What People Are Saying About Us

I've been a recreational mountain bike rider for a few years, and have been riding on single track, but never had any formal training. I just finished the weekend skills course in Irvine, CA with Richard, Randy and Daniel as the instructors. They are excellent instructors breaking every fundamental skill down, demonstrating the skill and then evaluating your practice runs with constructive criticism before applying the skills on the trails.

Even though I have been riding single track for a few years, I quickly found out that I have been doing many things if not everything wrong, which means the people I ride with are doing it wrong too. Richard, Randy and Daniel are very patient and professional encouraging every student no matter what the age or gender (our class had males and females from late 20s to late 50s).

I just rode on my local trails today after taking the Ninja clinic in Sedona. I was so happy I could transfer what I learned in Sedona to my own trails. There is one drop and one off camber downhill section I never have had the courage or skill to ride until today. It was so fun to ride them and not get off and walk. Richard La China and Courtney Cowan were fantastic instructors. Not only did I up my technical skills in Sedona it was also a ton of fun!

~Patty Elliott

I just had my first race (XC endurance) since I did the camp and both my speed and confidence going down steep descents have been SIGNIFICANTLY improved. I would not have attempted 50% of the drops and jumps on the course prior to participating in the clinic, and my overall time would have been much slower. The first two hours of the class (int/adv Sedona) made the whole thing more than worth it, and the rest of the two days seemed like a bonus. Both Courtney and Richard were encouraging and patient, and both had that classic mountain biker charm and humor ready when the moment called for it. Overall a very enjoyable and valuable weekend.

For reference, I participate in amateur XC endurance races (with no hope of ever coming close to winning anything) and have been riding for about two years. I was worried before taking the class that I would not be skilled enough, but the int/adv was appropriate for my skill level. If you're worried, just go for it anyway. There is a good mix of people and everyone was very friendly!

~Alana Bencivengo

I took the Ninja intermediate / advanced course here in Denver the weekend before last, and it was probably the best money I've spent on mountain biking in quite a while. Aaron tuned the clinic to our skills and needs, putting in extra time and attention where we needed more work and covering a wide range of skills. After mountain biking for almost 20 years, there were still missing pieces (and some bad habits) to my riding that he picked up on, explained, and then showed me how to improve, correct, and practice.

We attended the 2-Day Mountain Bike Skills Camp in Denver CO. I'm a beginner to mountain biking and the class exceeded my expectations. The first day was basic fundamental training from bunny hops to cornering your bike. The second day we put those skills to the test by climbing and downhill at all different skill levels, Richard and Aaron even took video to help improve our skills. Well worth your time if you want to improve!

~Russ Anderson

The intermediate and advanced clinic was very helpful and effective. Easy to follow, a lot of information but somehow I was able to retain it. I think because the instructors present it well. It was very professional and at the same time really fun!

~ Karen B.

 

My adult son and I participated in the "Fundamentals" camp on Saturday at Hildebrand Ranch in Denver, Colorado. We were both very pleased with the clinic and would highly recommend it to anyone who has recently started riding full suspension mountain bikes. We have already been back out on the single-track trails practicing what we learned in the clinic. Aaron and Richard did a great job breaking down all the fundamentals and honestly amazed at the impact on my riding. Still have a lot to work on but if I follow the instructions I can improve my riding. We are both scheduled to attend a two day clinic in Santa Fe with Richard and looking forward to taking our riding to the next level. If you want to improve your skills, don't hesitate to sign up for the next skills clinic in your area.

~Dan Mitchell

I consider myself a strong intermediate MTB rider; I love highly technical downhill single track trails.  A friend suggested I take a multi-day skills clinic to help get to the next level.  After a brief search I found that Ninja Bike Skills 3 day skills clinic up in Big Bear CA.

If you have never taken a class then the old adage "you don't know what you don't know" probably holds true; it did with me.  While it the clinic started off simple, the skills taught build on one-another to ensure you have solid foundation basics needed to safely leverage the higher skill stuff taught at the back end of the class.

Richard and Aaron brought two great perspectives as one is a XC/Edurance/Enduro rider and the other is dedicated to gravity downhill.  The teaching style was simple and actionable.  All the Ninja instructors are very knowledgeable and very passionate about MTB which is infectious and make the class fun.

I would highly recommend to any level riders who have never had any instruction in MTB skills.  Plus if you take the class at a place like Snow Summit Big Bear, you get to ride amazing trails!!

~Greg A.

Although I’ve ridden a fair amount, I’ve never bothered to learn much technique so this was a great class that showed the basics. Can’t wait for the next one!

~ Greg M.

 

Thanks Richard for this awesome clinic. Went back to basic fundamentals and through the repetitiveness of each section, it helped build confidence & speed!

More drops please! ha! ha! Had fun at the same time and a great workout! I definitely recommend and will do again!

