Your letters and photos, including an MTB epiphany in Scotland, bringing a 30-year-old bike out of retirement and more of your best riding snaps
YOUR MAIL, PHOTOS, IDEAS AND RANTS
STAR LETTER Seeing the light
My boyfriend badly wanted to get me on a mountain bike. I don’t know why but in the beginning I didn’t like it that much. I was a bit scared and really had to struggle with myself to keep doing it. We live in Germany and last year we put our bikes in the van and drove to Scotland. I really loved the country, not to mention the lifestyle and the people. My boyfriend took me to some mountain biking spots and
I really tried to enjoy it, but just didn’t have much motivation.
Then we arrived in Fort William one afternoon and wanted to investigate the area and the trails. We stopped for a break and I was eating an apple when a mountain biker came out of the trees. She was called Louise Ferguson [you may remember we ran a feature on her in MBUK 363 ~ ed] and, from that moment on, I had a new biking role model! Everything looked so easy – how she rolled over the roots, pushed her bike into the turns and just stole the show from the boys on the track.
I follow her on Instagram (@louise_anna__) and really love her style. The best thing is, she seems like a normal girl and she gives you the feeling that you too can get better on a bike just by riding and having fun. She gave me a newfound motivation to ride my bike, improve and come back to Scotland so that I can enjoy the tracks even more than last time.
I’m still not the best on a bike but I really enjoy riding now and understand why my boyfriend loves mountain biking so much. Our trip to Scotland this summer has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 virus, but I really hope we can come back in autumn. Until then I’m still enjoying biking in Germany! Caja Simon, via email
Sounds like you had a great trip to Scotland, Caja – even if you weren’t too sure about the riding at first! It’s amazing what a positive impact a role model can have on motivation. We hope you keep having fun and progressing your skills, and get to visit Fort William again before too long.
Returning to the fold
Over 30 years ago I started mountain biking and I used to read MBUK religiously. Last year I subscribed to you again after a long break. I thought you might like to see my 1990 Marin Eldridge Grade [below left], which I’ve had for 30 years, back out on the trails for the first time in about 20, complete with retro MBUK stickers! I usually ride my full-sus Cannondale as I don’t have much time to get out, but being in lockdown meant there was time to resurrect my Marin. Using Shimano Deore XT thumbshifters and toe-clips and straps with Nike Poobah shoes took me back to a different, simpler world – although the lack of power from the cantilever brakes was an eye-opener! Stay safe.
John Williamson, via email