Val d’Isère, France

Lucy Paltz was raised in Val d'Isère – the heart of the French Alps. From a young age, her life’s been shaped by the mountains. As a child, adventure was right out her back door. In the winter, the activities of choice were skiing and snowboarding; in the summer, she’d hike and climb. 

Sometimes she’d casually explore local trails with friends by bike. But, she wouldn’t find “real” mountain biking until her early twenties. At Les 2 Alpes (a French bikepark famous for European mountain biking competitions), it was love at first ride. 

“I love the way you can discover mountains and wild places with your bike,” says Lucy. “I love speed, adrenaline and the challenges that biking brings to me.”

Lucy’s passion for the outdoors has led her to become an advocate for the development of women’s sport. Through her blog GravityLadies.net, women’s mountain bike, yoga, and wellness events, and content creation, Lucy works to achieve equity for women in sport and inspire the younger generations. 

We caught up with Lucy to learn a little bit more about her fondness for mountain biking – specifically, the electric variety.

Liv: Why do you love to ride? 

Lucy: Riding a bike is going into an adventure. I love exploring mountains on a bike, seeing amazing landscapes, feeling free and challenging myself on new trails. I love being in a strong connection with nature. I love the feeling of speed and cornering.

Liv: How does cycling fit into your life? 

Lucy: I love spending time on my bike with friends, my husband, and my daughter. Mountain biking is better when you share it with the people you love. There’s nothing better than a day in wild mountains, surrounded by friends.

Liv: What are some of your favorite accomplishments – on or off the bike?

Lucy: I was never a competitive person, so nothing to add on my prize list! But there are plenty of summits, places and memories which will last forever. Riding a bike gives me more confidence because I challenge myself everyday (jumps, technical and steep trails). That is what I love the most.

I also did a short film (25 minutes) called VELOCIA, about women’s cycling. It’s shown all around France (and Montréal too) at the moment. The aim is to inspire women to go out and ride a bike, because cycling truly gives you more than a sport experience. But I also tried to show the current situation of women's professional cycling (salary, media, etc.) in mountain biking and road cycling. The film also explains how mountain biking and road cycling can inspire each other. And last but not least, we tried to  help people understand that kids are the future of the sport, and that we have a responsibility of teaching them how to be fearless, how to try new things, and that there aren’t any “boy's sports”. We have to tell them that sport can change their lives, that sport can help them realize how strong and skilled they are. Children are the future of our sport. 

Liv: When did you first ride an E-bike? What was your first take? Did it match your expectations?

Lucy: Before trying it, I was like… “Okay, that’s great for older people and non-sporty people…” Then, I tried an E-bike and it completely blew my mind. I was amazed by the new possibilities that E-bikes offer. I can ride up the trails I used to only ride down before. I fell in love with riding E-bikes. 

Liv: Why do you ride an E-bike? 

Lucy: Riding an E-bike allows me to go further and higher in the mountains at the same time. What took me a whole day before can now be accomplished in three hours on my E-bike, so I can ride more than ever! Since I started riding an E-bike, I’ve also ridden many trails for the first time. I ride an E-bike because I can have more adventures, more riding, and more fun! It’s perfect for exploring the wildest parts of the mountains. 

Liv: What’s next for you?

Lucy: I would love to explore new mountains and countries with my bike, and keep organizing some sessions to inspire girls to get on a bike.