CLTMTB is a private club, not a NICA team... We ride and train together throughout the school year, September 4 through June 1, three rides per week PLUS 14 full-day adventure camps on CMS Teacher Work Days and Holidays, 4 Half-Day Camps on early release days, 4 weekend camping/riding trips, and race day support at a wide variety of races. We give riders of all skill levels, ages 8 - 18 the ability to ride, train, jump, and shred with like-minded riders of similar ability and interest. Certified skills instructors and well-trained high school-aged assistants teach riders the skills they need to reach their goals. From winning races, to boosting bigger airs, hitting gnarly drops, or simply developing the skills to be smooth and confident - CLTMTB can help your rider progress. CLTMTB raises the bar and gives riders the opportunity to push themselves and experience all that the sport of mountain biking has to offer.

CLTMTB Junior Development Mountain Biking Club

The program is for all riders 8 - 18 years old who are interested in riding mountain bikes! At every ride, we break into groups to focus on different skills, riding styles, speeds, and abilities to keep every young rider engaged, progressing, and having FUN. Primarily, above everything (besides safety), our focus in on fun! There is NO requirement for anyone to race. If your young rider is a jumper/jibber/shredder, CLTMTB club also has a group for them. BUT, if you are interested in racing… you have come to the right place for that as well. It does not matter if your young rider is a racer, shredder, or cruiser, CLTMTB Junior Development Mountain Biking Club has something for them! Young riders will have access to 3 rides per week with like-minded riders of a similar skill level and interest. Each weekday ride begins with a focused skills session to keep riders’ fundamentals sharp while developing more advanced techniques throughout the year. Coach Shawn has experience catering to riders of all abilities and interests and has a trained staff of instructors and accomplished high school-aged student athletes to mentor young riders and help them develop their passion for mountain biking.

Special strength and performance training programming created specifically for young riders is available to all members of CLTMTB Club. These short workouts are part of our weekly rides (15-20 minutes at the end of each weekday practice) but are also available to club members via Training Peaks where young riders can follow regularly-scheduled bodyweight-only workouts and ride planning up to 6 days per week! Riders who are serious about racing should be ready for a goal-setting/race scheduling meeting with Coach Shawn before they get started.

ALSO… as a member of CLTMTB Club, all riders are eligible to attend 14 Day Camps & 4 Half-Day Camps throughout the school year scheduled on most CMS school holidays and teacher workdays at no additional cost!

*ALL riders must be at least 8 years old at time of registration AND ride a proper mountain bike with at least 24” wheels.

The club also regularly races as TEAM CLT MTB at: Winter Short Track Series, where we tied for 1st place in 2022 and 3rd place in 2023! (AND the all-new, Summer ShortTrack Shootout Series), Full/Half Enchilada, and other local/regional races including USAC-sanctioned team events. Also we will include a team segment who is more focused on ENDURO and DOWNHILL racing (Enduro SouthEast/DHSE Series, GoNuts and more). All Riders who are signed up for the CLTMTB Juniors Club are automatically eligible to race as a member of Team CLTMTB at any race, there is no additional cost (other than the fees paid to race organizations), they are just ready to not only have a lot of fun, but also work hard to drastically improve their riding and fitness. CLTMTB brings a full, professional race day pit to every race to support all our club members and families.

*There is NO requirement or pressure for any CLTMTB Club member to race. If you have questions or are wondering if this program is right for your rider, please feel free to call Coach Shawn at 704-266-2581.

COST

$199/month with recurring billing (through may 2024)

10% SIBLING DISCOUNT (on the second rider after registering one rider at full price)

GEAR

BICYCLE

Each rider’s bicycle must fit properly. If a rider cannot stand and straddle the top tube comfortably (without being in direct contact with/sitting on the top tube) then, the bike is far too big and therefore unsafe to ride. Riding a bike that is too big for the rider is NOT an advantage - it is a serious disadvantage and will hold them back and keep them from being able to learn and execute proper technique to learn the skills we teach at CLTMTB. Riding a bike that is a little small for them is MUCH better than riding a bike that is too big.

All bicycles MUST BE clean and in proper working order. Please! This includes: functional brakes front AND rear, smooth shifting, does not regularly drop the chain, does not squeak and clunk (loose hubs), does not have bald tires, has been tuned up recently by a qualified mechanic, and is clean.  If you show up to drop off your rider and their bike is in poor repair, your rider may not be allowed to participate until their bike is properly repaired.

