We believe in empowering women through mountain biking.

Mountain biking can be can incredible experience that empowers women. It is a challenging sport and helps people overcome fears. The courage and determination that is learned through mountain biking can translate into confidence in other areas of the women's lives that we work with. 

4

Number of bikes we have bought for the Guatemala Bike Library

4

Number of guides we have helped train in Nepal

60

Number of women who joined for the first ever women’s only community ride in Guatemala

3

How many countries we are working on adding programs

About

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Our Mission

World Ride supports the empowerment of women globally through mountain biking. Donations and proceeds go toward supporting women's mountain biking in Nepal, Guatemala, Peru and Lesotho in three areas:

  1. Recreation
    • Women do not traditionally have the opportunity for recreation in the outdoors. World Ride is committed to getting more women outside on mountain bikes to have FUN! Currently, we have a bike and gear library for women to use to go on recreational mountain bike rides in each location.
  2. Careers
    • Mountain bike tourism is growing around the world. We support women becoming mountain bike guides in their countries through guide certifications, leadership training and first aid training. We work with local partners that employ the women that we help train.
  3. Community
    • We help to support women in creating community through mountain biking. We help to bring women together in their own city and country and also work to create a network of female mountain bikers around the globe.

Our Story

The story of World Ride

In March of 2017, World Ride founder Julie Cornelius traveled to Nepal for an AndShesDopeToo film Moksha, a women's mountain bike film project that evolved from Endure Nepal, a project she originally spearheaded in 2015. After two years, Julie traveled to Nepal with a team of lady mountain bikers to work with female mountain bikers in Nepal and tell their story through the film that was released in January 2018. As an extension of the original project, World Ride is committed to the long term vision of helping create opportunity for more Nepali women to begin mountain biking.

Why just stop in one country when there is an opportunity to make an impact in other areas as well? World Ride has expanded is committed to the mission of empowering women globally through mountain biking.

World Ride currently works in Nepal, Guatemala, Peru, Lesotho and Botswana.

World Ride works with local partners in each location that are committed to our mission. These partners help to recruit more women into the mountain biking community, assist in training guides and also employing certified guides. These guides have the opportunity to work year round with our partners, and they also guide all World Ride trips to their countries. These mountain bike adventure trips are an important part of our mission because they allow YOU to visit the places that we work to experience the amazing cultures and see first hand how mountain biking is making a difference in the lives of the women we work with.

Here are some notable projects that we have completed:

2018: Helped to support training of 2 female guides in Nepal, establish a bike library in Nepal, hosted trips in Nepal

2019: Purchased a full suspension bike in Nepal, hosted trips in Nepal, Established our program in Guatemala, helped to host the first ever women's only Travesia community ride event which had over 60 Guatemalan women, hosted our first trip in Guatemala

2020: Purchased 4 bikes for the bike library in Guatemala, hosted online movie nights throughout the pandemic, helped to train a female guide in Guatemala

2021: Established our program in Peru, hosted trips in Peru, Guatemala and Nepal, hosted online movie nights throughout the year, established our Ambassador Program with over 20 ambassadors from around the globe

2022: Hosted two skills clinic days in Guatemala, brought PMBIA Level 1 Instructor courses to Nepal to train 16 locals, hosted a skills clinic day in Peru on International Women's Mountain Bike Day, hosted in person movie nights in Brevard, NC and Crested Butte, CO, Began training our first guide in Peru, expanded our Ambassador Program, Partnered with Pivot Cycles, Wild Rye, DT Swiss and 10 Barrel Brewing for the Sunset Shred series across the US.

Meet the Women

These are some of the incredible women that we work with globally.

Usha Khanal- Guide in Nepal

Usha Khanal- Guide in Nepal

How did you get started mountain biking?
I started mountain biking as a fun sport. And gradually turned into hobby. However, the dream came true after being a part of the documentary movie “Moksha” only. And the guiding journey started with the help of Himalayan Single Track.

Why do you love mountain biking?
The best part about it is how it helps me to go to places and know many people around world. It’s been the best means for me to be independent.

What is your favorite trail in Nepal?
My favorite trail in Nepal is the decent from Thorong La Pass and Lubra Valley from Mustang region.

What is your favorite trip that you guide and why?
I prefer Annapurna Circuit. It’s got the best view to offer and nice local people around.

What is something interesting about you that people might not know?
Beside biking, I love to run and go trekking. Pet lover. Before I started being a biker, I was a kindergarten teacher.

Roja KC- Guide in Nepal

Roja KC- Guide in Nepal

How did you get started mountain biking?
I was a swimmer back then and I started mountain biking around 2016 when I saw some military guys brining mtb on a swimming session .

Why do you love mountain biking?
I love mtb because it’s freedom like nothing . You are the one to control your ability. And also because we get to know so many people of different place with different culture. It’s a blessing to get to exchange culture.

What is your favorite trail in Nepal?
I think I love every trial but most fun one is lubra valley in Jomsom - Muktinath trip . I bet most people will love this trail.

