Gearing Up Off-Road Programme Pilot

Gearing Up is the name given to Cycling Ireland’s discipline specific cycling skills programmes. Gearing Up Off-Road deals with the specific fundamental skills required for cycling in an off road environment.

Much of 2011 has been spent developing the Gearing Up Off-Road programme and its supporting resources. The Gearing Up Off-Road Instructor manual, Riders Logbook and Instructor training course is now fully developed. As with Sprocket Rocket, Gearing Up Off-Road instructors will be required to complete a 2 day training course on the programme focusing on the skills that will be delivered as part of the programme and how to package the programme to maximise enjoyment for the participant.

Last weekend a number of Cycling Irelands experienced Mountain Bikers took part in the 2 day Pilot Gearing Up Off-Road Instructors Course in Ballinastoe. If you were fortunate to be in Ballinastoe you may have witnessed the course in action, we had quite a few intrigued passersby!
Brian Salvona, principle author of the Gearing Up Off-Road programme, came over from Edinburgh to deliver the course alongside Tarja Owens. Brian and Tarja delivered a thoroughly enjoyable and developmental course which saw everyone participating go home with a new level of enthusiasm about the programme and its benefits for those involved in the Off-Road scene.

Following this pilot Cycling Ireland plan to do a pilot rollout of the Gearing Up Off-Road programme, in a couple of clubs and schools, prior to a formal roll out of the programme in 2012.

Rachel Ormrod
Coach Education Officer
Cycling Ireland