Disa Fedorowicz says she is shy around a group of people, but ask any group of people that Fedorowicz rides her bike with and they’ll tell you something different.

She moved to the area eight years ago from a large biking community in Louisville, Ky. Ever since the move, she has been doing what she can to make the Lewiston-Auburn area a biking community too. 

“My goal is to bring everyone together so there is always someone to ride with.”

You are an ambassador for Liv. What is that all about? Formerly part of Giant Bicycle, Liv is now its own stand-alone brand specific to women’s cycling. This means bikes that fit a woman’s geometry (no more “shrink and pink”), products (attractive clothing and accessories), information (clinics on how to ride your bike/take care of it/yourself), community (friends to ride with), retail spaces (walking into a bike shop can be a huge barrier to getting a woman on a bicycle), and local “ambassadors” who welcome women into — rather than intimidate them out of — cycling. The U.S. ambassador program was launched in 2013, and this year there’s a whopping 125 of us out there evangelizing about women on bikes. We basically serve as a regional liaison to develop the cycling community by leading rides, giving informational clinics and just getting women excited about riding.

You spent some time earlier this year with a bunch of other Liv ambassadors. What type of things did you do? This was the second year of ambassador camp, held in Scottsdale, Ariz. Fifty ambassadors from around the country had the opportunity to attend, with the goal of learning more about the brand. We participated in clinics, learned how to host our own events, as well as demoed the new line of Liv bikes. The moment when I felt I had truly fallen down the “rabbit hole” was having two of women’s mountain biking A-listers, Lindsey Voreis and Katie Holden, actually at the camp and riding with us. It was an incredible experience. I’ve never ridden with that many women at one time — it proves that they are out there. 

During local group mountain bike rides, it’s often you and seven dudes. What does your husband say about that? That sounds like Snow White and her two-wheeled entourage. Actually, 80 percent of the guys I ride with on a regular basis have about two decades on me, so the white beard part (Snow White’s dwarfs) is pretty accurate. The reality is, more men ride than women, so until we get a greater number of ladies out on bikes, that’s usually the breakdown of most group rides. Another riding friend’s husband (playfully) calls them our “bike boyfriends,” and they really are. These dudes have shown us how to do wheelies and blow snot rockets, and they don’t seem to mind when we (repeatedly) ask for technical bike support on the trail. When I first started riding mountain bikes at 19 it was with my dad and his friends, so the 7:1 ratio feels very comfortable and familiar to me. 

There seems to be a lot of energy recently surrounding the Lewiston-Auburn area mountain biking scene. What has lit that fire? I think it’s always been there, but L-A has been in a bit of a mountain biking dead zone as far as having decent trails with a bit of mileage (that aren’t too crazy technical) and having people to ride with (who aren’t crazy fast). There are definitely pockets of people around here who love to shred dirt, but in order to ride extended singletrack with friends, it has meant commuting 45-plus minutes north or south — which is fine on the weekend, but tough for an after-work ride.

With that said, Frank Jalbert at Busytown Bikes, in my opinion, is the pyromaniac responsible for what’s been happening locally. He has organized weekly “no-drop” (no one is ever left behind) group rides, destination rides, an annual Halloween costumed ride, trail cleanup days, trail-building events and skills clinics. He’s also collaborated with the local parks about trail accessibility, raised money to build a trailhead kiosk, gets people out on snowshoeing trails in the winter for fat biking, and makes fat bikes available for rental if you want to try out that Kool-Aid.

He has literally made trails, bikes, rides and a community accessible for people who want to ride. In the last few months he has also closed the “dead zone” by advocating to have the trails in Androscoggin County incorporated into the Central Maine NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike Association) chapter, which has historically only encompassed Augusta, Waterville and Hallowell. And . . . Frank is the one who talked me into becoming a Liv ambassador through the shop. That guy has literally taken a blow torch to the local mountain biking scene.  

Do dogs make good mountain bike buddies? Yes. And mountain biking can make for better-behaved dogs. Just be smart and sensitive to your dog’s needs, as well as the fact you are sharing the trails with other users (and possibly their canine companions). Bottom line: Be a responsible dog parent and trail steward, and be aware that not everyone enjoys the same wonderful bond with your pooch that you do. Yet.

I just bought a new bike. Now what? Find some friends and take a road trip. You are within 15 minutes to 3 hours of making some pretty epic riding memories.

Is mountain biking dangerous? What was your worst biking injury and how do you prevent more? It can be if you don’t wear a helmet. Fortunately, the worst injuries ever sustained have only been to my ego. But I will tell you that bruises and scabs are just as much fun to show off when you’re an adult as they are when you’re 8 years old.

What’s that cute accent you have there? Ye Olde England. Not New England. (She was born in South Africa.)

Beer or wine? Sangria. If you ride bikes, it seems like the customary answer is “beer from an independent microbrewery housed in some quaint barn in northern Vermont.” Sorry, fermented grapes on ice in a gargantuan jug of fruit salad is what I crave after a hot summer ride.

Have any advice for the women who may be a bit nervous about joining a group bike ride? Do it. Liv’s slogan is “Liv Beyond.” When women start riding they tend to discover something beyond their everyday lives, as well as learn about the possibilities within themselves, beyond who they’ve always been. When I first moved here I had no one to ride with and it sucked. Women tend to be social, pack animals, and so it feels good to have a cycling community that validates you. So yes, join us on a group ride (we promote them as “no drop”). There’s no such thing as too many women on bikes.

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