9 Really Excellent Reasons YOU Should Learn to Mountain Bike (This Summer!)
1. It’s SO darn fun!
2. It’s easier than you might think.
3. It’s phenomenal exercise.
4. You’ll be outside more often.
5. It’s safer than ever.
6. It’s highly addictive.
7. You’ll be able to go for rides with the kids.
8. You’ll be able to go for rides with the girls.
9. You’ll be so, so glad you did!
I get it. If you’ve never tried it before, mountain biking sounds like the opposite of fun. Gruelling climbs followed by scary descents, possibly ending in a spectacular crash.
But what if it was actually like th is. You, out on your bike with a small group of women, progressively learning key skills together before riding fun, but extremely manageable tra ils? That was my experience learning to mountain bike and it was truly wonderful.
Now imagine you, confidently biking the trails, wearing a gigantic grin. It’s totally doable. Intrigued? Keep reading to learn more about why I think you should seriously consider getting your ride on this summer…
It’s SO darn fun!
As an adult, I have found there are fewer and fewer opportunities for having real fun. Yes, the act of creating is fun. I think reading is fun. And spending time with friends and family can be an unmitigated blast. But I’m talking about the giggly, spirit lifting, physical kind of fun we used to have all the time as children. Remember playing outside with your friends for hours on end, and then, just before you were finally dragged home for dinner, making breathless plans to do it all again as soon as possible? That’s the kind of fun you get out on the trails.
It’s easier than you might think.
As the owner of a bike shop and the partner of a long-time, hard core mountain biker, I really do understand why learning to mountain bike could be intimidating for some women. Many riders are brash, physically tough males who are not afraid of a little pain. Even at the start, they’re often perfectly comfortable pointing their bike down a steep hill and figuring things out as they go. Women tend to be a little different. Call us crazy, but often, we prefer to learn and practice some basic biking skills before we let gravity pull us down a hill on two wheels. I’ve also found women to be extremely supportive of each other, readily offering pointers and sharing our personal victories as we learn.
It’s phenomenal exercise.
Mountain biking offers similar cardiovascular benefits to running, but without the impact on your joints. It’s also a great calorie burner. In fact, depending on the speed of your rides and the terrain you’re covering, mountain biking can burn between 600 to 1,000 calories per hour. Add in all the other benefits that regular bike rides deliver (e.g. lower stress, increased happiness, improved balance and higher self-esteem) and you’ve got, imho, a nearly perfect sport.
You’ll be outside more often.
Yes, trail riding occurs outside, where you’ll breathe fresh air and be exposed to a raft of natural mood-enhancers, like warm sunlight on your back, the sounds of birds in the trees and the heady scent of dried pine needles crunching under your tires.
It’s safer than ever.
As with virtually everything else in life, the quality of the average bike is constantly improving as technical advancements once reserved for elite riders trickle down to the mass market. Most mid to high-end bikes now come equipped with disc brakes, for example, meaning you’ll be able to stop the moment you want to – even when headed down a wet, muddy trail. Additionally, front forks nearly always come with suspension (or shock absorbers), which makes for a much more comfortable, less jarring ride altogether.
It’s highly addictive.
Soon after 
I started learning how to mountain bike, I was inspired to renegotiate my work agreement so that I was paid hourly instead of collecting a monthly salary. I also got permission to leave for the day once my work was done. As a result, my paycheque shrunk dramatically BUT I had a lot more time to spend in the trails. The trade-off was more than worth it. It was one of the best times of my life; I clearly remember telling a fellow rider that “All I want to do is ride my bike.” I saw a similar level of passion when my husband and I first started leading kids aged 8 to 12 through the Sprockids’ learn-to-mountain bike program. Parents told us how their kids would ask every morning if it was a Sprockids day. Or how their child actually cried if they had to miss a session. I think this is because, with mountain biking, there are a couple of essential, easy-to-learn skills which instantly improve your comfort level and ability. That means that you get to have A LOT of fun on your first day out – and that it just keeps getting better from there.
You’ll be able to go for rides with the kids.
The other thing I saw at the Sprockids sessions was parents who were thrilled that their kids were having such a great time, but who also clearly wished they could share in the experience. So when I started musing aloud about starting Learn-to-Mountain-Bike clinics for women, the response was an enthusiastic “Yes, please!” An independent yet highly social sport, mountain biking enables riders of all skill levels (and ages) to have equal amounts of fun on the same trail. You go your speed, I’ll go mine and I’ll meet you at the next fork with a grin on.
You’ll be able to go for rides with the girls.
Mixed riding groups are great, but in my experience, there’s a kind of magic that happens when women ride together. Most rides start slowly, providing time for easy talk as you gradually start to work your heart and legs. With each pedal stroke, mental loads lighten and riders begin to relax as they breathe deeply and soak up the calming energy of the woods. Surrounded by women who want nothing but your company, mountain biking provides the opportunity to simply be yourself, completely (if temporarily) free from the seemingly endless demands that come along with life today. It’s pure bliss – and even better when extended over appies and wine at a nearby pub.
You’ll be so, so glad you did!
When I first took up mountain biking, I joined a women’s only class with my sister and two close friends. We were four totally different personality types and fitness levels, but the sport grabbed us all from the start and, 15 years later, we still ride regularly and talk eagerly about the next time we can hit the trails together.
For me, learning to mountain bike was life-changing, physically, mentally and even spiritually. And now, it continues to be a positive influence on my life, as I work to get other women out on the trails. Want one good reason to learn how to mountain bike this summer? It’s as simple as this: I can almost guarantee you’ll be so, so glad you did!
Photos courtesy of Giant/Liv Bicycles.
Elizabeth Quayle is a writer, mother and trail rider on BC’s Sunshine Coast. She and her husband, JF, own Spin Cycles bike store in Gibsons, where they can be found “Sharing the Passion” for biking with riders of every age and ability. Registration is now open for a beginner Women’s Mountain Biking clinic which will run in June and July. Additionally, Women’s Group Rides will be held on Thursday evenings through the summer and complemented by a Women’s Retreat Weekend at the YMCA’s Camp Elphinstone on September 25th to 27th. For more information about these (and other Women’s Mountain Biking events), please visit www.spincyclesbikestore.com or contact Elizabeth at eq@spincyclesbikestore.com.
