FAQ

Do I have to rent a mountain bike or can I bring my own?
You are welcome to bring your own bike. If you don't have your own bike (or maybe you'd like to try something a little nicer), we rent two types of mountain bikes, both made by Specialized. Rent a Rockhopper Pro hardtail for $90/week, or a full suspension SX Trail for 160$/week. See the 'Rental Gear' tab at the top of this page for more info.

What time does the camp start? / What time does the camp end?
Dirt Camp Sleep Away Starts on Sundays at 4:00 pm and ends on Fridays at 5:00pm
Dirt Camp Day Camp Starts on Monday at 9:00 am and ends on Fridays at 4:00pm

Do I need a Bromont pass to attend Dirt Camp?
It is recomended that you purchase at least the Ski Bromont water park pass as it can come in usefull on hot days. The pass will enable you to hit the water anytime during camp.
It is also recommended that you purchase the ski Ski Bromont mountain bike park pass as this will give riders the ability to use the lift to access terrain at anytime.

What about transportation?
You are responsible for bringing your child to camp on arrival day however you can purchase return transportation to Montreal for the following Friday for 30$. The meeting place for return transport is at Martin Swiss Cycle. 313 Victoria, in westmount

What happens if it rains? Will the camp still go ahead? 
Under normal circumstances, Dirt Camp is still all-systems-go in the rain. Sometimes we choose to ride indoors at skate parks like the TAZ in Montreal, but normally we use the rain to practice in the slippery riding conditions. Be sure to bring appropriate clothing (a waterproof rain shell and change of shoes) so that you’re as dry, warm, and comfortable as possible.

What are the accommodations like at Dirt Camp?
Dirt Camp provides its campers with clean, dry rooms with proper beds, bathrooms and a number of relaxing spaces inside and out.

Do all kids sleep in one big room?
Most kids share the upper floor but younger kids sleep in a smaller room on the main level.

Can I change weeks if I am already registered?
Provided there is room in the other session, you are welcome to change at any time.

What is the ratio of instructors to campers?
Normal weeks will have, on average, 6 campers per instructor or less. DH weeks will often have 4 campers per instructor.

Will campers be able to ride on their own at Bromont and with their friends?
Once we have shown the mountain to the campers and have seen their riding skill level and their knowledge of the basic trails of the mountain, campers are aloud to ride without instructors on pre-approved trails. Campers must travel in groups of 2 or more and will be required to stick to a set of trails pre-determined by their instructor.

What are the things I need to bring?
-Full Finger Bike Gloves
-Shin and knee pads!!!
-Regular Cycling Helmet or Skate helmet or BMX helmet
-Medical insurance card or Photocopy of card
-Sleeping bag and pillow
-Towel
-Rain gear, change of clothes and extra shoes! 
-Shorts (cycling or regular)
-Repair kit and extra tube (optional)
-Water bottle
-Bathing suit 

The following objects are allowed: -Flashlights, Tools, Small Radio, Alarm Clock, Movies (G rated)

Skill Levels

How do you determine my skill level and decide which group I ride with during camp?
Very soon after arrival, the Dirt Camp staff evaluate skill level of every camper; we'll look at descending, trials, cornering, climbing, braking and jumping. Strengths and weaknesses are reviewed and campers are ranked on a 1-5 scale, 1 is beginner and 5 is expert. We use all this information to place campers in the right group. If your skills level improves during camp, we will switch you to a higher group.
 

Is there a chance I am too much of a beginner for this camp?
NO. All riders have a place at Dirt Camp and everyone has a chance to improve greatly during the week. EVERYONE is welcome.

Will this camp be challenging enough if I’m an advanced rider?

Anyone who rides a mountain bike will find a chance to throw down their own personal gauntlet at Dirt Camp. Many advanced riders return to camp, year after year, partly to hone their skills and also just to ride with the crew. We have tons of stunts, drops, dirt jumps, berms, gap jumps and North shore style ladder bridges on our site that can challenge any rider.

How many days will we be riding at Bromont?
Normal weeks visit Bromont twice; some will do 1 day at Bromont and one day at TAZ montreal. This will depend on the weather and our shedule for the given week. DH weeks ride Bromont 4 times a week.

Equipment

What kind of bike do I need to bring?
You need to bring a mountain bike that fits you and is in good working condition, generally in a state that would make your bike mechanic proud.

You'll want to be on a bike that has front suspension; rear suspension is an added bonus. Having a quick release on your seat post is also really useful, it makes raising and lowering your saddle during the skill sessions and rides that much quicker. If you don't have one already, you might want to consider getting one before camp, or buying one on the first morning.

If you have two bikes at home, you can bring both. Commonly, we see downhill, freeride, dirt jumping and cross country bikes.

Should I bring both my regular and full-face helmet?
Yes. Both are very useful in camp. If you have both, you'll want to bring your full-face for downhill days and your regular helmet for on-site and skate park days.

The “What to Bring” section suggests flat pedals. I ride with clipless pedals all the time, and feel that I won’t ride as well without them as I’m used to being “attached” to my bike. Should I really switch my pedals and shoes for the weekend?
We like everyone to be learning bike skills on flat pedals, as much as possible. It's the way to proper technique and also the safest.

Flat pedals allow you to abort from the bike when things go wrong. When learning how to drop off a large obstacle, you want to make sure you can get off the back of your bike quickly. When learning to ride on elevated planks you want a wider platform under your feet for balance and, again, the opportunity to get off your bike super fast. Flat pedals also facilitate the newer 'moto-style' cornering technique that has recently been popularized by some of the fastest riders in the world, including Sam Hill of Monster Energy/Specialized.

What demo equipment will you have available at the camp?
At camp we rent Specialized bikes, see the 'Gear Rental' tab at the top of this page for for more info. You can reserve your equipment when you register for camp.