~Robbyn E.

 

Ninja Mountain Bike Skills is a warm and friendly environment to learn new skills and hone ones you already know.  It's a non intimidating environment where mistakes are welcomed so corrections can be made.  I own G2 Bike is Aliso Viejo and this clinic has been ran out of the Aliso Woods area and when I interviewed the clients they had all but great things to say.  None arrogant instructors and easy to follow steps.

The biggest bang for many was meeting new area riders at their skill level, gaining confidence, and getting the bike set up and fit properly.  G2 Bike looks forward to many more of these clinics in this area.  Thanks Richard for all you do for the MTB community!

~ AJ S.

 

Just finished the Intermediate/Advanced course.  I had previously taken the Beginning course about a year ago.  I was not disappointed.  The preparation and lesson planning is great.  Instructors seem to be everywhere providing input and excellent advice.  Both groups had a wide range of skilled riders, but the team made everyone welcome and everyone learned important new skills.  This training makes everyday more fun on my bike.  DAY 2:  Just rode one of my "regular" morning workout routes.  2 PR's - and I thought I was just cruising.  I was making no effort to ride fast...  just smooth like I was taught.

~Peter O.

Taken the 3 day Skills Camp out in Mulberry Gap GA. Outstanding weekend. We had a small group of  about 8 people with 3 Ninja Pro's. Richard and the  instructors were  attentive  and always helpful. The course had you work on your base fundamentals, advanced skills, along with  bike setup,maintenance, nutrition ,This was a very comprehensive course. After learning the skills, we'd hit the trails and the training didn't stop. Instructors would  get to a technical portion of a trail and have us all stop and they would  show us how to use the skills we just learned. Everyone learned at their own pace. So no one felt pressured to keep up with others.  Having fun was always top priority. Arriving back home, I was practicing all the skills i've learned  like an excited  little kid with a new bike.  I hope to take this course again when they come back to this side of the country -- it was well worth it!

~Vic D.

I went to the clinic that was offered April 6-9 at Mulberry Gap in Elljay Georgia. The coaches were awesome! I was riding faster with more control than ever before! If you want to get better take one of their camps!

~Bill S.

The Ninja team (Richard & Aaron) were great instructors! The training was in Soquel Demonstration Forest & being able take our time to session sections of Braille & Flow while having experts help fix any dysfunctions in our riding technique was priceless. I know I've always had to brake-check a lot before hitting the corners, but now I actually feel more planted while carrying more speed around the berms just w/ a slight change in hip position. I can't wait to actually hit Flow again at speed just to see how my time has improved. As for Braille, I know I need to session some of the jumps & drops a few more times before I hit them at speed (instead of bypassing around most of them as I have in the past) but now I should have the tools to know what I need to practice. Technical instruction aside, they also talked about efficient uphill pedaling, gearing choices as well as techniques to build up more mitochondria in your body... all stuff I'm interested in since I know I need to build up my climbing legs.

~Carlo F.

My 14 year old son and I (I'm 43) went to the Intermediate/advanced skills clinic at Malibu Creek State Park. We both race and ride at a very fast pace. Getting faster for us is about making sure our fundamentals are solid and we can continue to use those fundamentals to smooth out our flow to increase our skills and confidence.

Richard has a way of breaking down all the information to make it very understandable and usable. My son and I have been to other skills classes before and knew what to expect, mostly. Richard was able to coach us to better form riding high speed flat corners! We brushed up on and cleaned up some less helpful habits.

We really worked to understand the how and why behind some skills that we already had but didn't know we that we did. All in all we had a blast! Richard was fun and informative. Taylor was helping Richard out for the day. It was fun to watch her demo some skills at speed. Her input throughout the day was informative and light hearted.

It was a fun day on the bike with some great people and coaching. This will not be our last Ninja training clinic! Thanks for everything Richard and Taylor!

~Eric Zubick

Coming from a triathlon background I had spent most of my time on the road, though I did have a few seasons of cyclocross under my belt. I was a novice mountain biker with just enough confidence to get myself into trouble on the trails.

I started by attending the free Tuesday night mountain bike workouts at Balboa Park, led by Coach Richard. While these are primarily geared toward building fitness, we learned some skills tips and I met some cool folks.

Since then I've taken the intermediate and advanced skills clinics, as well as raced a couple times. Coaches Richard and Kris are great at instruction, which is not easy. Most great riders cannot teach others to do the same, but these two are exceptional at it. They've helped build my confidence and competence.  In fact they have taken time during weekday and weekend rides to help give me pointers!

I joined Team Ninja to train and race with this fun crew and would highly advise you check them out!

~Henry H.

 

Woohoo!  As good as it gets is appropriate! Richard is not only a great rider, he is a great teacher! I would encourage everyone to stay away from the mind trap that buying a more expensive mountain bike is what you need to ride better.

