Women

Press release from QBP The Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) Women’s Bike Mechanic Scholarship Program is back for its fourth year. QBP and its sponsors are pleased to offer 16 scholarships for an all-women’s class of Professional Repair and Shop Operations at UBI. The scholarship was created with the recognition that the bike industry needs to ...

Words: Trey Richardson Photo: J. Barety Anne-Caroline Chausson—who has won 19 World Championships, more than any other cyclist in history—suddenly fell ill in 2015 during round four of the Enduro World Series and disappeared from the scene. Recently, she revealed she had ovarian cancer. Anne-Caro took some time to chat with me from her home ...

Words: Rebecca Rush Illustration: Stephen Haynes A few columns back I wrote about my definition of winning and defiantly stated that it had little to do with a podium and more to do with personal performance. My definition of winning hasn’t changed, but lately I’ve become more aware of what losing is because in the ...

Words: Alice E. Key Illustration: Stephen Haynes She said comfortable clothes. My powder blue linen short overalls are comfortable, and I like how they look with my dorky powder blue Mary Jane Birkenstocks. Just because it is a mountain bike ride, it doesn’t mean I have to look like an athlete. Besides, I don’t own ...

Words: Karen Brooks Photos: Sterling Lorence Women’s brand Liv doubles down on the women’s market with two fresh new models. A group of 20 female journalists from around the world got to sample the all-mountain/enduro Hail and the XC/trail Pique on beautifully rugged trails around Sedona, Arizona, led by Liv celebrity coaches Lindsey Voreis and ...

The Dirty Kanza 200 is known as one of the first endurance gravel races in the world. It’s also known as one of the most challenging. Sending competitors out on the rugged, remote and soul-crushing dirt and gravel roads through the Flint Hills region of Kansas, the Dirty Kanza sells out all of its racer ...

Originally launched in 2013, the VIDA MTB Series has evolved into, “a full-fledged movement of women who are shifting the paradigm of what it means to be a female rider.” Taking place in and around the Rockies, the VIDA MTB Series provides clinics that focus on just about every aspect of mountain biking, from skills ...

Quality Bicycle Parts (QBP) has partnered with some heavy hitters of the bicycle industry (such as SRAM, Park Tool, Michelin, United Bicycle Institute (UBI), Jagwire, Saris, Kryptonite, White Lightning, Stan’s No Tubes, DT Swiss, Swiftwick, and Dero) to help promote the role of women in the bicycle industry and to drive the growth of women’s ...

The mission of the LadiesAllRide program is to grow the presence of women in mountain bike communities across the nation (and world) through fun, educational skills camps. Bringing ladies together to enhance their mountain bike skills also helps them use riding as a tool to enhance their lives. As Director of Inspiration for LadiesAllRide, Lindsey ...

She’ll still be riding, but as she puts it, now she “just wants to have fun and share her passion with as many people as possible.” Anne-Caroline Chausson, aka Anne-Caro, or simply ACC, has been racing mountain bikes, and winning, since the early-90s. Amongst her list of awards are 19 World Championship wins, several World ...

“The world needs more people, especially women and girls, who have more faith in their abilities, on a bike and in life,” says Angi. In this inspiring video, Angi shares her passion as a coach and shows off her skills as a rider.

For its eighth year, the event will be returning to its original location, Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood, Colorado. The main highlight of the weekend is a women’s-only race that caters to every skill and experience level, from pro racers to those who have never tried a race before. But this weekend is not only ...

Davison has been on the upswing lately, earning a silver medal at the 2016 world championships in Czech Republic, and competing in the Olympics for the United States a second time. She is also an eight-time U.S. National Champion and has been a Clif Bar sponsored athlete – albeit on another trade team – for the ...

“Our mission has always been to advance women’s cycling while also racing at the highest level,” said Stan’s/Kenda Women’s Elite Team Co-Manager Jennifer Smith. “We are rider owned and operated and represent a powerful combination of professionalism and passion for cycling.” Fellow Co-Manager Sarah Kaufmann said, “We are proud of the longevity of our team ...

Created for all women who love mountain biking, the Bell Joy Ride program continues its mission with the addition of six new ambassadors and four new regions. “In only the first year of the program, everyone involved at Bell has been amazed by the dedication, growth and enthusiasm of the Joy Ride ambassadors,” said Heather ...

Liv Cycling is inviting female riders to enjoy an exclusive trail session alongside their athletes and ambassadors as they take over one of Skyline Rotorua’s most-exciting trails during Crankworx. Following the success of the A-Line Women’s Only Session held annually at Crankworx Whistler, Liv is expanding the Women’s Only Session across the globe. From 9:00am ...

CycloFemme is a grassroots organization of women on bikes, created in 2012 by Sarai Snyder of Girl Bike Love, and Tanya Quick and Jenn Cash of Language Dept. The socially-driven, volunteer-based community works to empower women and girls through cycling in order to create social change. CycloFemme hosts an annual ride, which takes place on Mother’s ...

