Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes @pghbabesonbikes - Tumblr Blog

Frigid Witch Training Rides

Pop the champagne because the best ride series of the year is back

The first 6 Sundays of 2026 we'll be meeting @ Two Frays Brewing to train our butts for Valentine's Day's FRIGID WITCH.

Meet @ 12:30 for pre-ride snacks and coffee B-pace groups roll @ 1pm C-pace groups roll @ 1:15 A-pace groups roll @ 1:30

Check the info spreadsheet to see who is leading what pace/route groups, routes links, and where the food is coming from!

Volunteer to lead a group at this link

WE NEED RIDE LEADERS/MARSHALS/SWEEPS! Pace groups exist because people decide to lead them - if you'd like to see a pace/route combo happen any given week, consider leading it! The stakes are low - you decide the pace, the ride style, any route edits you'd like to make, and while we like to keep the C pace group together, A&B pace groups are DROP RIDES so if you don't/want to wait, you can/don't have to.

We'll have bike racks, Frigid Witch/Pgh Babes on Bikes merch for sale, manifest/online merch pick up, drop bins for riders, and some kind of hot beverage.

Two Frays will be donating $1 for every Frigid Witch Black and Blue Sour Non-Alcoholic draft back to Pgh Babes on Bikes <3

New for this year: we're hosting VIRTUAL TRAINING RIDES every Tuesday on Zwift! Join the Pgh Babes on Bikes club, choose a group categories based on the pace group you typically ride at the Frigid Bitch training rides. Winner of each category gets a beer on Sunday!

Week 1: Short and sweet, wake up those legs. 8 miles flat course Week 2: A little longer, add a hill. 12 miles Week 3: A little longer! Make the hill a little bigger! 15 miles Week 4: Add a mile, a hill, and a sprint (bonus prize!). 16 miles Week 5: Pop on the miles and drop the elevation! 25 miles Week 6: It's almost Frigid Witch Week! Let's do another shorty *

*link TBA

SAUNA AND CLIMB SESSIONS W THE BABES

Bad Sauna and Ascend are hosting training ride-adjacent socials every Saturday leading up to Frigid Witch in their Point Breeze location. Discounted climb day passes (incl. rental shoes) or 30 day membership (code: FBPREPAID) from 3-8pm // Sauna steam from 5-6pm Ascend registration link Bad Sauna registration link

See yinz there!

An Open Letter to USA Cycling

Intro by Anna-Lena Kempen Letter by Pgh Babes on Bikes Racing

I made the Frigid Bitch so women could race bikes. I identify as a straight cis woman, and much of my life has been shaped by an (often angry and frustrated) desire to defend my right and women’s right to take space - in my workspace, among friend groups, at businesses, and in cycling. Experiencing an endless barrage of obstacles fostered an exhausted but core belief that under-represented demographics deserve space - not just to exist, but to thrive. I made the Frigid Bitch so women could race bikes, and within a few years realized how important that space was not just to women, but for a gender demographic that seemed to be stepping forward with quickly gaining confidence in the cycling scene and elsewhere. In 2016 a friend I had known for years as a woman, re-introduced as non-binary, told me how important the race was for them in celebrating their newly-claimed gender identity. I was floored, in the best way, to have someone tell me the dedication I was pouring into expanding space for bike-riding women was also opening up joyful opportunities for cyclists experiencing even less representation in this world that I loved so much.

I spent the next ten years nurturing the environment of inclusivity expressed by that friend. I have stumbled often; my efforts and understanding have required constant self-reflection, questioning, and endless conversations with patient and thoughtful peers, but I maintain that celebrating women and under-represented genders is neither a binary nor a zero-sum choice. Promoting women’s spaces should not undermine the experiences of non-conforming gender identities, and fighting for wider gender inclusion does not inherently harm women. We share so many struggles, and if we share the space we’ve carved out for ourselves and each other, we can create a rising tide to lift all boats (and all bikes).

This is a scary time for a lot of people. In society, in cycling, and in sport in general, trans people and specifically trans women face an endless barrage of exhausting and often terrifying and violent obstacles undermining their right to exist. We cannot allow ourselves to be convinced that a crumbling of our own safety can be solved by degrading the rights of others.

I speak for myself and my entire team in saying: we believe that everyone should feel safe in their identity and humanity, be able to thrive free from discrimination, and - because we love cycling - everyone should be able to ride and race.

-Anna-Lena

Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes Racing has drafted the following letter in response to USA Cycling’s newly instated Competition Category Policy 7, which re-defines Men’s & Women’s categories as sex-based and bans transgender women from competing in Women’s categories. The letter has been sent to [email protected] and [email protected].

Please feel free to utilize any part of this letter to take action in voicing your concern about restrictive gender or sex-based policies enacted by governing entities in sport.

