ANSWER: Mountain biking is a great way to experience nature, get fit, and challenge yourself. You should learn from experts, though, because your boyfriend or best friend usually isn't the ideal teacher. Our Mountain Bike Skills clinics are fantastic, fun events, the perfect introduction to mountain biking skills, equipment, and maintenance. They also offer great tips for more seasoned riders looking for a refresher. The clinics feature on-bike coaching from our Women's Cycling Specialists, who are certified through IMIC.

ANSWER: Want to be safer on the road? All women, from beginning cyclists to experts, will benefit from this street-savvy clinic on skills and techniques to keep you safe while riding on the road. The Street Smart Cycling Skills clinic starts in the Trek retailer parking lot and later moves onto the street. Topics include bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, rules of the road, on-bike skills, and crash avoidance techniques. Our Women's Cycling Specialists have been certified to teach the course by the League of American Bicyclists. The event will help boost your confidence that comes from being prepared on the road-and you'll go home with a gift bag!

ANSWER: Ladies' Night Out is a fun event for cycling newcomers and experienced veterans alike. Every Night Out includes a gift bag and special sales, and many include mini-clinics on topics such as how to change a flat tire, how to ensure your bicycle is fitted properly, and how to use Heart Zone Training to increase your fitness level and speed.

ANSWER: Heart Zone Training is a fantastic way to get the most out of your training using heart rate data. Our Women's Cycling Specialists have been certified by Heart Zones USA to teach this super-effective system. You'll learn everything about cardio training, including how to use a heart rate monitor, how to measure your maximum heart rate, and how to gain cardio fitness, lose weight, decrease stress, and create a training plan to achieve your goals.

ANSWER: Contact the Women's Cycling Specialist who'll be onsite at your selected event, and she'll let you know what sizes and models are available.

ANSWER: The Cycling Experience team can certainly help with fitting at the event, but due to time constraints we also recommend spending time with your local dealer for a proper fit.

ANSWER: WSD is Women's Specific Design. It's Trek's approach to making a great-fitting bike, right from the start. WSD considers your bike as a complete system, from frame geometry to gearing to the many touchpoints that determine the fit and feel of your ride.

There's no magic recipe that makes a bike better for a woman-just attention to every single detail. The right saddle. The right reach, bar height, and bar width. The right suspension setup for the average woman, not just the average rider. The right geometry for a better ride, right out the shop door.

ANSWER: A proper fit, combined with correct riding style, should allow you to ride according to your fitness, not the soreness in your shoulders. The good news is that there are a number of things we can look at to try and help alleviate this soreness.

First, check your fit setup. If you are not sure how to do this, make an appointment with your authorized Trek dealer for a bike fit. Bring your bike, biking shoes, and the shorts you normally ride in. Things to look for in a bike fit are: seat height, cockpit length, height of handlebars, and handlebar width.

Next, analyze your riding style. Your back should be straight, shoulders rolled slightly back. Your grip on the handlebars should be light but firm. Keep your arms slightly bent, and relax your arms and shoulders. Use your core muscles to hold you upright, not your arms.

ANSWER: On some models, yes! Project One, Trek's a custom bike program, allows you to choose your paint color, among other details. Log on to trekbikes.com/projectone and follow the directions. Once you've chosen your bike model and customization options, bring the printout to your authorized Trek dealer and they'll order the bike for you.

ANSWER: You'll be glad you made the switch! Riding with properly fit cycling shoes and clips dramatically increases your efficiency on the bike. The first few rides can be a little daunting, but here are some tips to help you along the way:

• Adjust the tension on your new pedals to the easiest position (your pedals should come with instructions).
• Practice starting and stopping before going out on your first ride, so you'll be less likely to panic as you become accustomed to your new pedals.
• Starting: Step over your bike, clip in one foot, push off ,and start riding without worrying about clipping in your second shoe. It's easier to clip in your second shoe once you get going.
• Stopping: When approaching a stop, unclip the foot you normally put down, at least 30 ft from the stop. Soft-pedal to the stop, and put down your free foot.