Liv Cycling launched the “How We Liv” campaign for 2017, inviting women to become part of a rapidly-growing global community by sharing moments and experiences from their cycling lives. “How We Liv” represents an everyday mantra for a lifestyle where bikes bring people closer to one another, nature and themselves.  Launched in 2014, Liv is a cycling brand completely dedicated to ...

I often say that I don’t really race. I do a few events a year, but I usually would much rather go on a big group ride with friends than spend the day trying to ride faster than other people. That being said, I have had a lot of fun at every race I’ve ever ...

Earlier this month, almost 200 women gathered at Burke Mountain Resort and the neighboring well-known Kingdom Trails for the first New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) Women’s Summit. The goal of the Summit was to identify obstacles to leadership that women face in the cycling world, bring together female NEMBA members and leaders and ultimately ...

Clothes: it is suggested to wear them when riding bikes. Good to know. All jokes aside (not possible!), I got my hands on a few of items from the relatively new brand Ketl Mountain Apparel. The two collaborators behind the brand came from the outdoor industry and have taken some attributes from outdoor specific apparel ...

Let’s face it ladies, sometimes we have to take a nature break on the trail. I would say that more often than not I have to pop a squat during a ride, so it’s important to me that this be a simple and efficient process. This used to be a deterrent for bib-wearing, but in ...

The QBP Women’s Bike Mechanic Scholarship Program is back for its fifth year! QBP scholarship coordinators are pleased to offer scholarships for 32 women to attend the 2-week Professional Repair and Shop Operations class at UBI in Ashland, Oregon thanks to support from Michelin, Park Tool, SRAM, United Bicycle Institute (UBI), Jagwire, Ergon, Saris, Finish ...

Dirt Rag is excited to announce that SRAM will once again be sponsoring the women’s skills clinics at Dirt Rag Dirt Fest Pennsylvania in 2018. This will be the third year in a row that the company has pledged support for women’s events at Dirt Fest, helping to keep them free for participants. “Part of ...

Casey Brown finds her passion living in Revelstoke, British Columbia – where the drastic season changes from winter to summer keep her life grounded as a professional mountain biker who has an appetite for the snow. Casey loves the town for its community and proximity to the mountains. “The thing that’s kept me here is ...

By Steve Thomas Iran, mountain biking and women: There’s a combo you don’t see every day. Meet Faranak Partoazar, the Iranian national cross-country champion, who is shredding convention and preconceptions. Can we get our prize money, please?” There was little doubt as to who was the leader of this prize-hunting pack: It was the slender, ...

Quality Bicycle Products (QBP), a host and distributor of many bicycle-related brands, launched an Equity and Diversity Internship in December to help contribute to “a larger culture shift in the bike and outdoor industries — a shift toward inclusivity, embracing new and different ideas, and amplifying diverse perspectives.” QBP is no stranger to promoting inclusivity – ...

Club Ride Apparel specializes in bike-centric, functional clothing that is also fashionable and comfortable for everyday living. As the brand’s website pronounces, “Life doesn’t stop after your ride, and neither should your clothes.” While a change of clothes after a wet, muddy, sweaty mountain bike ride is more than welcome, there are plenty of instances ...

Registration is now open for the Yeti Cycles VIDA MTB Series of women’s mountain bike skills clinics and events. “Going into our sixth year of producing women’s mountain bike skills clinics, we have watched the growth of women in mountain biking evolve from women entering the sport for the first time, to women seeking out ...

By Ange Gagnon I’ve heard about the Ride Like a Girl at the Wheel Mill for a few years,but this was the first year that I actually had the nerve to pursue it. After years as a bike commuter, I’ve decided that this is my year to learn how to mountain bike. Of course, I ...

The other day, while I burnt minutes trying to decide what to eat for lunch, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and something new caught my eye: pen and ink, perhaps some watercolors. I stopped and scrolled back to see this interpretation of a mountain biker lofting through the air. I was instantly taken ...

Bontrager B2 long sleeve base layer – $85 When riding in cold and/or potentially-wet winter conditions, layering and dressing appropriately is of utmost importance. That being said, I usually opt to get my upper body base layers from the thrift store, discarded Dri-FIT tops from New Years resolutionists that do a fine job of wicking ...

As a curvy woman, I often struggle to find technical clothing that fits well. Investing in an outer layer that fits right and checks all the boxes on my “must list” is not an easy task. I decided to seek this golden chalice of perfection and gather three outer layers for riding that I thought ...

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) will host its first-ever IMBA UPRISING event to bring together female leaders in mountain biking from all over the country who are cultivating strong riding communities in their backyards. The event will take place March 22-25, 2018, in Bentonville, Arkansas. UPRISING is two-and-half days of hands-on collaboration among dedicated, ...

By Helena Kotala  Whether you’re going bikepacking or doing a long winter ride in ever-changing conditions, a packable yet very warm jacket is an invaluable piece of gear for when you reach camp for the night or the temperature suddenly drops 20 degrees high in the mountains. There are two routes to go for such ...

