Rider2Leader

We have developed these weekends to address the confidence issues we see in many women aspiring to become mountain bike leaders but uncertain of their ability to transition from mountain bike rider to mountain bike leader. They do not replace Level 2 training (or Level 3 training for Rider2Leader Ranks it Up), they simply offer the opportunity to explore and build confidence, encouraging you to take that next step to becoming a Mountain Bike Leader.

A joint initiative between DMBinS and Glenmore Lodge, these immersive and inspiring two day courses support aspiring women to realise they are absolutely capable of taking this journey, indeed many are more than capable!

We have been delivering these courses for a few years now and their success is evident and with more female leaders out there, we can get more women tutors and more girls into this amazing pastime.

All women-focused opportunities and events are inclusive of Trans and Intersex women, as well as non-binary and gender fluid people who are comfortable in a space that centres the experience of women.

In our minds it is all about creating accessible role models, the more women we see on the trails leading, the more accessible it can seem to other women and for girls too. The more women leading rides the more female riders and this is so important. We know the current level of inactivity in children is damaging, we see the headlines and scary stats that tell us the proportion of children obese by the time they leave primary school. Clearly diet and lifestyle are super important, and we are not saying that mountain biking is a universal panacea but we know it works for a lot of girls and for every individual girl (or boy) we encourage into the outdoors through the medium of mountain biking we know we are helping reduce not only physical health concerns later on in life but diagnosable mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders, to name a few.

Participation rates for 11 to 15 year olds playing organised competitive sports fall and this is more notable again in girls. Girls, generally are less positive about PE in school than boys. For many the influence of poor self-esteem with a perceived conflict between the image of the ‘sporty’ girl and ‘femininity’ alongside a strong focus on traditional and competitive sports can also be a turnoff.

Girls more so than boys seem inspired by fun and social experiences. And mountain biking offers that. The irony of course is that many girls are motivated by a desire to ‘get fit’ but often don’t consider cycling as a way to do this. And yet mountain biking is so good for all over body fitness, and lets not forget the getting outdoors side of it all.

Of course, role models are not the only answer. Addressing under representation is complicated but it’s a start. Each individual woman out there, being seen riding or delivering led rides, demonstrates how mountain biking is more accessible than it is perceived to be to other women and girls.

We think these programmes are amazing and put as much available funding to these as we possibly can to keep costs at a negligible and sometimes (in a good year) non-existent amount for the amazing women out there needing these courses. Funding goes to venue hire, accommodation for tutors (always pretty basic, they are a tough lot), instructor hire (always discounted) and expenses. On average a course costs in the region of £1,000 to deliver benefiting 8 inspiring and motivated women who will then go on and inspire countless more women and girls.

And they do make a difference.