Spend the money on lessons instead, and I know you will be happier (and safer) in the long run. I can't say enough positive things about the Bike Skills clinics.

~ Chris G.

 

Hands down, enrolling in the Intermediate/Advanced clinic was the best thing I've ever done to improve my speed and ability on the bike. I am so much faster on singletrack and through technical sections/jumps that even if people are more fit than me, I still keep up with them (and kind of love watching them do a lot more work than they need to). Richard and Kris are fantastic and break things down in a way that makes sense and is manageable. By the end of my first clinic, I was jumping off ledges and power climbing up sections that I couldn't drive a car up.

You could buy a $5,000 carbon bike and do 10,000 ft rides every day, but you will get the best return on any investment you make in your riding by attending a Ninja Skills Clinic.

~ Regina J.

 

I'm so glad I made the decision to be part of the Mulberry Gap 3-day clinic. Richard and Randy are really skilled at breaking things down, very patient and kind. They were very attentive to what each of us needed individually while maintaining a no-pressure, fun vibe. The place is beautiful, rustic and offers a great opportunity to unplug.

It's the seemingly little things that make a big difference in your riding, and I feel like I gained some useful insight about not only being on the bike, but set-up and nutrition as well.

~Susan Tully

This clinic was PERFECT for me…as a very experienced roadie but pure beginner on MTBs, Richard’s instruction was clear, detailed, and specific, so that I could start to get the feel of how to work effectively on trails instead of asphalt.  Jeff (a former elite cyclocross racer) also joined us and added some solid hints and comments.

All in all, you couldn’t get more for your money than this clinic.

~ Mike Sofen

 

Aaron Lucy ran an AMAZING training camp,even as an experienced rider I learned all kinds of new skills about corning, technical riding up and down trails, even properly setting my shocks for my exact body weight and riding style! Aaron knows his stuff and I highly encourage anyone even considering a training session to get on it! I use the skills I learned almost constantly when I ride (about once a week!)

~Bruce Barnes

Last Sunday I went to the Intermediate/Advanced mountain bike skills class in Malibu and loved it! I bike quite a bit and feel comfortable doing pretty tough trails, but I had never learned proper riding technique. This clinic focused on the skills needed to properly ride obstacles and how to ride them with maximum efficiency.

I'm a professional drum instructor and I really enjoyed Richard's teaching methods. He not only showed us how to do something, but WHY we should do it. It really makes the information stick! Kris was great too, super motivating!

I was actually surprised to learn so many little tricks and can't wait to practice them on my own! I'd love to go to another clinic or do a one on one session soon.

~Andrew T.

 

I attend the 3-day mountain bike skills camp in Mulberry Gap Georgia and it was a great experience.  We spent the first day going over fundamentals and doing drills and the second and third day riding trails.  The combination of instruction and practice was very useful.  Our instructors, Randy and Erin, are expert riders and wonderful instructors.  The explained and demonstrated skills wells and provided helpful feedback.  The Mulberry Gap resort was also a wonderful location to hold this event.  I would highly recommend it to individuals at a wide range of skill levels.

~Armand A.

I love love love Ninja mountain bike clinics. I had the opportunity to take part in the 2 day clinic on the Kingdom Trails in Burke, Vermont with Patrick Howell. Truly, the best days on my bike ever, I jumped AND landed and have the video to prove it! 😊  I can’t get over my learning curve and special bonus that my 10 year old thinks I’m a rock star because I can jump 5 feet!

I felt safely challenged and completely encouraged by Patrick and his assistants for the weekend.

This was the second Ninja event for our family this summer, the first was a half-day for my son. I’ll tell you what, if the Ninja’s are in your town or close enough to access, sign up! My cheeks still hurt from smiling so much 

Thanks Ninjas and Patrick 

💕

Maggie Hooker

Vermont 

I’ve been coaching road & track riding for years. Got into mtn bike riding because of the terrain near our home AND my daughters like to ride in the dirt. Took classes through the high school league to be more acquainted with the fundamentals skills and acquire more knowledge of the NICA league rules. Coach La China and staff broke down the skills for our team riders in a fun and engaging process. Team Eastlake Cycling Team thank you for your time, energy and expertise to bring our riders to a new level of confidence.

~Ron G.

I attended an intermediate skill clinic last year and had an awesome time.  My riding improved instantly and I have really enjoyed the increased confidence jumping my bike over obstacles.

My muscle memory takes a while to kick in and Coach Richard and his crew of master Ninjas were really patient with me.  I even got some bonus education on climbing faster during one of our warm-up laps!

Even though I have been riding for years I learned something new with every skill taught.  The clinic was worth every penny and I will be signing up for an advanced one this summer.

~Michael W.

