Women and mountain biking

[Owlie]

I'm not a MTBer, though I'd like to at least give it a shot.

I agree that part of it is the feedback effect. As far as I can tell, it's a very macho, testosterone-driven culture, and that's off-putting to me, especially since I'm not willing to mountain bike alone, since I'm a klutz.

Another issue around here is that there's a shortage of easy trails. We have a mountain bike area as part of the local park system, but none of the trails would be beginner-friendly. I'd have to drive quite a way to find one. That's time I don't have. The flat stuff around here with few obstacles doesn't allow bikes.

[SheFly]

I have been MTBing longer than any other kind of riding - it's what I started on and what I still really love.

A year or so into my riding, while I was still very much a beginner, I needed like people to ride with. So, I started leading rides. No certification, no training, just leading rides from my house. Once you invite one person, they know someone who knows someone who knows someone.

My original rides were mixed gender, but evolved to women's only rides. For about five years, we had a WEEKLY women's ride at different locations on Tuesday nights. It was social, the focus was on fun and getting better. We had beginners and experts all mixed together out enjoying the trails.

I still lead these kind of rides and LOVE it. Some weeks, I'll offer to do a beginner skills type ride, while others are just down and out hammer fests. If it's advertised correctly, everyone has a good time.

Don't wait - if you want to encourage other women to MTB, start a ride group. And a group can be as small as 2 . You'll be amazed at how fast it grows into something more, and how much satisfaction you'll get from doing it! Also, if you are a beginner and thinking "I can't lead an MTB ride - I'm just a beginner", think again. I started out as a beginner doing this as well. And if you don't do it, who will?

SheFly