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What people are saying about A Singletrack Mind mountain bike skills clinics

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“Grateful to Dylan Renn for his women’s mt bike workshop I took last month. Dylan–your biking words of wisdom were running through my head all weekend in Ashland: “Look beyond the obstacle” “bend your elbows, cowboy up legs, ready position” and “first rule–have fun!” I could almost keep up with my kids!”” May be some of the best money you spend to elevate your skills and I’ve got absolutely no skin in this game.

–Allison, Marin

Up until late last year Dylan was the primary West Coast instructor for BetterRide. I’ve been mountain biking for well over 20 years and my bike handling skills really stepped up after I took a BetterRide class with him in San Diego. BetterRide has throttled back and Dylan is out on his own under the ASingleTrackMind banner. Same curriculum, same instructor, much lower cost than you would’ve paid last year.

He’ll be using a curriculum developed with some help from Greg Minaar and many high profile pro riders have gone through the same course (e.g. Mitch Ropelato and Cody Kelly). Add in the fact that you’ll be at Demo and it’s a clear win.

Dylan is an unpretentious and accessible guy and he’ll focus on making sure you get the most out of it. Strong recommended all around and is still paying dividends for me.

-Will

“It’s about the details… the tiny ones that make the difference between a ride and an awesome adventure. If you’re a beginner like me and have a zillion questions, Dylan has answers. In fact he has more than just answers, he helped me show myself the answers. He not only breaks down body position and technique in a very friendly, fun and comfortable hands on teaching environment (verbally, demo and video), but he also literally broke down a trail section by section giving me the skill to blaze down it with confidence. From basic body position and mental set up to high speed corners, I can honestly say that since my coaching session with Dylan, there hasn’t been a ride I’ve gone on where I haven’t put 100% of his tips to the test, which has made riding not only more fun, but safer as well. If you’re looking to get a strong riding foundation, gain confidence and have fun while learning I highly recommend spending some time with Dylan, he even follows up with tips and pointers so you can practice when you’re on your own!

Janice H – Topanga, CA

Dylan Renn is my favorite coach.

Coach Renn started me off on my racing career back in 2012 on the Marin Catholic Mountain Bike Team. The first thing I noticed was he has an advantage over every other coach I have trained with. Anyone who was trained through a cold winter knows how difficult it is to go out and ride everyday. With Coach Renn I never thought of it as stale or boring. All of my teammates and I were excited to see where we were going that day. Coach Renn makes a rider of any skill feel valued. When I started on the team, I was a small freshman who couldn’t keep up with the slow group. I loved to ride, my skills were just not quite there. Coach Renn seeing my determination put me on a training program that changed my life forever. The tricky thing was, I had no idea I was training to win cross country races, I just wanted to keep up with the music from his backpack. My first race ever after 3 months of riding with the team I was able to finish 10th. My family and I were shocked with the result. We were so happy with my progress and how far I had come. Coach Renn molded me from a lanky freshman covered in chain grease and bogged down by a camelback to a Varsity athlete where I was able to compete with the best and even end up on the podium. Our team was so sad to see him go, but his presence was never gone. Talking more about his skills one on one for coaching, Dylan Renn is the best. He will analysis every aspect of your turn and show you every aspect you need to work on to improve. I think he was respected so much by the student athletes because he was out there with us everyday suffering up the hills and shredding down. I know for a fact that Coach Renn made me the rider I am today, and without him I would never be the rider I am today.

Let me know if you would like to me elaborate on any specific details on any aspects of your coaching, gotta let the people know what they can expect from the best coach out there!

Jack, Marin County

My Experience with Dylan Renn was when he coached the Marin Catholic High School Mt. Bike team during the 2012 & 2013 racing seasons.

My son Jack was a member of the Mt. Bike team and I helped the team as a ride leader. Dylan was an excellent coach because he made the training rides fun while giving the team an excellent work out.

During the training rides he would teach the team riding skills that enabled them to be faster on the downhill while being in control and as a result making them safer riders.  Dylan also planned a variety of different training rides that made riding with the team interesting with awesome workouts.  Dylan had the unique ability to teach the slower and the faster riders with patience and respect. He was always positive and encouraged the riders to do their best and be courteous of other riders and hikers on the trails. My son Jack loved riding with Dylan and the team and could not wait to get to practice. As a result, he experience a great deal of success racing with the team. As a 55 year old parent riding with the team, I personally had a great time, riding with my son, learning mountain bike skills, getting in shape and enjoying the outdoors.  I highly recommend Dylan Renn as a Mountain Bike Coach and skills trainer.