 

This was awesome. Having someone dissect your riding into a few skills that you can focus on is a great starting point in order to make you faster. I’m sure everyone including myself experienced a positive feeling in how to improve from this point on. — Don’t expect to be a world champ after this clinic but to learn what and where and most importantly how to improve your trail riding from now on. Richard gives you the tools but you have to put in the work.”

~ Michael A.

 

Mountain biking is a relatively new sport compared to road biking. So the opportunities to find a good mountain biking skill clinic are quite scarce. Richard La China and his team offer such clinic! Richard has the training as a Coach from USA Cycling and the experience as an expert racer to develop in you the skills and therefore the confidence to negotiate the treacherous obstacles on your path as a mountain biker.

His clinic has several levels from beginner to expert and is organized incrementally to facilitate the learning of more and more difficult skills. In addition to his and his expert team's demonstrations, I also like his verbal explanations about the why of a specific position or skill to have.

Richard and his team have the dedication and patience to teach you anything you need to learn to fully enjoy mountain biking.

~ Anne-Catherine

I took the fundamentals  1/2 day works shop in Orange County this weekend and l learned way more than I thought possible.  Richard and his team of instructor reinforced all the information with practical application on the mountain.  Thus, I was able to put these new skills to practice immediately after the workshop with a post workshop ride and a follow up ride today.  I feel more confident and safe to try more technical routes now.  I have already signed up for a intermediate/advanced workshop and recruited 3 friends to joint me!

~Eric R.

Wow, a friend and I just did a one day private lesson with Richard and I can’t believe how much we learned. I’ve been riding for over 10 years but with all self taught skills. We wanted to learn fundamentals the right way and Richard took us through all of that (along with critical bike setup) and the intermediate stuff that they teach in one day plus he spent an extra hour at the end to teach us jumping which I had always been nervous about. Within one hour we we clearing a 5 foot jump easily and with confidence, we even learned to move the bike in the air on a crossed take off and landing. I think my favorite part thpugh was riding fast on the very gnarly technical descent. We will be booking up more private lessons during the summer at Big Bear. Thanks Richard you are a very good teacher!

~John U.

I recently attended the Ninja Mountain Bike Performance -Jumping mini-clinic on March 10 along with Sorellas Jean Miller and Robin Allen, another lady, and a few good men. The instructors at the clinic went above and beyond for us ladies and the entire group. During the clinic the instructors demonstrated the skills multiple times and then let us practice as we pleased. They were excellent at providing insight and recommendations as to how we could improve. They took time to explain the reasons behind what they were teaching and the variances based on rider size and body mechanics. I cannot say enough how they helped us ladies figure out how to correct our body position and land the jumps exceptionally. At one point it began to rain and after making sure we wanted to continue, they made sure the conditions were safe, checking the ramp and ensuring our safety. We were unable to finish the trail part of the clinic due to the rain and risk of damaging the trails, which they were considerate of as well.

However, the instructors are allowing us to continue at another clinic anywhere they teach. How awesome is that! Rarely will you get another chance to continue something once you start it. Just another kudo to this company. Professional, kind, knowledgeable and one of a kind. Just the key elements you want from a mountain bike clinic. Be sure and check them out, you will not be disappointed!

~Emily Davenport

I took the skills camp at Mt Laguna last weekend – it was GREAT. Ok, so I was a bit of a nervous wreck when I realized I was the least skilled in the group – but the instructors didn’t give up on me and gave me plenty of tips, positive reinforcement and new ways to think about my riding. At the end of the weekend, I felt that I had a better understanding how to ride better.

I’ve immediately seen an improvement in my riding, am a lot less timid and am looking forward to taking another camp soon!

~Quan Campbell

Good clinic. It was helpful to learn, practice with repetition and get critiqued by the coach all at once. I look forward to an intermediate level class! Thanks for doing this coach Richard!

~ Sally A.

 

Congrats to Richard, Hannah, Bernadette, Cory, Shana and company for a great clinic covering many skills, all practical, in a great environment for learning . Your professionalism, skill and experience in teaching, choice of terrain to teach in, and enthusiasm all made this a totally worthwhile experience. I would do it again and again as you never stop learning. ....and I thought I already knew how to corner (ha, ha!)!

~James Crawford

Best investment ever. The Ninja mountain bike skill clinics will definitely bring up your riding level a notch or two. Being able to get instant feedback from the instructor (s) in this case Richard La China and his assistant is invaluable. From getting the correct riding position to improving the skills necessary to have a fast flow through the trails builds confidence and is the key to having more fun when mountain bike riding.

Also I've taken one-on-one lessons (with Richard La China) and it really speeds up the learning (in my case it was basic jumping) in any area where you deem to be weak in or just need improvement.

~ Thad G.

 

I have received a private lesson and also attended a clinic with Ninja pros. They are great to work with; knowledgeable, thorough, patient, and helpful!