The International Mountain Bicycling Association just announced the creation of International Women’s Mountain Biking Day, which is to be held on the first Saturday of May every year. IMBA will partner with SRAM, PeopleForBikes, Rebecca Rusch and others to promote the inaugural edition of this event, taking place May 5, 2018. International Women’s Mountain Biking ...

In 2011, I broke my tailbone on a bike ride. Combined with a youth of contact sports, contact-with-ground sports, and general punk rock idiocy, I have the same spine diagnosis as my 95-year-old grandmother. But like so many mountain bikers who have eaten their share of dirt, I don’t let a little pain keep me ...

Woman-specific designs have long had a bad rap as being shrinked-and-pinked or more commonly, shrinked-and-stinked—charging the same amount of money for a bike with lesser quality components. Many women had different body geometries than most men, with a lower center of gravity, narrower shoulders, and a different transference of power based on our builds. Buying ...

Trek has released their updated Marlin, their entry level bikes that come in both “standard” and as a “women specific design” (WSD). Between the two model lines, not much is different. The smallest sizes (13.5″ and 15.5″) of the WSD models have a more sloped top tube for standover clearance compared to the slight slope ...

This summer, just about any minute not spent writing has been spent pedaling and camping. From Pennsylvania to West Virginia, Vermont, and Colorado, I’ve relied on a small selection of clothes to keep me comfortable in and out of the saddle. I chose to bring a short-sleeve Shower’s Pass Hi-Line wool jersey, a long-sleeve Shower’s ...

Words and Photos by Andrea Wilson I hail originally from the hot, flat realm of Memphis, Tennessee. I moved to the Colorado Front Range almost three years ago, and I’ve been obsessed with finding all of the nooks and crannies of the mountains ever since. When I realized that the population density of the Denver ...

By Emma Walker If you’ve ever spent a night in the Moab desert, you know what it’s like to feel like you’re on another planet: otherworldly red dirt, towering cliffs, countless bright, shining stars. That’s the feeling Kate Harris grew up longing for. As a kid, Harris wished for nothing more than to visit Mars—to ...

Editor’s note: Our latest print issue of Dirt Rag Magazine, The Road Trip Issue, just dropped in the mailboxes for subscribers and newsstands. Here’s an awesome write-up of mountain biking in Denmark to accompany the print issue. Interested in subscribing? Click here! By Shawna Kenney pamphlet translated by Shawna Kenney with help from Anja Klemp ...

Photography provided by Meyvn Creative On September 15th, Brittany Konsella became the first person to ride all 750 miles of unique trail in the Gunnison Crested Butte area. To cover every unique mile, some rides required revisiting areas she had already ridden and many included a dirt road approach. In all, it took about 3,600 miles and ...

I got my first job as a wrench when I moved to New Mexico. I hung out at my local bike shop whenever I had free time, and when I got laid off from the food co-op I suddenly had enough free time for them to notice. The head mechanic, Laura, said, “if you’re gonna ...

Hear ye, hear ye! It is now the first Monday of December, and time for another Mixtape Monday. Sound the bells! This month, Trina Haynes has come along to give us some sweet tuneage to get us through these shortest days of the year while we approach the winter solstice. Trina’s been at Rotating Mass ...

Need some mid-week motivation? Check out this sick video of Elite DH racer Ella Skalwald riding her local trail network. Lucky for her, those trails happen to be the iconic Victory Hill Sector of the Victory Hill State Forest,  that has become an East Coast destination spot. Check out more photos here, courtesy Transition Bikes.

New year’s resolutions are fraught with peril. By design, they set us up for failure in their all-or-nothing approach to self-betterment. The new, hip thing to do is to “set intention.” If you identify as a girl, are at least eight years old, and intend to gain some bike skills in 2019, consider taking a ...

Miranda Miller will headline Kona’s Global Enduro program alongside Rhys Verner, Connor Fearon, Shelly Flood, and Hannah Bergemann. She’ll be racing the Process 153 CR DL 29 and the Operator CR for select downhill races. While her official joining of the team is breaking news, her relationship with Kona isn’t. Team Manager Mathieu Dupelle has been in her life ...

A few months back, we broadcast the announcement that Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) was again offering up its Women’s Bike Mechanic Scholarship. The time has come, the winners have been chosen, and we are so friggin pumped. Each of the 32 scholarship recipients will attend a two-week Professional Repair and Shop Operations class at United Bicycle ...

Words and Photos by Kristin Winet The front entrance to the welcome center is not entirely legible, because years of snow and harsh Idaho winters have rubbed the black paint into a faint gray. The tip-off that we’ve made it here is the parking lot, which is full of cars and trucks and tourists, many—but not ...

The third film in the Race Face Creator Series is “My Last Day of Summer” by Kristina Wayte. We absolutely love this film, and we think you will too! If you remember we interviewed Kristina a while back and if you haven’t read it before you can check it out here.  Enjoy the film!