Still riding North Shore in her 70s

Back in 1993 Betty Birrell had a go at mountain biking. She was 45 years old. Now she’s 73 and can still more than hold her own on some of the most demanding bike terrain there is.

Patagonia: “After nearly 30 years on the harrowing and hallowed trails of British Columbia’s North Shore Mountains, Betty Birrell still thinks life is one big playground—and that you’re never too old to send.”

Betty lives and rides in North Vancouver, Canada. As the video recounts, she’s had a pretty action packed and sports-heavy life since the late 1970s.

She was one of the very first female ‘big wave’ wind surfers in Hawaii at around the turn of the ’80s.

She became a mum at the age of 39 and a single parent at the age of 41 (after a few too many disagreements with her ex-partner, at least partly about ‘riskty’ sports and their attendant injury risks/realities). It has to be said, there is rather a large focus on the extensive list of injuries that Betty has sustained in the past 30 years!

She now rides with her adult son (Hayden) on mountain bikes around the same risky area of the world.

Some of Betty’s wisdom:

“As I’ve gotten older, the trails have gotten better. Less gnarly. And the bikes have gotten so much better. There’s so many trails out here now!

“I expect there to be more and more people in their 60s and 70s riding more and more difficult trails.

“I went through a stage where I realised I can’t do that [North Shore skinnies etc] anymore. If it’s a steep rock pitch, fine, but you take that same pitch and put it on a ladder bridge I can’t do that. I had to go ’round. My friends are still doing it and I’m not. It was frustrating. It was just a process. You accept it. You finally accept it.

“It doesn’t matter what age or level you’re at, you still feel like you’re fast. That’s what it’s really about… that feeling of freedom.

“I want to keep riding into my 90s!”

While you’re here…

Join our mailing list to receive Singletrack editorial wisdom directly in your inbox.

Each newsletter is headed up by an exclusive editorial from our team and includes stories and news you don’t want to miss.

Please leave this field empty

Signing up to our mailing list is not only a great way to keep up-to-date on all things Singletrack but it is also a great, free way to support us.

Sign up to receive awesome editorial content from Hannah every week.

Email Address *

We appreciate how handing over your email address is a mark of your trust in us. Check your inbox for our confirmation email and click the link to activate your newsletter.
We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check out a previous newsletter here

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Please give us a follow on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Singletrack World Magazine (@singletrackmagazine)

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

More posts from Ben