~Kamala S.

My wife started mountain biking recently and while she enjoyed it, she was lacking some confidence and needed some skills. I knew Richard La China from the cross country racing scene and felt confident that he and the ninja team could help out.  I bought a woman's beginner clinic for my wife and she really enjoyed the challenge and experience.  She is a better mountain biker now with much more confidence and new and improved skills. Mission accomplished!

I highly recommend Richard LaChina and the ninja skills clinics for any level. I bought my wife a clinic gift card for Christmas which she will use to take the intermediate clinic. I plan on taking an advanced course to improve my cornering skills.

~ Mark T.

 

Had a great class Oct 11. Kris and Richard were very helpful and knowledgeable. They made things fun and easy going, even while rolling you off the the lunch table bench. Came away with a bit more confidence which I have already put into practice. I really appreciated the review of what was covered in the class in the follow up email. Looking forward to taking the Jan intermediate class at Balboa, hopefully it will be up for registering soon. In the mean time I have a lot to work on.

~Linda Peterson

I have, like many cyclists, been riding bikes since childhood.  Feeling like I hit a plateau in my technical riding skills (because I had), I began searching for a mountain bike skills camp.  I wanted to attend a camp that would push me to be a better rider, but I needed it to be in a great location on actual trails.  After a fair amount of searching, I decided that spending a weekend at a Ninja Mountain Bike Skills camp would be perfect.  It didn't hurt that the camp was in Big Bear.

The condensed review:
It took only a few hours of trail riding with Richard and Daniel to drastically change my riding for the better.

The long review:
The camp was broken into morning and afternoon sessions, separated by an amazing lunch on each day.  The morning sessions were, in general, based on technique and riding isolated technical features.  The afternoon sessions functioned more like a capstone; we rode incredible trails, like Fall Line and Skyline, and put our newly-learned skills into action.

Richard and Daniel were attentive to both the class as a whole as well as each individual.  The pacing of each individual lesson (I'm a teacher, so I viewed each piece as a lesson) was wonderful.  There were constant checks for understanding as well as incremental assessments of our skills on the bike.  We were never once, all weekend, bogged down in repetition, nor were we rushed through a skill or concept.  I was blown away by the sheer volume of skills that were taught in such an easy-to-grasp manner.

Of course, we were not standing by our bikes the whole time listening to a lecture: we were actively riding while Daniel and Richard looked on with critical eyes.  Richard was clear in his introduction that the coaching would be critical.

It was, but in the best way possible.

On a personal level, I truly felt that every aspect of my riding was under constant observation.  My struggles on steeper features and transitions, a definite area of weakness, led to a small get-off.  Richard and Daniel, after ensuring that I was okay, quickly and accurately pointed out issues in my body positioning.  Voila!  Never would I have been able to assess that on my own.  For the rest of the weekend, I felt like my control and balance when riding steeper features was noticeably greater, to say nothing of my confidence.

At one point, Daniel pulled me aside and gave me a pep-talk about my mental mindset (I botched a section of trail and proceeded to berate myself).  Daniel set me straight and, sure enough, I cleaned the remaining technical features during our session.  I also re-learned a valuable lesson about positive self-talk.  As a rider, it means a lot to have constant and specific feedback.  Even though I fancy myself a decently-sort-of-okay Category 2 XC racer, I was forced to examine all of my fundamentals, both physical and mental.  That's how you teach.

Richard and Daniel continued to be attentive during our afternoon sessions and walked us through how they would approach the technical features that we encountered when riding trails in their entirety.  Daniel and Richard provided smooth, clear demos on the trail features for us to try and replicate.  Being able to watch them was incredible learning opportunity, not to mention the conversations between the coaches and the riders before, during, and after each feature.  Cheers to Daniel who, with the full-attention of his students, had to demo sections of trail even though it was his first time riding it too.  With the pressure on, he came through and gave us a great model to follow.

Overall, the camp exceeded my expectations.  I trail features that I can honestly say I never would've ridden by myself or with a group of friends.  I met fantastic people.  I laughed a lot.  I learned a lot.  Best of all, I got to do all of this while on my bike in Big Bear.  In terms of technical riding skills, I improved more in two days than I have in the past two years of riding.  Richard has put together and incredible mountain bike curriculum that is both challenging, yet accessible.  His positive presence over the weekend, as well as his commitment to scouting trials and ensuring organizational success, cannot be overlooked.

Richard and Daniel provided expert instruction and effective coaching cues that allowed me to understand what I needed to do ride better, faster, and smoother.    I can't wait to attend another camp.

~Matthew S.

