Minehead Merlins Assessment Days
What is an assessment day?
Due to the nature of mountain biking, before we take any new riders out on a ride it is important we are confident they are able to safely and enjoyably participate at the level of their allocated group.
The assessment session itself is usually about 2 hours long and will involved some coaching activities within a contained area where parents are welcome stay and watch. This is followed by a short ride where we may split into groups based upon ability demonstrated during the coaching session. There will typically be 10-15 children attending a session.
The session will be run by British Cycling Coaches and Ride Leaders and may also be supported by some of the older Merlins members.
We are looking at 4 key areas during the assessment;
- Bike condition
- Safety Equipment
- Rider capability
- Rider behaviour
At the end of the session we will give feedback to the child/parents letting them know if they are ready to ride with us (don't worry most are!) and what group they will initially be riding with.
Bike Safety
Whilst the ride leaders are all qualified to make emergency repairs to bikes out on the trail, and carry a range of spares and tools with them, the expectation is on the parents to bring along their child with a fully functioning bike which is safe for them to ride.
Before any ride the Leader will get the group to perform "M Checks" on their bikes to ensure they are working properly. They will always be happy to make small repairs if there are minor issues but if the bike is simply unsafe then the child will not be able to participate.
Please as a minimum ensure that:
- The brakes work and the child can reach them comfortably
- The gears change through the full range
- The wheels and saddle are secure (don't wobble)
- There are plugs in the ends of the handle bars (no hole at the end of the bars).
- Tyres are pumped up and have some tread on them
Safety Equipment
As a minimum your child should have a helmet and gloves.
The helmet;
- Must be in good condition
- Not showing signs of damage or previous accidents
- Fit them properly
- Straps should be tight enough that you can just fit 2 fingers between the strap and under the chin.
Gloves;
- Full finger gloves are best.
- In winter they should be well insulated as children's hands get cold very quickly.
- Abrasion resistance or padding on the palms will help in the event of a fall.
In addition to the above we strongly recommend all riders in Red and Black groups wear knee protection and riders in Green / Blue are welcome to if they wish.
We do have some club helmets and gloves that can be borrowed if necessary.
Rider Capability
Obviously your child must be able to ride a bike. We are not set up to teach children how to ride rather to teach children who can already ride how to mountain bike.
Some basic skills your child should have in order to pass the assessment would be:
- Brake and stop quickly when asked.
- Use brakes without putting feet down until stationary.
- Ride one handed
- Ride standing up on the pedals
- Ride slowly (walking pace) without losing balance.
- Ride close to others without bumping into them.
- Ride up a moderate gradient (There are not flat rides around here!)
Behaviour
Our rides are often to remote areas and with a ratio of up to 8 children per ride leader it is important that they can get along well with the group and not require a disproportionate amount of the ride leaders time. This is for both their safety and that of the rest of the group.
We expect the children to:
- Listen carefully to instructions
- Follow those instructions
- Be kind and supportive to the other children in the group
- Be respectful of other trail users and the environment.
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