Women and mountain biking

I agree that mountain biking is even more testosterone driven than road cycling, if that is possible :eek:.
But, what really popped into my mind is the title of one of the threads in the new rider forum: fear, just plain fear.

I really tried at mountain biking and my motivation was my love of being outside on the trails. I had good instruction, but I never felt comfortable and basically always was thinking about the next bad thing that could happen. And, as someone said above, I never really found any "easy" trails" around here. Even the easy trails at Great Brook Farm seemed daunting to me. I once went on a group mountain bike ride (I knew the leader) and it was the most humiliating experience of my life. And this was when I was probably at my peak in terms of my overall cycling fitness.
I cried when I sold my mountain bike last fall, but even though my bone issues from osteoporosis are improving greatly, I felt like mountain biking presented an even greater risk for crashing than road cycling.
But, I still wish I could tear down a trail, even though it's a fantasy!

Oh Crankin, I am sorry you had to sell your mountain bike, I would cry myself if I had to do so. Osteoporosis is a good reason to do so though, after all, when it comes to mountain biking the question isn't IF you will fall but when. I recognize that eventually my cervical spine problems might reach that point where I will have to make the same decision - which is why I am trying to make mountain-bike-trail-hay while I can. I may not be a speed demon on the trail but that doesn't mean I don't have fun :)

It would be great if we had a local trail that actually was my level without having to drive to southern Indiana. There are trails in Indpls, certainly, but they are either much too easy (one trail) or either much too difficult or have a high volume of riders who think they have a race number on their bikes and don't pay attention (the rest of the trails - only one fits that last category - have been warned many times about the latter one). My skills would be further along if I didn't have to go on a road trip to ride - but I will.

Right now I am focusing on regaining my confidence on the local beginners loop. It may be much too easy for me, but it is a good place to practice different things before the Women's Clinic here in a few weeks. I want as much of my old confidence back before hitting BCSP again - haven't been there on the bike since my whiplash injury in October. Looking forward to changing that :D

Crankin....I don't know how old you are, but you sound like an awesome athlete! I'm sad that you can't do MTB anymore, but keep up your had work on the road biking! I'm almost 38 years old and just started falling in love with biking. I've never been athletic; However, biking seems to be something that I can actually progress on compared to all the other sports that I have tried. I'll probably never be a fast descender (because I am very clumsy). However, I hope to continue riding for many years to come. Exercise=keeping your body healthy and your brain intelligent.
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

Well, I'm 20 years older than you, Tiger Mom. It still makes me laugh when someone calls me an athlete, but you are right; cycling is a sport you can progress in, fairly easily.

Hubby and I rode today. I was delighted to see almost as many women riding the trails as men. Two women were with men, presumably their husbands or boyfriends. Two women were riding together, and one woman was riding alone.

We frequently see women riding these trails but never as many as today.

I started riding confidently alone when I had studied well the place where I ride. It's a plateau above our town and I know it pretty well. There are millions of roads, paths, single tracks, etc. First I started riding with a group and the organizer of the rides led us and showed us. I could't remember all the trails and I felt confused at first. But it helped me a lot when I started riding alone: I was able to find directions by my own and even explored more of the region. Now I lead people and show them the trails.
Now I feel safe because I ride these trails so often that it feels like HOME. It's incredible!
this VIDEO is inspirational!

Really? And why is that? Is it the bears or is it the perverts that hang out at trailheads?

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Originally Posted by Irulan

Really? And why is that? Is it the bears or is it the perverts that hang out at trailheads?

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lol.

This is the same guy (who appears to be preparing to spam) in another thread on the mtn. bike boards who recommended all the proper safety gear -- including air bags! :eek:

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

This is the same guy (who appears to be preparing to spam) in another thread on the mtn. bike boards who recommended all the proper safety gear -- including air bags! :eek:

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Yep, the only reason I didn't report it then is that it wasn't a spam email - but he is obviously trying to get past the post limit.

A friend and I just started a weekly women's group ride a couple of weeks ago. We have both been mountain biking a year or so and wanted to find other beginners. It has been so fun, and we have already met some really cool women.

We posted our ride time on the local mountain biking association Facebook page and web page. Some women heard about it from their husbands or boyfriends who ride. We live in a fairly rural area, but 9 women showed upon week one, and 7 on week two.

If you want a local women's ride, start one! Even if you are the only one who shows up, you are committed and ready to ride, so it's all good. :D

A small group of local women have set up a couple of regular rides via Meetup, and one of those weekly rides is at my favorite park. I keep holding back on signing up, part of me says that they will be so much more advanced than I...but of course there is no real way to know that. After I do a couple more rides solo I will make myself sign up if they continue with this :)

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Originally Posted by Catrin

A small group of local women have set up a couple of regular rides via Meetup, and one of those weekly rides is at my favorite park. I keep holding back on signing up, part of me says that they will be so much more advanced than I...but of course there is no real way to know that. After I do a couple more rides solo I will make myself sign up if they continue with this :)

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Why not specifically suggest--if you haven't already--a beginner-specific ride? It looks some of the other members are beginners and would probably welcome a ride like that. Perhaps you could meet at BCSP and do the beginner trails, and maybe some of the more advanced women will come as well and offer some guidance/instruction.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Why not specifically suggest--if you haven't already--a beginner-specific ride? It looks some of the other members are beginners and would probably welcome a ride like that. Perhaps you could meet at BCSP and do the beginner trails, and maybe some of the more advanced women will come as well and offer some guidance/instruction.

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Good idea! I've sent a question out about others interested in riding this Saturday morning so we shall see if I've company. I stressed that it is a beginners trail. It's been 2 weeks - time to get back out there ;)

Thanks to all the encouragement and answers to my questions that I've found here, I've been riding several times a week for the last month. I'm up to about 22 miles now and loving it, but am beginning to think about adding mountain biking.

I have an old mtb that I haven't ridden for at least 10 years but I got it down and pumped up the tires yesterday. I hope my son will be able to check it out before I go, since I haven't ridden it for so long.

In our local weekly paper there was a small article about a women's mtb meet up and when I emailed to find out more this was the reply: "We meet once a week, and range from age about 40-65. We are trying to do different trails, but we take our time and work on skills as we ride."

Now I'm really excited, particularly because there will be another 65 yo there! And working on skills together sounds exactly like what I want/need.

Do I wear my same bike pants with the chamois?
I have a gel pad on the bike seat--I thought I read somewhere not to do that.
Same helmet as my comfort bike riding?
Same gloves?

-Shelley