Mountain Bike Clinic in Marin

www.mountainbikingmarin.com

"I had a superb private instruction with Celia.  She taught me a variety of key technical skills including tactics for steep descents, tight switchbacks, manuals.  Equally important, she gave me great insights into mental techniques, which are a critical component of mountain biking especially in challenging or new terrain.  Overall, she offers very helpful instruction, and I would encourage riders of all levels to work with Celia."  - Greg

 

Mountain Biking and a Happy Husband

"Thank you so much for teaching me some good bike tricks. My husband (Chris) has been super excited because I gained confidence and I ride better. We have mountain biked in Nevada City, Tahoe, and in Marin for the past two weekends, and he was very impressed.

I think the changes you made to my bike set up helped a lot, and also the tricks we learned, while talking about the center of gravity of the bike.

Thank you so much for helping me be a better mountain biker!!"
- Lorena

www.mountainbikingmarin.com 

Photo by @Sally_K

Mountain Biking and Making Friends in Marin

What is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of our vacation in California… it is the mountain bike trip in Marin County with Celia. Actually we were extremely excited when we planned this even though we did not know what the tour would be like or if we have technical skills to survive.

To make a long story short, the 2 days that we did spent with Celia exceeded our expectations. From the very beginning we were sure that Celia was the right person for us. She is not only a great mountain biker but she also knows this region extremely well and gives you the confidence that you need to jump into a new adventure.

Both days were extremely well planned by Celia. The first day at China Camp State Park was to experience the region and also to go through some technical skill lessons. The second day at Camp Tamarancho was more of a challenge on both, physical and mental strengths. But this is exactly what we like! We were looking for something that goes beyond what we did before to experience something new.

Thank you, Celia… it did work for us and we definitely made some great steps to improve our mountain biking skills. 

Sounds like a tough two days… and yes, it was exhausting but it was also a lot of fun. And the beer after an exhausting mountain bike trip was just what we needed. We are Germans with quite some experience when it comes to taste of beer… and to be honest, the local beer from True North in San Anselmo, Marin County can definitely keep up with German beer! J

We are extremely thankful that we had the chance to meet Celia and Sally and to have two great mountain bike tours in beautiful Marin County.

Kerstin and Birgit   

A Day of Mountain Biking in the San Francisco Bay Area

Early into 2013, my now fiance and I had been planning to visit San Francisco on our way back from the UK. This gave me the great idea of allowing my fiance a day to herself pampering in San Fran which meant I had to occupy myself and what better way than a day of mountain biking.  I searched the web and found Mountain Biking Marin. From the first email from Celia to the final beer from the local craft Marin Brewery at Larkspur after the riding day, I knew this was the right choice.

Mountain Biking Marin was able to offer me a complete variety of riding in all types of terrain and ability.  Arranged the hire of my bike from Sunshine Bicycles which is where we first met and started our ride. I opted for a one-on-one guided mountain bike tour 25-30kms 3-4hrs+/-.

We headed towards Tamarancho which was a circular loop and some good climbing through switchbacks etc, good way to get the blood pumping and settle into the bike, my first 29er. Along the way we stopped at various points for a clinic now and then which was great, Celia is very knowledgeable and encouraging, not only did I have a great ride but learned a few things too.

After every ascent there is always a great descent and this was no exception through a reasonably fast paced rock garden with great views over the San Fran Bay. From some more climbing and on to a flow track which descended 100mts in elevation, this was AWESOME and a great reward for the previous 20 minuets of uphill switchbacks. Once back to the top of the flow track we cruised at a reasonable pace on some fire roads, single track and back into Fairfax. The ride and guided tour was more than I expected and of great value for the money.

After handing back the bike with huge smiles, I was off to the ferry terminal but not before stopping for a well earned specialty Mt. Tam Pale Ale at Marin Brewing Co. with Celia before catching the ferry back across the bay to reality, well as much reality as you get when you are still on a great holiday!


Thank you Celia, Mountain Biking Marin and Sunshine Bicycles.

Marty, New Zealand


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Mountain bike tours and clinics in the improved Northstar

After several weeks hearing stories about the improved Northstar trails, I decided to bring some clients from the Bay Area to show them Tahoe's downhill riding.

