Skills Instruction Archive - Cog Wild Bicycle Tours

Advanced Mountain Bike Skills Courses

Cog Wild’s advanced mountain bike courses are geared towards good riders who want to refine their skills and go faster with more control and style. These courses dive into the nitty gritty of jumping, cornering and technical riding. Jump higher and throw some steez, feel the speed gained with refining cornering technique, clean rock gardens with more confidence and control. Offered multiple times per season, select the session that works for your time frame.

Browse the options below to choose the course that fits your needs. If these options feel too advanced, try a Progression Session to hone in basic mountain bike skills, learn to jump or drop a mountain bike through our popular oldies series or take a private lesson with a certified coach.

Professional Coaches

Cog Wild is home to the best coaches around. With multiple certifications from Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches or Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association, years of racing experience, a lifetime of playing around on bikes and lots of coaching and teaching at all levels, our coaches are pro. You are guaranteed to come away from these courses with new riding tools and a refined sense of how to ride.

Jumps For Show

Rider Level and Requirements

Jumps For Show is geared towards experienced riders who have jumped some, can catch some air and maybe attempted to move the bike around and now looking to add some style and height. Jumping 2.0 is two sessions scheduled a week apart, to give you some practice time before the second day.

-Pressing and absorbing to adjust and guide your airtime
-Preloading and “coiling”
-Squashing, and “racer jumps”
-adjusting air to nail the sweet spot of the landing
-natural jumps like roots and rocks on the trail
-explore whips and tables, moving the bike around for style
-transfers, hips and gap jumps, oh my

Be prepared
-Bring a well maintained bike with disc brakes and full suspension.
-Wear a helmet and knee pads, elbow and other body armor is recommended.
-Must be willing to pedal laps of the various jump trails around Bend

Terrain & Trails

In Bend we are fortunate to have a wide variety of jump trails close by. Whoops, Tiddly Winks, The Lair and Fifty Shades of Blue are all on the table. Instruction on the trail includes jumping demonstrations, drills and tasks to dial in the nuances or catching air and lots of practice with continued feedback using verbal cues, video review and coach demos.

2026 Jumps for Show Schedule

Two day course, one week apart for maximum progression. If these dates don’t work with your schedule, consider a private lesson for you or a group of friends for a specific jumping class.

May 26th and June 2nd. Tuesdays, 9:00 – 11:30 AM
June 4th and 11th. Thursdays, 5:00 – 7:30 PM

The first week will meet at Cog Wild, we will choose where to go based on trail conditions and student desire.

2nd week will meet at Cog and shuttle out to ride either TiddlyWinks or Whoops, conditions dependent

$175 for a two days of jumping action

Corners For Dough

Rider Level and Requirements

Cornering is the holy grail of mountain biking, we all chase the “perfect turn” and there is always room for improvement. Learn techniques that you can take to the rest of your riding career. Corners For Dough is two sessions scheduled a week apart, to give you some practice time before the second day.

-Leaning, when and how much
-Angulating, adjusting in the corner and maximizing traction
-Rotating, driving the bike through body movement
-berm turns
-flat and off camber turns
-loose corners and how to rail
-line choice for flow and speed through corners
-maximizing traction with pressure control

Be prepared
-Bring a well maintained bike with disc brakes and full suspension.
-Wear a helmet and knee pads, elbow and other body armor is recommended.
-We will shuttle, but be prepared for some pedaling and climbing to get to the sweet corners

Terrain & Trails

Bend is a corner mecca, they are everywhere. Funner has a wide variety of corners and is easy to shuttle, so day one will be Funner! On the second day we will choose a trail based on conditions and group desires Instruction on the trail includes cornering demonstrations, drills and tasks to work on better cornering and lots of practice with continued feedback using verbal cues, video review and coach demos.

2026 Corners For Dough

Two day clinic, one week apart for maximum progression. If these dates don’t work with your schedule, consider a private lesson for you or a group of friends for a specific jumping class.

