Mountain bike rides are a relatively new addition to HSBC UK Breeze rides in Scotland, but when restrictions permit they are proving to be extremely popular.
We presently have 13 Breeze Champions in Scotland who have the level two Mountain Bike Leadership Award, and two further women currently undertaking the award. The level two award does require a fair amount of mountain biking experience and technical skill, but there is a new qualification coming this spring, Fundamentals of Mountain Bike Leadership Award, which will equip participants to lead rides in easy to moderate off-road environments. This should provide an opportunity to further grow our Breeze mountain bike team in Scotland.
The first Breeze Mountain Bike ride in Scotland was in 2018, led by Champions from England visiting the Scottish Borders. The first Breeze Mountain Bike ride led by a Champion residing in Scotland was in January 2019, in Perth and Kinross. The coronavirus global pandemic has meant we have been unable to offer as many Breeze rides as we would have liked to in 2020-21. Despite this, Breeze MTB rides in Scotland have been growing each year; from one ride in 2018, 21 rides in 2019, increasing to 34 rides in 2020. Our Breeze Champion mountain bike leaders in 2020 have been doing a great job making the most of whatever opportunities there have been to lead rides.
We spoke to Leanne Farmer who has been leading MTB rides since 2019. She told us her ‘entry-level’ mountain bike rides are popular with older women, keen to try something new. To allow for inclusivity, without the need to have their own mountain bike, she carefully plans the route so that hybrid bikes can be used. The women experience different terrain including basic features, such as tree roots, small grassy mounds, slopes and gravel paths. The rides allow all riders to have a sense of ‘off-road’ cycling. The oldest rider has been 72 and one of the regular riders is 62.
She said “It’s exhilarating to see the women push themselves beyond their comfort zone and whoop and cheer each other on!”
Lynne Martin from Edinburgh told us about her experience of trying mountain biking for the first time at the age of 72, admitting that she had initially thought it would be dangerous. In December she saw there were spaces on a Breeze mountain bike ride described as a ‘Fun n’ Festive Muddy MTB Jaunt’ and contacted the organiser to see if her bike would be suitable for it. It was an ‘entry-level’ MTB ride and she was informed her hybrid bike with knobbly tyres would be fine for the terrain and encouraged to come along and try it.
Lynne says she learned so much on the ride, which has since been usefully applied to cope with bumpy roads in Edinburgh. Although she doesn’t think she will take up serious mountain biking or buy a mountain bike, she is interested in more off-road cycling, especially forest trails. We’re sure as restrictions ease there will be further Breeze rides that will meet her interests.
Search for a Breeze ride in your area: https://letsride.co.uk/breeze
