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Outline
Where you are attending an OTC Leader course it is crucial that you select the appropriate course for your needs. This page is set out to assist you in this choice, but you can also contact OTC to discuss your situation in more detail if you wish.

Reasons behind your choice
In order to identify the correct course for you, you should consider several factors. These are outlined in detail below, and you will be asked to agree to the course being correct when you complete your course application form, so you should consider these carefully.

The three main factors in course selection comprise:

Previous and current experience and abilities in mountain bike leading, riding and other outdoor activities (including qualifications).
The locations and type of mountain bike leading you currently and wish to provide.
Your financial and time availability.

The reason that you have this choice is due to the fact you do not have to attend every OTC course as your leading increases. It is possible, providing you fulfil the course pre-requisites, for you to miss 'rungs of the ladder'.

Your abilities and experience
This is the first stage of choosing the correct course. Where you have experience and abilities that fulfil the pre-requisites of a Leader course, you may attend this course. It is important that you judge these factors with accurate perception in order for the course to be appropriate to your needs. The highest level of course you are able to attend is the one where you are still able to fulfil all the experience and ability requirements. You can, of course attend a lower level course if it is more appropriate for your needs. All the course pre-requisites are outlined at the end of this page

Your mountain bike leading locations
One of the critical factors in providing mountain biking activities is that you remain within the remit of your qualification, experience and abilities. You should match your course firstly to your abilities and experience, as this is the minimum starting point, and secondly to the locations and you wish to lead in. Details of the terrain in which each qualification is suited for are shown later on this page.

Your finance and time constraints
Although financing of courses affects all those who attend, you should not let it influence the identification of the correct course for you. Where you do have the time and finance available it is to your advantage to go through the OTC scheme from Trail Leader onwards, as this helps ensure you have sufficient knowledge and experience in appropriate situations throughout your mountain bike leading.

Where you require to be qualified in a short space of time, it would be appropriate to choose one of the combined training and assessment Leader courses, as these operate using a combined system resulting in the possibility of you becoming qualified during the course.

Course insurance:
OTC provide medical and cancellation insurance options on every course. This insurance means that once your place has been confirmed, you may be able to reclaim the course cost (less a small excess) where approved circumstances mean you are unable to attend. Please note that this insurance does not extend to equipment or personal medical costs, and is appropriate within the UK only. For more details on the insurance, please consult the Cancellation Insurance Information document. (adobe Acrobat format).

Your abilities and experience
Using the pre-requisites for each course, as outlined to identify the first stage of choosing the right course. You should be able to fulfil all of the following to attend the course:

For all courses:

Candidates should be able to absorb, implement and apply the information provided on the course.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Trail Leader candidates
The Trail Leader Award is designed for 'non-technical' or trail terrain. A combined training and assessment course, the Trail Leader course pre-requisites are shown here.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Technical Leader training course candidates
The Technical Leader Award is designed for those leading groups into technical as well as non-technical mountain biking terrain. You may be suited to the Technical Leader training course, rather than the Trail Leader, if you fulfil the Technical Leader course pre-requisites.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Advanced Leader training course candidates
The Advanced Leader Award is designed for those leading groups into technical mountain and remote or ' Advanced' mountain biking terrain.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Pre-Assessment Interview (PAI) course candidates
Outcomes of the PAI are varied depending on your experience, abilities and desires, but suitable candidates should fulfil the PAI pre-requisites

Pre-requisites and expectations of Skill Instructor course candidates
The Skill Instructor Award is designed for those developing group members riding skills. You should:

have completed the Technical Leader training course, and be intending to complete the Technical Leader assessment
have achieved the Technical Leader outcome of the Riding Proficiency Expectations during the Technical Leader Leader training course

Where you have some experience of instructing riding skills or other associated skills, you may find them useful during the course, but they are not essential.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Road Leader candidates
The Road Leader Award is designed to qualifity those capable of leading a group of cycle users on a road and tarmac path environment.

Hold at least one years personal cycle riding experience on road terrain (at least thirty rides)
Be sufficiently fit to manage a group of general cyclists. The riding during the course is not designed to be excessively demanding, and includes many stops for discussion and teaching, but you will be expected to be able to ride with average participants.
Hold a valid and appropriate first aid certificate (minimum of 8 hour HSE approved course). Where you do not hold this, your Leader certification is held pending provision of a suitable certificate.

