Women's Month Special : Group Therapy- Find your TRIBE PART 3

One of the greatest things about riding bikes is of course the social connections and friendships we form out on the trail. Yes, riding alone has it's merits but groups and clubs offer many benefits that riders can attest to. The theory of creating safe and inclusive groups and clubs is not new to cycling but finding the group which fits your needs can be the difference between you wanting to get out and ride more or staying that solo rider.

Aside from learning more about cycling, group rides are (obviously) great for the social aspect. On any group ride, stories are swapped, routes are discussed, the cafe is anticipated and new names are learned. And here’s the thing, something wonderfully unique happens when the ingredients of a group ride come together; sometimes in the most unlikely of circumstances — those days that you just don’t feeling like going out will often be the ones that turn gold.

The sense of achievement, the endorphins, the vitamin D and the exhilaration mingle together, and frankly, things can get a little euphoric. When we’re riding with other women with an equal love of wheels, we open up, we’re the best version of ourselves, we talk about the good, the bad and the ugly — often with hilarious consequences. These wonderful highs are shared together along with the occasional lows.

You’ll often find yourself with a special kind of shared support both on and off the bike — there’s nothing quite like that reassuring feeling of always having someone watching your back; that magic that selfless help is able to establish among cyclists, as if there’s an untold script that privileges safety and wellness above all else. No one talks about it, but it’s always there. It pours out at just the right moment.

BOKKIES ON BIKES LOCATION - GARDEN ROUTE, BASED IN THE KNYSNA AREA

GROUP GOALS

Bokkies on Bikes was born in the forests surrounding the Knysna area out of a need for women to connect, be outside, ride mountain bikes and gain confidence with their bike handling skills. It's first baby steps were social outrides but it has since grown into skills clinics designed especially for women. We also offer technical workshops to empower women with the knowledge to take care of their own bikes. Whatever we do, the emphasis is on enjoyment, embracing the outdoors, to breathe and never to take ourselves too seriously. We offer an online shop, selling ladies- specific apparel and other gorgeous goodies ladies want to get their hands on..

GROUP RIDE DETAILS

Intermediate Rides: This group ride covers approximately 30-40 kms of a combination of dirt road, jeep tracks and singletracks in our beautiful indigenous forest and surrounding plantations. A reasonable level of fitness is advisable and some knowledge of riding off road, although the ride often include the opportunity to practice specific skill elements.

Technical Rides: Learn and practice more advanced bike handling skills to make riding singletracks more fun. Practice riding different obstacles using the correct technique. Improve your confidence by learning how to corner properly and ride technical terrain in a safely graded environment to help you control your bike safely.

Mojo Rides: This group ride is an excellent starting place for beginner riders and those wanting to brush up on specific skills in a relaxed setting. It also works well as a "recovery ride" when you've been overdoing it a little bit or if you need to get back into riding after a time of absence.

SKILLS TRAINING OFFERED?

From time to time we set aside a weekend morning at The Garden RouteTrail Park to learn and practice our bike handling skills to make riding singletracks more fun. Having a better understanding of your bike, your body position and how to ride specific obstacles will improve your confidence and keep you in control. Learn to ride berms and rollers, and practice switchbacks, bunnyhops and small gap jumps. .

BIKE MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS

We started “Bike Maintenance for Bokkies”, covering aspects of “bike set-up” and learning to fine-tune your bike to make your ride a better, safer and more enjoyable one. Enjoy a glass of bubbly and some banter while you learn how to fix a flat, repair your chain and ride with the correct tyre pressure. We aim to empower women with knowledge to adjust their set-up, how to set their suspension and tyre pressure to suit their body weight and riding style, and teach them to ask the right questions when they have the next coffee at the bike shop.