Women's Mountain Biking Archives - șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online /tag/womens-mountain-biking/ Live Bravely Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:09:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Women's Mountain Biking Archives - șÚÁÏłÔčÏÍű Online /tag/womens-mountain-biking/ 32 32 This Gear Will Extend Your Mountain-Bike Season into the Winter /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/this-gear-will-extend-your-mountain-bike-season-into-the-winter/ Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:06:06 +0000 /?p=2688261 This Gear Will Extend Your Mountain-Bike Season into the Winter

Here’s the gear that will keep you mountain biking all year long, no matter the temps

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This Gear Will Extend Your Mountain-Bike Season into the Winter

Just because the temps drop doesn’t mean you have to stop mountain biking. Before the snow flies weekly in western mountain towns, these crisp cold days can lead to incredible riding conditions—morning frost and just enough sun often give way to silky smooth hero dirt. Still, it can be hard to motivate for a frigid fall bike ride, especially since temperature regulation on a mountain bike is highly elusive. Here are a few of our favorite gear picks for extending your mountain-bike season way past the summer.

Two people mountain biking in the snow
Author Lily Ritter rides in the snow near Jackson, Wyoming. (Photo: Lily Ritter)

At a Glance

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(Photo: Courtesy Wild Rye)

Wild Rye Gnarnia Glove

Warm digits are crucial when riding in low temps. I’ve found the fleece-lined Wild Rye Gnarnia gloves to be just the edge I need for riding in the mid-30s and 40s. In the fall and winter, a glove swap is crucial, so I often wear a standard glove for a long climb, then keep these gloves in my pack (stashed in a sealed plastic bag if it’s raining) for a cozy respite before a chilly descent. They’re not fully waterproof, but the nylon shell does wonders for shedding dirt and mud while you plow through puddles.


(Photo: Courtesy Curious Creatures)

Curious Creatures Sun Dog Pant

Pants season is my favorite part of mountain-bike season. The Sun Dog pants are lightweight enough to be reasonable for summertime bike park laps, but I’ve found them to be a fantastic layer for fall rides since they’re plenty warm for brisk days. The stretchy polyester construction is breathable yet durable—I found it to be abrasion-resistant while picnicking in the forest—without feeling stiff.

A few other features I love are the dual-zippered pockets for a phone and snacks. I also appreciate the stretchy drawcord waistband that doesn’t require a zip or button, allowing a hip pack to sit comfortably around my waist. Plus, the colors are wickedly cute, making it a versatile pair of pants I also take hiking and climbing.


(Photo: Courtesy Skida)

Skida Pursuit Hat

Those massive vents in mountain-bike helmets come in handy for hot summer days, but come December, they feel like they funnel ice-cold air straight into my brain. Thankfully, Skida launched its Pursuit series this fall, which includes this sleek and synthetic beanie, ideal for layering under a bike helmet. This hat is thin enough not to feel bulky under a helmet, and it’s easy to tuck into a pocket while I’m pedaling up. If you want even less coverage, the lightweight ($24) is the perfect swath of soft, breathable poly-spandex for high-output rides on frosty days.


(Photo: Courtesy Norrona)

NorrÞna FjÞrÄ Equaliser Lightweight Long Sleeve

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Even when it’s hovering close to freezing, the minute I start pedaling, my internal furnace goes nuts. So I like to opt for a lightweight long-sleeve jersey, like the NorrĂžna FjĂžrĂ„ Equaliser, which breathes well while climbing and can be paired with a warmer jacket for long descents. When it’s closer to 40 degrees, I find this top perfect for rides on rolling hills where I don’t want to stop and adjust my layers every ten minutes. The polyester fabric is airy and quick-drying, with a slim fit that I appreciate when I wear it under a vest or backpack. Plus, the back of the jersey is a touch longer than the front, so it provides plenty of coverage while you’re pedaling.


(Photo: Courtesy Branwyn)

Branwyn Swag 24 Jogger

Nothing motivates me more while riding in the cold than the promise of a hot shower and a cozy pair of sweats. Branwyn’s merino joggers are the ultimate post-ride bottoms (there’s also a matching ), a seriously luxurious reward for toughing it out in the frosty air. These subtly slim joggers are the perfect swap for my chamois on the drive back home—soft, stretchy, and stink-resistant, thanks to their 85 percent merino wool construction.