Changing Discriminatory Policy for Women's Races

Dear USAC,

We are reaching out on behalf of our team, Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes Racing, to express our deep concerns to the recent policy changes to USAC races, which state that only individuals assigned female at birth can compete in women's races. This policy is discriminatory and harmful to all racers, as it polices riders’ bodies and creates an exclusionary atmosphere for the future of cycling.

Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes is a team of women, non-binary, and trans cyclists dedicated to celebrating and supporting the continued empowerment of women+under-represented gender identifying (w+) cyclists in Pittsburgh by organizing inclusive events, group rides, and races. Policies that exclude trans, non-binary, and intersex riders do not empower our sport, they directly harm it. This policy will lead to fewer people showing up to races, fewer people wanting to race, and potential race cancellations due to low turnout.

We believe that this policy is short sighted and will not only harm and exclude trans and intersex riders, but this will harm cis-gendered female riders counter to the intention behind this policy. We advocate for the inclusion of trans, non-binary, and intersex cyclists in this discipline. These riders have the right to exist, they deserve to race, and their inclusion fosters a safe, fun, competitive space for all riders. Through our own events and initiatives, Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes has found that greater inclusion directly results in increased attendance and increased consistency in participation in competitive cycling events. We are devoted to seeing more bodies on bikes and more cyclists at the competitive table. This exclusionary, body-policing policy fosters a chilling effect. We hope you can do the right thing and change this policy, so our discipline can continue to grow and be a safe and competitive space for all. We are asking for you to roll back the policy recently enacted and to consider working to create standards to allow for inclusion. Engaging with various impacted stakeholders to find fair and just policies will elevate our sport into a fair and inclusive space. Women’s Sports foundation, Athlete Ally’s, and Trans Athlete are a few organizations to engage with to help create policies that are truly fair in the space of competitive cycling.

Sincerely,

Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes Racing

Yellow Creek #1 and #2 MTB Race Recap

by Gigi

A couple months ago I signed up for the Yellow Creek Mountain Bike Race Series - my first MTB race!

Yellow Creek #1 - March 29, 2025

The morning of the first YC race I drove over to Lawrenceville to meet my teammates Anna-Lena and Laura. The drive to Yellow Creek was full of early morning race strategy, bike dreams, and tea.

Once we arrived we checked in and linked up with our other teammates Sara and Bailey.

We went to the start line. ALK, Bailey, and Sara left before us for the Sport race. Then it was time for me and Laura’s race - Short Stuff.

The first two miles are the hardest part of the course because it is super rooty. I remember checking my watch and it being only 2.4 miles into the race and feeling SPENT. I was exhausted and hadn't even hit the halfway point. After the rooty section it got better and I was able to find some flow. I rode over some obstacles that I was proud of myself for (logs, some sharp and rocky down and ups). Passing and being passed was also a new experience for me that was kind of awkward. I appreciated the people who communicated so we could work together to move over and make space for the pass to be safe. It was exciting seeing my teammate Laura, crushing it in first place for Women's. Towards the end of the race I saw a finish sign, however my watch said 6 something miles. I thought the course was 8 miles so I was preserving my energy. The finish was right around the corner, and I did my best to sprint. I crossed the finish line at 1 hour 7 minutes. I was greeted by Laura who had come in ten minutes earlier. We celebrated with hot dogs and waited for Bailey, Anna-Lena, and Sara to finish the Sport course. We all ended up podiuming and taking home cash, a super fun day for women and non-binary riders in the beautiful forest.

Yellow Creek #2 - April 19, 2025

This time around my nerves were replaced with excitement. In addition to feeling prepared, my family was going to the race with me. Goal for the race - to finish in under an hour.

After arriving and checking in with my teammates I get ready to start. Once we take off I pace myself, conserving my energy through the rooty section and focusing on my breathing. I use my gears more (one of the things I am working on with MTB). I get through the beginning section and hydrate and snack up. I flow through the next parts and am feeling good. There is someone close ahead of me so that helps me stay focused and try to catch them. Eventually I pass her and she playfully states 'I'm chasing you!' This fun competition helps me lock in and keep pedaling although I am tired. Towards the end I ramp it up and start a full out sprint to the finish. My mom is cheering me on and recording me. I cross the finish line and the clock reads 55 minutes.

Lets goo! The joy of accomplishment courses through me. :)) Me and Laura put on our running shoes and go for a quick 2 mile run (#triathalontraining). We finish by running to the lake and going for a DUNK. The water is freezing but refreshing. I feel strong, happy, rejuvenated, and hungry for more MTB.

Whatever Weds August

Beginners Night @ The Oval July

Please join us for our third women&nonbinary Beginners Night at the Bud Harris Cycling Track !

