Sessions
Description
Trail Kids Mountain Bike Programs are part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming. Trail Kids offers three sessions of six-week mountain bike programs for novice to advanced riders. Participants ages 7-13 will explore single-track trails while gaining skills they can use for a lifetime! The focus of the mountain bike program is to have fun, meet new friends, and build confidence riding the single track trails.
Those who have no experience mountain biking on singletrack trails should take one of our Beginner Mountain Bike Clinics before taking one of the six-week evening sessions.
What can your child expect at a Trail Kids Mountain Bike Program? Watch the Trail Kids Mountain Bike News Video to learn more.
Ages/Ability: Ages 7 – 13, beginner to advanced abilities welcome (we split into different coaching groups based on ability, fitness, age, and friend request – friends who are of different riding abilities may not be placed together). We do not have programs for kids 6 years of age and under, so please do not register them until they turn seven years old.
Equipment Needed: Participants will need their own mountain bike, helmet, and water bottle carrier to participate. We do not provide rental bikes for our six week sessions. Bikes need to have front and back wheel brakes on the handle bars (no peddle brakes or kickstands allowed). Tires must have tread and be wide enough to ride safely on mountain bike trails. For more on mountain bike equipment, view the Trail Kids MTB Equipment Guide.
Trail Kids Adventure Mountain Bike Race Series: Participants will get a chance to partake in one of the Adventure Mountain Bike Races that are offered as part of our Trail Kids program. There will be one race scheduled for each of the three sessions scheduled during a normally scheduled practice. Participants will race in their coaching groups at different start times throughout the evening.
Girls Rock!
The Girls Rock! Mountain Bike Program is part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming. This 6-week program will focus on mountain biking skills for novice to advanced riders. “Girls Rock!” was designed specifically for the purpose of allowing female-identifying participants to feel more comfortable learning mountain bike skills with those who identify as female. The focus of the “Girls Rock!” mountain bike program is to have fun, meet new friends, and build confidence riding the single track trails at Theodore Wirth Park. Non-binary and trans participants are welcome to join any group in which they feel most comfortable.
Trail Kids also offers mixed gender mountain bike programs at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, Lebanon Hills Regional Park, Elm Creek Park Reserve, and Carver Park Reserve (Monarch) . Participants ages 13 – 18 can join the Loppet Cycle Works Juniors program.
Registration Guide: Ability Levels
Registration based on ability: All Trail Kids who attend the program must be able to ride their bikes safely on paved paths. When registering your child make sure to indicate their ability level as described in the Mountain Bike Ability Registration Guide.
During practice sessions, participants will be coached by trained Loppet coaches on a variety of mountain bike skills so they can become safe and confident riders. Fundamental Skills include:
- Ready/neutral position for descending hills
- Side/Side bike body separation
- Pedaling/shifting efficiently
- Controlling speed and braking safely
- Cornering confidently
- Handling obstacles and rocky terrain
- Riding with vision
- Ratcheting
Participants will be tested at the end of the session on different bike skills and will be able to move up in levels if they progress through additional tests throughout the season. For a full description of our mountain bike skill level progression, view the Trail Kids MTB Skill Level Guide.
FAQs
For answers to many common questions, please read our Registration FAQ document.
Program Website
Additional program information can be found at https://www.loppet.org/programs/tk/bike.
Place
Minneapolis, MN US 55422
Program Contact Info
If you have any questions about this program, click the button below.