(Photo: Courtesy 7Mesh)

7Mesh Chilco Anorak

Temperature regulation while pedaling a mountain bike is no easy feat. I find myself seeking out water-resistant but not waterproof layers that provide some protection from the elements while also dumping heat. The Chilco Anorak is an ideal put-on-and-leave-on layer for brisk fall rides thanks to its breathable polyester with a wind-blocking yet air-permeable design (hence the grid pattern). The synthetic outer shell is wind- and weather-resistant, with a cozy grid fleece lining that’s soft enough to wear over a T-shirt. There’s a large zippered hand pouch you can stash snacks in if you want to go pack-free for a short jaunt, and the hood can fit over a helmet or cinch down over your head for off-the-bike adventures.

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This Is How Much the Winning 2024 Olympic Mountain Bikes Cost /outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/cost-fastest-mountain-bikes-at-2024-olympics/ Sat, 03 Aug 2024 20:14:27 +0000 /?p=2677129 This Is How Much the Winning 2024 Olympic Mountain Bikes Cost

The winners of the cross-country mountain bike events at the 2024 Paris Olympics were not messing around—and neither were their bikes

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This Is How Much the Winning 2024 Olympic Mountain Bikes Cost

High-end bikes are staggeringly expensive, but those prices soar even higher when considering the custom paint jobs and high-performance components featured on the mountain bikes at the 2024 Olympics. Money is no object when it comes to a rider’s career, and a nation’s pride is on the line.

Unlike most other sports in the Olympics, cycling’s governing body, the UCI, requires that all bicycles used in competition must be commercially available to the public. This stipulation means that if you’ve got the money, you can buy or build, the exact bike ridden to gold, silver, or bronze. (Your results may vary, of course.) We’ve crunched the numbers and rounded up the details: Below are our price estimates of the fastest mountain bikes at the 2024 Paris Olympics and their production counterparts.


2024 Olympic-Podium Mountain Bike Quick Facts

  • Winningest brand: Pinarello with two gold medals
  • Winningest model: Specialized’s S-Works Epic World Cup with two silver medals
  • Full suspension mountain bikes: 5
  • Hardtails: 1
  • Bikes with dropper seatposts: 6
  • Bikes with Shimano mechanical drivetrains: 4
  • Bikes with SRAM electronic drivetrains: 2
  • Bikes with electronic suspension control systems: 2
  • Bikes with Berd string spokes: 3

Women’s Olympics Podium Bikes

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's Dogma XC Hardtail
Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s Dogma XC Hardtail (Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Staff)

Gold: Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s Dogma XC Hardtail ($12,500)

Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot dominated the women’s cross-country race. The 12-time World Elite Champion attacked on the first lap, breaking away from the field and extending her lead each lap. When she crossed the line seven laps later, the French rider had built up a nearly three-minute lead over the best female riders in the world.

She was one of a handful of women who opted to race a hardtail at this year’s Olympics. Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, who races for INEOS Grenadiers and is sponsored by Pinarello, found success on her Dogma XC hardtail on the fast and relatively tame—by World Cup standards—Paris course.

Key features of Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s Dogma XC hardtail include a Suntour Axon 34 Werx Boost EQ suspension fork and a Suntour Vertical helium dropper seatpost with 60 millimeters of travel. She sped away from the pack on a wheelset featuring Princeton Carbonworks P1 Race Tech rims laced with ’s ultralight polyethylene “string” spokes that weigh considerably less than traditional stainless steel spokes. Continental Race King tires rounded out her wheel set-up. While electronic drivetrains may be all the rage these days, many racers, including the recently crowned women’s Olympics XC champ, still prefer the lightweight and faster shifting of Shimano’s XTR drivetrain.

We estimate that, as built, her bike would cost buyers approximately $12,500. While you can’t buy Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s gold medal build, you can get close with .


Haley Batten's S-Works Epic World Cup LTD
Haley Batten’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD (Photo: Michal Cerveny)

Silver: Haley Batten’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD ($16,000)

Haley Batten’s second-place finish in Paris is a reason to celebrate for Team USA. Americans have struggled in cross-country racing at the Olympics despite inventing the sport. Susan DeMattei finished third in the inaugural mountain bike event at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, as did Georgia Gould in 2012 at the London Games.

Batten’s race for silver was hard-fought and represents the highest finish (woman or man) of any American in Olympic mountain biking. She caught the chase group attempting to reel in Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, but a cracked carbon wheel and flat tire set her back. Undeterred, the 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, was able to swap her rear wheel in the pit zone and rejoin the race.