My wife and I had the privilege of attending the skills 2 day camp in Santa Fe New Mexico August 20th and 21st. Richard and Aaron and Catherine where fantastic trainers and teachers they brought new light into basic skills of riding each person in the group was able to excel in what we were doing before we moved on to some other awesome skill or task individual attention was felt by all in the group and visible Improvement was seen in all Riders when we have you back next year you should plan on doubling or tripling the number of riders thanks for a super fun weekend and special thanks to Santa Fe Fat Tire Society for bringing you in and of course thanks to Richard and Aaron and Kathryn.

~Bruce Hamby

 

I want to thank the Ninja Mountain Bike Camp and instructor Richard La China for a great weekend on April 22-23rd.
As an 59 year old ex-MX racer and 28 year Mt bike rider, found the personal instruction and group demonstrations were instrumental in my growth as a rider. You can teach an old dog new tricks.

The seeing "new" lines, different jumping techniques and cornering skills all helped me open my eyes to a world of riding I had not experienced on my own.

I want to all of the attendees for a great experience.

I would recommend this to riders of all skill levels and ages.

~Joel Palmer

I love to ride bikes, and I love to ride them fast.  After some years of road riding, I decided (read: my boyfriend suggested) that I should give mountain biking a try. And not just weekend lah-de-dah, pack-a-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich mountain biking--I decided I was going to RACE mountain bikes.

After all, it couldn't be THAT hard, could it? I mean, I knew how to ride/race a bike, I had great fitness, and I had a totally sweet custom-built race mountain bike (courtesy of said boyfriend).  So I signed up for a local race series.

Well, several races and countless crashes later (and, allegedly even some tears--although I will deny it to my grave), I wanted to put the kibosh on my mountain bike race career. I had so many cuts, scrapes, gashes, and bruises that you'd have thought I was trying to bring the "mummy" look back into style with all my bandages. (Honestly, I should have bought stock in Band-aids and Advil.) And those were just the external wounds.... My pride/ego and my psyche took a big hit, too, and not even my beautiful series overall winner trophy could take that pain away (yes, I did win, but it wasn't pretty). I just couldn't understand how I could be so terrible at something (ie, how I completely lacked the bike handling skills to navigate around a course crash-free).

However, instead of heeding my calls to sell/destroy/part-out my mountain bike--which at that point I had taken to calling "That Stupid Bike"-- my boyfriend suggested that I take a mountain bike skills class with Ninja Mountain Bike Skills. (My boyfriend....he is so full of suggestions).

So, in March 2013 I took the Beginner Level 1 class and, wow! Boyfriend's idea was great (for once)! What an amazing and transformative experience. I had so many light-bulb moments that I must have looked like a Christmas tree! Coach Richard patiently and thoroughly taught all the important skills that I was completely lacking, from weight distribution, to cornering, to proper braking, to mounting and dismounting, etc. And he doesn't just go through the "how", he teaches the "why"--which for someone like me with a super analytical and critical brain is a HUGE plus. Furthermore, both Richard and his helper Jeff (a former pro rider) gave great race-situation examples for all the skills.

I liked the class so much that I took another one soon after. This time a Women's Only class. I love the fact that this is offered, by the way. It was the kind of totally supportive, stress-free, pressure-free environment that only someone with two x-chromosomes would understand and appreciate. And Coach Richard had two great female helpers there too (Kris and Jessica) that were able to translate some of the concepts into "woman-speak."

Ok, to wrap it up: I highly recommend these clinics. Great instructors. Great content. Bargain price. I saw such immediate gains in my skill level and confidence level that I signed up for yet another race series...This time the US Cup series. Go big, or go home, right?

~ Heidi A.

 

I really enjoyed the Intermediate/Advanced clinic with Aaron in Palmer Park, Colorado Springs. Aaron made sure that every skill was practiced thoroughly. He was paying attention to every move and detail and was very patient. My riding has definitely improved since than and I have been practicing the skills a lot on single track. The best advice I received - visualize yourself doing it! I definitely recommend this class to bikers of all levels.

~Yana Brown

Took the mini clinic on jumping skills because I can't resist the urge to get in the air even though I always knew I didn't really understand the mechanics of it, so it was a kind of "huck and hope" affair.  The result was that I didn't land about 1 in 5 attempts.  The clinic with Aaron was great!  He explained the mechanics of how the bike is handled coming into, through and out of the jump and starts with individual small skills progressing step by step in a very manageable way (even for me, and I started this stuff at 45 and I'm not very coordinated).  What I feel sets Aaron apart is his ability to communicate his explanations and demonstrate movements in a way that makes them easy  to learn even for someone with little experience.  He is also very patient and encouraging, which helps when one is starting out and struggling a little with some movements.  I definitely intend to do more clinics with Ninja MBS.  I feel like it will save me a lot of time and frustration as well as possibly a lot of money in medical bills!

~Jill M.

