30km/500m Ride | Complete a ride with at least 25km distance and 500m elevation. |
| Level 4 | |
| Manual Wheelie | Perform a manual front wheel lift (without pedalling) using dynamic body movement – hold the front wheel in the air for at least 5 bike lengths. |
| Cuttie | Use dynamic body movement to create turning on a grip point, with the spectacular outcome of drifting into and/or out of a turn and making that wonderful ‘schralp’ noise. Brakes should not be used at any point in the process – this is not a skid! |
| Manual Roller | Perform a manual between two rollers or through a significant dip in the terrain – the front wheel must not touch the ground until the landing or downslope of the second roller, or until after the dip has passed. |
| Endo Turn | Perform an endo/stoppie to create a pivoting point on the front wheel while approaching a tight, steep switchback corner to help manoeuvre the bike around a minimum turn angle of 120 degrees. |
| Munro Bagger | Ascend to the summit of a Munro mountain (over 3000ft/914m) and ride back down again. |
| 40km/750m Ride | Complete a ride with at least 40km distance and 1000m elevation. |
| Level 5 | |
| Ledge Hop | Perform a coordinated bunnyhop to lift both wheels onto an axle-height ledge without touching the lip. |
| Stoppie | Cruise along attack position and perform a rolling endo using the front brake, stopping before the rear wheel touches the ground, after a minimum distance of 3 bike lengths. |
| Prancing Horse | Initiate a rear-wheel-balanced ‘prancing-horse’ position by performing an endo and then rocking back onto the rear wheel with the brakes applied. Perform at least four full rear wheel hops with the front wheel in the air before rolling away. |
| Wheelie Waver | Perform a one-handed pedal wheelie while waving and making eye contact with the viewer. The wheelie must continue for at least three pedal strokes after the waving hand is returned to the bars. |
| Bikepacker | Participate in a two-day wild ride that includes an overnight stop, either camping or in a bothy, carrying all kit required for the trip. |
| 50km/1000m Ride | Complete a ride with at least 50km distance and 1500m elevation. |
Technical Skills
| Level 1 | Technical Skill Description |
|---|---|
| Safety Check | Perform a basic bike and equipment safety check – tyres should be identified as roughly correct pressure (a bit of squish, not too hard, but not saggy under bodyweight alone) and some other basic test of things turning correctly and brakes working. Safety kit should be checked and adjusted correctly, particularly helmet straps. |
| Self-sufficient Kit | Ride with a backpack containing a drink, snack and tools/spares sufficient for the ride ahead. |
| Component Identifier | Highlight and describe the function of at least three components on the bike, such as; wheels, pedals, handlebars, gears, tyres, brakes etc. |
| Chain Oiler | Apply oil to ensure a chain is lubricated for the ride ahead, then wipe off any excess to avoid brake contamination. |
| Snack Sharer | Look out for fellow riders and keep morale high by sharing a snack with someone who is perhaps quiet, shy or struggling to integrate into the group environment. Major bonus points for making your own snacks and bringing them to share! |
| Litter Picker | Keep our environment clean and tidy with Trash Free Trails – responsibly collect some rubbish and take it home or deposit it in the nearest bin. |
| Level 2 | |
| M-check | Perform a full M-check, starting at the front axle and working through all the components along the shape of the letter M, to the rear axle, checking for correct function along the way. |
| Tyre Swapper | Swap a tyre, or remove and refit the same tyre, to demonstrate the process required. The use of tyre levers should be minimal, especially on refitting to avoid punctures. The correct technique can overcome this in all but the toughest of tubeless tyre/rim combinations. |
| Group Counter | Demonstrate awareness of the group by taking a group count at the start of a ride, ensuring that it correlates at every point along the way. Point out that someone is missing or lagging behind in the group to prove your group awareness. |
| Stoke Builder | Show your excitement and build the atmosphere in the group by encouraging other riders. Celebrating success is obvious, however, celebrating effort and/or failure is nearly always welcome unless the situation is serious. |
| Bike Washer | Present a fully cleaned and lubricated bike at the beginning of the ride, extending its lifespan and maintaining performance. |
| Trail Pixie | Participate in a trail-maintenance session; trim brush and branches, clear culverts/drains, create puddle-draining channels, rock-armour erosion hotspots etc. |
| Level 3 | |
| Advanced Bike Check | Perform a thorough bike check demonstrating two methods beyond the basic M-check. |
| Puncture Repair | Successfully repair a punctured tyre, either by repairing and refitting an inner tube or by plugging a tubeless tyre. Either outcome should retain all pressure from reinflation for the duration of the ride. |
| Headset Adjuster | Release and refit a headset to the correct bearing tension. No movement should be apparent, while free rotational movement and smooth bearing action should be preserved. |
| Demonstrator | Perform three or more exaggerated and intentional demonstrations while senior coaches describe the process. Often a purposefully-incorrect and exaggerated technique may be utilised for comparison. |
| Trail Fairy | Participate in a trail-building session; demonstrate imagination, planning/process, material consideration, durability and sustainability, to invest long-term in the trail network and riding infrastructure. |
| First Aider | Carry a first aid kit with resources typical for common MTB incidents and injuries. |
| Level 4 | |
| Gear Tuner | Adjust the gears of a derailleur from scratch (cable indexing and limit screws) to a functional state. A verbal description of how to refit a cable is helpful. |
| Route Planner | Devise a plan of action using a map – this could be demonstrated as a route card or as a verbal recollection of the significant elements of a familiar planned ride. Demonstrate by riding the whole intended route manually, or by leading a group for at least a section of the real-world route. |
| Fuel Chef | Plan, prepare and cook an efficient, tasty and nutritious meal for a group of riders. |
| Brake Pad Swapper | Change a set of brake pads before they perish to prevent rotor damage, demonstrating resetting (and perhaps lubricating) the pistons and ensuring calliper/pad alignment. |
| Video Editor | Edit a series of riding clips to create a short riding video, using it as an opportunity to make observations and notes to help improve technique. |
| Junior Coach | Volunteer as an assistant to a senior coach at a coaching session, carrying a selection of additional equipment to lead a riding group, with additional spares, tools and resources. |
| Level 5 | |
| Suspension Fettler | Adjust a rider’s suspension from scratch to a balanced, baseline starting point – demonstrate an understanding of spring rate/pressure according to rider weight and explain rebound/compression damping characteristics. |
| Nipple Tweaker | Demonstrate the knowledge to adjust spoke tension in a wheel to make it round and true. |
| Grease Monkey | Demonstrate the stripping, cleaning, refurbishing and refitting of bearings with fresh grease. |
| Video Director | Plan, shoot and edit a riding trip or adventure, making a ‘vlog’ style video edit with commentary and riding. |
| DR ABC | Demonstrate an understanding of the emergency first aid procedure. Remain calm throughout the process and communicate a decision on how best to proceed. |
| Pro Coach | Perform a paid session as a coach/guide, under the supervision of a senior coach. |