May 4th and 11th, Mondays 5:00 – 7:30 PM
June 1st and 8th, Mondays 5:00 – 7:30 PM
June 23rd and 30th, Tuesdays 9:00 – 11:30 AM

The first week, meet at Cog Wild, we will shuttle Funner for maximum corner time

2nd week, meet at Cog, we will choose where to ride, conditions dependent

$175 for a two day clinic of corner smashing

Crushing Tech

Rider Level and Requirements

Cornering is the holy grail of mountain biking, we all chase the “perfect turn” and there is always room for improvement. Learn techniques that you can take to the rest of your riding career. Cornering refinement is two sessions scheduled a week apart, to give you some practice time before the second day.

-steep climbing
-going up rocks and roots
-Rock rolls and steep downs
-ratcheting and avoiding pedal catchers
-body movements to flow through techy terrain
-switch backs and slow speed turns
-rotation, angulation and body-bike separation
-pumping and absorbing, keeping momentum in the jank

Be prepared
-Bring a well maintained bike with disc brakes and full suspension.
-Wear a helmet and knee pads, elbow and other body armor is recommended.
-Be prepared for some pedaling and climbing to get to the techy goods

Terrain & Trails

Bend isn’t known for being steep or especially tech, but there are plenty rocks, roots steep ups and downs and technical features to challenge even the most competent riders. COD is the go to tech trail in Bend, and that is where we will head. Instruction on the trail includes demonstrations, drills and tasks to work on cleaning technical terrain and lots of practice with continued feedback using verbal cues, video review and coach demos.

2026 Crushing Tech

One morning only. If these dates don’t work with your schedule, consider a private lesson for you or a group of friends for a specific jumping class.

May 23rd, Saturday 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM, one day 4.5 hours

Meet at Cog Wild, we start on our skills loop then ride out onto the trails

$175 for single day 4.5 hours tech course

Mountain Biking for Oldies Group Instruction

Cog Wild’s Mountain Biking for Oldies classes are designed for experienced mountain bikers who want to learn how to safely jump or hit drops. Both Drops for Oldies and Jumping for Oldies feature instruction on body position, anatomy of the feature and merciless practice along with individual and video feedback from the coach.

Riders are encouraged to take Drops for Oldies before Jumping for Oldies, because the drops course reviews basic body position, which is a foundational skill of mountain biking. Besides, drops are easier to learn than jumps. Graduates of the Jumping for Oldies class are invited to participate in Jumping for Golden Oldies, where jump skills are applied the trails west of Bend, Oregon.

Drops for Oldies

Rider Level and Requirements

Drops for Oldies is designed for experienced riders who can trail ride well, have attempted drops before and who are ready to dial in the fundamentals to progress safely. Coach Erika strongly recommends this class before Jumping for Oldies.

Be prepared

Bring a well maintained bike with disc brakes and at least a 120mm of full suspension travel.
Wear a helmet and knee pads, elbow and other body armor is recommended.

What to expect

Drops for Oldies takes a deep dive into the body position, speed and timing of drop technique. Instruction begins with rolling drops and progresses to larger drops, as appropriate for each rider. The coach then mercilessly drills the participants in safe drop technique.

2026 Drops for Oldies Schedule

April 9
April 30
May 12

Each class is one evening only. All classes are from 5 PM to 7 PM. If these dates don’t work with your schedule, consider a private lesson for you or a group of friends to learn mountain bike drop skills.

The class meets at the mountain bike skills area at the Seventh Mountain Resort. Park in any spot and find the skills area near the tennis courts.

$95 for a two hour drop progression course

Jumping For Oldies

Rider Level and requirements

Jumping for Oldies is for experienced riders who can trail ride well, have attempted jumps before and who are eager to understand the fundamentals in order to maximize air time and control.

Be prepared

Bring a well maintained, modern mountain bike. Hardtails are ok, a full suspension with disc brakes is recommended.
Either a full face or open face helmet is ok, knee and elbow pads are recommended.
Must be willing and able to repeatedly ride or push a bike back to the top of a jump line.

What to expect

Day #1 begins at the Seventh Mountain Resort skills park, where participants learn and practice safe jumping technique. On Day #2, participants apply their new skills at the The Lair, a popular jumping spot near Cog Wild. Graduates of Jumping for Oldies are eligible for Jumping for Golden Oldies, which are single evening, alumni sessions on jump trails west of Bend.

