Skills Rating

SKILL LEVEL 1 - TOTES A NEWBIE
You've never ridden a mountain bike on an actual dirt trail before.

You can execute: Staying upright while pedaling.

SKILL LEVEL 2 - NOVICE

You have ridden mountain bikes on dirt trails a few times, but mostly everything about riding these contraptions is still a mystery...but you're game to learn!

You can execute:

• Skill Level 1

• Pushing the shifter thingy...but being in the right gear might need some work still

• One finger braking on both the front (left) and rear (right) brakes

• Riding with 50/50 pedals while not pedaling (pedals are "flat" or parallel to the ground)

SKILL LEVEL 3 - STRONG NOVICE

You're stoked on singletrack, but working on those skills all the cool kids are doing. You enjoy mellow smooth trails, but sometimes climbs come out of friggin' nowhere and you forget to shift, or those rocks get a little cray cray and you prefer to walk-it-out. You are still not comfortable riding roots, rocks, switchbacks, and the steep stuff...and drops or jumps? Oh hell no girl.

You can execute:

• Skill Level 2

• Controlled braking at speed

• Can get over small rocks, roots, and obstacles...but you're not sure how you're doing it

• Riding while STANDING and being able to coast with 50/50 pedals

SKILL LEVEL 4 - INTERMEDIATE

Mountain biking has started to become your "thing", and you are starting to get the hang of shifting, pedaling through more technical features, making it up shorter climbs, and getting just a little rowdy going down hill....although you prefer keeping your wheels on the ground

You can execute:

• Skill Level 3

• Controlled braking at faster speeds

• Shifting - you anticipate terrain and can shift accordingly

• Standing - you're balanced and comfortable standing up with 50/50 pedals and can maintain level pedals during a descent.

• Compressing your suspension to get over small (a couple inches high) obstacles

• Confidence rolling over obstacles that do not require wheels to leave the ground

• Wider switchbacks and turns that aren't too steep

• Using a dropper post to get that seat the HECK OUTTA YOUR WAY!

SKILL LEVEL 5 - STRONG INTERMEDIATE

You're confident riding green and most blue trails and willing to dabble in black trails, although you're positive you'll be walking a few technical bits. You can comfortably use your front and back brakes when different braking pressure is required (i.e. switchbacks, steeper sections of trail), and your wheels even leave the ground on occasion!

You can execute:

• Skill Level 4

• Controlled front braking independent from rear braking and vise versa

• Anticipating changes in terrain and shifting smoothly and often

• Front wheel lifts to get wheel up or over an obstacle that is not rollable (up to 6 inches)

• Trail scanning and cornering techniques such as looking through turns, although you still feel and maybe look awkward AF trying to corner any faster than a tortoise

• Letting go of the brakes and standing on 50/50 pedals on descents, & maintaining speed as long as you can see what's ahead of you.

SKILL LEVEL 6 - ADVANCED
You got this! You feel confident braking, using momentum to crush terrain, and are comfortable shifting and using that seat post dropper all dang day. You can shred through tight trees, loose dirt, snaggly rock gardens, and twisty turns, all while lookin' and feelin' good. Oh and descents? Bring it!

You can execute:

• Skill Level 5

• You are confident in your handling skills on a variety of singletrack

• You can shift your bodyweight to keep traction on steep climbs, and climbing technical terrain is totally in your bag of tricks.

• Berms? Braaaap! Timing and coordination through berms and tight turns is dialed, and you are comfortable with bike-body separation to keep speed and momentum through the exit

• You are comfortable with wheels leaving the ground, just for a lil' bit

• Confidence on fast or steep descents with a little air time on small jumps and drops

SKILL LEVEL 7 - EXPERT
You eat trail for breakfast. You are comfortable riding black trails and aggressive terrain with complete control over your speed and your bike. You rarely walk on descents, and can hop or wheel lift over larger obstacles that are not rollable. Slow tech. Fast tech. You want all the tech.

• You can execute:

• Skill Level 6

• Confidently riding all green, blue, black, and double black trails

• Clearing table top jumps, large drops (over 4 feet), and all the sketchiness the trail has for you

• Climbing technical "bitchy" climbs and switchbacks are easy peasy