Ability & Fitness Guide

Ride East welcomes all riders regardless of age or ability. Whether you’re new to riding, are a seasoned veteran, or fall somewhere in between, we have a program for you.

To help us provide you with an appropriate experience, use the following criteria to help determine your technical ability level and fitness level.

ABILITY:

Level 1

  • You have never ridden a bike off road. This will be your first experience mountain biking.

Level 2

  • You are new to mountain biking but are comfortable riding single track trails. You are comfortable riding over terrain with a stable surface. You are comfortable riding over unavoidable obstacles such as rocks and roots 5 cm tall.

Level 3

  • You have been riding a mountain bike for a season or two. You are comfortable riding over terrain with a mostly stable surface but with some variability. You are comfortable riding over unavoidable obstacles such as rocks and roots 15 to 25 cm tall.

Level 4

  • You are a confident rider with a minimum of 2 years experience riding technical single track. You are comfortable riding over variable and unpredictable terrain including loose rock and gravel as well as wet roots. You are comfortable riding off obstacles such as logs and rock drops up to 30 cm tall as well as steep roll-downs.

Level 5

  • You are an experienced and confident rider with a minimum of 5 years experience riding expert level trails. You are confident riding unstable and unpredictable terrain including loose rock and gravel as well as wet roots. You are confident riding off obstacles such as logs and rock drops well in excess of 40 cm in height as well as steep roll-downs. You are comfortable riding any technical features you encounter on the trail.

FITNESS:

Level 1

  • Cycling is not a regular activity for you. You have never ridden a bicycle off road. Although you find yourself on a bicycle a few times during the summer, activities involving exercise are not generally a priority for you.

Level 2

  • You ride your mountain or road bike a couple of times a month at a relaxed pace. You supplement this with other activity to maintain a base level of fitness. Your physical activity usually has a duration 1 hour or less.

Level 3

  • On average, you ride your mountain or road bike once a week at a moderate pace. You supplement this with other activity to maintain an average level of fitness. Physical activity for you can have a duration of 1 to 2 hours.

Level 4

  • You are an avid cyclist and ride your mountain or road bike more than twice a week at a steady pace. Your lifestyle supports a number of other activities that qualify you as being fit. Physical activity is a priority for you and can have a duration of 2 to 3 hours.

Level 5

  • You are an athlete. You ride at least 3 - 4 times a week at a rigorous pace and supplement this with other activities to maintain an advanced level of fitness. Activity for your can have a duration greater than 4 hours.

Ride East is the foremost provider of Mountain Bike adventures and instruction in Eastern Canada.

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