January 20 2026
Ride, Learn, Repeat: Why Mountain Bike Coaching Changes Everything
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If you’ve ever looked at a mountain bike trip and wondered, “Am I here to explore… or to actually get better?” you’re not alone. That’s exactly why we’re so lucky to partner with Sweet Skills—a women-led coaching crew that’s built a seriously strong community around confidence, progression, and having fun on bikes.
On select Big Mountain trips, Sweet Skills joins us as on-trail coaches, adding a layer you don’t get on a typical guided tour. Our guides are there to manage logistics, choose the best trails for the group, keep the stoke high, and make sure the whole experience runs smoothly. Sweet Skills is there to help you level up—with smart, supportive coaching, optional skills sessions, and real-time tips that make tricky features feel doable (and way more fun).
And if you’re specifically looking for a women’s-only experience, Sweet Skills also runs our women’s-only trips—creating a space where riders can show up exactly as they are, ask questions without hesitation, and progress alongside a crew that genuinely gets it. The result? A trip that blends adventure with growth—and a ride community you’ll want to keep coming back to.
The Sweet Spot: Pairing Pro Guiding with Skills Coaching
Sylvie Allen is the founder of Sweet Skills and a mountain bike coach with 25+ years of experience helping thousands of women ride with more confidence. A former Canadian National Downhill Champion, she’s been guiding riders on trails and in the gym since 2006, combining mountain bike skills coaching with strength, mobility, and rehab expertise as a BCRPA-certified personal trainer.
We caught up with Sylvie for a quick Q&A about how coaching can enhance a bike trip, and this is what she had to say:
How does adding professional coaching elevate a guided mountain bike trip into a true progression experience?
“Adding professional coaching truly elevates a guided mountain bike trip. Rather than just riding trails, riders are actively developing skills that build confidence and carry over long after the trip—both throughout the week and back on their home trails.
We weave coaching seamlessly into the rides, offering each rider personal tips without taking away from mileage or the overall adventure. The goal is to enhance the experience, not interrupt it. When riders improve their technique and learn to ride with less fear and tension, they naturally enjoy the trails more and feel more capable in a wider range of terrain.
We work closely with the guides to choose progressive trails that create learning opportunities as we explore new trails and zones each day. Without this approach, guided trips can sometimes turn into a “feast or famine” situation—where stronger riders are waiting at the front while others are struggling at the back. Coaching will certainly bridge that gap, and we also place significant emphasis on screening and creating a cohesive group before the trip even starts.
We’re so fortunate to partner with Big Mountain and their exceptional guides. They’re compassionate, safety-focused, and deeply invested in giving guests the best possible experience while showcasing the region. Working alongside guides like that makes it seamless to integrate coaching into the ride, resulting in a trip that’s not just memorable, but genuinely transformative for riders.”
What specific techniques do Sweet Skills coaches focus on during a multi-day trip?
“Like any coaching clinic, we start by getting a sense of where each rider is at during the initial intro ride. Body positioning is always the first focus—we want kick those bad habits right away! On a multi-day trip, the trails are long and the mileage adds up, so a relaxed, efficient riding position is key. It reduces tension in the quads and arms and creates a strong foundation for building additional skills. As far as coaching specific skills it really depends on the terrain we’re riding and what each individual needs. In general, we layer in techniques such as cornering, braking, descending technical terrain, and e-bike–specific skills when applicable. Much of the terrain riders encounter on these trips can be very different from what they’re used to at home—some may be comfortable on rock slabs but struggle in loose conditions, while others thrive on flow trails but find chunky, technical descents challenging.
Introducing riders to new terrain types is one of the most rewarding parts of the trip. As their confidence grows, we see them adapt, progress, and often start to love trails they might have avoided before.It’s exciting to introduce people to new types of terrain and see them progress and begin to love it!
How does the women-centred approach of Sweet Skills create a different kind of learning environment?
“We create a pressure-free learning environment, removing comparison and the need to “keep up”. With an all-women crew, everyone feels more willing to ask questions, try new techniques, and focus on their own progression with huge support from everyone. It’s really cool to have a group that an individual can join their own and be assured they’re going to feel welcomed and leave with 10 new friends!”
How does coaching help riders tackle terrain they may not attempt on their own?
“There’s so much mileage we get on these trips that we see new habits forming, and before you know it, riders are naturally feeling more confident with their skills. From that, they’re able to ride faster, smoother, have better control on descents, rolling bigger obstacles, and feeling more stable. Women really build each other up – you see someone else do it and think – hey, I can do that too!”
What are you waiting for? Book now to join us and Sweet Skills in Tuscany May 10-17, 2026.
Looking for a different adventure? Ride with us and Coach Jill Kintner in Peru, May 1-9, 2026.
