Cool! As someone who kind of stumbled into mountain biking, I think it definitely takes some skill, but you can work up to the harder stuff, while still enjoying some quality time in the woods. So, give it a go! It'll whip you into shape fairly quickly!
Looking back on all the shorts I have, my one piece of advice would be to spend a little more in the beginning and get a really good pair. Try them on and splurge for a decent pair where the chamois will endure many washes without flattening into a useless pancake. If your butt's still not happy in a good pair of shorts, then the saddle is the other half of the equation.




Biking in France sounds totally awesome!
Reply With Quote