Clayton Cardarelli
Co-Owner and Cranbrook/Kimberley Operations Manager
Clayton was born in North Idaho to a bike family. Some of his earliest memories are being packed around by his parents in a chariot (with lots of snacks, of course!), going up gravel passes and riding on ferries in the Kootenays. Growing up with those experiences, he learned how you can use bikes to explore.
At the age of 19, Clayton took a year off work and school to bike tour from Idaho to St. John’s, Newfoundland. All was well until his chain snapped outside of Highland Mountain Bike Park in New Hampshire. The folks at the shop laughed while working on his touring rig in the stands typically reserved for downhill bikes, and they showed him around the Bike Park. Ever since that day, Clayton traded out his touring gear to explore the gravity elements of riding, and of course, the endless access to amazing terrain that trail riding affords those who venture.
Clayton firmly believes in the magic of bikes to empower people of all ages and to provide a life of rich experiences. He’s stoked to share this passion as a coach, helping build confidence and ability to enjoy mountain biking as a life-long journey on some of his favourite trails in the world, here in the East Kootenays.
Alina Jackman
Fernie Operations Manager and Coach
Alina is a passionate mountain bike coach whose journey on two wheels began with a quest for freedom and happiness. Formerly she was an elite swimmer and lawyer who found much more joy in skiing and biking. Alina transitioned from a legal career to chase winters and pursue her intense passion for slope grooming, mountain operations, and ski instructing. Currently, Alina coaches for the Fernie Alpine Ski Team as the U10 Head Coach, cherishing her FAST Family and Athletes.
Discovering mountain biking after years of road cycling, Alina got a taste for mountain biking on technical trails and challenging climbs. A preference for techy trails, features and gravel defines Alina’s riding style. After returning to biking after years of back-to-back winters Alina is most often seen in the mountains either on skis or bikes.
Alina embraces coaching as an opportunity to give back, with a strength fostering confidence in all riders. Her experiences have instilled a desire for learning and helped make her empathetic to others as she strives to be the Coach she needed when growing up or when trying new things in an environment that is positive and without prejudice.
Every day on skis or bikes is the best day!
David Golls
Fernie/Kimberley Coach and Guide
David has been playing around on bikes since 1989, starting by riding hardtails and bouncing around with only one inch of travel. David honed his skills through riding the technical single track in Whistler, BC during the early 1990s and progressed into XC racing before retiring from racing in 2000. David turned to Coaching 10 years ago and along with being a Dakine and TREK brand Ambassador, David is rolling through life on two wheels. When he is not mountain biking, he can be found teaching snowboarding, backcountry split boarding, or chilling on a paddleboard at some lake or slow-moving river.
Creag Muir
Fernie, Cranbrook and Kimberley Coach and Guide
Raised in the Scottish Highlands, with the Cairngorms as his backyard, Creag’s been on bikes in the mountains his whole life; riding, racing, and chasing good trails. Whether it’s big backcountry days, steep technical enduro, dirt jumps, or between the tapes on downhill tracks, he’s at home on all of it.
His 14 years of racing so far span the UK and Europe, including IXS Downhill Cup, Crankworx DH, Enduro world series, British National DH Series, and representing Great Britain at the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William in Juniors (2024).
For the past two years Creag has been coaching and keeping things running smoothly at his family’s Bike Park in Scotland. He works with riders of all levels, bringing a calm, confidence inspiring approach while helping people push their riding and have a proper good time doing it.
Creag holds top-level British Cycling MTB Leader and Gravity Coach qualifications, along with MIAS Level 2, and was the youngest in the UK to achieve them at just 19 yrs old.
Big on progression and good vibes, Creag brings a balance of youthful energy, and broad technical and tactical knowledge to every session; whatever he terrain, whatever the goal.
Nathan Smith
Fernie Coach and Guide
Nathan is a passionate mountain biker with experience across every aspect of the sport. What began as family riding holidays around the UK and the French Alps quickly developed into a successful cross-country racing career, competing on world-renowned courses such as Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic as part of Team Great Britain.