Anything else you want to share?
I just want to say that I am an ordinary girl who is into MTB and I feel really blessed to be a part of World Ride MTB . Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to let us show our countries trails and culture . I can’t wait to learn more slang from my clients .

Nishma Shrestha- Guide in Nepal

Nishma Shrestha- Guide in Nepal

How did you get started mountain biking?
I was inspired by my dad and uncle to ride my mountain bike because my dad used to explore new places in his bike and my uncle was national racer of mountain biking.

Why do you love mountain biking?
I love riding mountain bike because It gives me a happiness and freedom to be myself. I enjoy when I am able to ride inside the forest areas. I love being in the nature and exploring new trails. I love to ride in the natural trails its really challenging and makes me want to push my limits.

Where is your favorite place in Nepal?
My favorite place to ride in Nepal is in Annapurna region and solukhumbu. The trail in those place in really thrilling and scenery is breathtaking.

What is your favorite trail in Nepal?
My favorite trails to ride are in Nagarkot because there are different varieties of trail in same place. Starting from easy flowy trail to technical trail and its all natural.

What is your favorite trip that you guide and why?
Every trip for me is my favorite because every trip, awesome people from different country joins us and we share experience, lifestyle and amazing weeks together riding and exploring trails.

Christa Castillo- Guide in Guatemala

Christa Castillo- Guide in Guatemala

How did you get started mountain biking?
I started seeing other friends/guides at Old Town Outfitters riding mountain bikes and I got curious. So far I've barely started but I'm excited to start learning more about the sport and riding more.

Why do you love mountain biking?
I want to have fun in general. I love the way you can connect with yourself and nature and how you start to learn to guide your mind/body. I think mountain biking will give me more opportunities for these.

Where is your favorite place in Guatemala?
I love every part in Guatemala where I can see trees and the clear sky, but one particular spot that has changed me was the volcano Santa María.

What is your favorite trail in Guatemala?
I can't have just one favorite trail! I have climbed 21 volcanoes in Guatemala and all of them are beautiful and different, same with hills like “Cucurucho” and “Corazón del Agua”. Too many to choose from.

What is something interesting about you that people might not know?
I like to take things positive even when it's a hard time that we all have sometimes, for me every moment is a lesson to learn how to enjoy life and let go what makes me down. I love poetry, books, Jazz, nature, the moon, adventure, and being independent.

Gobona Mantle, Botswana

Gobona Mantle, Botswana

How did you get started mountain biking?
The first time I went on a bicycle I was a young girl about thirteen or so, I grew up with boys and I used to see boys given an opportunity to ride my uncle's commuter bike that the locals called it humber, I was never given that opportunity because I was a girls, and growing up in the village girls had certain chores that they were supposedly supposed to do but me being me I enjoyed doing boys stuff. One day my uncle wanted to send me to his friend's and I asked him if he can push me on his humber so I could go fast and to my amazement he did and just one push that was all I wanted and that was the beginning of me loving and enjoying his humber.

Why do you love mountain biking?
I love mountain biking because that was the first sport I fell in love with without being pushed into doing. It unique and it's soul soothing. No matter the circumstances you find yourself in once on a bike all your stress is gone.

Where is your favorite place in Botswana?
My favorite place in Botswana is the Okavango, okavango delta I'd one of the largest inland delta in the world, it's is protected under the world heritage sites, as of late I got the opportunity to travel around the country, it's serene, quite and got to see all the big five.

What is your favorite trail in Botswana?
My favorite trail at the moment is in Mokolodi, my country is mostly flat, we don't have mountains and going inside Mokolodi gives you the experience to ride anywhere and to experience the hills, loose rocks and sand patches there and there.

Anything else?
Teach the young ones to love themselves and never compromise on their happiness. Dream big and be whatever they are destined to be. Life is too short for compromises.

Sunita "Dolma" Shrestha- Guide in Nepal

Sunita “Dolma” Shrestha- Guide in Nepal

How did you get started mountain biking?
I started mtb with the local event cycle Cora in Kathmandu and slowly this became my profession.

Why do you love mountain biking?
Why I love mtb is for more fun and also healthy.

Where is your favorite place in Nepal?
My favorite place in Nepal as a trekking guide is Tamang but in mtb ways I will prefer Mustang.

What is something interesting about you that people might not know?
I was a trekking guide for 8 years and still I do it. I am 23 years old now my birth place is also nearby some trekking trails so I am inspired more to work in tourism. I try to give my best on trip that's my favorite part for me also.

Jenny Caunt- Trip Organizer and Ride Leader in Nepal

Jenny Caunt- Trip Organizer and Ride Leader in Nepal

Jenny is originally from Australia, but now calls Kathmandu home. She is the owner of Himalayan Singletrack and runs the Ladies Mountain League (LML). Through LML, she has been instrumental in getting Nepali women out on mountain bikes by leading weekly group rides, organizing skills weekends and helping ladies get the gear they need to ride.