Coach Margie Bowen is Dedicated To Transforming Mountain Bikers Into The Best Riders They Can Be

  • Mountain Bike Instructor for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders.

  • Learn by going through skill progressions of increasing difficulty.

  • Custom coaching options so you learn exactly what you need.

  • Work with a professional who is patient and understanding of the learning process.

  • Free consult support as needed because the coach cares about your riding ability as much as you!

Coach Margie Bowen
Coach Margie Bowen

Margie Bowen, Licensed USA Cycling Coach and Certified MTB Instructor

Hi, I’m Margie and I’m a certified Mountain Bike Instructor and licensed USA Cycling Coach.

My passion is mountain biking.  Maybe yours is, too!

My background also includes being a certified Personal Trainer for over 15 years.  With a specialty in Corrective Exercise I help to fix muscular imbalances so the body works more efficiently and in balance.

With my cycling and fitness expertise I’ve helped hundreds of cyclists in Connecticut and the Northeast to ride better, stronger, faster and safer over the years.

I’m also a computer geek. During the week I’m glued to my computer designing and developing websites for small to medium sized businesses. And with my knowledge of search engine optimization, I help them get found on the web.  This was one of my first websites.

I love being self-employed and having these two passions; one that’s lots of fun and helps me keep my body in shape, and the other that feeds the creative yet analytical and logical side of me and keeps my brain in shape.

 A Little History…

As kids my older brother and I would ride our little single speed bikes like maniacs.  It was great fun building ramps for jumps and coming as close as possible to crashing into each other without actually doing it (most of the time).  So it’s no surprise that I have a passion for mountain biking.  It’s so much FUN and you feel like a kid again!

I thank my husband for getting me back on the bike and into road biking. I bought a sport touring bike, built up my endurance and we enjoyed weekend and week-long cycling adventures together. We rode century rides (100 miles) and I did back-to-back centuries one weekend.

A few years later my husband asked, “Do you think you’d like mountain biking?”

“Well, I love being in the woods and I love to ride, so what’s not to like?”, I replied.

So I bought a used Trek hardtail to give it a try. And I’ve never looked back!

Unfortunately, the only people I knew at the time who mountain biked were a bunch of my husband’s friends. They were all strong riders. I tried to keep up but I didn’t have a clue about technical skills. All I could do was use muscle and speed (a.k.a. brute force and ignorance) to make my way through technical sections.

That technique didn’t usually work so well and I would often go home with bruises and scrapes. Big bruises sometimes! But because I loved riding in the woods so much I didn’t let getting beat up stop me. However, it did get old.

I definitely learned the HARD way!

In the spring of 2008 I completed my first mountain bike race (the Fat Tire Classic at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT) in the Cat 3/Beginner category on my hardtail bike that was too small for me.

I pre-rode the course, raced it the next day and came in dead last to the women I was racing. I had no idea how to pace myself back then but I was totally hooked on racing!

The rest of that first year of racing went really well and I was on the podium for most of my races.

In 2009 I upgraded to Cat 2/Sport and got a new Specialized dual suspension XC race bike that felt like it was made just for me!

This was a great year and a very exciting racing experience. I came in at the top for the season and was also an Iron Rider (completed all 15 races in the New England series).

Again in 2010 I upgraded and began racing in the Cat 1/Expert category. Much to my surprise, I still got on the podium for many of my races! And I came in 2nd to a national champion every so often. I was so psyched that I raced for a couple more years and started training for the nationals.

After my racing days wound down I wanted to become a Mountain Bike Instructor and start teaching. To ensure I had the proper techniques, I pursued some coaching for myself. And I continue to learn and get more training every year just to be certain I’m on top of my game when I work with my clients.

I’ve also advanced my skills and expertise further by completing three separate and distinct Mountain Bike Instructor teaching certification programs:

  • May 2013 – International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA-ICP2)
  • May 2015 – USA Cycling (USAC-MTB)
  • May 2016 – Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBI)

Now my goal is to use proven teaching methods and progressions to help riders avoid learning the way I first learned…

You know, the HARD way!

I help mountain bikers (and wanna-be mountain bikers) ride to the best of their ability. I help them develop a great foundation of skills then we build upon that foundation with progressively more challenging skills.

Whether you’re a racer or just out to have fun, let’s get together and get you riding to your fullest potential!

I was also a member, Board Member and the Rides & Trails Liaison for our local Northwest CT chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association for several years.

mountain bike instructor
mountain bike instructor
mountain bike instructor

As a Mountain Bike Instructor Coach Margie makes it easy to fill your skill box with the Mountain Bike Skills needed to conquer the trails.

Her coaching instills confidence and provides a distinct advantage for mountain bikers.

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