Proper working order also includes a clean drive train. It is very unpleasant for instructors to have to help a rider fix their bike (put their chain back on or similar and the chain is a filthy black greasy mess. Please learn how to and clean and lube your rider’s drive train on their bike so that is nice and clean for the first day of camp. Cheap citrus degreaser, old toothbrushes, and shop rags work great. Chain cleaners and fancy bike chain cleaners work great and I highly recommend getting one for every family BUT they aren’t necessary. There are lots of youtube videos on how to do this and your young rider can probably do it all themselves with supervision.

Ideally, if everyone can take a few minutes to adjust the “reach” of their rider’s brake levers, that will save us a lot of time on Monday. Please give this a try yourself. This video will show you where / how MOST brake levers on youth mountain bikes can be adjusted. https://youtu.be/xwoRZL1Mcos

NO kickstands, please. Remove the kickstand from your rider’s bike if they have one and do not send them to CLTMTB rides with a kickstand on the bicycle. Kickstands and mountain bikes on trails do not go well together and may end in accident or injury. 

HELMET

Please make sure your young rider is wearing a helmet that fits them properly. Helmets should NOT perch high on top of their head, but should fit low across the top of their brow and cover the back of their head. If your rider has been wearing the same helmet for 3 or 4 years, it is probably time to buy a new one. Helmets should not be cracked, gouged or have any damage from a crash or fall. I have found that BELL makes excellent youth helmets. Ideally, the chin strap should have adjustable buckles on either side at the jawbone, as well as the buckle beneath the chin.

NO FULL-FACE HELMETS, please… Yes, full-face helmets look WAY cool and make you feel safe, but they just are not necessary for the kind of riding we do. They are HOT, they make it hard to hear instruction, they obscure view of the chin-strap so instructors can not make sure they are buckled and secure AND they may even give a “false sense of security” and encourage the rider to take unnecessary risks. 

SKATE helmets may look cool, too but they are very hot on your head. Cycling helmets are made with LOTS of large vents to keep the head cool without constantly removing it. We require riders to wear their helmet the whole time we are on our bikes. Think of it as a hat, not a helmet : ) Before you get on your bike, your helmet goes on your head.

PEDALS

CLTMTB Juniors will be allowed to ride clipless pedals ONLY if they are highly proficient and do not regularly fall because they are clipped-in. Young riders develop bad habits relying solely on the connection between their shoe and pedal and never learn the proper technique when they are “clipped in”.  ALL riders, including Staff members are encouraged to ride on flat/platform pedals and regular sneakers until they are totally proficient with all Beginner to Intermediate skills. At that time, they may wish to “go clipless” and when they do, they must practice and become 100% proficient with them before riding them at practice or wearing them at day camps. In terms of sneakers to wear, VANS are preferred (the traditional skate show VANS, not the new running shoe style, 5.10s or other platform pedal-specific shoes work great, but only when paired with pedals that have aggressive steel pins for grip. When paired with stock plastic pedals, they are slippery and offer no traction. Good old VANS work just as well for half the price) ideally, the sole of the shoe should be FLAT to provide maximum contact with the pedal. Running Shoes, Trainers, Hiking Shoes, even some shoes that are marketed as mountain biking shoes are NOT ideal. If in doubt, go with VANS or other Skate shoes.

Quality “Flat” or Platform pedals are preferred over the stock plastic pedals that come with most kids bikes. Stock plastic pedals are good for greenway rides and test-riding the bike when you purchase it, but should be replaced for mountain biking. These pedals are available in a huge variety of designs and price points. The important thing to consider when shopping for pedals is that they should be at least as big/wide as the shoe that your rider wears, and they should have “pins” or teeth sticking up that effectively engage with the sole of the shoe and help the two “stick” together... while your rider may not be ready for pedals with sharp steel pins, even composite pedals with composite pins/teeth are far better for trail riding than stock plastic pedals. RACEFACE Chesters are by far the most popular, but they are a bit pricey. I’ve seen sufficient pedals at Walmart and some bike shops for $15… Just make sure they have pins / teeth sticking up out of them.

EYE PROTECTION

Anything between your rider’s precious eyes and: sticks, bugs, debris, is better than nothing. Sunglasses, cycling glasses, safety glasses all work great. Please do NOT send your rider with goggles. These are not good for cross-country riding for hours in the Summer heat. Cheap youth-sized safety glasses can easily be found. Please make sure they fit properly, are comfortable with their helmet, and don’t fall off. The most important thing is fit. If they fall off and require constant adjustment, they are a hazard and doing more harm than good. Eye protection is 100% mandatory. No exceptions.

