our CORE values

Community

Element Riding was created out of a passion for developing community and bringing people together. Element Riding is a proud sponsor of the South Island Mountain Bike Society (SIMBS). Liz has been an active board member for SIMBS for nearly 5 years, and continues to volunteer her time to community initiatives and events that bring people together. Liz volunteers as the Head Coach for the Spectrum Mountain Bike team, and coaches for the annual Oak Bay Bikes Women’s Day clinics.

Equity and Inclusion

Element Riding has a goal of creating space for underprivileged and underrepresented people to experience mountain biking. This means volunteering for events and programs that help people get on bikes. In 2023, in partnership with SIMBS, Liz and Brendon hosted the first annual Big Gay Mountain Bike Ride at Hartland. Element Riding will always work to remain financially accessible to anyone who wants to receive professional coaching by participating in free or low-cost programs, offering low-cost programs for those who need it, and by volunteering to run free events. Element Riding is women and LGBTQ owned.

Environmentalism

Our coaches follow Leave No Trace principles and Element Riding participates in 1% for the Planet. Element Riding coaches have received Trail Holistics trail building training, and are committed to volunteering to build and develop trails throughout Greater Victoria in ways which support longevity and the natural environment.

High Quality Coaching

All of the coaches at Element Riding are certified by the Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) and hold current wilderness first aid training. We are committed to providing exceptional coaching to everyone. This means maintaining current industry-standard certifications and training, as well as continuing to develop our own riding and coaching skills. We highly value mentorship and continued learning and always work to provide our coaches with access to developmental and training opportunities.