Batten, who rides for Specialized, had three bikes to choose from: a hardtail, a full suspension, or a hybrid design that’s nearly as light as a hardtail with just enough rear suspension to improve traction. She opted for option #3, the Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup. This purebred race bike has a scant 75 millimeters of rear suspension that relies on flex in the carbon seatstays, instead of pivots, to save weight. Batten’s race bike was equipped with SRAM’s premier XX Eagle Transmission drivetrain as well as the component company’s electronic suspension control system, known as Flight Attendant. This smart suspension system automatically controls suspension damping to make the bike as efficient and fast as possible. It seems like it worked.

Batten’s build is around $16,000. It’s not available as a stock option from Specialized, but the is close at $14,000.


Jenny Rissveds' Ibis Exie
Jenny Rissveds’ Ibis Exie (Photo: Courtesy Ibis Cycles)

Bronze: Jenny Rissveds’s Ibis Exie ($12,500)

Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds took home gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She set her sights on a second gold medal in Paris, but Ferrand-PrĂ©vot’s lead was insurmountable, leaving Rissveds to battle Haley Batten for silver. Rissved actually helped Batten get back into the race, following her unfortunate mechanical, by shouting out to the American’s mechanics that Batten would be coming through the pit zone with a flat tire, thereby ensuring they’d be prepared a quick wheel change.

Rissved rode consistently throughout the race, ultimately crossing the line five seconds behind Batten. The Swedish racer finished aboard an Ibis Exie that was handbuilt in California, making it a rarity among carbon mountain bikes, most of which are manufactured in Asia.

Of the three women’s podium bikes, the Exie features the most suspension, with a 120-millimeter Fox Stepcast suspension fork paired with 100 millimeters of rear wheel travel. Standout components on Rissved’s Exie include prototype Ibis carbon wheels, an Inpeak power meter, Shimano’s XTR drivetrain, and a Fox Transfer SL dropper seatpost. While we’re on the subject of droppers, it’s notable that although each of these three riders opted for bikes with varying amounts of suspension travel, they were all willing to accept the weight penalty that comes with running a dropper seatpost. Dropper seatposts were a rarity in XC racing a few short years ago, but have become essential as many World Cup courses have become more technically demanding.

Rissved’s Ibis Exie would retail for approximately $12,500. currently offers includes a SRAM XX Eagle drivetrain, rather than Shimano’s XTR, and will set buyers back $12,200.


Men’s Olympics Podium Bikes

Tom Pidcock's Dogma XC
Tom Pidcock’s Dogma XC (Photo: SWPix)

Gold: Tom Pidcock’s Dogma XC ($17,000)

Tom Pidcock is one of the world’s most versatile professional cyclists, having won World Cup championships in cyclocross as well as mountain biking and secured an impressive stage win at the 2022 Tour de France. The British racer, who had to abandon this year’s Tour de France after contracting COVID in mid-July, still had the fitness necessary to successfully defend his gold medal from the Tokyo Games.

While Pauline Ferrand-PrĂ©vot made her race-winning move during the first lap of the women’s race, Pidcock fought to regain the lead following a puncture on the fourth lap to trade blows with French racer Victor Koretzky.

Pidcock, who also races for INEOS Grenadiers during the regular season, had a Pinarello hardtail and full suspension to choose from. Despite criticizing the Paris course as “just gravel” and “bland” in a pre-race interview, Pidcock decided to race his Dogma XC full suspension. His race bike featured 100 millimeters of front suspension matched with 100 millimeters of rear travel. To maximize efficiency, the defending gold medalist relied on Suntour’s electronic , which, like SRAM’s Flight Attendant, automatically adjusts the firmness of the front and rear suspension to match the terrain.

The rest of Pidcock’s build closely resembled his INEOS Grenadier teammate Ferrand-PrĂ©vot, with a 60-millimeter Suntour Vertical helium dropper seatpost, mechanical Shimano XTR drivetrain, and those ultralight Princeton Carbonworks P1 Race Tech rims, Berd spokes, and Continental Race King tires.

With its electronic suspension control and boutique carbon wheels, Pidcock’s race bike costs nearly $17,000. will set buyers back a cool $14,000.


