Heath Week mountain bike rides for women mark the launch of new local business
Sidbury entrepreneur Cathy Debenham is stepping out of the office and onto her bike with her new business Bike Guide Devon. She is launching it with a two guided mountain bike rides for women to coincide with Heath Week.
“I have spent more than 30 years working in offices,” says Cathy, whose previous business was prize-winning renewable energy website YouGen (now part of the National Energy Foundation). “Sitting in front of a computer all day feels increasingly unhealthy, so I recently trained as a Mountain Bike Leader with British Cycling.”
This wasn’t as a big a step change as it might seem, as Cathy has been a keen cyclist and mountain biker for a long time. She also worked as a Ski Leader for the Ski Club of Great Britain for several seasons in the late 80s and early 90s.
“One thing I noticed as a ski leader was that people had the skills they needed, but were held back by a lack of confidence. The most satisfying days were when I was able to help people build their confidence and believe that they could ski things they had previously avoided. It’s the same on a mountain bike, and I look forward to helping people grow in confidence.
“Mountain biking tends to be quite male dominated, and I find that women can be wary of trying it, worried that that they will hold others up," adds Cathy. “This is why I am offering women-only rides as well as ones open to all. It gives people a chance to develop their skill in a supportive environment.
“Another concern people have is that it is dangerous. I’d say it’s as dangerous as you make it. I find it liberating to ride off-road. You can enjoy East Devon’s beautiful countryside without worrying about cars. You can choose how much you want to challenge yourself, and once you’ve built up more skills you can try out steeper or more technical trails if you want - but it’s not compulsory.”
Cathy will lead a gentle women’s mountain bike ride on Woodbury Common at 10am on Sunday 30 July. Beginners welcome. For those already comfortable on a mountain bike, she will also lead a faster ride on Tuesday 25 July at 18.30. Both rides will be sociable, with fabulous views to sea and moor, lasting about 2 hours. The cost is £7 per head. For more detail of the rides see the BikeGuideDevon Facebook page.
To join the ride you will need a well-maintained mountain bike, helmet and cycling gloves and a water bottle. There are just eight places available on each ride. To book yours contact Cathy Debenham.