Tuesday July 8th the second race of the evening (~6:55pm) will be reserved for category 4/5/beginner WNB racers only.

Pgh Babes on Bikes is coordinating with the Allegheny Cycling Association to host the event, which will include 2 pre-race clinics (Q&A and on-bike: co-led by local female race talent), race marshals to assist new racers, MCs hyping the crowd, prize laps, a podium photo, post race gab, and socializing over pizza/beer/soda at East End Brewing.

If it is your first time racing at the oval please email [email protected] with plenty of lead time to get a discount code that will drop your race registration to $10!

All racers need to hold a valid USACycling License to race - you can purchase an annual license at usacycling.org (use code INTROMEMB25 to drop the cost to $50) or purchase a 1-day license with your registration for $15.

Any registered racer that attends the clinic will receive a $10 cash rebate thanks to Pgh Babes on Bikes and our donors <3

If you need financial assistance to attend the race please reach out to [email protected]! We have funds available to offset the costs of registration and one-day licenses.

Whatever Weds July

July 2nd

No ride! We're going to the picnic at the Bud Harris Track to watch the for-fun prize races

July 9th

Route: TBD

Ride leader: Lindsay

Roads: TBD

Vibe: Birthday ride for Linds!

July 16th

Route: loops & laps @ the Highland Park Pool

Ride leader: Laura DB

Roads: pavement

Vibe: B pace to the reservoir, laps at whatever speed you want, join Laura to gab about triathlon stuff!

July 23th

Route: SS to Mt Oliver to Brookline to Beechiew, come back via Mt Washington

Ride leader: Gigi

Roads: pavement

Vibe: Spicy B+ Pace -- alot of climbing and some busy roads, will regroup at the top of hills/descents but gotta keep it moving

July 30th

Route: TBD

Ride leader: TBD

Roads: TBD

Vibe: TBD

Frick Park Alleycat

A fundraiser for the new Woods Room bike park! *

Pick your checkpoints: Mountainbike or Gravel ~or both~

Meet @ the Environmental Center in Frick Park

Prizes & Podiums for: - best party shirt - best checkpoint photo - most underbiked - juniors - most miles - least miles - top finisher/most checkpoints in: *the gravel category *the mtb category *the combo

*The Woods Room Bike Park is Pittsburgh's newest indoor cycling location, opening up on Hamilton Ave just a few blocks from where the Wheel Mill was located. They're currently fundraising to build out a sick park and event space - this alleycat is a fundraiser for the park! Please consider donating to their indigogo compaign - even a few dollars will help the Woods Room show potential investors that the park has strong community support!

Whatever Wednesday June

June 18th

Route: testing the gravel around the Allegheny Riverfront

Ride leader: ALK

Roads: gravel, railroad tracks, pavement

Vibe: B+ , route test! we may reroute to Butler St if the RR tracks don't fly

June 25th

Route: Girtys Woods!

Ride leader: Lindsay

Roads: mixed road/gravel

Vibe: B+ Pace MXT starting in the Hill to peep some public art, over to the North Side to ascend Troy Hill and descend the gravel of Girty's Woods! The gravel is chonky and spicy.

Beginner's Night at the Oval

A crit racing event for the new-to-racing cyclist @ the Bud Harris Cycling Track!

We're hosting another beginners-only women&non-binary race night, with pre-race clinics, prizes, registration rebates, a local lady race announcer, post-race bleacher gab, and pizza at East End Brewing Co.

Buy a 1-day USACyling license w/ your reg ($15) or an annual license for $50 (use code INTROMEMB25)

Come to one of our pre-race clinics (Q&A or on-bike) and get $10 cash!

Want to participate but not ready to race? Come down to the track and cheer from the bleachers! Or, if you really wanna be a heavy-weight helper: donate a prize, buy a new racer their registration, or sponsor an annual USAC or ACA membership via our bikereg sponsorship page. 100% of all sponsorship purchases go to the racers. You can also venmo us @ pghbbs or paypal to pghbabesonbikes.com

See you at the races!

Grinduro Pennsylvania: Gravel, Grit, Good Vibes & Gratuitous Snacks

by Paige

Grinduro Pennsylvania was not just a gravel race; it was a celebration of adventure, camaraderie, and cycling culture. As a gran-fondo-style event, it combined the best aspects of gravel riding and racing with a mix of timed segments, casual riding stretches, and generous snack breaks. For me, this year’s event was all the more special because I experienced it with my teammates: Anna-Lena, Sara, Lindsay, and Bailey, as well as friends from the Unison bike team and other familiar faces from Pittsburgh. After a crowded carpool out of Pittsburgh, we arrived to a big, grassy field, to what felt more like a music festival than a race, setting the tone for an unforgettable weekend.