Victor Koretzky’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD
Victor Koretzky’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD (Photo: @michalcervenyphoto)

Silver: Victor Koretzky’s S-Works Epic World Cup LTD ($14,000)

French rider Victor Koretzky gave it his all during his battle with Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock and came away with a silver medal for his efforts. The three-time World Cup winner, who races for Specialized, had the same trio of bikes to choose from as fellow silver medalist Haley Batten. Koretzky and the majority of Specialized athletes felt the S-Works Epic World Cup was the right bike for course.

While Batten’s Epic World Cup boasted SRAM’s AI-controlled Flight Attendant suspension system, Koretzky kept things analog, with a cable-actuated lockout system to firm up the 110-millimeter RockShox SID fork and 75 millimeters of rear suspension during sprints and climbs. Specialized’s lightweight Roval Control SL 29 carbon wheelset wrapped in a fast-rolling combination of an S-Works Renegade front tire paired with an S-Works Captain rear tire helped the French hold off all but one competitor.

With the exception of a 100-millimeter RockShox Reverb AXS dropper seatpost, Koretzky’s build is nearly identical to the stock version of the LTD edition of the , which retails for $14,000.


Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition
Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition (Photo: Courtesy Cannondale)

Bronze: Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition ($16,000)

This year’s Olympics was Alan Hatherly’s third time representing South Africa at the Olympic Games. The 28-year-old racer finished 28th in 2016, 8th in the 2020 Games, and finally secured a podium finish in Paris. Hatherly chased Victor Koretzky, attempting to match the Frenchman’s pace before ultimately settling back and holding on to third as Pidcock and Koretzky battled for gold.

Hatherly, sponsored by Cannondale, rode a special edition of the company’s full-suspension mountain bike, the Scalpel. Cannondale’s “LAB71” designation denotes limited-production models, constricted from premium materials and featuring premium components.

The eight-time South African mountain bike champion’s bike featured a custom paint scheme inspired by the nation’s flag. Build highlights included 120 millimeters of front and rear travel with Cannondale’s iconic single-sided Lefty Ocho fork at the helm. Shimano’s XTR group handled shifting and braking duties, while a 100-millimeter Fox Transfer SL dropper seatpost allowed the bronze medalist to descend the handful of technical descents confidently. Similarly to gold medalists Ferrand-PrĂ©vot and Pidcock, Hatherly employed Berd’s PolyLight spokes to save precious grams.

With all the custom touches included, Alan Hatherly’s Cannondale Scalpel LAB71 Special Edition likely comes in around $16,000. is slightly more palatable at $14,000.

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Haley Batten Makes History with USA’s Best XC Olympic Finish /outdoor-adventure/olympics/haley-batten-makes-history-with-usas-best-xc-olympic-finish/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:51:00 +0000 /?p=2676279 Haley Batten Makes History with USA’s Best XC Olympic Finish

A minor controversy about the technical zone cannot sully historic silver medal: “I cannot explain how amazing this is”

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Haley Batten Makes History with USA’s Best XC Olympic Finish

America invented mountain biking 40 years ago when hippies and hipsters took to fat-tire racing on fire roads in California and Colorado, but it wasn’t until Sunday that a U.S. racer won silver in the .

, born in 1998, battled back from a broken wheel early in by an untouchable to finish second, the best by a U.S. rider in cross-country since MTB became a medal sport in 1996.

“I visualized finishing with the medal around my neck for a long time,” Batten said. “So I know it feels like something special, but I can’t explain how amazing this is.”

It must feel historic.

Her silver is the first U.S. Olympic medal in cross-country since Georgia Gould was third in 2012 London. Mountain bike pioneer Susan DeMattei also won bronze in the inaugural Olympics in 1996.

No American male has won an Olympic mountain bike medal.

It almost didn’t happen.

Broken Wheel but not Broken Dreams

Batten
Batten, left, hit America’s best finish in mountain biking in Olympic Games. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Batten destroyed her front wheel on one of the early laps and ceded valuable terrain after making a wheel change.

“I got a flat tire and destroyed my front wheel and I think I had the fastest wheel change ever,” she said. “I knew the start was important. And I messed it up. That was really disappointing and I thought I lost my chance of a medal right there. I stayed calm.”

Batten raced on the Elancourt Hill course before and knew that the mix of fast gravel-like tracks and the technical berms, jumps, rock gardens, and drops were in her wheelhouse.

She started picking off groups of riders in her comeback without giving up hope.

Up the trail, France’s Loana Lecomte crashed heavily and was knocked unconscious while riding in the bronze medal position behind Ferrand PrĂ©vot. She suffered a concussion and a jaw injury, but was not otherwise seriously injured.

