Smiles were definitely the order of the day for the first Mountain Bike Fest event which took place in Bike Park Ireland, Tipperary on Sunday 24th July, organised by Cycling Ireland. Aimed at children and teenagers under 18, the idea was to introduce riders to mountain biking and provide them with a fun day out on their bikes.
Nearly 200 riders and parents travelled from all over the country along with many clubs who also made the trip to Roscrea to take part.
After registration and bike check, riders had their choice of a number of different cycling zones including Sprocket Rocket, Gearing Up Off Road, pump tracks as well as the purpose built mountain bike trails available in Bike Park Ireland.
A big hit on the day was the army style uplift trucks that brought riders and their bikes to the top of the hill before they descended down one of the various Bike Park Ireland trails. Riders were guided down these trails by our super Trail Cycle Leaders and we also had certified coaches and volunteers on hand at all zones to provide some coaching and advice to make sure riders got the most enjoyment from each zone.
During the day riders and parents were able to take a break and enjoy a drink or some homemade food in the onsite Mucky Boot Café.
The day ended with Bike Park Ireland’s very own Scott Coyne running an MTB Trials demo during which he wowed the crowd with amazing bike balance, agility and skills on a trials course.
A big thank you must go out to all of the volunteers that helped us out on the day, to the trail coaches, to the exhibitors that attended - CycleSuperstore, Bikeology, Ballyhoura Development LTD and Proline events as well as Garry and Derick Davoren for looking after bike check and repairs on the day. We also have to say thank you Graham, Lynne and everyone else in Bike Park Ireland for having us and for all the help with the event.