The weekend started Friday night with setting up camp—a cornerstone of the Grinduro experience. The Unison crew & Pittsburgh locals graciously provided a full camp kitchen, complete with a stovetop and delicious food, while our Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes team brought our signature team tent and purple party lights (priorities). A few of us joined a social ride up a nearby hill to take in the stars. Others stayed back to enjoy a bike documentary screening and to hang at camp. Between shared meals, last-minute bike adjustments, and campfire chats, there was an undeniable sense of camaraderie. Riders had come from all over—Philadelphia, NYC, mostly, but also from the West Coast and even a few from Europe.

What set Grinduro apart from traditional races was its unique format. It was a gravel event with a focus on timed segments rather than overall course time. The rest of the day was meant to be enjoyed at our own pace, giving riders the chance to soak in the scenery, chat with others, and eat our fill. There were even a few games at various rest stops, like racing pedaled three-wheelers around a short, muddy track. Each stop tempted you to stay all day, eating hot fries, fresh fruit and candy around a campfire.

The relaxed rolling start let our team begin a bit later in the morning, avoiding the early rush. Our first big test was the longest climb of the day, which I was grateful to tackle with fresh legs. Starting late meant fewer riders around us, making the segment feel less crowded and more manageable. As we pedaled through the gate to start the timed section, I focused on pacing myself. Catching and passing riders on my way up was encouraging, but I knew that I needed to go for this first segment since climbing is my strength, and tougher segments were ahead. Reaching the summit was a relief, where we were greeted by Meghan and Rachel from the Velocio//Exploro women’s gravel bike team, taking a break after their climb, too. Their relaxed demeanor and shared wisdom made the ride down to the next segment all the more enjoyable. Meghan snapped this great photo of our Pittsburgh squad.

Not long after, my teammate Bailey ran into trouble. A flat tire turned into a persistent problem, requiring three repair attempts before we had to call in the SAG wagon. One of the perks of Grinduro’s format was the ability to stop and help without feeling pressured by the clock. Even so, it was tough to see Bailey leave the course, and continuing on without her was bittersweet. Determined to catch up with the rest of my teammates, I picked up the pace and breezed by the next rest stop, forgoing some snacks but knowing there would be more.

The third segment was the most technical of the day, and I found myself riding it alone. Navigating rough terrain without teammates was both physically and mentally challenging - I rely on them for help picking my lines! At one particularly punchy hill, my chain dropped, adding to the struggle. Having passed a few riders dealing with worse mechanicals, though, I felt lucky overall. At the end of the segment, I felt discouraged about my segment time, but relief and excitement took over as I finally caught up with Lindsay.

Lindsay and I tackled the final hills together, encouraging each other through the last segment. It was an exhilarating last stretch, rewarded with spectacular views at the top, and crossing that final segment finish line brought with it a sense of accomplishment - even though we had many miles before the course was done. Lindsay was riding high and pulled me along through the final country roads. When we finally pushed through the finish line, we were greeted with a beer and our teammates waiting for us.

As we gathered with friends and teammates to watch the awards, I learned something completely unexpected: I had placed second in my age group for the longest event! I was unprepared, but without hesitation, Anna-Lena handed me her jersey so I could step onto the podium wearing our signature purple & pink leopard print. Standing next to Pittsburgh’s Xiayu Peng from the La Prima bike team made the moment even sweeter. Among all the categories, Pittsburgh women landed on 5 different podiums - a testament to the conditioning offered by our local steep climbs, and steep competition.

Grinduro Pennsylvania wasn’t just a race; it was a whole weekend of hanging in the woods, bonding about bikes, and pushing our athletic limits. Events like this brought into focus the reasons we ride—for the joy, the challenge, the nature, and the connections we build along the way. If you’ve never experienced a gran-fondo event, or experienced the mountains of Central PA, I highly recommend trying both out! You might even spot some wild Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes out there.

Whatever Wednesdays

We're launching a (hopefully weekly) Whatever Weds W+ group ride. Why Whatever Wednesdays? Because the vibe will be, like, whatever the ride leader is feeling that day. Sometimes we'll have set routes, sometimes we'll just show up and go where the green lights take us.

Rollin @ 6pm @ Kindred Cycles in the Strip District.

We'll post details here when we have em, & keep an eye on our insta for last minute updates!

May 28: will the rain cancel?!

Route: trails, east end loops, some fun roads

Ride leader: ALK

Roads: pavement, a little bit of easy gravel on the island

Vibe: B pace! Let's gab!

Plan B: if it's thunderstorming, we may switch to zwift!

Join the Pgh BBs zwift club

The Mid fucking South

by Sara K

Clay dirt roads. Southern hospitality. Strong bike community. Rolling hills. A few thoughts that come to mind when I think of the Mid South, a bike race out of Stillwater, Oklahoma, boasting 100 miles of red dirt (if you’re lucky; a little rain quickly turns this dirt into grippy mud) to conquer each spring.