The great rumors about Northstar were true! And as they continue to improve the trails, our Northstar will be our own Whistler right here in Tahoe.

New or improved obstacle transitions have been installed along several trails. The transitions have made smoother trails with better flow.

 

Many of the old table top jumps have been re-designed to better respond to the speed you build up by the steepness and length of the trail sections before the jumps.  I am particularly thrilled that many table tops have been flattened in the filled areas between the take off and the landing, eliminating gaps or the double bumps they used to have on the top. This allows for "progressive learning" when trying obstacles that require getting air. This means that if you are a shyer rider wanting to add air little by little, you can start by just rolling the jumps to get a feel of them, then hit the jumps fast enough to lift your front wheel or a bit faster to lift both wheels to land on the top flat area, to finally let the trail dictate the right speed you need to clear the jump and land in the smooth landing section. 
Here is a sample of the new jumps with the flattened top you now find in Northstar.

I am also thrilled with the new features on the Gipsy trail.  The wooden trails are super smooth and their berm design allows you to ride them at the right speed.  It does feel like a fun roller coaster! Below is one of the new features called the "Whale tail".  The feature design allows you to hit it at a slower speed to get the feeling of it or to hit it fast to get bigger air.  In the video below, Kristy was hitting this obstacle for the first time.  It only took her watching me do it after discussing how to ride it. There is even a railing on the right side to protect riders from falling off from the highest spot.  It is just amazingly safe and fun!

Mountain Bike to the Top of Mt. Tam

My wife and I were in Marin County for vacation and wanted to bike to the top of Mt. Tam and then descend. Luckily, we contacted Celia who made a simple adventure a super fun adventure. Had a blast from a ride point of view and a personal point of view.  Don’t spend time in Marin without spending time with Celia!
- Nathan and Ruth, Pioneer Power Solutions

Visit www.MountainBikingMarin.com for more information on mountain bike tours, corporate events and bike clinics in the Bay Area.



Photo credit: Maria Benet, MtTam365

A perfect day riding with Mountain Biking Marin

In September 2012, Fredik got in touch with Mountain Biking Marin. He wanted an all day adventure to ride as many Marin trails as possible.

We helped him out reserving his bike, set the logistics on where to meet and what to bring, and planned a great ride for him. We went for an awesome 4.5 hour ride he would have never done by himself.

After a few days he sent us an email saying "Thanks a lot for the awesome day on excellent trails around Marin. It was just fantastic and I will never forget". Fredik also said: "Its cool to spend a day with people you don't know from before when we have a lot of common interests. Enjoyed the after bike beer we had too."

Read about what Fredik has to say about the mountain bike tour in his blog post which also includes pictures and a movie http://fredrik76.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/a-perfect-day/

Mountain Biking in the Winter

I WILL be riding this rainy season! I’m lucky to have some trails in Pebble Beach near my house which stay in pretty good shape and are a nice mix of riding. I am still practicing the skills Celia taught me, and have gotten much better at The Manual; I regularly clear obstacles I couldn’t before. Thanks!

I was talking to my brother the other day about coming up to ride Tamarancho with him as soon as both our schedules calm down a bit. I told him you mentioned the great switchbacks there and there are very few around here on the Monterey Peninsula.

Hope to connect with you again sometime on the trails! Say HI to Jackie for me, too.

Dave Whipple

Mountain Bike Tour with Title Nine

Celia of Mountain Biking Marin organized a ride near Muir Beach for a group of us from Title Nine. We were a diverse set, some of us were road riders and others mountain bikers of fire roads with not much single-track experience. Celia brought us onto some amazing trails, with climbs that snaked back and forth through switchbacks up into the hills along the coast.

We were challenged in ways that we never imagined, and she coached us through. There were many challenges and obstacles that we would have never tried on our own but with Celia we were able to make them. She let us each decide if we wanted to try challenging sections and never made us feel bad if we wanted to walk a section. She was motivating and totally supportive. She is an AMAZINGLY experienced rider and seems to know every trail in Marin that exists (and some that don't).