Best,
Terrance A. Feeney

Dylan did a great job instructing at the camp.  He really broke down all the little subtleties of each technique so we could clearly understand them.  On the following Monday I was eager to use my refined skills on my daily cyclo-cross commute.  On the trail there is a loose downhill s-turn that I usually stuffed the bike into as I tried to exit the last corner.  Anyway, this Monday I set up for the turn in my refined attack position and let the bike drift through the turns with confidence.  Everything was much smoother and in total control; I definitely felt the flow.  Needless to say I almost broke my cheek bones cause my smile was so wide.  Please pass on my gratitude to Dylan.

Thanks,

Phil Smith

Dylan rocks! He is a great coach and advocate for Better Ride. He is a very good communicator and breaks down the skills in ways that all students can understand. I pleased with the additional skills I now have for my tool box. I have a lot of practice to do on my cornering until it becomes second nature. Thanks again for developing a great program. My wife will certainly be taking this camp in the future as well as a buddy of mine.

Best Regards, Sean

Clinic was awesome. Logical approach that makes sense.  Dylan is really knowledgeable and did a great job getting the concepts across.  We saw another clinic going on the trails and the difference in coaching was obvious.  I got my bike over obstacles that I used to fear. Thanks. I can’t wait to get out and practice.  I’m actually more excited about riding, and didn’t think that was possible. Well worth it.

Dave

My son & I just completed the 3-day MTB camp in Fairfax this weekend. To summarize, the class was just flat out awesome!

To put what I got out of the class into perspective: I spent $300 on a dropper post last fall that delivered the single biggest improvement in riding primarily in ascending & descending. I spent about double that for this class but received instruction on the other important aspects of MTB riding i.e. corning, switchbacks, clearing obstacles, balance, ascending/descending, and on and on that has immediately improved my overall riding ability & enjoyment! The way I looked at and rode the trail down the hill Sunday after class was totally different and gratifying.

I had many “ahah!” moments where in each phase of when a concept was being explained, demonstrated then tried by myself I would pump my fist in excitement uttering “this stuff really works!” I have a lot of work to do now to ride to my potential but I walk away from camp with some new tools in my tool box that you cannot buy at your local bike shop.

Oh, and a word about our instructor, Dylan rocks! He is very passionate about mountain biking which injected enthusiasm into us. He did not just spend time with us individually, he invested in each of us individually so that we can reach and share his level of passion for the sport.

I know I have some moments of frustration ahead of me as I transition from bad habits to perfecting the Betterride concepts but mysteries of what I need to do to improve my ride have been unlocked.

Thank you,

Rick

Coach Renn was, in a short statement, a great coach.  While a good coach knows how to keep his athletes motivated, fit and having fun, a great coach is one who builds a culture so strong that it knows not the boundaries of a locker room.  A great coach connects all the dots of day to day life and directs them toward an end much greater than crossing a finish line; that is the happiness and fulfillment athletes receive when they are inspired by and commit to the excellence cultured by a great coach.

– John

Mr.  Renn,

I had time to think. What I got out of the class was number one I had fun number two I had fun and three I regained confidence after a crash a few weeks ago. You obviously have the knowledge and skills required. You are intelligent., sensitive, and have good social skills and awareness. . I do not have to second guess what I say, because I know if I am talking too much you will simply say “mums the word”. And I am confident that you will take something as I mean it and not misinterpret my good intentions.  The lesson plan was focused and there was a good balance of chitchat and socializing. My suggestion is that you keep doing exactly what you are doing.  There was the right amount of material. There was no overload. You explained things more than one way so that everyone understood.  Thank you.
John, Dunsmuir

I took a 3-day MTB camp with Dylan almost 2 years ago, and I could not be more pleased with the results. My speeds definitely improved, but more importantly, I ride safer and more confidently. Dylan has years of coaching experience and his passion for riding and teaching is evident. His clinics are designed to break down bad habits and have students build on solid fundamental techniques. I would highly recommend a session with Dylan, whether you’re looking for a very thorough mountain biking clinic, or a more customized coaching session. To this day, I continue to build on the things I’ve learned with every ride!

Cheers,

Peter, East Bay