Early morning riding at the Mid South. Perfect dirt and gravel mix.

Why the Mid fucking South? I don’t know. Perhaps there was a piece of me wanting to return to a state I lived in when I was younger, the fact that it was only a 16-hour drive (it’s not as far as Colorado I guess), or it could have just been all the online spam of the race finally got me to pull the trigger. Either way, I was one of the lucky 3500+ folks to snag a registration on the day it opened, and I was on my way to planning for my first solo road trip to the midwest to ride bikes. Total win.

Getting ready for the race, I needed to decide what bike to bring and get it tuned up. I purchased a carbon gravel bike I purchased on craigslist a few years back. It’s the only fast bike I own, so I assumed it was my best option for a 100 mile ride (obviously, right? More on that later…). I packed both warm weather and cool weather kits, plus my favorite, a long sleeve wind jacket. Then a few little things like gloves, sunglasses, big water bottles and a buff. Nothing fancy, just all the gear I like when I’m out on a long ride.

Luckily, I wasn’t alone at the Mid South. Once I arrived in Stillwater, I was able to link up with Pittsburgh’s local “All Bodies on Bike” team member Dee (shoutout to the Frigid Bitch training rides for providing an opportunity to network with baddie wmn+ in our community!). We met up a day before the Mid South with a group of racers to share a big meal. Folks discussed pre-race jitters, snack plans, and our personal goals for the race day ahead. As always, some of us were seriously trying to better understand why we had chosen the 100 mile route over a lovely 50 mile option months prior. Despite our own versions of training all winter, none of us had done a 100 mile ride in quite some time. Khalas, we leaned into our choices and began to plot. “What do you know about the creek crossing?” “Hey, will you remind me which mile the last aid station is?” “The weather tomorrow is dry and warm!!” Our jitters began to transition into race plans as we discussed our goals.

I set a goal to finish in 9 hours based on my most recent riding pace and hoped I’d hit it. Thankfully, my biggest concern was alleviated because the weather report showed the race day would be dry and gorgeous. The route would not be muddy! If it was muddy, I may have switched bikes or ridden a shorter route - the mud in Oklahoma is basically like a big ole hug to your bike tire. If you’ve never ridden it, do not compare it to Pennsylvania mud. It’s way more grippy!

All Bodies on Bikes team mates help each other complete last minute bike maintenance

On race day, the start line was chaotic. Pros pushed to the front (I hear this year they will start separately), while other aspiring weirdos like myself were all around giddy and ready to go at 7AM. The start was chilly, in the 30s, but over the day we would see highs in the 60s and lots of sun. Many locals were quick to tell me how fortunate we were that no rain had come, or was planned. We were going to ride in dry dusty dirt, except for one small section marked on the map as the creek crossing. The mud here was treacherous to ride in, gripping your tires as if you were riding in glue; 100 miles in this would not have been pleasant!

Mid South start line

The creek crossing was backed up when I arrived; guess I should have tried to start closer to the front of the pack!

Dusty bitch

More dirt. I can still find some red clay dirt on my bike almost a year later…

The route itself was simple. Ride straight for many miles, turn right, repeat a few times until you circled back to Stillwater for a wild afterparty at the bike shop. This race is very much a test of endurance and focus. You are in 100 miles of rolling hills, able to carry your momentum pretty well, as you look out across Oklahoma. Other than a creek crossing, and a few miles of singletrack and snowmobile trails, the route this year was easy enough to navigate on a gravel bike.

I chose to ride my old 2015 Specialized Diverge for the race. I discovered at some point I was rocking a broken front shifter and various other mechanical mysteries. Nothing caused me to hop off the bike, so I was able to keep moving. Many riders chose to bring a steel frame bike to the Mid South, with wider tires and more tire clearance. It’s something I would consider in the future, particularly in muddy conditions.

Most of the roads were more dirt than gravel/rocks, with the exception of one segment that had large chunky fresh gravel. Most of us chose to ride along the edge of the road here to avoid the grit. The route was very rural, so we didn’t encounter many humans or cars that weren’t associated with the race except at the beginning and end, which was in Stillwater proper. Volunteers packed the aid stations that were overloaded with delicious foods and the most Skratch I’ve ever seen concentrated in one location. The aid station volunteers went above and beyond to make sure the race was well supported and best of all, FUN. I was able to hit a slip n slide, lounge on a couch, and down a quesadilla while out riding my bike for 100 miles that day - let that sink in - pretty amazing.

I finished in just under 7 hours, with the help of Sexxy Red and podcasts.

If you’re thinking about trying out one of the “big” gravel races, the community and support available at the Mid South makes it a great contender.