SHORTS

Kids should be wearing padded bicycle shorts even if they want to wear “baggy” shorts on top of them. This is for safety and it’s mandatory. They should fit snug so they don’t bunch and rub. These are worn in place of, not on top of underwear.  Super-loose, long, hanging basketball shorts or something similar are NOT APPROPRIATE for mountain biking and can constantly get caught on the seat and are actually dangerous.  They also can chafe, hold sweat or water and get heavy, etc. Please, do not send your rider to CLTMTB rides or camps in big, baggy shorts or other bulky/baggy clothing. It’s not safe and they may not be permitted to ride until they are dressed appropriately. Aerosport is a decent brand, comes in youth sizes, and available on Amazon for fast delivery. I’ve also seen a pretty extensive selection on Dick’s Sporting Goods website. Also, Troy Lee Designs makes great Youth gear in smaller sizes.

GLOVES

If a rider falls, 9 times out of 10, the first thing to hit the ground will be their hands. We require that all riders use some kind of gloves that fit them properly. There are many mountain biking specific gloves on the market, but fitting a young rider for gloves can be tricky. Dick’s Sporting Goods has youth batting gloves in many sizes, so you may find some there. Also some Home Depots have synthetic work gloves for youth that work well. Ideally, full-finger gloves are best for mountain biking. Gloves do not need to be thick, or even cushioned. They should simply provide a layer between the hand and grip or ground for extra protection.

PADS

If your child is accident prone or really new to mountain biking and you are worried about them falling on the trail and getting hurt, soft pads would be a great idea. G-Form is a great brand of pad that is soft, thin, and breathable but with squishy padding in the important spots on elbows, forearms, shins, and knees. Pads are not required. CLTMTB focuses on teaching riders skills and focus on riding smoothly and under control at all times. Riders who are riding to exceed their skill level will be asked to slow down. Our #1 focus is SAFETY. If you rider has aggressive “teeth” or pins on their pedals, consider shin guards as well.

RAIN

Bring a rain jacket shell. A thin shell layer is great for rain, wind, and basic protection from the elements. It should be easily packed and stowed in their backpack so they can keep it with them just in case. My adult large shell can fit inside a sandwich bag.

 HYDRATION

ALL riders should have a hydration pack with them containing plenty of WATER at all times. One water bottle is simply not sufficient for mountain biking for 2 hours. These packs should also contain a snacks, a rain jacket shell, an appropriately-sized Presta valve tube (yes, even if your rider’s wheels are set up tubeless!), tire levers, multitool, pump, and a patch kit.

Staff members will not hold anything for riders other than medical supplies if necessary like a back up inhaler or EpiPen. We will only drink water at CLTMTB Club. Hydration packs from OSPREY are superior to CamelBak which are almost impossible for most young riders to open/fill/close by themselves. Ozark Trail hydration packs from Walmart are almost as good as Osprey at a fraction of the price ($25).

Proper Hydration can not be met with one water bottle - being on a mountain bike for 2 hours requires more hydration that a single water bottle. Ideally, each rider should have a 1L hydration pack or at least 2 water bottles.

NUTRITION

All snacks and lunches sent with your young rider should be healthy and provide them with the nutrition to fuel their body so they can be very active for hours every day. Each rider should arrive every morning having already eaten a well-rounded breakfast, and bring a nutritious lunch in a lunchbox or lunch bag (NO coolers, please) AND two snacks packed inside their hydration pack. Please do not send candy bars or chips for snacks. Empty calories will not serve any purpose for a young rider who is on their bike for 3 - 4/+ hours per day. Please do not send soda, energy drinks, or similar for lunch. There is absolutely nothing better for your young rider to drink while mountain biking than WATER. To make things even better - if the ONLY thing you ever put in your hydration pack is ice and tap water - it will never get gross in there : ) *Promise.

DIRECTION

All riders must know LEFT from RIGHT. Please work on this with your child - this is a safety issue. It is important that I can use “Left” and “Right” in instruction and guiding trail rides and the rider immediately knows what I’m saying. This “rule” has been added recently, because it’s constantly an issue with some younger riders. Please test them - say “Raise your left hand” and if they stop to think about it - work on it with them. If I say “stay to the left side of the trail” and they go right, it may be unsafe and cause them to run into something I was telling them to avoid.