Puck Pieterse (Netherlands) looked to have a lock on silver at about 1 minute behind Ferrand-Prévot when she suffered a puncture midway through the race.

That gave Batten, who found an ally in 2016 Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds (Sweden), the opening she needed.

The pair worked together to move up into the podium places in the closing laps and fended off a resurgent Pieterse, who finished fourth, and Evie Richards (United Kingdom) in fifth.

“Me and Jenny have been racing every single race this year. She’s made me a better athlete,” she said. “I knew when we were together in those last few laps, I knew it’d be really really hard to beat her.

“I put my whole heart and soul in today’s race and I knew after she gave a couple of really big attacks that she might be burning a little bit too many matches,” she said. “My legs never hurt for some reason. I just I don’t know I just wanted it so so bad.”

Threat of a Protest Doesn’t Cast a Pall

Batten
Batten, left, found an ally to drive home second. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The race wasn’t without controversy.

A frustrated Pieterse crossed the finish line in fourth just 21 seconds out of the medals, and she approached third-place Rissveds at the line. What did she ask?

“She asked if I was going to protest the medal,” Rissveds said.

What was the issue?

Batten was spotted racing through the technical zone on the final lap without taking a water bottle or receiving technical assistance, something that the race jury noticed.

After the race, Dutch officials wanted to protest to the UCI, but race rules do not allow a formal protest, Wielerflits reported.

Velo asked Batten after the press conference if there was a threat of losing the medal?

“I don’t know if there’s a protest, we’ll see,” she said.

At the finish line, journalists asked Batten why she did not grab a water bottle, as UCI rules suggest.

“No, I did not grab a water bottle,” she said, with the American flag draped across her shoulders. When asked if she was supposed to, she replied, “I have no idea. I was in the moment.”

Media reports stated afterwards that she was handed a 500 CHF fine for ‘failure to respect the instructions of the race organisation or commissaires (using the pit lane without feeding or heaving technical assistance).’

USA Cycling officials confirmed that no formal protest was filed and that the silver medal — and the historic result — stand.

For Batten, her personal mountain bike and Olympic journey began in 2012, the last time an American won a mountain bike medal.

“That was the year that I decided I wanted to be an Olympian because of her,” she said of Gould’s medal in 2012. “I just won my first junior national title and Georgia is the reason why I’m here today.”

With one eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Batten is hoping to emulate Ferrand-Prévot, who was untouchable on a triumphant victory on home roads.

An American gold on American dirt in an American Olympics: there’d be no better way to write more history.

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This American Mountain Biker Is Targeting an Olympic Medal in Paris /outdoor-adventure/olympics/haley-batten-olympics/ Wed, 08 May 2024 01:33:45 +0000 /?p=2667313 This American Mountain Biker Is Targeting an Olympic Medal in Paris

Five questions with Haley Batten, who is slated to lead America’s strongest contingent of Olympic cross-country mountain bikers in years

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This American Mountain Biker Is Targeting an Olympic Medal in Paris

Mountain biking made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. Since then, the United States—birthplace of the mountain bike—has won just two bronze medals in the discipline. Switzerland, meanwhile has ten medals,

But our country’s medal tally may increase this summer. Team USA’s Olympic mountain-bike racing program will enter the Paris Games in its strongest position in decades. In women’s racing, Haley Batten of Park City, Utah has entered into the highest echelon of international racing, regularly battling for the podium against the world’s best on the UCI World Cup series. Batten, 25, recently won the cross-country and short-track cross-country races at the World Cup round in AraxĂĄ, Brazil, from April 20-21. Her countrywoman Savilia Blunk also earned a spot on the podium.

On the men’s side, Christopher Blevins of Durango, Colorado has won two rounds of the UCI World Cup in recent years—his 2021 win ended a 27-year losing streak on the international series.

Why is this generation of American off-road racers so good? Who will get to represent the country Paris? We connected with Batten to find out.

