I belong to two cycling clubs. One is women-only and the other is all-male except me. Team Glow prides itself on female empowerment, encouraging women to achieve more than they ever thought possible: whether riding 112 miles of the Fred Whitton or slogging up the 23% gradient of Mow Cop in Cheshire without putting a foot down. From easy “A” rides, through Bs, Cs to dastardly Ds, women cheer you on all the way.
It doesn’t work like that in Team Rioja. Zero allowances are made for new members’ weaknesses. “Stop mithering” is a favourite catchphrase of AK, a founder member. He once claimed he couldn’t physically pedal as slowly as me on some climbs.
I found myself on a mountain bike staring down a black run at Coed Llandegla forest in north Wales. I was deeply unhappy that the lads were taking me on the hardest, most technical trail when they knew I’d only been on a mountain bike twice before. Luckily, Dykesy, a stalwart who thinks road cycling is for pansies, had recommended an MTB up to the job, even if I wasn’t.
The Orange Diva is an entry-level hardtail, which has suspension only on the front forks. Hardtails are good for newbies, because they’re lighter, cheaper and mechanically simpler than full-suspension alternatives. Designed in Halifax, the Diva is very Yorkshire: efficient without being showy, doing a chuffing good job for a very fair price. Used to a carbon road bike, the aluminium frame didn’t feel light when huffing up the first three-mile climb, but I was glad of its substance down the steep trail as I realised I couldn’t avoid all the rocks and gaps in my path. I was thankful, too, for mid-size 27.5in wheels. They offer a smoother ride than old-school 26-ers, as do wide handlebars in the twists and turns.
Aussie Addy, the most forgiving Riojan, saw the terror on my face and told me kindly there is nothing the Diva couldn’t handle. The RockShox forks would protect me from the force of ’Degla’s biggest boulders. The trick, he said, is to “pump” down when razzing over rollers and around berms, which helps gain speed without even needing to pedal.
I almost enjoyed it. Then I had to go uphill. The Shimano SLX/Deore drivetrain offers a range of gears as wide as my panicked eyes, yet I still had to get off and push for the first time in a year — an indignity I blamed on the sausage rolls that had got me through the winter rather than the Diva.
Orange Diva: in numbers
Price from £1,000
Frame Lightweight custom butted aluminium with five-year warranty
Wheels Shimano 27.5in
Forks RockShox XC30 Gold 120mm
Drivetrain Shimano SLX/Deore
Brakes Shimano M506 160mm/160mm
Saddle Custom SDG women’s specific
