Now we know you know this one. Riding down hills at high speed? Correct! Downhill is specifically about using DH bikes. The frame geometry of these bikes lends itself to descending and definitely not hill climbing. Usually the biker is dropped at the top of the descent and off they go. Typically this type of event is used at off-season ski resorts. The riders are carried to the top using the ski lifts. The course includes huge drop-off's of tens of feet and extreme inclines. Full body armour is worn with full face helmets.

When most people hear the word term mountain biking they think of downhill. Don't forget half the fun in mountain biking is uphill.

We advise that you attend the beginners course before trying the intermediate course unless you have been mountain biking for a year or so. Our intermediate training course builds on the basic skills you have learned on the beginners course. We recommend that having completed the beginners course you should try to hone the skills you have learned for a few months before immediately attending an intermediate course. This way you will have more questions to ask and will have undoubtedly have a few problem areas that you will want to address specifically.

So you've bought the bike and and safety gear and you're ready to go but you're not quite sure what to do next? Well why not try one of our training days. Our beginners MTB course will build your confidence, improve your bike skills and help you stay safer. You will actually have more fun on the trails if you have been trained properly and if you are having fun you will get more out of the activity, stay fitter and be happier.

The Offroad-Online resource for mountain bikers in Ireland. We started the website MountainBiking.ie in 2007. We noticed that the vast majority of mountain bike sites on the web were club based blogs and forums. They reflected a relatively small community of enthusiasts. They did not reflect mountain biking as I knew it and to be honest their sites were a series of posts about training events and races that they had done or were about to do. There was nothing on line about the fun of biking.

Are you looking for expert mountain bike training? Well, the place to start is with an SMBLA qualified instructor. The Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award is recognised in the U.K. and increasingly in Ireland as a method of best practice for mountain bike tuition. We give an over view of the SMBLA here.

It can be daunting starting anything new. We have put together our beginners section to help you get started. We outline what you need to wear, bring and check before you set off on your first mountain bike trail.  I genuinely believe that the best place to start is with your local club. People come to mountain biking with very different levels of skill.

In response to the increasing demands for recreational forest use by mountain bikers, the Irish forestry company Coillte have developed a small number of purpose built mountain bike trails in some of their forests around Ireland. There has been widespread recognition throughout Europe of the importance of recreational forest use. So to some extent this box has been checked now by Coillte. We at MountainBiking.ie have ridden these trails and bring you reviews of Ballinastoe, Derroura, Ballyhoura and Portumna Trails and their facilities aswell as GPS Maps and Directions.

Mountain biking existed in Ireland for about 20 years before Coillte developed their professionally designed, purpose built trails. There are a dozens of trails that were used over the years, in some of the most breathtaking landscapes that Ireland has to offer. To ignore them would do Irish Mountain Biking a disservice and it would not accurately reflect mountain biking in Ireland. However as these trails are on privately owned land we cannot disclose their whereabouts and we cannot recommend that anybody uses them. Sufficed to say that these trails are built, used, removed, abandoned or worn away throughout the country regularly. Often their sections are quite elaborate and technical. When used by a novice they are unrideable but when the skilled rider takes to them true skill and athleticism is revealed.

Hi, If you have any queries relating to the website please contact me through the contact section here.

Thanks - Daragh.

One way to start riding the trails without shelling out a lot of cash for a mountain bike is to take one of our Try-It! guided mountain bike sessions. Just book your course and we will meet you on the trail with a top mountain bike and safety equipment.

I've been living in Sweden for the last seven years and when a mate of mine suggested going mountain biking on a recent return to Ireland, it seemed like a great idea. Now, here's the thing - mountain biking looks easy but if you're coordination and balance is atrocious as mine, the sport is a bit trickier than you might think.

This is a small hill only about 250m. that is well sheltered from the elements. The forrest is a mix of native deciduous trees and spruce. There is a few good climbs here nothing too strenuous but it will get the heart going. The trail is a mix of wide forest tracks and narrow single track. It is quite quiet up there has a tendency to get overgrown as a result. I Like to do a few laps. This hill is a great place to come to escape from the world. It offers fantastic views of the coast and really gentle terrain.

The mountain where Trail 84132 runs, stands tall and forms part of a range of mountains. The wooded area forms part of the U shape of mountains. This area offers spectacular views. The forest is a mix of Natural Oak and Spruce and sustains lots of wildlife. You are quite likely to find a Dear bounding ahead of you on the trail in the early morning. The woods are somewhat linear and have a number of car park entrances. There are a number of walking trails here and it is also permitted to camp here in the wild. Subject to certain criteria. The beauty of the mountain is that it sweeps down to a really picturesque area to meet the river below.

This unattractive hilltop is everything urban. Some great views of the coast but that is about it as far as the landscape goes. It is a busy spot and is never quiet at any time. It is rugged and patchy where the forests have been ripped out of the landscape. However it is a much needed recreational resource in this part of the country. Unfortunately It is very underdeveloped in that regard. The terrain is hard and rugged. Unlike the rolling green hills that you see in Wicklow for example, this mountain just stands there like Arnold Schwarzennegar.