Thriving as a Woman in the Male Dominated Sport of Mountain Biking

Have you ever looked around a MTB trailhead parking lot and wondered where all the girls and women are? Or have you ever noticed the ratio of women to men in the Whistler lift line?

Mountain biking is a male dominated sport, and being a woman in this industry can be challenging. It can be intimidating and lonely. Although the female presence in mountain biking is growing, there are still major inequalities when it comes to the industry and the opportunities that are available to women.

When it comes to learning the basics of mountain biking, it is essential that women learn the fundamental technical skills, rather than just “pulling up” for a jump or “pushing through” a techy section.

Male riders naturally have more brute force and can push themselves out of a hard compression or heavy impact, whereas women typically struggle a little more to absorb harder and imperfect landings. Having the proper techniques for jumps, drops and steep rollers allow us female riders to have the confidence in our abilities to try new and challenging features with less risk and more confidence. 

But it is not all about skills and how good we are on the bike. It is also about how we are perceived in the sport. Women and men will always be compared in sports, even when we are not competing against one another.

Being a female rider can be discouraging as we are constantly compared to men, their pace, DH times, and jumping ability. The constant comparison can affect our confidence and enjoyment of the sport. Women can put in the same amount of training as men, but experience different results as opportunities vary, and body structures differ. 

Joining The Cycling Co. Team has brought me so much joy, freedom and excitement for mountain biking, especially when it comes to being a female rider.

As a fairly new member of the MTB community, I value such a positive and inviting environment, where my thoughts, abilities and experiences are heard and celebrated. The Cycling Co. promotes excitement for ALL riders regardless of how they identify, and really highlights the importance of female riders’ improvement and involvement.

Our coaching team looks to share the stoke, and provide ample opportunities to build strong basic skills and techniques and build on already established abilities in a safe and fun space.

As female riders become more prominent, and mountain biking continues to grow as a whole, there is so much potential for equality, encouragement and stoke in such an open and loving sport. Being a female in what is a male dominated sport is challenging at times, however, there are many milestones, achievements and much growth to be celebrated!

Happy International Women’s Day to all you incredible women out there! I can’t wait to see what the future of mountain biking holds for us! See you on the trails!