Lehi MTB Bible
The following page is all you will need to know about high school mountain bike racing on the Lehi Mountain Bike Team.
Who are we?
We are a non-profit, volunteer run organization, that provides a safe and fun environment for high school athletes to ride and race mountain bikes.
What do you need know?
NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association): A non-profit youth development organization that establishes interscholastic mountain biking programs for middle school and high school students across the United States. It provides a structured framework for teams, coaches, and races, promoting both competitive cycling and personal development. You will need to register with NICA for each rider and pay them a registration fee which covers all the races.
Costs: Your costs will consist of the following:
$325 - Team Fees (includes kit, race support (food, tent, supplies, etc.)).
$390 - League Fees (goes to NICA for races and running the league and races).
Equipment. This is your bike ($500 - $10,000), helmet ($25 - $300), and other accessories like repair kit, pump, shoes, gloves, etc.
Travel Costs - we often travel to races. Sometimes we get close venues, other times we need to drive 2-4 hours. Often times that means getting a hotel or camping for a night.
If costs are an issue, please speak to a coach. We have loaner bikes and are willing to help wherever we can.
Also, we are a 100% volunteer organization. Coaches DO NOT GET PAID.
Utah Mountain Bike League: The regional league within NICA that oversees and manages the mountain biking programs, races, and activities specifically within the state of Utah. They set the rules, schedule, and manage the logistics for the Utah race season.
TeamSnap: App used for team event calendar, communications, etc. VERY IMPORTANT!
Region: The Utah league is consists of 6 regions. Lehi is in Region 5 with Skyridge, Lone Peak, Wasatch, Nebo, and more. Regions have a director that works with coaches. Each region can consist of multiple divisions. Lehi is in division 1, which means we compete with the biggest schools in the state.
Race Kits: These typically include the team jersey, bibs (shorts with straps over your shoulders), and sometimes other apparel items like socks or jackets. They are designed to be worn during races and often feature team logos and sponsor branding. It’s a cycling kit and is designed to be tight fitting. You do not normally wear underwear beneath the bibs. Sometimes these are awkward at first. But once you come to practice and races you’ll see everyone is wearing them and we can all be awkward together.
Kit Fit: You come try on the kit prior to ordering to make sure it fits. Kits and fitting can be tricky so I highly recommend.
Registration: You must register with both the team and the league. The team registration is form completed electronically via web link while the league registration is completed within the “Pit Zone”.
Pit Zone: Web portal for parents, coaches, and riders to register and access resources provided by the league. Coaches can invite you to the Pit Zone after registering.
Sponsorship and Fundraising: These are essential for team operations. Sponsorship involves securing financial or in-kind support from local businesses or individuals. Fundraising activities are organized by the team to raise money for equipment, travel, and other expenses. Sponsorship dollars are also used to discount your team fees by 20% of the sponsorship dollars brought in. e.g. if you get a sponsor to donate $1000, you will receive a $200 discount towards your team fees. This is up to the total amount of your team fees.
Skills: These refer to the various techniques and abilities required for mountain biking, including bike handling, positioning, cornering, climbing, descending, navigating obstacles, and maintaining balance. Coaches work with riders to develop and improve these skills. We normally have at least a couple practices at the beginning of the year to work on skills.
Practicers: We normally ride 2-3 days per week. Monday at 6pm, Thursday at 6pm, and every other Saturday. We will occasionally add extra rides (early morning) or GRiT may do additional rides.
Ride Leaders: These are parents, coaches or designated volunteers, who lead group rides during practices or events. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of the group, setting the pace, and navigating the trails. WE WELCOME RIDE LEADERS OF ALL ABILITIES. This team needs ride leaders. You do not need to be “fast”, just willing to learn and help the kids stay safe and have fun.
Volunteers: These are individuals who dedicate their time and effort to support the team. They may assist with coaching, event organization, race day activities, fundraising, equipment maintenance, trail maintenance, or other tasks. Volunteers are crucial to the success of our team. The Team will ask for volunteer signups for each race as well as the league for race day support. The league cannot run a race without hundreds of volunteers.
Trail Work and Volunteer Hours: Our team requires riders to contribute 4 volunteer hours to trail maintenance and construction each season. This helps to preserve and improve the trails used for practices and races.
Time Trials: A type of race format where individual riders compete against the clock. Riders are started at intervals and timed. We do this in order to assign an appropriate practice group based on ability. Everyone is WELCOME and no one is cut. We are all about having fun and improving against yourself.
Practices: Regularly scheduled sessions where riders train and develop their skills under the guidance of coaches. Practices may involve drills, endurance rides, intervals, skills training, and course pre-rides. We normally ride on Monday and Thursday evening. Some Saturdays as well. We encourage riders to attend as consistently as possible.
Practice Groups: Riders are divided into smaller practice groups based on skill level to allow for more focused instruction and personalized coaching. Lehi is large enough that we normally will have 12 distinct groups. Sometimes they merge based on ride leaders and who comes to practice.
Adventure Rides: These are less structured rides, often longer and less focused on formal training, designed to allow riders to explore new trails, build camaraderie, and enjoy the experience of mountain biking. We often go farther away like Park City.
Bikes: The primary piece of equipment for mountain biking. Riders need a mountain bike in good working condition suitable for the terrain they will be riding. Normally a “wal-mart” bike is not suitable for the type of riding we do over the course of a season. Please see local bike shop (Trek AF, Utah Mountain Biking, ARI, or others) or talk to a coach about bikes. We are happy to help and discuss options. Trek also offers discounts to riders.
Bike Maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential to keep bikes running smoothly and safely. This includes cleaning, lubricating, adjusting components, and performing repairs.
Bike Accessories: These are additional items that can enhance the riding experience, such as gloves, cycling shoes, eye protection, water bottles, hydration packs, repair kits, and pumps. HELMETS ARE MANDATORY AT ALL TIMES ON A BIKE. A good helmet with some sort of concussion prevention is ideal (Wave, MIPS, etc.). Please see a coach if you have questions. Also, please checkout Virginia Tech’s helmet ratings to determine appropriately safe helments.
Pre-Ride: When a rider rides an upcoming race course in order to learn it and thus be faster during the race. The team will often organize pre-rides the week prior to racing the course.
Races: Organized competitive events where riders compete against each other. NICA races typically follow a cross-country format with mass starts in waves based on ability. EVERYONE RACES. There is no bench. If racing makes your child nervous come talk to a coach. We won’t make them race but will encourage taking on a challenge like racing.
Race Categories: Riders are divided into categories based on ability and gender. This ensures fair competition among riders of similar abilities. The categories are as follows:
Varsity (Boys and Girls)
JVA (Boys and Girls)
JVB (Boys and Girls)
JVC (Boys and Girls)
JVD (Boys only)
JVE (Boys only)
Single Lap Rider (SLR) (Boys and Girls)
Freshman A, B, C (Boys only)
Freshman Girls ride in Varsity - JVC categories because there are fewer girls racing.
There may also be an adaptive category in any of the above based on need
Race Day: The day of a race event, warm up, staging, the race itself, and post-race activities like awards ceremonies. Lots more info on this but we’ll have a separate page.
State Race: The culminating race event of the season, bringing together the top riders from across the state, in all regions, to compete for championship titles in their respective categories. You must qualify for this race (TBD).
End of Year Banquet: A celebratory event held at the end of the season to recognize the achievements of riders, coaches, and volunteers. Awards are often presented, and the banquet serves as a way to celebrate the season and build team spirit.