At mile 81 you get treated like royalty with a fancy couch and quesadillas

A Timely Return to Mountain Biking

...as Pittsburgh’s Women & Non-Binary Off-Road Scene Thrives

By Laura Davidson Brienza

There are some things I approach in life and cycling with a lot of preparation, thought, careful planning, and consideration. Then there are the things that work best for me when I dive headfirst into them with zero expectations. That’s mountain biking for me.

It’s how I first learned: on a whim, when 3ROC was hosting free beginner clinics for their grand opening in 2018. It’s how I handle most mountain bike runs: keep my weight in my feet, my head up and just GO the whole way through. It’s how I tackled my first race: which also happened to be my first time on a mountain bike trail in over five years.

That race was the Yellow Creek Monthly Series – May Race in 2024. This series is run by Friends of Yellow Creek and is a little over an hour outside the city. Two of my teammates, Bailey and Anna-Lena, were signed up to go. I’d heard it was very beginner-friendly, unlike some of the trickier trails we have closer to the city. Since it was my first time back on MTB trails in years, I opted for the “short” loop, which was 8 miles.

It was a beautiful, sunny spring day, and we arrived at a gorgeous state park. I had my usual pre-race jitters but was mostly excited to ride. Anna-Lena, the ultimate captain extraordinaire and who was there for moral support, decided to forgo racing the longer Sport loop with Bailey (which was twice as long as the short loop) and instead joined me on the short loop.

Yellow Creek is indeed a chill course, but it starts with a very rooty section. I was borrowing a bike that was honestly not in great condition for the trails. My body was also not in great condition—I was still regaining confidence on the bike, and was recovering from a rough birth just six months earlier. That rooty section had me hopping off the bike and taking it slow. We also had to stop and adjust the seat on the bike regularly due to a mechanical issue. A little past the rooty section, my body and the bike were both feeling it.

I thought, Okay, I’ve got to be halfway through this very short course. I looked at my GPS watch and saw we’d gone… 2 miles. Two miles?! Coming from a road cycling and long-course triathlon background, that looked like nothing to me and I was quite discouraged. But I had to remind myself mountain biking is different, especially when you’re starting fresh after a very long break from this specific style of riding.

Still, there were plenty of “weeeees!” and “hell yeahs!” as I was starting to get some momentum on the downhills. I’m always a cautious descender, but I was feeling some confidence come back. Anna-Lena hopped off to take a little video of me going over a rocky stream and I was very proud of myself to make it through that. A couple miles later, I was really feeling myself, realizing I was halfway through, wonderfully muddy from the spring trail conditions, and soon rediscovering everything I loved about the sport.

Yellow Creek Monthly Grassroots Series Race- May 11, 2024.

Photo by James J Nestor/Nestor Photography

Around mile 5 or 6, racers on the short loop head back to repeat a portion of the course. By then, I had significantly more confidence—I knew I could handle that section safely and that I was almost done. I breezed through the last stretch, broke through to the clearing, and headed toward the shelter and the podium. I saw that a youth rider had beaten me to the women’s Short Course first spot, but I finished 2nd (out of 3) in my group.

Yellow Creek is fantastic because they offer cash payouts for every single category, including beginners like me.

While waiting for Bailey to finish her Sport loop (she podiumed too!), I basked in the sun, covered in mud, with my bike and teammate beside me. I knew right then and there that the mountain bike bug had bitten me again.

Unfortunately, I had scheduling conflicts for the following Yellow Creek races that summer, but I was able to completely dive into mountain biking over the summer. Thankfully, the Babes Team and Pgh cycling community offer amazing MTB opportunities, and those options for women and underrepped gender cyclists increased immensely even just this past summer.

My teammate Sara Khalil organized events like a Jakes Rocks camping trip in August, a Frick Park Trailfest - both with a HUGE turnout of women and non-binary riders from the Babes, sibling Unison team, and our community. These two events were some of the highlights of my summer.

Karen Brooks also started to offer womens’ focused clinics alongside the 3ROC riders that I attended a few times. There’s also a Discord group for women and non-binary MTB riders where folks plan rides, share videos and articles and is generally a supporting space for those entering into the sport and for seasoned mountain bike riders alike. This group - which was created after the Venture Outdoor beginner mountain bike clinics - took off this past year.

And, casual morning Frick rides with teammates and new friends (even a handful of women we just picked up along the trails in the 7 o’clock hour and subsequently exchanged contact info) quickly became a highlight of my week.

And, thankfully that rickety mountain bike got to stay in storage this summer and fall while I got to ride a classic Bianchi Superbee 26-er (below) from friend, fellow local racer, and vastly supportive cyclist Nicki Locke throughout the whole season.

