The Foundation of Fluidride — and the Fastest Way to Transform Your Riding
Trail Essentials is the cornerstone of the entire Fluidride method. It’s the only required course before Advanced Cornering because it delivers the highest concentration of technique, correction, and true riding transformation that Simon teaches.
Whether you’re brand-new or a seasoned rider, this class rebuilds your foundations so you can ride with more confidence, traction, and control. Riders of all levels routinely walk away saying, “I can’t believe how different my riding feels after one class.”
Why This Class Matters
Cornering is the movement that influences nearly every part of mountain biking. Trail Essentials gives you a repeatable, stable body position—and the technical understanding behind it—so you can move with precision instead of guesswork.
Beginners build safe habits. Intermediates correct long-standing inefficiencies. Experts and pros unlock more speed and margin for error.
This 2-hour 45-minute format allows Simon to break down each component of technique and give every rider meaningful practice and individualized feedback.
What You Will Learn:
Cornering Mastery (Primary Focus)
Front-foot and back-foot turning techniques
Turning consistently in both directions
Linking turns through slalom
One-footed turns to isolate control
Flat corners, off-camber corners, and bermed turns
Corner setup, line choice, and timing
Foundational Bike + Body Mechanics
Sustainable, powerful riding posture
How the bike and body work together for traction and stability
Undulating terrain and passive pumping
Braking that supports—not interrupts—cornering
Steep descent positioning and control
Clear demos and targeted feedback
Who: Riders 16+
Prerequisites: None
Skill Level: All Levels
Duration: 1 day x 2.75 hours
Location: Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, Issaquah, WA.
Meeting Spot: Central clearing near the large covered shelter. Arrive 20–30 minutes early to park and pedal in.
What’s Next?
After this course, we often recommend:
Trail Essentials – reinforce and refine the key movements
Air 101– body position from TE sets you up perfectly for jumping
Advanced Cornering – master more technical corner types and terrain
Not sure which class is the best fit for you? 🤔
Contact us or check out our Course Comparison Guide!
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Want to Gift a Class?
Pick “Gift” in the drop-down. The rider can choose their date later, and you still get sale pricing.
We can also make a personalized e-gift card—just send us the details.
Prefer a dollar amount? Head to our Gift Card page.