Mountain Bike Skills Instruction
Whether your interest is getting faster on easier trails, or riding the most difficult trails with more control and performance, I can help. From weekend warriors who enjoy scenic trails to cross country and enduro racers, by travelling to fourteen states, I have already helped around six hundred riders become more confident and skilled all-around riders.
"If you wanted someone to catch a slant pass over the middle for a critical first down, you wouldn't run Bill Belichick onto the field. If you wanted someone to diagram the reponsibilities for the players on the field to execute the play, there's no one better. That's Lon. He doesn't profess to be a World Champion in any MTB discipline, but he's a very accomplished rider. He teaches at an extremely high level, and uses graphic aids and video to reinforce what he's teaching, and he covers all different learning styles from visual, to auditory, to 'hands on.' He can flat out teach! Lon makes learning fun. I don't know a mountain biker I ride with, including some Pro Enduro racers, who couldn't go to Lon's clinic and leave with some key takeaways to improve aspects of their riding." Charles, 50+
“I was grateful to have won a gold medal at the National Championship in 2017 at Snowshoe, West Virginia. However, I wanted to continue to improve my skills because the cross country course was so technically challenging. Therefore, I worked with Lon Cullen of SingletrackSkills.Bike. In 2018 back at Snowshoe, I was excited to have beat my 2017 time by 5:31, and I won another gold medal! The 2018 course was more difficult, and I was not as fit as I was in 2017. I attribute the faster time in 2018 to the hours that Lon worked with me. This work not only helped my control on the bike, but it also helped my performance. I’m looking forward to working with Lon in the future in order to continue to improve my skills and confidence, especially when the trails get difficult.” Randy Kerr, (60-64); 4 time National Cross Country Champion
“Having raced pro in many cross country and enduro events, as well as placing third in the 2009 Xterra World Championship, I already knew how to ride a bike. Even though I had been riding for over 25 years, I also knew that I could always improve. That is why I invested in private lessons with Lon. I wanted to see if he could get me a little faster in the corners. He was able to share with me some techniques that improved my cornering speed; and the more that I rode with him, the more I improved as an overall mountain biker. He has a lot of patience and did a great job explaining both basic and advanced concepts. I was impressed with his ability to recognize technique flaws and help me improve. After working with him, I became noticeably better at line selection and body position, and I was able to ride many features that would qualify as ‘double black diamond,’ in any state or country. Lon is extremely knowledgeable and can improve well-seasoned riders as well as beginners.” Omar Fraser, 3rd ‘09 XTERRA World Championship (25-29) & multiple pro XC and enduro podiums
Pisgah National Forest is known for its technical challenges. One must not only be fit to ride Pisgah, but one must also have solid bike handling skills. Now imagine racing that remote forest for 36 hours straight. That is what Lee Neal and a handful of others have done during the Pisgah 36hr Mtb Race. It is "the Green Beret" of mountain biking.
"For the past few years, the Pisgah 36 has hung over my head like a dark cloud. After a few failed attempts, I decided really to focus on training specifically for this event. I rode/studied Pisgah as much as possible and hired coach Tim Pemberton to write up a training plan. I felt pretty confident in the mental and physical departments. However, Pisgah will knock you around like a pinball if you don't have your bike handling skills dialed in. I contacted Lon to see if he could meet me at Oak Mountain State Park for a ride and maybe show me a couple of tricks. After just three sessions, he had corrected years of my bad habits. He pointed out all of the little things that I was doing wrong that were causing unnecessary fatigue on descents and technical climbs. I truly noticed a big difference in my endurance and speed during the race, and I finally was able to complete it. Lon is a legend and has the patience of a saint no matter what your skill level is. I can't recommend the guy enough." Lee Neal, 3rd place, 2018 Pisgah 36hr Mtb Race.
“In 2017, I competed in the Enduro National Championship at Snowshoe, WV. I did not know what I was getting into and was lucky to survive 8 stages that were far above my ability level on a cross country bike. After Snowshoe, I decided to purchase an enduro bike and work with Lon Cullen to improve my skills. Working with Lon and learning some new skills has given me a lot more confidence riding drops and steep downhills. Sometimes to get better you have to get outside your comfort zone and try new stuff. In 2018, I finished 2nd in the 60 plus Enduro National Championship at Snowshoe and was only a minute behind 1st after 7 stages. I have been riding a mountain bike for almost 30 years, but I am still learning new stuff. If you want to improve your skills and work on your weaknesses , then you should talk to Lon Cullen. I think you will find him a great teacher.” Hardwick Gregg, 2019, (65-69), Marathon Mountain Biking National Champion.
Tricky entry onto a steep, rock roll, & then off a 7’ mandatory drop, Lon, age 52.
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Articles on Singletrack Skills:
For a six rider minimum, I can travel to your home trail system.
Instruction for All Abilities. Whether you enjoy cross country, enduro/all mountain, or lift-serve bike parks, I can help you improve your technical skills.
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