MTB Café Chats with Ride Sheffield and Cotic Women of Steel

Calling all ladies and lasses out there who love their mountain biking (MTB), our MTB Café Chats event in partnership with Cotic’s Women of Steel is geared up just for you.
Ride Sheffield and Cotic’s Women of Steel are running MTB Café Chats on Saturday 21st March 3pm – 4.30pm as part of Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF), discussing key topics surrounding women and mountain biking. This inclusive event at The Workstation will be workshop based, in small groups and give everyone a chance to be a part of the discussion inspiring women to get more involved in the mountain biking scene.
Hosted by Julia Hobson, owner of Endless Trails MTB and Julianna Ambassador, the event will draw on the expertise of a team of women who are advocates of the sport. The session will cover everything from insider knowledge in the industry, getting into the sport, riding as a mother, MTBing and mental health, plus you will have the chance to meet other female mountain bikers to ride out with.
We have a great line up featuring the raddest female riders from our home town of Sheffield who all share the same passion of mountain biking.
Here we introduce your host to the event and MTB Café Chat leaders:
MTB Café Chat Host
Julia Hobson
Café Chat topic: Running a guiding business and working in the industry

Julia is a Mountain Bike Guide who has worked extensively throughout the Alps, raced and travelled with her bike all over the world. She first started mountain biking whilst studying at Sheffield University, and is now a global ambassador for Juliana Bicycles, Hopetechwomen and several other companies in the bike industry.
In 2017, Julia made the move to setting up and running her own business, a Mountain Bike tour company called Endless Trails MTB. The company has gone from strength to strength and now operates week-long enduro-focused backcountry riding trips in Europe, as well as introductory bikepacking courses, guided days and skills courses in the northern UK. All these trips focus on sharing with, and introducing more people to the adventurous kind of all-mountain riding Julia loves herself.
MTB Café Chat Leaders
Alice McNeil
Café Chat topic: MTBing and motherhood

Alice spent two years cycling from the UK to New Zealand and when she returned she settled in Hope Valley where she now lives with her young family. As a Physiotherapist and Yoga Teacher she has a professional interest in sport and combined with her personal love of mountain biking she is an advocate of getting out on two wheels. Having recently become a new Mum Alice is now balancing riding with being a mother – and she’s doing a great job!
Emma Peasland
Café Chat topic: Endurance racing and events

Emma’s background is in endurance riding and she has the stamina to take on 6,12 and 24 hours racing. With an impressive list of previous extreme events including the Peak 200, a self-supported mountain bike time-trail route traversing 225km of the Peak District National Park, she is your go to for training for events.
Hannah Saxelby-Newall
Café Chat riding: MTB industry and entry into the sport

As part of the Cotic bikes team Hannah is immersed in the mountain bike industry, and is focused on incorporating women in Cotic photography/videos in what has traditionally been a predominantly male dominated industry. Hannah’s baptism into mountain biking involved being thrown in at the deep end with an entry to the Ard Rock Enduro – a story well worth hearing.
Kelly-Jayne Emmerson
Café Chat topic: Life as a brand ambassador and influencer

Kelly-Jayne (AKA Kellbellandbikes) is a Shimano Gravel Alliance, Cotic
Bikes and Komoot sponsored rider and works alongside many other brands
to promote women in sports. With an Instagram following of 15K she is
also pretty nifty when it comes to taking selfies, so there will be
plenty of tips! Kell often rides with traildog Bell, and can offer trail
dog tips and advice on how to keep a good work/cycling balance.
Tap into all this mountain biking knowledge on Saturday, 21st March 3pm – 4.30pm at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival at The Workstation. Sign up for MTB Café Chats via our Ride Sheffield Facebook page or on the ShAFF event page.