During the mountain bike off-season, Nathan also found success in cyclocross — a fast-paced and highly entertaining discipline of cycling. His standout achievements include a bronze medal at the UCI World Championships and multiple podium finishes in the UCI World Cup series.
But Nathan’s riding isn’t limited to lycra and race tape. Alongside his cross-country background, he has experience in downhill and enduro racing, and most enjoys pushing his limits on the bike by tackling big jumps, drops, and technical terrain.
With his British Cycling MTB Leader qualification and years of racing and riding experience, Nathan brings a well-rounded coaching style focused on helping riders build confidence, develop skills, and have the best possible time on the bike.
Aaron Hughes
Fernie Coach and Guide
Aaron, from South West England, picked up riding just 6 years ago in the summer of 2020. Inspired by riders he saw online, the love for mountain biking quickly grew in his life. Gaining confidence on jumps and descents quickly escalated into a new lifestyle of pushing his limits, exploring new locations for riding. and meeting life-long friends along the way.
Short rides with his family was where it all began, through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. Shortly after this introduction, an invite from his mates to a local downhill bike park allowed for the potential of bigger jumps and faster descents. Within 2 years, he was ticking off some of the biggest jump lines in the country. With the addition of a dirt jump bike in his collection, he was soon doing tricks that were only once dreamt of. Whether it’s a long ride over the hills and mountains, a huge bike park day, or just a short ride to work on his skills, Aaron’s enthusiasm branches into all aspects of riding.
However, the love for the sport doesn’t stop there. With 2.5 years of bike mechanic experience under his belt at a local bike shop, he certainly knows his way around a bike.
Since getting his GSMBC coaching qualification, Aaron wants to inspire and help any type of rider to get comfortable on their bike, so they can progress their riding and start adventures of their own!
Val Turbak
Fernie Ride Leader and Mechanics Instructor
Val leads our Women’s Social Rides and co-teaches our bike maintenance classes. She has been riding in the Fernie area for over 7 years and proclaims it’s where she fell in love with the sport. She loves exploring the trails and sharing her passion for biking while building community.
Christine Ma
Co-Owner and Founder
After more than a decade of experience in the Outdoor Adventure industry around Canada and New Zealand, Christine’s skills, knowledge and passion for sharing the joy of biking led her to create Ridetheory in 2021. Christine didn’t discover mountain biking until her adult life, which made her love and appreciate the dedication required to improve that much more.
Christine uses her PMBIA Level 2 Mountain Bike Instructor certification and M.Sc in Kinesiology (Biomechanics) to help all demographics improve their mountain bike skills. Having co-created one of the first women’s only programs in Nelson, NZ, she also understands the mental and physical challenges that present themselves in a male dominated sport. Regardless of who you are, Christine encourage you to get out there and have fun on a bike!
Now based in New Zealand since 2025, Christine helps oversee company direction from abroad and leaves operations in the very capable hands of Clayton and Alina.
Testimonials
What People Are Saying
“Jena was great! Informed, positive, enthusiastic. She did such a great job of sharing her knowledge, providing lessons, and encouragement. She had great information and was great at helping everyone out.”
“I'm so incredibly glad to have taken a lesson with Ridetheory- Christine was fantastic at creating a safe, comfortable setting and tailored the class to move at my pace. I was admittedly pretty nervous while approaching some difficult skills, but I found her positive reinforcement, encouragement, and obvious enthusiasm for sharing the sport made the lesson so much fun. I would highly recommend Ridetheory to anyone who else who is interested in the sport but unsure how to begin!”
"As a somewhat new beginner, I was looking for instruction to help me gain confidence on the trails and the two private lessons allowed us to work at my pace. My instructor was great at finding ways to explain new techniques to me, then gave me practical ways to practice them. I highly recommend Ridetheory!"