OUTSIDE: Why is the current crop of American cross-country mountain bikers so good right now?
On the women’s side we’ve all been racing together for a long time and we’re starting to see the benefit of that competition. In the past few years, me, Savilia Blunk, Kate Courtney, and Gwendalyn Gibson have been right there getting strong results and earning front-row positions in short-track and cross-country races. I think we see each others’ success and think “well, I can do that too.” We’re also seeing that with the next generation of men’s racing. Blevins went to the last Olympics and now he’s won two World Cups, and we have Under-23 racers like Riley Amos and Bjorn Riley breaking into the scene. There’s a lot happening with youth development right now, and the participation numbers with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association continue to rise. Some of those kids end up in the USA Cycling elite development pathway, or they go race with really good youth teams like Bear Development or Whole Athlete, both of which make trips to race in Europe. There’s just a lot to be happy about right now.

Batten (center left) and Blunk (center right) are likely to represent Team USA in Paris. (Photo: Piotr Staron / Getty Images)

You, Savilia Blunk, and Kate Courtney are competing for the two U.S. Olympic spots. How will they decide the team?
USA Cycling set out a qualification criteria that included last year’s UCI world championships, last year’s World Cup overall standings, as well as the first three rounds of the 2024 UCI World Cup—the two rounds in Brazil, and then the May 26 race in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. The first set of criteria was a top-three finish at last year’s world championships, and none of us got that. The next was if anyone finished in the top-three of the final World Cup standings for 2023, and none of us got that. The next criteria is two top-five finishes at World Cup races in 2024, and both Savilia and myself met that. Since no other riders were in the top-five in the World Cup races in Brazil, it’s unlikely that anyone else will qualify for the women’s team.

Olympic selection is both competitive and collaborative. The more successful you and your countrywomen are, the more spots you earn for the Games. But you also want to beat each other to get a spot. How do you balance that competitive and collaborative side?
I’ve always believed that competition in mountain biking is more with yourself than with anybody else. So I definitely want Kate and Savilia and everyone else to be on the podium, because it gets us more Olympic spots and shows that we are capable as a nation. I’ve always wanted the U.S. to be up there with France or Switzerland as one of the best mountain biking countries in the world. In Switzerland, for example, there are six women who deserve to make the Olympics and only two get to go. In Tokyo, the Swiss team won all three medals for the women. I think that’s what we want, and when you look at the next generation, there’s opportunity. Some day soon they will surpass us.

Batten flies over a rock at the Araxa World Cup en route to victory. (Photo: Piotr Staron / Getty Images)

You need to deliver your best performance for these spring World Cups to earn an Olympic spot, but you also want to be strong for the Olympics. That sounds like a challenge.Ìę
It is, and a medal is definitely my goal this year. The Tokyo Olympics were all about getting experience, but this time I want to go and perform and win a medal and really see what I can accomplish. I had originally wanted to earn my Olympic spot at last year’s World Championships so that I could focus this entire year on the Olympics. But I crashed while trainingÌęand had a concussion and couldn’t race. So this year has been all about performing well in Brazil and then trying to hit a second peak for Paris. Now that I know my chances of going are good, my mindset will shift for the next few months. I’ll take a break after Nove Mesto, rest, and then do a full rebuild in my training toward the Olympics. It’s definitely tricky. We saw some of the Dutch riders skip the Brazil races entirely because they’re already qualified for the Olympics and they didn’t want to risk getting sick or crashing. It’ll be tricky to achieve what I’m going to do, but I think that’s one of the things that makes the Olympics so exciting.

What impact have you seen NICA and other high-school mountain-bike programs have on the overall strength of racing in the USA?
We used to dream about having this much depth, and it’s so cool to see it happening. You go to one of the big USA races now and the number of riders in the Junior and Under-23 divisions is so much larger than when I was a kid. When I was coming up maybe there would be five other junior girls. Now, there’s a huge field of them.Ìę These programs are making mountain biking a common school sport. When I was coming up, it barely existed—my dad and I raced together and that’s how I got into it. But today you’re hearing more stories about kids discovering it in school and creating a community and friend group around the sport.

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Six Outdoor Brands to Support This Women-Led Wednesday /outdoor-gear/clothing-apparel/woman-led-outdoor-brands/ Wed, 22 Nov 2023 22:27:15 +0000 /?p=2653683 Six Outdoor Brands to Support This Women-Led Wednesday

These are some of our favorite gear brands led by badass women in the industry

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Six Outdoor Brands to Support This Women-Led Wednesday

Women are everywhere in the outdoor industry, but few occupy owners’ offices at outdoor companies. These six standouts in the surfing, cycling, camping, and hiking sectors buck the trend. All six brands bring fresh products and perspectives to the male-dominated market and demonstrate how gender parity enriches the industry for everyone who recreates outdoors. Shop at the below brands this

