Photo: Supplied.
CONTRIBUTED BY RATS (RACING, ADVOCACY, TRAILCARE, SOCIAL)
RATS Cycling Club’s women’s subcommittee is again offering a mountain biking ladies’ beginners’ course to promote the joy of riding bikes in nature, exploring bushland, and improving health.
Partly subsidised by profit from the club’s annual Chicks in the Sticks race, the course – on May 19 and 26 – is delivered by professional coaches in a supportive and encouraging environment.
The two by two-hour sessions, at Underwood Park, Priestdale, are held on a grass oval and the beginner riding trails at Daisy Hill Conservation Park, where riders are guided through the basics, from proper technique to navigating more challenging terrain.
“These popular courses flow into our RATS Chicks Ride program, which offers weekly social rides for women and a monthly beginner social ride,” coordinator Christine McKay says.
“After five years of running the program, we know the system works in encouraging more women on more bikes, more often. This fits well as the participants begin joining into the club’s areas of Racing, Advocacy, Trailcare, Social – the RATS in our name.”
Addressing a significant barrier to entry to even just trying mountain biking, RATS Cycling has 10 hire bikes available for use with this course. For more information, visit facebook.com/RATSchicksride.