ELECTRONICS/DEVICES

We prefer that no electronic devices including phones, tablets, or games come to rides. Devices will not come with the rider on the trail unless it is a phone inside their pack or wearable GPS device. Riders will not be allowed to remove their device from their pack on the trail.

PROTECTION

SUN SCREEN

Please apply sunscreen before leaving the house. We will spray Equate Kids Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen SPF50 (that we provide) after lunch every day on Day Camp days. Riders will be in charge of “rubbing it in" and applying it to their own lower face using their hands. We do not spray the face. 

POISON IVY

Tall socks can do wonders to protect ankles and lower legs from poison ivy! We also highly recommend washing all exposed skin every night thoroughly with TECHNU! One of our first lessons is how to spot poison ivy and how to best avoid it. Your young rider will become a poison Ivy Expert! However, mistakes happen and poison ivy is everywhere…

BUGS

Bug Spray is highly recommended and should be applied before your rider arrives. Permethrin on clothes is best. You can find it at REI. I have never followed the directions on the bottle which says you should saturate clothing with it (I never put it on my dog either) but I find that several “sprays” per clothing item on my adult sized shirts, shorts, and socks every three or 4 washings does wonders. Applying bug spray to the skin is left up to families - We will not be applying bug spray or supplying it to anyone. There are bugs, mosquitos, ticks and chiggers in the woods. Please do something for your rider to make sure they do not become a snack.

THANK YOU!

After reading this, if you have questions, please feel free to call, text, or email Coach Shawn with any questions or concerns.

Shawn Gentry, Founder/Director, CLT MTB
704-266-2581 shawn@CLTMTB.com

Schedule

All weekday sessions start with up to 1 hour of skills work, so parents/riders have until 5:30 to arrive before we leave for a one hour trail ride. All Weekday rides are scheduled 4:30- 6:30pm, Saturday group rides are 9:00 - 11:00am

All riders are required to use the TeamSnap app and RSVP to every single ride, camp, race- or trip they plan to attend AT LEAST 24 HOURS in advance, no exceptions.

TUESDAYs & THURSDAYs @ Park Road Park / BYT / Marion Diehl

SATURDAYs @ a variety of Area Trails

AND

QUARTERLY CAMPING/RIDING TRIPS to: KANUGA, DUPONT, ROCKY KNOB, BERM PARK, and more! Schedule/Locations TBD

AND

15 FULL-DAY CAMPS and 4 HALF-DAY CAMPS on CMS Teacher Work Days/Select Holidays (Schedule Below) @ Park Road Park / BYT / Marion Diehl

CAMP DAYS

14 Day Camps 9:30am-3:30pm @ PRP/MDP/BYT

As well as 4 CLTMTB Half-Day Camps 2:00-5:00pm @ PRP/MDP/BYT

• Day Camps Schedule
  Monday, September 4, 2023
  Monday, September 25, 2023
  Monday, November 6, 2023
  Tuesday, November 7, 2023
  Friday, November 10, 2023
  Wednesday, November 22, 2023
  Wednesday, December 20, 2023
  Wednesday, December 27, 2023
  Monday, January 1, 2024
  Monday, January 15, 2024
  Thursday, January 25, 2024
  Monday, February 19, 2024
  Friday, March 29, 2024
  Monday, May 27, 2024
  

• Half-Day Camps Schedule
  Wednesday, September 20, 2023
  Wednesday, October 18, 2023
  Wednesday, February 14, 2024
  Wednesday, March 13, 2024

RACE SCHEDULE

Just to get started!..
*ALL Races require individual registration / additional expenses, travel, accomodations, etc. Many more race opportunites will be added when they are scheduled by race organizers.

SUMMER SHORT TRACK >>SIGN UP<<

We race at Renniasance Park every Saturday in August!

ENDURO SOUTHEAST >>SIGN UP<<

Round 1 @ Rockcrusher Farm, Young Harris, GA
September 10,2023

Round 2 @ Vee Hollow Bike Park, Townsend, TN
October 15th,2023

Round 3 @ Ride Kanuga, Hendersonville, NC
November 11,2023

DOWNHILL SOUTHEAST >>SIGN UP<<

March 2024, Schedule TBA

WINTER SHORT TRACK >>SIGN UP<<

Traditionally held the last Sunday in January, 4 Sundays in February…

…and MORE!

Questions?

If you have questions or want to discuss anything, please do not hesitate to reach out to Shawn Gentry, Founder and Head Coach of CLTMTB.com He can be reached at 704-266-2581 or by email at shawn@CLTMTB.com