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Mountain biking boasts more than 9 million riders nationwide, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Even though just one hour of mountain-biking activity can burn a whopping 600 calories (and the scenery is guaranteed to be more stimulating than the walls of your gym!), only 16 percent of those mountain bikers are female. To help introduce more women to this traditionally male-dominated sport, we weighed in with Tanya Allen, former New Zealand Mountain Bike XC Team member and mountain-biking coach for the Whistler, British Columbia, Canada-based Dirt Series camp. Heed her following tips (and VIV’s gear picks) and you’ll look and feel just as confident as the guys blasting along the trails.

THE BIKE

• “Always buy a bike from a reputable bike shop; their employees are specially trained to help you achieve the best fit,” says Allen.

• Make sure you purchase a women-specific design, such as the Vertex from Rocky Mountain Bicycles (bikes.com), because the better the fit, the more you’ll enjoy the ride.

• Select the correct frame size for you — about 8-9 inches of seat post should be visible when your leg is extended and the ball of your foot is on the pedal at the very bottom of the stroke. “If you’re a little stretched in the upper body, switch to a shorter stem,” says Allen. “Conversely, if you’re a bit scrunched, change to a longer stem.”

ADJUSTMENTS

• Place your hands approximately shoulder-width apart on the handlebar, or about a quarter-inch from the ends of the handlebar.

• Place your index fingers in the bend at the end of the brake levers.

• If your hands are angled at the wrist, move the brakes and shifters towards the middle or ends of the handlebar until your hands are straight.

• If your fingers are stretched out when you rest your fingers on the brake levers, ask the store to dial in the levers.

WHAT TO WEAR

• Buy a well-vented, government-approved cycling helmet like the Giro Havoc (giro.com).

• Get a breathable and quick-drying tank with a built-in sports bra, like the Zippity Tank by Athleta for all cup sizes (athleta.com).

• Slip on lightweight cycling gloves like Covert Girls by Dakine, designed especially for a woman’s wrist (dakine.com).

• Wear Lycra cycling shorts with a good-quality synthetic chamois like Sugoi’s Neo Pro Short (sugoi.com). “You don’t need to wear underwear, as the seams will be uncomfortable and may cause chafing and saddle sores,” adds Allen.

• Purchase thin, ventilated socks like Shebeest’s ankle-cut Logo sock with a durable knit construction (available at teamestrogen.com).

• Buy comfortable shoes: For newbies, regular cross-country shoes will do. Save cleats for when you are more comfortable with your mountain-biking skills.

• Carry a tool kit with a spare tube, an inflation device, tire levers and a multitool hex wrench for repairs, like Terry’s Loaded Seat Bag (terrybicycles.com).

• Bring a first-aid kit like Johnson & Johnson’s First Aid To Go! mini kit (amazon.com).

• Wear a hydration pack like the Charm from Camelbak (available at rei.com) or a water bottle like the 24-ounce OTG Bottle by Nalgene (nalgene-outdoor.com).

WHERE TO RIDE

• Trails.com highlights mountain-biking trails througout North America along with tips from people who’ve tried them; 14-day free trial gives you access to downloads of guidebooks and high-resolution maps; $49.95 per year to continue service.

• Singletracks.com provides descriptions of more than 1,200 mountain-bike trails around the world; all have directions and most have a trail rank and photos; access to these features is free.

• Adv-cycling.org showcases routes at no charge, plus they offer tours across the country and parties and gatherings for members of the Adventure Cycling Association, which serves as a headquarters for more than 42,000 U.S. cyclotourists.

• Pedaling.com lets you search for rides in the U.S. and Canada by category (location, distance, difficulty, environment and traffic) and connect with other riders through their bulletin board, at no cost.

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