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
  • May 19 and 21
  • 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.

Sign up for one or all three sessions:

  • 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.