Went to the beginner Ninja clinic at Alison. Richard and Kristen were awesome!  We all got the opportunity to work on improving our skills with their feedback. Next time I would definitely do the intermediate clinic or do a one-on-one session.

Richard is super patient and provides great feedback and riding tips.

~ Lisa D.

I recently took the intermediate/advanced clinic. It was excellent and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to improve their skills. All the instructors were great and made the clinic very fun and informative.

~Greg E.

Wow, a friend and I just did a one day private lesson with Richard and I can’t believe how much we learned. I’ve been riding for over 10 years but with all self taught skills. We wanted to learn fundamentals the right way and Richard took us through all of that (along with critical bike setup) and the intermediate stuff that they teach in one day plus he spent an extra hour at the end to teach us jumping which I had always been nervous about. Within one hour we we clearing a 5 foot jump easily and with confidence, we even learned to move the bike in the air on a crossed take off and landing. I think my favorite part though was riding fast on the very gnarly technical descent. We will be booking up more private lessons during the summer at Big Bear. Thanks Richard you are a very good teacher!

~John U.

That was time well spent – thanks Coach Richard! If you do more clinics, I’d recommend them to my friends regardless of their speed level…

~ Patrick K.

 

This past fall I finally broke down and upgrade my mountain bike.  I was riding a hard tail bike mostly for the workout.  After racing in an Xterra, I realized that a new bike was in my future. ( I could tell a huge story about the process of purchasing a new MB and the massive amount of miss information you can obtain from bike shops. Especially when you know nothing about bikes. )  Not long after I purchased the new MB, I had my first over the handle bars wreck.  I still cannot remember the actual crash.  I can see the rut that I am about to hit on the downhill, and then I remember waking up on the trail barely able to breath.  The crash gave me some time to catch up on email.  One of those emails was a beginners MB clinic hosted by Richard and the Ride Like a Ninja crew.

I swallowed my pride and signed up.

To date I have done everything I was taught.  I made every adjustment to my bike that was recommended.  I then had the bike fitted.  The skills taught that day are priceless to me.  For the first time I understand what position my body needs to be in for each type of terrain.  I am not perfect by any means, but in my mind I am shouting the word NINJA to remind myself. I practice the techniques ever time I ride.

~ Hal N.

 

Great clinic. Just what I needed to better know how to handle situations on the trail to maintain speed/momentum and be more efficient.

~ Harper M.

 

I took the intermediate/advanced course in Balboa Park after having ridden for just over 2 years on my own. It covered a wide breadth of skills, some of which I already felt aquatinted with and others I had little to no experience with. I found all of the material useful. I was able to improve skills I already had and was able to learn new skills. I also feel confident leaving the course that the instructors have provided all of the information for me to practice and improve outside of the course setting.

The environment of Balboa Park was perfect for learning and sessioning the skills covered. The instructors were friendly, fun, and attentive to all of the participants. They spent more or less time on certain skills based on how the entire group was grasping them. They also gave individualized attention to participants that required more help with technique. The course was very fluid, engaging, and I would highly recommend it.

~Heather B.

I participated in the beginner skill clinic at Malibu Creek last Saturday, because I'm truly a beginner who couldn't stop falling down during each mtb ride. The class was small and super fun...and the instructors (Richard and Kris) were informative and dynamic. The clinic was small enough for each member to practice each learned skill and receive immediate feedback. I learned many new skills on that day and felt much more confident with my bike-body connection. I felt so confident that I recently signed up for the Catalina MTB Gran Fondo...the 55 mile route! Woohooo!!

The next day, as I was road biking (training for the Solvang Double Century), I dodged a bullet on the Snake/Mulholland by applying my learned mtb skills--a long towing truck went over almost half of our lane on a blind turn as we were descending. Instead of fixating on the truck, I remembered the importance of looking for a clear path and keeping my eyes on where I want to go....Now I understand what people meant when they said that mtb will help improve my road riding skills too!

I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn, and I look forward to the next clinic!

~ Uyen N.

 

I took the intermediate/advanced course in Balboa Park after having ridden for just over 2 years on my own. It covered a wide breadth of skills, some of which I already felt aquatinted with and others I had little to no experience with. I found all of the material useful. I was able to improve skills I already had and was able to learn new skills. I also feel confident leaving the course that the instructors have provided all of the information for me to practice and improve outside of the course setting.

Great class! I wish I took this class seven yrs ago when I started mountain biking. Richard and his team was awesome. I learned how to approach uphill switchbacks, how to "pre-turn", and most important, how to descend with confidence. Bottom line: I am more efficient and safer rider.

As another review said, "best money spent on mountain biking." You can have an expensive bike, but if you don't know how to ride, what's the point?

Highly recommend this class for all ages/skills. I will definitely be taking more classes!

