Jacquie Phelan isn’t just a name in mountain biking; she’s a foundational figure, a true godmother, or perhaps the queen, of ladies mountain biking. As one of the sport’s earliest pioneers, she was instrumental in carving out a space for women in what was then a male-dominated arena. Alongside luminaries like Jack Ingram and her husband Charlie Cunningham, Phelan co-founded the National Off Road Bicycle Association (NORBA). Her competitive spirit shone brightly as she clinched NORBA championships and numerous other mountain bike race victories throughout the 80s and 90s. Beyond racing, she established the first women’s mountain bike club, WOMBATS, and remains a driving force in promoting ladies mountain biking to this day.
Discovering the Thrill of Mountain Biking
How did your journey into ladies mountain biking begin? What were those initial rides like?
My initial cycling focus was road biking. With the exciting news of the 1981 Olympic ban on women’s cycling being lifted, I started training, encouraged by my friend Darryl Skrabak. He essentially commanded me to race! Then, Darryl’s friend, Holland Jones, introduced me to Mount Tamalpais one summer day around 1980. We rode from the city on my road bike, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge from our foggy neighborhood and emerging into sunny Mill Valley. We climbed Tam via Railroad Grade, a gentle 5-7% incline.
The experience was transformative. Riding those 20 paved urban miles, then tackling Mount Tam on my road bike with its thinly inflated tires – remember, there were no cyclists on Railroad Grade back then – and then flying down Ridgecrest Blvd and Panoramic Highway was incredibly exhilarating. I instantly knew I wanted to explore more of these diverse, multi-surface rides. It was the dawn of adventure cycling for me, even before we called it ladies mountain biking.
Holland was quite a character. He even smoked cigarettes to playfully provoke other bikers. He owned Fulton St. Cyclery. Funnily enough, if I had received a grant at City College, I might have spent the money on a custom Jack Taylor bike from his shop.
Embracing the Race and Redefining Women’s Role in Mountain Biking
What attracted you to racing, and what was your experience as a woman mountain bike racer in the 80s?
Racing, in a way, is a natural expression of ambition. I’ll admit, I have a healthy dose of self-belief and genuinely believed I could be “the best.” I observed how established racers acted and decided that if I achieved a high level, I would take a different path – one of approachability and kindness. This philosophy is actually documented in my old biking journal.
Racing in the 80s was unique for women in mountain biking because the scene was overwhelmingly male. The prevailing thought among men was that women simply weren’t interested in fat tire bikes or off-road riding. When I arrived on the scene and started competing, it challenged their perceptions. There was a sense of disbelief, with some even questioning if I was “really a woman” because “no woman could ride like that.” It’s surprising to hear echoes of this sentiment even decades later, highlighting the persistent barriers women face.
My feminist education from college in France fueled my desire to change this landscape. I felt that the quickest way to encourage more women to experience the joys of mountain biking – the mud, sweat, exhilaration, camaraderie, and connection with nature – was to create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, something vastly different from the chilly reception I initially encountered.
This is where the WOMBATS (Women’s Mountain Bike & Tea Society) came in. The playful name and the introduction of humorous tropes like tea, pearls, and propriety were deliberate. As a feminist principle states, sometimes the most radical acts are best delivered with a touch of conservatism. Hyper-feminizing the activity was a strategic move, and being the designated “Slow Rider” in our group rides was also intentional. In the late 80s, a club proudly announcing that the leader would ride at the back was quite unconventional.
The WOMBATS: Fostering a Community for Ladies Mountain Bikers
How did the WOMBATS originate? Was it successful in encouraging more women to ride Ladies Mountain Bikes?
Casey Patterson, who ran a successful bike touring company called Wilderness Bicycle Tours, was the catalyst. In 1984, she organized a women’s tour because she noticed a significant lack of female clients in the previous years. Her typical clients were often competitive, show-off types, mostly men. The idea of pairing them with a woman their mother’s age didn’t quite fit.
Casey commissioned Charlie Cunningham to build a small bike model, initially called “Little People’s Bike” (later renamed “The Wombat”), to help her keep pace with her clients. For that first Mother’s Day women’s tour, we gathered 14 women. To put that into perspective, only three women had participated in the National Championship just five months prior. The tour was a success, and it became clear that women needed a space to ride together, away from gender dynamics and expectations. Gender roles were definitely a significant factor then, and sadly, they still are today. Otherwise, we’d see 50 percent female athletes in the Olympics and 250 women CEOs in the Fortune 500. The imbalance persists and will continue until systemic inequalities are addressed.
Reflecting on a Storied Career in Ladies Mountain Bike Racing
Your career is filled with achievements, including three NORBA titles, racing in Europe, and much more. What are some of your most cherished races, moments, events, and adventures?
The very first NORBA race holds a special place in my memory because it fell on my birthday, December 10, 1983. It was a hastily organized event. Glen Odell had recently taken over NORBA from its founders, Joe Breeze and Barb Eldeston, and wanted to hold a race before the end of the 1983 calendar year.
The race was a mud bath. So much so that Odell had to shorten the men’s event, much to the dismay of the handful of “pro” fat tire racers, including Steve Cook, who rode for Cunningham. A cyclocrosser, Steve Tilford, ended up winning the shortened race.
The three of us women racers decided beforehand to shorten our race as well. We opted for two rain-soaked laps instead of the planned three. It was pretty much expected that I would win. Casey Patterson, a 38-year-old mother of three, finished second, beating a girl more than 15 years younger. I won, and Casey jokingly declared me “her prize” and took me home to Topanga Canyon for a week. I had grown up in the San Fernando Valley and was curious to see how it had changed since I left in 1973.
What keeps you engaged in ladies mountain biking today?
These days, I’m fortunate to receive invitations to events now and then. This coming year, I’m excited to attend Gnomefest and the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival for the first time!
As for races, any event that invites, flies, and accommodates me, I attend with enthusiasm. While those opportunities might come around only about once a decade now, my passion for ladies mountain biking remains constant.
