Mountain Biking Changed My Health Long Before it Changed My Riding
Mountain biking changed my health long before it changed my riding.
And I don’t just mean physically.
Yes, I became stronger.
Yes, I became fitter.
Yes, I learned how to climb longer, descend faster, and trust my body more.
But the biggest transformation happened in the way I viewed myself.
That’s the mission behind Crank Queens and the work I do with women now:
Helping women build stronger bodies, stronger minds, and healthier relationships with themselves through mountain biking.
Because for so many women, health has been reduced to shrinking.
Smaller body.
Smaller appetite.
Smaller goals.
Smaller presence.
We’ve been taught that “healthy” means:
eating less
weighing less
taking up less space
pushing through exhaustion
ignoring our needs
proving our worth through discipline
And honestly? A lot of women are exhausted from trying to live that way.
Mountain Biking Requires Something Different
Mountain biking has a way of exposing the truth.
You cannot under-fuel your body, ignore recovery, constantly criticize yourself, and expect to feel powerful on the trail.
The sport demands:
strength
resilience
self-trust
courage
recovery
nourishment
community
It asks women to stop focusing on becoming smaller and start focusing on becoming more capable.
That shift matters.
Because once women start seeing what their bodies can do instead of obsessing over how they look, everything begins to change.
I’ve Watched Women Transform
I’ve watched women come into our programs saying:
“I’m not athletic.”
“I’m too old to start.”
“I’m too nervous.”
“I’m not fit enough.”
“I’ll just hold everyone back.”
And a few months later?
They’re:
riding trails they never thought possible
fueling their bodies with intention
lifting weights confidently
speaking more kindly to themselves
setting boundaries
making time for themselves without guilt
finding community and connection again
That’s why this work matters to me.
Because the transformation is never just about mountain biking.
It’s about identity.
Women Need More Than Fitness
Most women don’t need another rigid plan telling them to eat less and work harder.
They need:
support
education
sustainable habits
confidence
recovery
community
permission to take up space
They need spaces where health is not punishment.
Where movement becomes empowering instead of performative.
Where strength is celebrated.
Where nourishment is normalized.
Where women are allowed to pursue goals, adventure, and growth without constantly shrinking themselves in the process.
Mountain Biking Builds More Than Riders
One of the reasons I love mountain biking so much is because it becomes a mirror.
The lessons don’t stay on the trail.
Learning to trust yourself on technical terrain carries into life.
Learning how to move through fear changes how you approach challenges off the bike too.
Learning how to fuel properly changes how you care for yourself.
Learning how to ask for support changes your relationships.
And learning that you belong in spaces you once felt intimidated by?
That changes everything.
My Mission
My mission isn’t just to help women become better mountain bikers.
It’s to help women:
feel stronger in their bodies
trust themselves again
improve their health without punishment or extremes
build confidence on and off the trail
find supportive community
reconnect with joy, adventure, and capability
Because health should feel expansive.
Not restrictive.
And mountain biking has a unique way of helping women rediscover that.
Final Thought
I don’t believe women need to become fearless before they start.
I think they need opportunities to experience themselves differently.
To prove:
“I can do hard things.”
“I can learn.”
“I can belong here.”
“My body is capable.”
“I am worth taking care of.”
That’s the real transformation.
And that’s why I do it.