2026 Schedule

April 14 and 16
May 5 and 7
June 9 and 11

If these dates don’t work for you, consider setting up a private group lesson for you and some friends to cover the same content.

Session #1: The class meets at the Seventh Mountain Resort Bike Skills Area.

Session #2: The class meets at Cog Wild to ride to The Lair.

$175 for two days of jump progression and practice.

Jumping For Golden Oldies

Rider level and requirements

The Jumping for Golden Oldies sessions are available to riders who have “graduated” from Jumping for Oldies in the past couple of years. Class size is limited to 6 riders to reduce trail cluster.

Be prepared

Bring a well maintained modern mountain bike. Hardtails are ok, a full suspension with disc brakes is recommended.
Either a full face or open face helmet is ok, knee and elbow pads are recommended
Must be willing and able to repeatedly ride or push a bike back to the top of a jump line.

What to expect

Take the skills learned in Jumping for Oldies to the trail! Each 2.5 hour, stand alone class becomes progressively more difficult: A is the most basic, B is a bit more difficult and C is the most advanced.

A: Golden Oldies at the Lair
B: Whoops for Golden Oldies
C: Tiddlywinks for Golden Oldies

2026 Schedule

May 26: Golden Oldies at the Lair
June 10: Whoops for Golden Oldies
June 15: Tiddlywinks for Golden Oldies

If these dates don’t work for your schedule, consider setting up a private group lesson for you and some friends to cover the same content.

Each session is a stand alone 2.5 hour class that meets at the following trailheads:

May 26: Golden Oldies at the Lair: meet at Cog Wild at 5 PM and ride to the Lair.
June 9: Whoops for Golden Oldies: Meet at the bottom of Whoops Trail on Forest Rd. 300.
June 11: Tiddlywinks for Golden Oldies. Meet at Green Gate at 4:45 to catch a shuttle at 5 PM sharp!

$95 per session

About Coach Erika

Erika Schmid has been riding her mountain bike forever yet she continues to push herself to the more extreme aspects of the sport as she ages. Erika is a PMBI Level 2 certified instructor with a major in jumps and drops.

Mountain Bike Skills Clinics in Oakridge, Oregon

Come to Oakridge to learn or refine mountain bike skills. The terrain is great for skill building: switchbacks, flow trails and steep tech trails. Whether you are looking for fundamentals, downhill specific lessons or flow skills, we have the coaches for you.

Cog Wild’s coaches are certified through the Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches or Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association, they are trained to help you become a more confident and skilled rider. Private instruction for individuals to small groups is available daily from mid April through the end of October.

Private Skills Meet our Coaches

Private Mountain Bike Skills Session

For solo riders or a private group. From beginners to advanced riders, we can accommodate everyone.

On demand, personalized instruction from a certified coach.

The coach will discuss goals, assess skill and tailor instruction to each client’s ability and interests. Lessons typically focus on what the client needs, which typically includes fundamental skills, technical trail riding over rocks & roots, cornering and switchbacks, rollers, jumps and cornering.

9:30 to 1:30, up to 4 hours, which may include shuttle time in a van.

Includes snacks, Cog Wild water bottle, transportation during the lesson and cold beverages post session.

Pricing

Solo rider: $320
2 riders: $175 per person
3 to 4: $135 per person

Oakridge Mountain Bike Coaches

Lev Stryker

Lev is Cog Wild’s head skills coach. In addition to going fast downhill, he’s a high level skills coach. He’ll break down the nitty gritty of becoming a faster and smoother rider.

Qualifications

PMBI Level 2 Instructor
PMBI Level 1 Coach Course Conductor
Wilderness First Responder

Dennis Sibilia Young

Dennis is passionate about introducing people to mountain biking and the Oakridge trails. As an experienced educator and rider, he’s our go to coach for fundamentals and intermediate skills for newer riders, families and folks who identify as older.