Wild Rye

Cassie Abel, co-founder and CEO

Cassie Abel, the founder of Wild Rye (Photo: Courtesy Wild Rye)

When her business partner left Wild Rye as a fledgling apparel brand to pursue personal interests, Abel assumed full ownership and squeezed the throttle on company growth and development. A brand that began with a couple of ski and mountain bike pieces expanded into a complete active lifestyle collection, spanning Youth size 8 to Women’s size 24. “Our goal is to bring women beautiful, technical, and well-fitting apparel pieces that inspire confidence and welcome more women into the outdoors,” Abel said. Now a certified B-Corp, Wild Rye achieved Carbon Neutral certification and contributes financial support to various women’s initiatives, including giving $20,000 to Planned Parenthood after the Row vs. Wade reversal and sponsoring women-led ski films and Ladies AllRide cycling camps.

ToughCutie

Brittany Coleman, founder and CEO

Women wearing ToughCutie’s products (Photo: Courtesy ToughCutie)

“I hope to inspire more women and people of color to be confident in getting into ‘outdoorsy things,’” explains Coleman, who hatched the idea for her hiking sock company in 2019 and launched it in 2021. She envisioned a company that practiced inclusivity in ways she hadn’t seen as a business analyst for the apparel and hosiery sectors. So, working primarily with female designers and high-quality domestic yarns, ToughCutie launched Eve, a lightweight hiking sock in three heights. Now, the company is developing offerings for winter sports and runners. “There are so many ways to get outside and we want to play a role in helping our community get there,” Coleman said.

Shredly

Ashley Rankin, founder and owner

A pair of Shredly’s shorts and tank top (Photo: Courtesy Shredly)

When they hit the market in 2012, Rankin’s wildly patterned women’s mountain bike shorts enjoyed instant popularity because they raised the bar on fit and aesthetics. Here were bottoms designed by women for women, with bold graphics that helped riders feel emboldened, too. Now, Shredly produces a full line of mountain bike apparel (including a jumpsuit) for youth and women size 00 to 24. Along the way, Rankin learned that the bigger the challenge, the greater the gratification. “As a female owner of a women’s specific outdoor company,” she says, “I’m now able to appreciate ‘he challenge and approach it as an opportunity.”

Hotline Wetsuits

Brenda Scott Rogers, founder and owner

The Womens UHC 5/4mm Hooded Wetsuit Ultra Hot Combo in black (Photo: Courtesy Hotline Wetsuits)

An elite surfer at a time when few women attempted the sport, Brenda Scott Rogers won the 1978 World Cup at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, then founded Hotline the following year. She began by importing surf booties from Japan, then expanded to producing wetsuits—which Scott Rogers designed for women as well as men. After launching the market’s first women’s-specific wetsuits, Hotline expanded into products for various other water sports, including kids’ gear.

Good-To-Go

Jennifer Scism, co-founder, head chef and CEO

Good-to-go pouches in action (Photo: Courtesy Good-to-Go)

As a professional chef who trained at The French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and defeated Mario Batali on The Food Network’s Iron Chef competition, Jennifer Scism sought the finest ingredients and used sophisticated cooking techniques to dazzle diners at the top-rated restaurant that she ran with her business partner, chef Anita Lo. Her backpacking meals continue that commitment to quality food: Good-To-Go uses real foods, often preserved using methods that Scism pioneers herself, to make yummy camp dinners and breakfasts (such as the brand-new Ranchero Scramble). Next up: Carrot-Ginger Power Bowl and other salads that don’t require boiling water and let hikers enjoy quick, veggie-laden lunches with virtually no prep. Scism credits her strength and success to female collaborators who challenged and nurtured her: “There is no lack of strong women,” said Scism, “And once you create that dynamic group around your shared mission, you each become stronger.”

Carve Designs

Jennifer Hinton and Thayer Sylvester, co-founders

Two women wear Carve Designs suits (Photo: Carve Designs)

While on a surf trip in Mexico, Hinton and Sylvester lamented the lack of board shorts that fit their bodies and handled real-world rigors—and the duo determined to change the scene. Since 2003, the pair has produced sustainably-made apparel for surfing and now, swim and beach lifestyle. Each item is still designed and tested by women, and they strive to support their employees by offering flexible schedules and financial backing for other initiatives, like SheJumps, Brown Girl Surf, and the Send It Foundation.

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