~Rean

I'm a 63 y.o. Road and MTB cyclist.  I've ridden mountain bikes since 1988.  I really wish that I'd taken this course 25 years ago and I might have avoided some of the injuries I received over the years.

I took only the morning first intro session at Phoenix and I learned a great deal in a short period of time.  Richard is a very gifted cyclist and coach with excellent pedagogical skills.  The class moved quickly, but covered all the appropriate details needed to handle a bike on technical trails.  Richard had two local expert cyclists who demonstrated techniques while he provided a narrative and answered question.

We had one relatively new rider who was very wary of some of the steeper, technical descents.  By the end of the class, you could actually see a significant increase in her confidence using the skills acquired in the class.

I'm looking forward to doing one of Ninja's camps and I hope they are able to expand their clinics to my area (Albuquerque, NM).

William J.

I have been riding for 1.5 years and still have a lot to learn but Richard and the team are great teachers. I have been a bit apprehensive about jumping in the past but after two days of instruction with Richard, Aaron, Daniel, Ivan, and Erin I feel much more confident and won't be afraid to take on jumps anymore.

The instructor staff are all very experienced riders and it showed. They are all also very friendly and most importantly patient. They aren't afraid to share stories of their mistakes while trying to explain why not to do things a certain way.

You truly are part of the Team Ninja family when you are at the classes and I can't wait to go back to another class!

Thank you Richard and all of the other instructors.

~Jonathan R

Great clinic. I learned really useful skills… I’m ready for another clinic with more challenging terrain.

~Beatrice D.

 

Just finished a two day skills workshop in Dallas. To say it was the best money I've ever spent on mountain biking would be an understatement. Our instructor was Aaron Lucy, a wonderful teacher and just a real pleasure to be around kind of guy. I highly recommend Ninja for anyone from novice to advanced riders as they cover just about anything and everything that will make you a more rounded rider.  Thanks so much Aaron for all the advice and coaching!

~Mark Stewart

I recently attended one of the Intermediate/Advanced Efficiency and Flow clinics. Even though I have been riding for many years I learned a lot from this clinic. The techniques covered ranged from reviewing basic skills such as basic body position to practicing more advanced techniques like switchbacks, bunny hops, and cornering. I was able to recognize, get instruction, and practice some skills where I was weak and instantly improve them. Even skills I thought I was pretty good at I was able to pick up useful tips. I also realized that deliberate skills practice is not something I incorporate into my riding, but now that I understand what I should be doing I will make sure to add this in! After taking the course my comfort on the bike has improved and I am more aware of my body position and movement of the bike.

I would encourage anyone of any ability to take a class with these guys. The instructors are knowledgeable and easy to work with. There is a lot of one on one help and they will make sure you understand the skills being taught and are able to perform them successfully. Plus the clinic was lots of fun! I highly recommend and hope to work with these guys again soon.

~ Michelle A.

 

I had a great time at a 3 day camp in Big Bear, CA and my brain is still swelling with knowledge one month later. Not knowing what to expect, I was pleased with the professionalism and detail that Richard and his team brought to camp. They not only take the time to teach you great MTB skills, but when and why you should use them.

They begin with the fundamentals skills and reinforce those skills throughout the camp, which I found quite helpful. The skills progress quickly and we covered a lot of ground in three days. I was able to do a few skills I had never really tried before by the end of camp. I recommend highly and plan to attend another camp in the future.

~Joey W.

I attended a women's basic mountain bike skills clinic and saw an immediate improvement in my riding. Coach Richard is fantastic!

~ Patricia H.

 

 

Great Clinic. A must for all. Great fundamental course.

~Art L.

Highly recommended!  Essential riding skills are thoroughly broken down making them easy to understand and learn.  Coach Richard and Kris are some of the most professional and pleasant coaches/cyclist/people I have come across.  Looking forward to one of their future clinics.

~ Tom T.

 

I took a Fundamental Skill clinic last weekend and learned so much! I've been riding for a few years and felt stuck and was not improving at all. Aaron was a great instructor! Very patient and broke down everything step by step and we repeated the skills until we felt comfortable. I look forward to mastering the skills I learned and taking another clinic in the spring.

I'm a road Triathlete that lucked into a XTERRA World Championship slot via the lottery last year. Being a road triathlete, I had very little experience and no technical skills on a mountain bike. I took the Ninja beginner and then intermediate classes almost back to back. Richard is a great teacher, and taught the sequential skills that matter most.

He does a great job of "breaking things down" with the what and the why, and illustrates the information well with his demonstrations, all the while, delivering it with a sense of humor and enthusiasm. Richard's instruction helped me successfully get through a very technical course in Maui without major injury! Yea, thank you Richard!!. Whether a complete beginner or an advanced rider, I promise you can take a lot away from his classes.... and, let's be honest ...Who doesn't want to be a Ninja!

~ Ray S.