ANSWER: If you are new to cycling or are trying a new saddle, it may take a few consistent rides to get used to the saddle. But you should not have unreasonable pain or numbness in the soft tissue area. A saddle that properly supports your skeletal structure will take the pressure off soft tissues and alleviate numbness. Many women find that switching to a WSD saddle eliminates their discomfort.

Here are some other things that can help ensure saddle comfort:

Proper saddle position. First, confirm your saddle is level front to back. Make sure the nose is not pointing up or down, and the saddle is flat (from the tip of the nose to the rear). You can also adjust the fore and aft position of the saddle in the seat post. Do this by loosening the seat post clamp and adjust the saddle forward or backwards until you find a better position to sit on the saddle. Tighten seat post bolt.

The right shorts. The next thing is to make sure you have the right bike shorts. Chamois that are designed for women are important.

Good posture. Your back should be straight, shoulders rolled slightly back. Your grip on the handlebars should be light but firm. Keep your arms slightly bent, and relax your arms and shoulders. Be light on your saddle and put weight on your pedals when riding over bumps or railroad tracks. Use your core muscles to hold you upright, don't relax or slouch on your saddle.

A bike that fits. It's important to have a bike that properly fits you. Most authorized Trek dealers offer bike fit services. Schedule an appointment and bring your bike, shoes, and shorts. Not only will a proper bike fit alleviate pain, it will help you become a faster and more powerful rider.

ANSWER: A helmet is good for 1 impact, or 3 years from first use, or 5 years from manufacture date, whichever comes first. Absolutely replace a crashed helmet before you do another ride! Crashing on your helmet affects the integrity of its protective materials. Trek has a fantastic crash replacement policy if your Trek helmet is less than one year old. Contact your Trek authorized retailer for more information on this policy.

ANSWER: Check out your local calendar of upcoming Cycling Experience events and select one to attend. Allow yourself plenty of time to check out the inventory, and give us some time to fit you on the model you'd like to try. You'll need to fill out a quick registration/waiver form and provide us with a valid ID (driver's license) and a credit card for deposit purposes.

ANSWER: Yes. You'll just need a parent or guardian to fill out your registration/waiver form.

ANSWER: We recommend that you wear whatever shoes you typically ride in or are most comfortable in.

ANSWER: We do have a limited number of helmets available for use, but it's best to bring your own personal riding gear if possible.

ANSWER: We stock a number of the most common clipless pedals, but we don't have every brand, so it's always a good idea to bring your own.

ANSWER: We generally limit test rides to thirty or forty minutes so everyone gets a chance to ride their desired model. This is flexible to some degree based on trail options and rider turnout.

ANSWER: Sure! We'd love to have you to try all our inventory, and we'll do our best to get you on whatever you want to ride. We appreciate your patience, sometimes we get busy.

ANSWER: The Cycling Experience program is bigger and better than ever, but there are still lots of events we'd like to attend but can't. We do our best to mix it up and change venues, but there are only so many weekends every year! Please check for the closest event, and try to make it out and have a great time.

ANSWER: We'd love to have every model at every event, but our trailer can't hold everything. We prioritize by newest products or high-end products that demand a test ride but that your dealer may not stock in all sizes. Please contact your local Women's Cycling Specialist for model availability at the event you'd like to attend.

ANSWER: Most of these events have a marked course and registered riders, and the Cycling Experience teams are moving around to different rest stops, making it difficult (and sometimes impossible) to do an individual test ride. We recommend that you contact the appropriate Women's Cycling Specialist for the event to see if a test ride is possible.

ANSWER: Sorry, the demo bikes aren't for sale. But you can purchase any of our bikes or gear at your Trek retailer.

ANSWER: Generally once (maybe twice) each year, so if you're interested in test riding a bike, put the date on your calendar so you don't miss out!

ANSWER: Trek headquarters is located in Waterloo, Wisconsin. For more information, please check our website, trekbikes.com.