Qualifications

PMBI Level 1 Instructor
NICA Level 3 coach and National Trainer
Wilderness First Aid certified

Frequently asked questions about skills instruction sessions

Yes! Your own mountain bike is best because you are used to it and you’ll likely ride it after the lesson.

Our coaches have ample experience with all skill levels:

Beginners and intermediate riders progress quickly through a skills lessons or a guided ride.

For more advanced riders, our instructors ensure your fundamentals are solid, then move into more advanced skills like drops and jumps, and maneuvers on technical terrain like rock gardens, jump lines and higher speed corners.

For central Oregon locals and long term visitors, we recommend multi-week clinics such as Progression Sessions, Jumping or Drops for Oldies or an Advanced Mountain Bike Course at our Bend location.

Additionally, it’s possible to schedule multiple private lessons or a full day tour with a coach or guide to refine your riding abilities.

In Oakridge, skills instruction is available for children on a case by case basis. Please contact the office to discuss options at info@www.cogwild.com or call 541-385-7002.

Mountain Bike Skills Instruction Bend, Oregon

A mountain bike coach assesses a rider and gives instruction on how to corner on a mountain bike trail.

Cog Wild has provided mountain bike and gravel skills instruction in Bend since 2015. All of our coaches are certified through the Global Syndicate of Mountain Bike Coaches or Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association. Choose from on demand private instruction for individuals to small groups or multi-week group instruction sessions focused on the fundamentals of mountain biking or advanced maneuvers like jumps and drops.

Private Lessons Progression Sessions jumping for oldies drops for oldies Golden oldies Advanced: jumps for show Advanced: corners for dough Advanced: crushing tech

Mountain Biking for Oldies

Prescheduled group classes

For riders age 30+, intermediate & experienced riders

“Jumping for Oldies”

“Drops for Oldies”

“Golden Oldies”

4.5 hours of instruction over 2 lessons per session (2x week for 1 week) OR a single 2.5 hour session

Mountain biking for Oldies Details

Advanced Mountain Bike Courses

Prescheduled group classes

Strong intermediate to advanced riders

“Jumping for Show”

“Cornering For Dough”

“Crushing Tech”

4.5 hours of instruction: either 2 lessons per midweek session or a single Saturday

Advanced MTB Courses info

Private Mountain Bike Skills Lessons

For solo riders or your private group

All abilities, the coach will assess your skill and tailor instruction to your ability and goals.

On demand, personalized instruction from a certified skills instructor

Half day (3 hours) or full day (5-6 hours)

Private MTB Skills info

MTB Progression Sessions

Prescheduled group classes

Beginner to intermediate riders

Strengthen fundamental skills in a fun group environment

7.5 hours of instruction over 3 lessons per session (1x week for 3 weeks)

Progression Session Info

Frequently Asked Questions about Mountain Bike Skills Instruction

Yes! Your own mountain bike is best because you are used to it and you’ll likely ride it after the lesson.

If you are traveling or you’d like to try a different bike we have DEMO BIKES for rent.

Our coaches have ample experience with all skill levels:. Beginners and intermediate riders progress quickly through a skills lessons or a guided ride. For more advanced riders, our instructors ensure your fundamentals are solid, then move into more advanced skills like drops and jumps, and maneuvers on technical terrain like rock gardens, jump lines and higher speed corners.

For central Oregon locals and long term visitors, we recommend multi-week clinics such as Progression Sessions, Jumping or Drops for Oldies or an Advanced Mountain Bike Course. Additionally, it’s possible to schedule multiple private lessons or a full day tour with a coach or guide to enhance your riding abilities.

Check out Cascadia Junior Cycling for junior-specific after school mountain biking sessions, summer camps, mountain bike clubs & race teams.

Cascadia Junior Cycling

Group Mountain bike instruction for adults

Master the trails with Cog Wild’s Multi-Week Progression Sessions

Join Cog Wild’s progression sessions to improve your mountain bike skills with like minded adult riders in Bend.

Cog Wild’s coaches have advanced coaching certifications and are highly trained to guide your progression, wherever you are on your mountain biking journey. If group lessons aren’t your thing, check out half and full day private skills sessions in both Bend or Oakridge.