Overall, it was an awesome afternoon – a complete blast of an adrenaline rush and I now have a ton more confidence in how to handle myself on the bike on all kinds of terrain! - Will K.

Mark Pester (Texas), Mountain Biking in Marin

While out in Nor Cal I wanted to experience some mountain biking in the famous Marin County, birthplace of the sport. I was ready to ride Tamarancho and kick butt! Boy what a humbling experience when I was faced with the steepest, tightest switchbacks I've ever seen or attempted to ride right from the start. I was lucky to be riding with Celia whose experience and patience helped get me up (and down) the mountain.

Celia was able to teach me so much on our 3 hour tour of Tamarancho that I feel that when I return I can ride this area with much more confidence. Being a roadie who just recently decided to get back into mountain biking the knowledge gained from spending time with Celia will be put to good use as I practice on the limited trails I have back home.

Celia you are so fortunate to have such a beautiful area to ride right out of your back door. Thanks for sharing this with me and I look forward to returning and riding Tamarancho on my next trip out.

Visit Mountain Biking Marin for more information about tours and clinics.

Tricia and Scott mountain biking in Marin

Tricia and I continue riding 20-30 miles per week and are still completely hooked. Our fitness continues to improve and Tricia is really gaining speed. Last Saturday (12/19) we did a 20+  mile ride with our club.  Wednesday we did our weekly night ride on a trial that included many many switchbacks. We rode the trail out and back... so...we had to navigate all the switchbacks both uphill and downhill.  I cleaned everything expect one DH switchback and that was only a dab. 

Thank you again for all of your tips. We both thought you were very patient with us and you did a great job explaining things to us and breaking things into smaller steps.

                          

Conor Donovan, Bike Skills Clinic

I had a great time at the the DH clinic on Sunday and would like to thank all of you for your instruction and valuable tips - especially for getting me to hit the gap jumps in Boyscout - your encouragement definitely helped! I'd appreciate it if you could pass on my gratitude to Johanna also. Also I'd like to thank Brian for allowing us to demo the enduros - lovely bikes.

I would love the opportunity to ride with you again or if you could point me to where there is more downhill / freeriding in the Bay Area I'd appreciate that also.

Jeff Grey, Mountain Bike Clinic with Celia and Brian

I knew that to improve my mountain biking skills and enjoyment, I needed some tips and techniques to overcome some fear and challenges I was experiencing. Immediately, Celia and Brian were able to recommend some equipment adjustments and additions that were very helpful. Our working session primarily focused on switchbacks and steep ascents/descents and with Celia’s expertise and skillful demonstrations and instruction, I was able to quickly understand what to do and then repeatedly practice the techniques. I feel much more confident now as a result of the private one-on-one instructional session. You might not initially think you need a lesson, but I would encourage you to consider taking advantage of her knowledge and expertise to improve your overall mountain biking experience.

Downhill and Cross Country Mountain Bike Clinics

Special Cross Country (XC) & Downhill (DH) Skill Clinic Event

Saturday October 17th & Sunday October 18th,2009
Presented by Mountain Biking Marin
Event Powered by Mike's Bikes   

Mountain Biking Marin  held a very succesful DownHill (DH) and CrossCountry (XC) clinic offered by an incredible team of instructors and helpers. (From left to right: Mary, Shanti, Johanna, Brian, Chad, Celia, Leigh, and Christina).

A special thanks to Reel Motion Sports and Michael Brill, who got great footage of the clinic capturing all participants doing the many drills we practiced on the trails.







And last but not least, thank you to all the participants who made this event possible.

Tim Kuenster, Bike Skills Clinic

Wanted to again extend my thanks to you and the entire team. Brian, Chad, Christina, Mike, Johanna, and yourself each brought a wonderful bit to the clinic to help us learn and progress our own skills. I greatly enjoyed spending time with you all and look forward to our next outing.

Also, hope you have a great play week this week with Johanna! Go away rain! Thanks! Tim

Mark Bernal, Bike Skills Clinic

You and the instructors are awesome!!! I had a great time and I left the clinic knowing I got my moneys worth. It was great not to be rushed and going through each skill at a steady pace will make a big impact on my mountain bike riding going forward.

