FAQs

Several Frequently Asked Question lists are presented below to answer common questions.

Middle School Program F.A.Q.s:

Do I have to be a good mountain biker to join?  No! We were all beginners once, and we accept all levels of skills and experience, from kids new to mountain biking to Varsity racers chasing podium spots throughout the State on any given weekend. 

Do I need to be an official member to ride at Devo practices?  Yes, you need to at least sign a NICA Waiver Form to attend one practice, and thereafter you need to register with the League and join our Program if you want to continue. Please contact the Head Coach if you have financial considerations that could prevent you from participating, as we do have a limited number of scholarships available.

When is Practice?  Practices start in August and are Tuesdays from 3:45-6PM, and Thursdays from 4:45-7PM (in Oct. we switch to 3:45-6 as it gets darker). 

Where do you practice?  Due to the large size of our Team/Middle School Program and to disperse trail use, we generally split up into five groups: “C” Group and the Development group tend to use the GHS Short Track, the CX Track, and South Table Mountain; “B” Group spends the most time at South Table Mountain and North Table Mountain (& CX Track for skills); “B+” Group spends the most time at North Table Mountain, Apex and Chimney Gulch; the “C” Group spends more time at trails a bit further out such as Dakota Ridge, Matthews Winters, and White Ranch.

Do you do anything over the Summer?  No. Although the GHS MTB Team will have up to 8 Team Practices over the summer, the Middle School Program will not start until 8/1/19.

Do I have to race, and when are the races?  Middle School-aged riders do not race in the NICA Colorado High School League.

Are there things I can do to prepare for the season? Absolutely! First of all ride your bike. Lots! It’s hard to progress with your fitness or technical skills riding only two days/week. We recommend at least 3 to 4 days per week during the summer, if possible. Riding is much more fun when you are fit, comfortable and confident on the bike, and much of that is up to you! Also, there are many summer training opportunities, including GBX Juniors, the Curt Gowdy MTB Training Camps, the Rattler Racing Series at Bear Creek Lake SP (highly recommended), as well as the Colorado Junior Cup race for all K-12 ages, and the Golden Giddyup for more experienced riders.

Do I have to use clipless pedals?  No, flat pedals are fine, especially when learning technical skills and advancing your comfort on increasingly difficult trails. That being said, most competitive XC racers use clipless pedals for a variety of reasons (we suggest Shimano SPDs). 

Practice F.A.Q.s:

This section provides answers to commonly-asked questions typical when joining our Program, as well as some of our daily goals and requirements. 

TeamSnap – Our management portal for all Team communications and scheduling. Once invited, please fully complete your athlete’s profile, including a head/shoulders picture so we can get to know your rider. Make sure your son/daughter is the primary (i.e. first) email and phone listed, and fill out the name of who it belongs to (e.g. “Mom-Helen”). Select: ‘Add New Family Member’ if you need additional space. You can control (via Preferences) whether you receive updates by email, text, etc.

PARENT MEETING – Generally occurs the first week of practice. 

GOALS of TEAM & MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM – Have fun, ultimately learn to become a lifelong rider

  • #1 GOAL: Safety
    • Bike fit and mechanical
    • Helmet fit: one finger of space only! Helmet ON and STRAPPED if on bike, ALWAYS!
    • Ride within your limits
    • Rules for riding streets and paths to trails
      • Ride like a team, no zig-zagging around
      • On bike paths, single-file on the right half of the path
      • On roads, single or double-file depending on road conditions
      • We use sidewalks only when there is no significant pedestrian traffic, illegal to ride with no hands on bars
      • Critical to stay together as a group; lead rider needs to ride a little slower, end rider needs to ride a little harder to keep up; NO GAPS!
  • #2 GOAL: Fun!
    • That should go without saying, mountain biking is a blast!
  • #3 GOAL: Increase your comfort and confidence on the bike, through: 
    • Increasing your fitness:
      • Makes it easier to enjoy training, and being stronger allows you to advance your technical skills); 
      • You need to ride more than 2 days/week to advance fitness (this principle applies to anysport).
    • Advancing your Technical Skills allows you to become comfortable on the bike, is critical to being able to learn advanced skills
      • Learning advanced trail and bike-handling skills will increase your confidence
      • Increasing your confidence increases the enjoyment factor
  • #4 GOAL: As your Fitness and Technical Skills improve, you simply go faster with less stress/drama

MEDICAL: If you have a medical issue that could be an issue while riding (diabetes, asthma, hazardous allergies, prior concussions etc.), please approach a coach and let them know

  • Bring inhaler, epi-pen, food on EVERY ride (as required)

TRAIL ADVOCACY AND ETIQUETTE

  • MTB yields to ALL
    • If a pedestrian overtly yields to you, accept and thank them
    • ALWAYS ask equestrian rider if you are OK to pass well in advance, horses easily spooked
  • Downhill MTB yields to uphill MTB
    • Yield by stopping and leaning your bike intothe hill (which gets it out of the way)
  • Basic Courtesy: Call out well in advance (or bell), say “Hi!”, “Thanks, and have a good hike/ride!”
  • While training, immediately yield trail to riders behind if you put a foot down, get your bike out of the way on uphillside (lean into hill)

PRACTICE STRUCTURE – Practice starts at T-15 minutes before the hour! (i.e. 3:45 on Tues)

  1. Arrive at 3:30, practice skills drills on your own until Pre-Ride Briefing (3:45)
  2. Pre-Ride Briefing: Important not to be late, and be attentive (athletes chatting during briefing delays departure, and may cause you/others to miss important info).
    1. Head Coach presents information important to entire Team (scheduling, races, safety, etc.)
    2. Break into Groups, and Group Leaders (i.e. Assistant Coaches) present info on practice location, en route procedures, training goals, technical skills to be practiced.
  3. Arrive no later than 3:45 to be ready to ride by 4:00 (4:45 and 5:00 on Thursdays)
  4. GROUPS: Athletes run through a basic skills clinic during the first week, and are then separated into groups based upon both technical skills and fitness, the goal being to have a group that is generally the same speed/ability.
    1. “D” – GoldenMTB Development Middle School Program riders
    2. “C” – Typically Freshman and/or those new to cycling or trail riding
    3. “B” – Generally possess a base level of fitness or trail-riding experience
    4. “B+” – Riders who aspire to rapidly advance both their fitness and technical skills, often have previously raced
    5. “A” –Varsity, JV and very experienced younger racers
  5. Always a COACH in front, and a RIDE LEADER at the back (sweep) to help with mechanicals

EQUIPMENT: Be ready for practice no later than T-15 minutes before practice starts

  • BIKE: Make sure that your bicycle is tuned up and ready to roll prior to practice, tires have air, etc.
    • Multi-tool, tube, patch kit, air source, tire levers
  • Always carry water, snack, rain jacket or vest/arm warmers

Additional Content coming Soon!

  • Parent FAQ
  • Membership Form(s)