Frick Trailfest, September 14, 2025 (Photo by Nicki Locke)

In early October, I participated in my first Month of Mud race: the Alameda Race in Butler. Now my 2nd mountain bike race, this race was a big milestone for me—I was able to ride (almost) the entire time, a huge improvement from earlier in the season, and felt so confident tackling that entire route. Alameda is part of the Month of Mud series, and is wonderfully run by a woman named Robyn Brewer. This one was under an hour from the city. I’d highly recommend both Alameda and Yellow Creek as beginner-friendly races for anyone new to mountain biking or making a return to it; as well as races to put on your calendar this year. This first Yellow Creek Monthly race is March 29th!

Near the start line of Month of Mud at Alameda on Sunday October 6, 2024 with teammates Sara Khali and Anna-Lena Kempen

Re-learning to mountain bike has been incredibly humbling for me. My primary goal is to keep learning and to have fun with it. My focus is on enjoying riding with my friends through the woods, staying safe, and feeling alive on the trails. Reach out to me or any of the babes for information on any of the races, groups, clinics, or events. And be careful - the mountain bug will bite hard.

Teammate Sara Khalil captured my bike joy during the Alameda Race.

Frigid Bitch 11 Results

Frigid Bitch 2024 - We turned it up to 11.

Coming off the coat tails of the wildly successful and highly celebratory 10-year-party of FBX, the race director could be heard sporadically during the remainder of the year promising in quietly ominous tones that FB11 would be diving off the deep end back into the land of brutal survival. She can’t control the weather (despite rumors), but she can control the course checkpoints - and the tricks to finding them.

THE CHECKPOINTS

Pearly Gates

With a 1 hour buffer between the digital location drop and the physical checkpoints opening, many racers snapped a quick route plan together and bounced out to whichever checkpoint they decided was top choice to hit first. One contender for that pick was the St Peter’s Cemetery in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar. Riders rolled up to the cemetery gates, chatted with the costume-clad volunteers, waited for the clock to strike go time, and then - were told the gates were a diversion: the real checkpoint was down the steep hill towards Washington Blvd. Scrambling to the stampers, racers bombed down the unplanned detour chased by the devil himself.

Photos by Ryan Maine and Olivia Beblo

Guy Town

On the South Side of Pgh, a similar scene unfolded in reverse - scores of riders piled together at the base of the Pius St staircase and at gun time started climbing the cut up Brosville. No rest for the wicked - at the top of the staircase, checkpoint volunteers directed them up another, toward Monastery Ave. Finally at the St Joseph alleyway, another set of cheering drink-toting volunteers pointed them helpfully down a staircase - to Brosville, and a demoralizing 10-second ride back to where they started.

Photos by Himanshu Dedge and Alex Van Langingham

Hang Man

The local run clubbers teamed up with buddies in the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to hype up racers down at the 30th St Bridge rope swing, usually a favourite summertime spot for young punks undeterred by how much the Allegheny River may or may not make you itch comin out.

Photos by Dan Lampman

Cyclocross

The hand-drawn Frigid Bitch map is always, always intent on fucking up your day one way or the other, and this checkpoint fit into that bill nicely. You can’t trust it. You can’t always trust the volunteers, either. While POGOH had a station of friendly, helpful, cheering staff members at the bottom of Buena Vista making waffles and encouraging riders to keep heading up the cobbles to the top of the checkpoint where Bike Pgh staff blasted music danced along by their horse head mascot creature and screaming wildly as pretty much everyone shoved their bikes up the gruesome near-off-roady hill - the mischievous mid-way volunteers tended only to direct climbing racers to the critical turn in the road IF they chose to beast up the cobbles. One sidewalker kept climbing up Buena Vista - climbing and climbing and climbing only to be seen again a half hour later when she finally turned around, looking for the checkpoint finish, and hollered out “REMEMBER ME?!?!”

Photos by Monica Garrison

Party Farm

The prestige checkpoint of FB11 was the furthest outside the city. Racers took Spring Garden or East St - either of two long steady climbs - and punched up the final hill to Colby St where the urban farm of a long time Pgh fat biker-turned-downhiller-turned-body builder was tucked away in the mud and snow. Passing geese and goats, slipping and sliding and falling and laughing, riders toured their way to the backwoods where wild volunteers had set up a snake farm snack fire and camouflaged themselves in with the barnyard animals.

Photos by Evan Burlew

Kings Run

The closest checkpoint to the finish line was the trickiest to find - tucked on the pedestrian path along the upper busway on an imposing stone bridge over Kelly Avenue, anyone who followed the map found themselves gazing up woefully to the checkpoint, scrambling to mentally reroute to find one of the farther entrances to the narrow trail. Volunteers hollered down from above to help out, and navigating King’s Run proved to be a critical moment in the battle for the top spot on the podium. A Pgh Babes on Bikes racer zipped through back streets to find the checkpoint, starting with an edge on sibling team Unison Racing’s Acadia K, but lost momentum to traffic on the way back and the win slipped out of her hands by seconds, seconds!! when she slammed her manifest into the hands of the race director just shy of the top spot.