David Harding, Bike Skills Clinic

Thanks again for organizing a great clinic. I learned so much it’s going to keep me busy practicing all the new skills and tips. I have to say that on the way up, I wondered what exactly I’d signed up for. But with all the patient instruction and demonstration of how to handle the gnarly bits, it was a great confidence booster and lots of fun.

In particular your team of instructors is brilliant, including Johanna and Brian who make it all look so easy, but were great at breaking things down into understandable concepts. They also took the time to focus on specific areas of my riding technique (or lack thereof!) that had an immediate impact in improving my riding. Plus Michael with his camera really helped me on the jumps.

For a group event, the level of personal instruction was way above expectations ? and it was a great group.

Finally I have to say that a big part of the enjoyment was being able to tackle the trails on a quality bike. Hats off to Mike’s Bikes for the demo Enduros.

Chris Tuohy (North Carolina, United States)

Thanks for the great riding on Friday. I really enjoyed the experience of riding in Marin. The vastness of the terrain is just awesome. It is a lot like riding in the mountains in NC except Marin is your backyard. I have lots of great memories, especially that switch back climb that was so hard. That's my favorite part of mountain biking-finding something really hard and trying it again and again until you clean it. I do not golf but its the last good shot in the golf that always brings you back-just like a hard trail you finally clean after riding it a bunch of times,

I can't wait to come back out and do the complete ride. I will contact you when I come back out again. I will definitely recommend you to my friends that come out and would be interested in riding in Marin. I would love to ride with everybody on one of those Friday rides.

Thanks again!

Joy Sassoon (California, United States)

I have always considered myself a timid mountain biker until I took the mountain bike clinic that Celia teaches. This was only for women. Of all the things I learned that day, most of the tips stayed with me and I improved a lot!

We just got back from Downieville and I was so lucky (and Happy) to be with Celia on a couple of really challenging rides! I learned to let the bike just float under me as to let the bike absorb more of the punishment that my body was taking on! I also learned how to climb a rock that was like a wall and my fear of it took over until Celia showed me how to do it! I improved so much with her teaching!

Celia has a way with describing and demo-ing that makes sense! I have had folks try to teach me, and I just say " ah ha, oh yeah..." but really don't get it most of the time. I recommend Celia's clinics to everyone and anyone who wants to jump up a few notches and save time by just learning in a few lessons! Celia's approachable and humorous personality really add to the experience and fun of mountain biking...and isn't that what it's about?

Joy Sasson, Gioia Boutique

Maureen Gaffney (California, United States)

For three years in a row I haphazardly entered and raced the Downieville Downhill, a challenging one-hour + downhill race on challenging terrain--the only "downhill" race with a significant climb thrown in for good measure. While I fancied myself a fairly accomplished mountain biker, the first year I was 6th out of 8, the second year I looked at a rock wrong and ended up clinging to a tree suspended over the canyon with a broken rib, and the third year I don't remember so it clearly didn't end with me on the podium.
      
Before my fourth attempt, I decided it was time to call in professional help. I needed to bag this thing once and for all. I had a lesson with Celia on a challenging single track in Marin, myself and one other student. Celia knew every subtle twist and drop on the route and stopped us before each obstacle so we could walk, discuss, and dissect it. Her intuitive understanding of my capabilities (and limitations) and those of my fellow student were confidence inspiring. We spent time on each section, going over and over it until it felt like a trip down the bike path.   

Armed with a new resolve and skillset, I awaited my start at the top of the Downieville course, podium in my sights, and Celia's lyrical Latina voice in my head coaching, goading, prodding me to finally claim this race. With Celia's help and a whole lotta luck in the form of no flat tires, I cleaned the entire course (okay, I didn't ride the waterfall....or the rock face.....) and came in 1st, a full 6 minutes ahead of 2nd place, and most importantly, fully intact with a dirt-laced smile on my face.

Publish Post

Many many thanks to Celia for teaching me to take the time, and for her keen understanding of when to scream at me (lovingly), and when to say "we'll do it next time".