Beginner MTB Guide for Women - How to Get Started Mountain Biking

I started mountain biking with absolutely no idea what I was doing. Everything on the trail felt like it was trying to kill me, and I'll be honest, I have cried in a car park more than once.

I had no idea what kit to buy, which trails to start on, or whether mountain biking was even something women actually did. Turns out it is. And what started as me walking sections I should have been riding has turned into something I genuinely can't imagine my life without. This is everything I wish someone had told me at the start, from your very first ride to the day things actually start to click.

Why You Haven't Started Yet (And Why That Needs to Change)

Let's be honest about why it feels hard before you've even started. The gear is a lot to figure out. Getting the bike there requires a rack or a tow bar. The sport has a reputation for injuries (and its earned it). MTB is physical, it's technical, and when you come off it hurts. And on top of all of that, it's still a heavily male dominated space where a lot of the gear, the content and the advice isn't designed with women in mind, which is part of the reason I decided to start writing.

All of that is real and we're not going to dress it up. But here's what's also real, there is a way around this. You manage the injury risk by starting on the right trails and building your skills at your own pace. You manage the gear overwhelm by starting simple. And the male dominated thing? Some of my best riding has come from riding with my partner, he's really good and I learn so much from sessioning things together. Riding with people better than you pulls you forward faster than anything. If you'd rather start in a women's group, they exist everywhere. Personally I love both.

The barriers are real. They're just not bigger than you.

The MTB Confidence Guide that no-one talks about

When I started, my head was full of it. Am I going to slow everyone down? Is everyone watching me? What if I crash? Here's what I know now that I wish I'd known then.

Nobody is watching you as much as you think

You'll get to the trailhead and feel like everyone can tell you're new, like every rider who passes you is clocking exactly what you're doing wrong. They're not. Other riders are thinking about their own riding. The ones who do notice a woman on the trail who looks new? Almost all of them are quietly cheering you on. Mountain biking people are, on the whole, a genuinely good bunch and we want to see more of us girls out there!

If you're worried about slowing people down

Don't do your first ride with a big group where you don't know the pace. Go with one person you trust, or if you're doing this on your own, find a beginners or women's group ride, they exist everywhere and when you're just starting out they are worth their weight in gold. I went along to a few when I first started and they made a real difference to my riding and my confidence.

You also have right of way on the trail, if someone faster is behind you, it's on them to give you space. But let's not be difficult about it. If someone wants to get by and you can safely wave them through, just do it. That's genuinely it. People appreciate that you took the time to wave them through, nobody expects you to know every rule on day one just be aware, be friendly, and ride your ride.

The fear of injuries as a beginner

Yes, MTB has a reputation for injuries and it's not completely undeserved. A few bumps and scrapes are pretty much inevitable. But serious injuries are far less common than people think especially when you're riding at the right level and going at a speed you're comfortable with.

Here's the thing though speed is actually your friend. Most accidents don't happen because someone was going too fast. They happen because someone hesitated, went too slow into something, or pulled out at the last second. If you're going to do something, commit to it. A half-committed rider is a falling rider. Pick your line, trust it, and go. If you're not ready, walk it. But if you're going to go, go.

Commit. Most crashes happen in the hesitation, not the doing.

What to wear mountain biking as a woman?

Can we please normalise this, wanting to feel good in your kit is not vanity, it's part of showing up as yourself. When you feel uncomfortable and daggy, you ride uncomfortable and daggy. MTB isn't the most stylish sport for women and finding kit that actually looks good takes a bit of effort, but it exists and it's worth finding.

My personal preferences, are lightweight trail pants over knee pads rather than MTB Shorts. In my view, they're designed for men and then just scaled down for women without anyone asking if that was actually a good idea. I would also recommend a jersey that fits. Colours you actually like. When you feel good in your kit something shifts and that shift matters more than people admit. I'll post some recommendations for women's MTB kit that actually looks good, so keep a look out for that.

The Best Beginner MTB Gear Worth Spending Money On

You don't need to spend a fortune to start, but two things are worth the investment from day one. A good helmet with MIPS, your head is worth it, full stop, don't cut corners here. And flat MTB shoes. The stability difference compared to regular sneakers is immediate and you'll feel it from your very first ride. Don't clip in when you're starting out. You want to be able to put a foot down without thinking about it that freedom matters a lot when you're still finding your feet on the trail.

Choosing Your First Mountain Bike

Before you spend a cent on a brand new bike, don't (unless you have the cash to do so and its important to you). You can buy secondhand to start (I have always ridden second hand, there are some great custom rides in fab condition on marketplace which you would struggle to find new).

When your starting, you just need something simple, nothing fancy, just a bike that fits and works. If you try it and it's not for you, you haven't lost much and can most likely resell without a loss. If you love it and there's a good chance you will, you'll know exactly what you want next and you'll buy it with way more confidence.

A hardtail is completely fine for green trails. However, if you can afford a dual suspension I would highly recommend this from the beginning as it will enable you to progress and enjoy riding a whole lot more.

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Best place to find a bike and get real advice: your local MTB shop, or marketplace

How to Actually Ride — Tips for Your First Trails

Everything looks bigger than it is, especially when you stop and stare at it. That thing you're eyeing off is probably half a foot high. When you're new your brain turns every root and every small roll into something enormous. Keep moving, a little speed smooths out a lot of things that feel terrifying at a crawl. The worst thing you can do is stop and overthink it.

Look where you want to go, not where you don't. Your bike goes where your eyes go, every single time. That's the one thing to take onto the trail with you. It feels counterintuitive when you're learning, your eyes want to fix on every root and rock you're trying to avoid. But your bike follows your eyes. Look at the line you want to ride, trust your wheels to deal with the rest, and watch how much smoother everything gets.

Women's MTB Group Rides — Why You Should Find One

If you're just starting out and you'd rather find your feet with other women first, women's group rides exist in pretty much every city and most regional areas. The pace is different, the vibe is different, and nobody is racing ahead. It's a great way to get your first few rides under your belt without any pressure.

That said don't be afraid to ride with men either. Ride with people at your own level to push each other, and ride with people better than you to be pulled forward. Both have their place and both will make you a better rider.

That's everything I've got. None of it is complicated and all of it comes from actually doing it, the good rides, the bad ones, and the ones where I nearly talked myself out of going at all. Just go. Book the ride, borrow a bike if you have to, find one person to go with and get out there. You'll figure the rest out on the trail.

See you out there. x