Photos by Keith Clouse and Fred Zelt

The Finish

Racers sped gleefully down Hamilton Ave to the rainbow leopard print tent beaming outside the Wheel Mill, where volunteers jumped and shrieked and popped streamers in congratulations and pointed everyone to the race director taking manifests. Bikes were tossed on the metal racks outside en masse and finishers filtered their way through the park and up to the podium and after party.

Photos by Alex VanLaningham and Jason Furda

Photos by Jason Furda

THANK YOU to everyone who came out to race! To everyone who appreciates how much work and dedication it takes to put this madness together, donates their time to stick it out in the cold or lend a hand behind the scenes, accepts that the volunteers might fuck you with you but they’re allowed, and lends out some grace when things fall through the cracks. Thanks to Tommy K for the phenomenal artwork, to the Wheel Mill for hosting us this one last time, to Two Frays for partnering up to sling a Frigid Bitch specific NA sour (my dream), to all the sponsors who pack the prize table, to all the racers who show up heart-on-sleeve regardless of prizes, to the Pgh cycling scene that brings the community spirit en force, to all the out of towners who have to navigate this weird city, to Nava who hauled a mega heavy vintage bike up all those stairs, to the junior racer (second ever) who gleefully reappropriated the word ‘bitch’ every time she greeted her mom for the following couple months, to the Pgh Babes on Bikes team that is shoring up the pillars of this organization, and obviously to all the volunteers without whom this would just be a cold ass day on a bike! <3

Frigid Bitch 12

Frigid Bitch is back - for year 12!!

February 15th, 2025.

A classic style alley-cat.

Women and under-repped gender identities only.

100% of the registration benefits the Greater Pittsburgh Women’s Shelter and Center.

Event details and registration on Bike Reg.

Training rides will happen every weekend til race day.

2025 Frigid Bitch Training Rides

Tryin to prep for FBXI? Need to bone up on your cuts around the city? Gotta practice layering up in various weather conditions? Hopin’ to meet some FB vets race crews you might be able to slide into?

Every Sunday til race day we’ll be holding training rides around the city. Each week will ride the route of a previous Frigid Bitch. Full routes will likely feature stairs, cobbles, long flats, and a few steep hills.

We aim to have multiple pace and distance groups, based on volunteer availability. If you're dreaming of your perfect group ride, manifest it into reality by leading a group!

Scope out the routes and volunteer to lead sweep or marshal at the 2025 FB Training Ride spreadsheet

Groups will vary from week to week depending on who volunteers to lead them - the general rule is that volunteer leaders get to determine how far & fast they'll ride, and communicate ahead of time what their ride style is (this info will be listed on ^the 2025 FB training ride spreadsheet!^). Our aim is to have multiple leaders for each pace group so we can offer various ride speed/distance/style options.

As a rough general rule of thumb:

- the A pace is a fast drop ride. There will usually be regroups at the top of long/steep hills, but as a drop ride they will not wait long for stragglers. ~15+ mph avg - the B pace is a mid-level drop ride. They will typically also regroup at various points, but will not wait for extended times. The leaders of the B pace groups will function as "beacons" to recreate the Frigid Bitch race experience for anyone who wants to ride at a decent clip and needs a wheel to follow. ~12-15mph - the C pace is a conversational, social pace ride. Ideally we will have a no-drop C pace group with a lead, marshals, and sweep volunteers, as well as a C+ group that may roll a little faster or longer, depending on lead volunteers. ~10-12mph

Rolling times: please arrive at least 15 minutes early!

12:30: B-pace groups 12:45: C-pace groups 1:00: A-pace groups

Start/finish: Two Frays Brewing - 5113 Penn Ave in Garfield

Two Frays Brewing will have space for bikes on their patio, outside heaters, indoor bathrooms, and hot drinks for sale. They’ll also have a couple new non-alcoholic beers (including a Frigid Bitch-specific collab NA, and a low ABV sour IPA - drafts sales from both will fundraise for Pgh Babes on Bikes!) on tap as well as their regular rotation. We will also have drop bins at the brewery start and finish if you'd like to leave a dry change of clothes etc behind while you ride. Stick around after the ride to hang out and compare ride recaps!

BEWARE: These rides are run in full Pgh Winter, so weather may mean routes take us over ice and snow. We may need to re-route mid ride depending on the conditions! Be ready for an adventure.

Winter Ride Clinic

click to register!

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