My misses is brill!

My other half came with me for her first proper off road mtb ride today. She managed a 12 mile yomp around on Woodbury common in Devon.

She's only been riding for a month or so and we recently picked her up a modern Specialized, nothing too special but a huge improvement over the lump of angle iron (Halfrauds special) she was riding.

Not the easiest of places to start out as anyone who's been there will know, lots of very loose surfaces so makes for some very technically challenging up's and down's.

She took a bit of a spill when she got a wheel caught in a muddy rut but dusted herself off and carried on. For someone who's first foray into off-road mtb has come aged just shy of 30 she did brill and I'll well proud of her.

Today was also my first venture into proper off road for at least a decade, I'm in so much pain right now but came home grinning like the proverbial cheshire cat. My old Klein Fervor stood up fairly well but riding a bike that rigid on that surface was a workout and a half. Looking forward to getting some sussers on the front.

All in all, rather an excellent day. Just thought I'd mention that

Paddy

sounds like a cool day, good to get her first crash initiation out of the way

Sounds good. My little lad had his first proper spill yesterday too. I did my first ever race on Woodbury eons ago. It was the one when Andy Gordon beat the established names of the day.

This is my aim

My mrs hasnt ridden a bike since she was about 10 and I really want to get her out to give it a go , I am thinking along the lines of getting over to the forest of dean and hiring a bike for her and doing the family ride on a nice day just for a start?

daj":28eiy40y said:

This is my aim

My mrs hasnt ridden a bike since she was about 10 and I really want to get her out to give it a go , I am thinking along the lines of getting over to the forest of dean and hiring a bike for her and doing the family ride on a nice day just for a start?

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Sounds like a good plan. My other half's next venture will be to Haldon just outside Exeter, starting with a circuit of the Adventure trail to warm up then into the red run

I'm a bit worried though, she can climb like a damn mountain goat, once her confidence level at downhill and general bike handling improves I'm in real trouble

she can climb like a damn mountain goat

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lol, I am with Paddy. Mrs SB is only just getting into it and spent half of her first outing in the mud with the bike on top of her. But watched her learning some skills and was terrified that she is going to know what she is doing while I have been cuffing it for many years.

Good on you girls, get out there with your chaps, on your own, or with me!