RIDELAB 2025: Riding together, building community, and making memories

Photos by: Sara Kempner, Jens Klett, Christine Kelly

Being an adult has its perks, like being able to buy your own mountain bike. But in the busyness and responsibility of everyday life, it’s rare to experience those child-like moments of true relaxation – the kind where you feel you have nowhere else to be, and everything is taken care of. Well, unless you attend RIDELAB. RIDELAB returned for its third iteration June 5-8, switching up the venue for 2025 to take over the extensive trail network of Cumberland, BC, lovingly maintained by the United Riders of Cumberland, aka UROC!

From start to finish, the organizers and guides created a seamless experience packed with activities, learning, and most importantly – treats. It was essentially the best summer camp ever, but for grown-ups! After being pampered with post-ride freezies and Aperol Spritzes, returning to the normalcy of scrounging up my own snacks and refreshments after rides in the gruelling summer heat is a little deflating.

The rides

Expert guides from Gravity MTB and Island Mountain Rides designed group rides of varying lengths and difficulty levels for riders of all ability levels. Rides were broken down into three different categories: Cruisers, Givers and Senders. Ride sign-ups were posted the day before, allowing participants ample time to choose their adventure. I stuck with the Givers category, where there were plenty of options and guides to pick from. I rode with different guides on different trails each day, but the energy between the groups was consistently high. My fellow riders were easy going, kind, supportive, and encouraging, while the leaders were capable, professional, informative and fun. Leaders always made sure everyone was safe and nobody got left behind. It was inspiring watching riders pushing their boundaries responsibly and sessioning new features they might normally not have tried.

And best of all, when else can you ride 24 km+ without having to check Trailforks?

On top of the regular ride programming, riders could also practice getting comfortable in the air with the help of Plateau Jumphouse. Shoutout to Hailey Elise for her flawless no-handers!

The après

The temperatures were hot throughout the weekend, but the industry tents and RIDELAB organizers had everyone covered – pun intended. Ample shady spots, tents, extra water, cold beverages, and snacks awaited riders upon our return. A fan favourite was the mystery chip tasting station offered by Nobl Wheels.

For those who were feeling sore or just craving a bit of R&R, there were quick massages from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy. In the rider’s facial expressions, it was evident their masseurs transported them to a state of blissful discombobulation when they were finished. I even overheard one very content recipient tell her masseuse, “You were born to massage people.” Talk about a happy customer! Glad they both found their life’s purpose.

Other popular ways to pass the après included chilling underneath the canopy of the trees in Cumberland Village Park, taking refreshing dips at Comox Lake, venturing into town for the infamously tasty Loves Ice cream, or cooling off amongst the confused children at the Cumberland Community Water Park, conveniently located right next to the festival grounds. Nothing embodies the phrase, “Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional”, more than a bunch of grown women opting to clean off in a water park in favour of seeking out real showers. Thank goodness there was no age limit at the splash pad.

Fireside Chats

RIDELAB’s fireside chats did not include real flames – the weather was hot enough already! Especially with the riotous commentary from Emcee Debora de Napoli, who despite claiming to “not be a comedian” – had everyone in stitches for multiple days. While the rides and morning yoga got our bodies moving, the fireside chats stimulated our minds. The topics were diverse, covering a range of content from bike-focused tech and gear maintenance, disability and adaptive riding, overcoming fear and techniques for mental reframing, strength training and women’s hormonal health, what to keep in your medical kit, evaluating your energy from a holistic health perspective, and my own topic – supporting BC’s trail stewards. It was inspiring listening and learning from successful, powerful, accomplished women who were so knowledgeable in their respective fields.

List of Topics and Presenters

The Village

Bike demos from Specialized, Transition, and Marin showcased their fleets and offered free demo bikes. Shimano also offered options from Norco and Rocky Mountain. With the hot weather and long days, some participants jumped on the opportunity to electrify their rides and sample e-bikes. The demo bikes were also a weekend-saving addition for others, like myself. After experiencing an unexpected mechanical on Day 1 of riding with my personal bike, I was worried my weekend of riding was about to end prematurely. Thank you to Ash Kelly, the Western Canada Technical and Demo Support Rep from the Shimano for setting me up on a demo bike completed with the SPDs I needed, you rock!

The Community

Flying solo at events is always a bit of a gamble – will the other participants be welcoming, or will you end up sitting on the sidelines eating a Biblio Taco burrito by yourself? At RIDELAB, a friendly crowd is a guarantee. Despite rolling up to the event on my own, I found myself surrounded by women who were wholesome, kind, and hilarious. A solid mix of lifestyle jobs, office workers, business owners and entrepreneurs, industry representatives, stay at home mothers, retirees, grandmothers, and of course – the professional athletes.

On Saturday night while the dancing queens bopped around to the funky beats of DJ MS Rockwell, I popped by the Transition tent to chat about my demo request. What I thought was just going to be a quick back and forth about my demo for the following day ended up being nearly two hours of rich dialogue exploring life experiences and challenges, and getting free advice from professional athletes Blake Hansen, Brooklyn Bell, and Kaia Jensen from Bellingham, as well as Whistlerite Katrina Strand. I was blown away by how humble, down to earth and generous they all were. For any women looking to advance their careers in the bike industry, the networking opportunities available at RIDELAB are invaluable. The group rides, social activities and fireside chats create a casual and relaxed environment to connect with athletes, industry, guides, and coaches. If you are looking to grow your network, take a girl’s trip, or meet some new friends, attending RIDELAB is a must.

RIDELAB stayed true to their commitment of creating an inclusive and uplifting environment. It didn’t matter how long you’d been riding for, how old you were, what kind of bike you had, or what your skill level was – everyone who attended the festival thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I felt especially proud when I met mother/daughter duos and watched them cheer each other on. We are all playing a role shaping the future of women’s mountain biking by setting examples for the next generation – and I think that’s pretty cool. I left the festival feeling a renewed sense of stoke and gratitude for everyone I met. We’re each on our own journeys, but our love of bikes brings us together. If you’re thinking of attending next year, I highly recommend signing up!

Thank you to Karen, Lisa, and the rest of their team for a job well done. I hope to see you again next year! And a HUGE thank you to Dougal Browne and all the trail builders and volunteers with UROC for welcoming 150 women to your immaculately maintained network. Show your support for their hard work and click here to donate or here to purchase a membership.