MTB Girls Digital Magazine Issue 05 May 2025
An MTB Girls Exclusive with Lindsey Richter
By Leigh Donovan
When Lindsey Richter launched the Ladies AllRide MTB Skills Camps in 2010, she wasn’t just building a clinic—she was building a movement. Rooted in the rocky terrain of Bend, Oregon, the program found new momentum in 2015 when Meredith Brandt joined as co-owner. Together, Richter and Brandt have created a transformative space where women not only become better riders but also face fears, embrace their strength, and grow into versions of themselves they didn’t yet know existed.
I’ve evolved my coaching into more of a bike-life coach,” Richter says. “We’re not just teaching people how to ride bikes. We’re helping them learn to push their boundaries and grow in every part of life.
This kind of coaching evolution didn’t come overnight. “In the early days, I’d just jump off my bike and run down something that scared me,” she laughs. “I wasn’t educated. But when I learned the foundational skills—body position, balance points, reading terrain—it was mind-blowing. I was teaching what I was learning, straight from the book. As I grew more experienced, I started using metaphors, emotional cues, and more individualized language to meet people where they are. That’s when I started connecting on a deeper level.”
Over the years, Richter has transformed the Ladies AllRide approach from technical instruction into a full-spectrum experience—one that recognizes how physical challenge and emotional growth are deeply linked. “When you give in to the process of learning, you gain tools to love forward—not just on a bike, but in life. That’s where the real magic happens.”
She credits other early women leaders in the sport, like Tammy Donahugh and Kat Sweet, for inspiring her to lead from the heart. “They showed me that authenticity is powerful. I realized it was okay to coach in a way that was true to me—and that helped shape a whole lifestyle approach to how we teach.”
Creating Safe Spaces for Risk
Ladies AllRide isn’t just a technical camp—it’s a space designed to support vulnerability and bravery in tandem. “Mountain biking is vulnerable,” Richter explains. “We have women show up alone to our camps, not knowing anyone. That takes courage. So we make sure every woman feels welcome, no matter what she’s going through.”
That welcoming space has become even more personal in recent months. Richter recently lost her mother to Alzheimer’s and began sharing her grief with camp participants. “It helped them understand that this is a safe space. We’re all carrying something, and being able to show up and challenge ourselves anyway? That’s a big deal.”
For many, the camp offers the first opportunity in years—or ever—to focus on themselves without guilt or distraction. “We don’t compare ourselves to others here. There’s no judgment—just support. It’s a place to fail safely and try again, surrounded by people cheering you on. That kind of community is rare.”
Coaching Women, Coaching Emotion
Teaching women and girls comes with its own unique dynamics, and Richter leans into those distinctions rather than away from them. “Women tend to be more emotionally attuned, and those emotions—fear, anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt—can be major barriers,” she says. “Society has placed expectations on women to perform perfectly or not try at all. And hormones? They play a role, too.”
The key, she says, is learning to read the room and adapt. “Women are also very communicative. They’ll tell you what they need, and they often want all the details before they try something. So we have to coach not only to learning styles but to emotional needs. That’s why the emotional connection matters so much.”
Building a Coaching Culture
The consistency and strength of the coaching team is a cornerstone of Ladies AllRide. Most of the coaches have been with the program for years, and their deep understanding of the camp’s values helps maintain a unified message across locations.
“Before each camp, we pre-ride the venue and align on what and how we’re teaching,” Richter says. “We pair new coaches with veterans so they can absorb our style and language. It creates continuity but also allows riders to experience different personalities and approaches if they return to multiple camps. The message is always consistent, even if the voice is different.”
That shared culture allows for innovation and evolution, even while staying rooted in the core philosophy of empowering riders through skill and emotional support.
The Business of Empowerment
Running a traveling, high-quality women’s mountain bike program isn’t easy—or cheap. “Our care comes with dollar signs,” Richter says. “We want to make our riders feel special. That means good food, beautiful venues, high-touch details—and it adds up fast.”
Richter and Brandt split responsibilities across the business—Meredith handling much of the logistics and operational heavy lifting behind the scenes to keep things moving smoothly.
“We’ve found a rhythm that works,” says Richter. “Having a partner like Meredith who really gets the heart of what we’re doing is essential.”
Despite longstanding partnerships with major brands like Liv, SRAM, RockShox, Wild Rye, G-Form, and Muc-Off, keeping the program financially viable has become harder. “Inflation is hurting us. The cost of travel, insurance, and even when my van breaks down—it’s all taking a toll,” Richter says. “We’ve had to consider raising prices, which is tough. We don’t want cost to be a barrier, but something has to give.”
Richter believes the industry has a role to play in helping programs like hers thrive. “Sponsorship is important, but what we really need is amplification. Give us the products we need—check. But also help us reach more people. Share our events, push out our message, and value education as much as innovation.”
Defining Success and Looking Ahead
When asked how she defines success, Richter is honest: “It’s a mix. Yes, numbers matter—we need to fill camps to survive. But what really fuels us is the feedback. The word of mouth is huge. About 80% of our attendees come from out of town, and they’re actively seeking us out. That tells us we’re creating something that matters.”
Looking to the future, Richter and Brandt are aligned on evolving the camp model into something even deeper. “Camps are where people begin, but retreats take it further,” Richter says. “We’re heading to Switzerland with the Gehrig sisters this summer to create a more immersive experience—less instruction, more connection. We’re inviting people to take that next step with us and really explore what this lifestyle can offer.”
For Richter, that’s what it all comes back to: using bikes not just as a tool for physical empowerment, but as a catalyst for personal transformation. “We’re not just helping women ride better. We’re helping them find themselves.”
Together, Richter and Brandt have built something rare—an inclusive, emotionally intelligent space where risk is encouraged, failure is embraced, and strength—on and off the bike—is constantly redefined. With every camp, every trail, and every breakthrough, the Ladies AllRide MTB Skills Camps aren’t just building better riders. They’re reshaping what leadership, courage, and community look like in the world of mountain biking.
And for every woman who shows up—nervous, curious, hopeful, ready—this is more than just a weekend on bikes. It’s the beginning of something bigger.
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