Candidates of the Road Leader course will find that some experience of leading, navigation, maintenance, and group management will be useful in assisting their achievement of the Road Leader qualification, although it is not essential prior to attending a course.

Pre-requisites and expectations of Assistant Leader candidates
The Assistant Leader Award is designed to qualifity those capable of assisting leaders leading a group of mountain bikers in terrain appropriate to their personal riding abilities.

Hold at least one years personal mountain bike riding experience in trail terrain (at least thirty rides)
Be sufficiently fit to assist the management of a group of general mountain bikers. The riding during the course is not designed to be excessively demanding, and includes many stops for discussion and teaching, but you will be expected to be able to ride with average participants.
Hold a valid and appropriate first aid certificate (minimum of 8 hour HSE approved course). Where you do not hold this, your Assistant Leader certification is held pending provision of a suitable certificate.

Candidates of the Assistant Leader course will find that some experience of navigation, maintenance, and assistant group management will be useful in assisting their achievement of the Assistant Leader qualification, although it is not essential prior to attending a course.

Mountain bike leading locations

Identify the location, terrain and environment you wish to lead groups in through considering the limits of each qualification.

Trail Leader Terrain
Trail Leader terrain is termed 'non-technical'. It is ideal for schools and other groups of young people, as well as novice or less experienced adults, and those looking for some 'off-road'. Trail Leader terrain includes legally or permissively accessed forest roads, firetracks, cycleways, roads and country lanes and other terrain where line selection is not required in areas less than 600m high or 2.5km from a telephone. See more here.

Technical Leader Terrain
Technical Leader terrain covers the riding for the vast majority of the UK. It includes technical (Technical Leader) and non-technical (Trail Leader) legal and permissive riding in areas less than 600m high or 2.5km from a telephone. Technical terrain includes singletrack, rocks, roots, lumps and bumps. See more on technical terrain here.

Advanced Terrain
Advanced terrain covers all legal riding in the UK. It is based primarily in areas over 600m high or more than 2.5km from a telephone. See more on advanced terrain here.

Road Leader Terrain
Road Leader terrain is all based on tarmac. It ranges from quiet country lanes and tarmac surfaced cyclepaths to the technical urban environment including road furniture and hazards like busy roads, traffic lights and roundabouts. Road terrain includes the public highway, legally or permissively accessed roads, tarmac surfaced cycleways.

Assistant Leader Terrain
The Assistant Leader course includes an identification of your riding ability in context to each road and mountain bike based qualification. Outcomes can then vary to match your ability to the terrain in which you can assist. For example if you fulfil the personal riding expectations of the Road Leader, you will be able to assist Leaders in this environment. If you fulfil the personal riding expectations of the Technical Leader, you will be able to assist in the Road, Trail Leader and Technical Leader environments.

Outcomes of each course
Once you have identified the suitable course for you, confirm the course outcomes are correct for you. These are based on you applying the information provided through the course.
Note: Where all the course or award criteria are not met, these outcomes will vary.

Course Outcomes

Assistant Leader
Become Assistant Leader

Road Leader
Become Road Leader

Trail Leader
Become Trail Leader Leader

Technical Leader training course
Be a trained Technical Leader. Be provided with certificate of training and action plan of current abilities against the requirements of the Technical Leader Assessment Criteria. Expected to go onto the Technical Leader Assessment.

Technical Leader assessment
Become Technical Leader

Advanced Leader training course
Be Advanced trained Leader. Be provided with certificate of training and action plan of current abilities against the requirements of the Advanced Leader Assessment Criteria. Expected to go on to the Technical Leader assessment if not already held and the Advanced Leader Assessment.

Advanced Leader assessment
Become Advanced Leader

Pre-Assessment Interview
Be Pre-Assessed Leader. Be provided with certificate of training and action plan of current abilities against the requirements of the most appropriate leader award Assessment Criteria. Expected to go on to a further appropriate training course or assessment.

Skill Instructor
Become Skill Instructor

Further questions?
Where this document does not provide with you with sufficient guidance, please contact OTC to discuss your situation and clarification of the most appropriate course for you.