Progression Sessions

For entry and intermediate level riders who want to gain confidence and improve stability and balance on a mountain bike through an intentionally laid out series of lessons.

Rider Level

Cog Wild’s Progression Sessions are designed for beginner to intermediate riders who have some experience and are ready to short cut the learning curve with intentional instruction.

The Experience

The classes meet at Cog Wild and at various trailheads.
Three 2.5 hour mountain bike lessons led by certified skills coaches with the same cohort.
Each lesson builds upon skills learned during the prior session. Please plan to attend all three sessions.
Complimentary Deschutes Brewery beer, Polar Seltzer or Humm Kombucha to close up the final session.

3-week sessions on Mondays from 5:00 to 7:30 PM: June 1, 8 and 15

The first session meets at Cog Wild’s office in Bend. The coach will determine the location for the later two dates based on the weather and which trails are open at that time of year.

$275 for three 2.5 hour sessions of intentionally planned mountain bike skills instruction for adults

COGWILD SKILLS CLINICS – PROMO from JAYMOVISION on Vimeo.

Get downhill ready with a professional coach

Ride Mt. Bachelor’s Bike Park with confidence after a lesson with a certified mountain bike coach. Cog Wild partners with Mt Bachelor to offer advanced downhill mountain bike skills clinics for solo riders or private groups. Please inquire for a Mt. Bachelor skills lesson.

Rider Level

Bike Park Skills Sessions are for experienced riders who can trail ride well, have maybe attempted jumps before and are now looking to push air time and control.

Terrain & Trails

The coach will select trails appropriate to the rider’s skill level and use the drop and jump skills area at the base of the mountain.

Dates are limited to when the Bike Park is open, approximately July 4 to Labor Day and weekends in September. Please inquire for dates.

Sessions begin at 10 AM, when the bike park opens, and end at approximately 1 PM.

Stay and ride the park after your lesson.

Meet your coach at the West Village Lodge Deck at Mt. Bachelor. The skills session takes place at Mt. Bachelor’s Bike Park.

Inlcuded:

This lesson includes:
One-on-one or small group downhill skills building, the lessons will be determined by your skill level and mountain biking goals.
Professional mountain bike coach

Not Included:

Bike rental (can be booked through Mt. Bachelor rentals)
Pads or helmet (can be obtained from Mt. Bachelor rentals)
Bike Park ticket (can be purchased at Mt. Bachelor)
Transportation to or from Mt. Bachelor

Solo rider: $290
2 riders: $150 per person
3 or more: $115 per person

COGWILD SKILLS CLINICS – PROMO from JAYMOVISION on Vimeo.

Private Mountain Bike Skills Instruction in Bend, Oregon

Cog Wild’s private mountain bike skills session’s are designed to help you become a more confident and skilled rider. Choose from a full or half-day clinic for you or a your private group.

Private Mountain Bike Skills Class

Each private skills class is customized to the participant(s). To begin, the coach will assess rider ability and determine goals. All instruction and feedback is designed around client goals. After the session, relax and debrief the experience and summarize the skills learned with a cold beverage from Deschutes Brewery, Polar Seltzer or Humm Kombucha.

Half-day sessions are 3 to 3.5 hours and include on-trail snacks. Cog Wild recommends a half day session for newer riders because practicing skills and drills is mentally and physically demanding.
Full-day sessions are 5-6 hours and include on-trail lunch and snacks. The first half of the day is usually for skills practice while the second half of the day is devoted to applying newly learned skills to the trail.

Private skills sessions meet at Cog Wild, which is located at LOGE Bend, adjacent to the Deschutes National Forest. Lessons take place at Cog Wild and National Forest roads and trails.

Half Day Private Skills

Solo rider: $230
2 riders: $120 per person
3 or more: $95 per person

Full Day Private Skills

Solo rider: $350
2 riders: $180 per person
3 or more: $135 per person

Santa Cruz rental bikes are available, add one to your reservation upon checkout.

COGWILD SKILLS CLINICS – PROMO from JAYMOVISION on Vimeo.