CHAIN GANG FEMME
Unleash your inner trailblazer, Empowered women, empowering rides.
YOUR JOURNEY
OUR SISTERHOOD!
Chain Gang Femme is a dedicated women’s mountain-biking community created to give women the space, confidence, and support they need to thrive in the sport. Our mission is to break down the barriers that make mountain biking feel intimidating and to replace them with accessible, fun, and confidence-building experiences designed specifically for real women at every stage of their journey.
We provide a safe, social environment where beginners, entry-level riders, and the growing numbers of social to intermediate riders can learn, progress, and enjoy the trails together. With customisable packages to suit your needs and budget, our rides will ensure every participant feels included, supported, and empowered.
We offer a unique, structured progression approach through tailored packages, including our “Introduction to Mountain Biking - Couch to 40 km”, so that they can enter events with confidence and peace of mind. By hosting outrides at diverse trail locations, delivering memorable experiences, and capturing the journey along the way, Chain Gang Femme builds more than riding skills, it cultivates community, camaraderie, and lasting self-belief for every women who joins us.
Build your confidence both on and off the bike, with one of the most passionate, experienced and knowledgeable teams guiding you on this journey.
Meet The Team
Smish Burge
Founder & CEO Chain Gang MTB Club
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Smish’s journey began with a simple mission: to get kids off training wheels and onto trails with confidence. Since 2016, she has coached hundreds of children, teens and adults, helping them develop not only as riders, but as resilient, capable individuals. Life skills are woven into every lesson, and she works with riders to help them progress to Provincial and National levels.
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A dedicated mountain biker and mentor, Smish has built a strong presence in the cycling community over the past decade. She runs and participates in programs that introduce young riders to the sport, teaches responsible and confident riding, and celebrates the joy and freedom that cycling brings.
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Beyond racing and riding in many of South Africa’s well-known races and and stage race events, earning her Gauteng District and Provincial colours for XCC and XCO, Smish is deeply involved in growing the sport at a grassroots level. She also works with autistic children guiding them with the freedom of riding.
She empowers children and families to connect through mountain biking and is actively involved with development riders, sharing knowledge, equipment and support in communities where access to sporting resources is limited. She also guides a small MTB team, works with autistic children, allowing them to feel the freedom of two wheels, and is one of the few female trail builders in South Africa.
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Smish served on the Gauteng MTB Commission and serves on the Gauteng Primary Schools Committee. Her contributions include event planning and organisation, management, administration, trail setup, logistics and youth development. Trail building, obstacle building, emcee, and everything MTB.
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Working with adults, teens and “tiny humans,” and nurturing both skill and confidence through fitness and technique, Coach Smish was awarded the Gauteng Cycling Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024
Joanne Badenhorst
Founder & CEO Tread Femme
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Joanne Badenhorst has spent more than three decades deeply embedded in South African cycling, contributing across racing, media, team management, skills development, and women’s advocacy. Her journey began in the late 1980s, racing league road events in KwaZulu-Natal before moving into leadership roles, including serving on the Natal Cycling Union and the organising team for the South African Road Championships. She also gained early hands-on experience across multisport and mountain biking through organising triathlons and working as a soigneur for KZN riders at the iconic 1991 Fat Tyre Festival
in Sedgefield.
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As mountain biking grew, so did Joanne’s involvement. She began riding off-road in 1991 and went on to compete in many of South Africa’s major one-day and stage races. Her passion for the sport expanded into professional management when she took on the role of team manager at the Absa Cape Epic. She has also taught MTB skills, helping riders, especially women, build confidence and competence on the trails. Professionally, Joanne has spent over 30 years in cycling media, contributing to Ride Magazine, Tour Magazine, and later co-founding TREAD Media in 2009, which has since become one of South Africa’s most trusted independent mountain bike media brands.
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Recognising the challenges facing women in mountain biking, she founded Cycle Lab Active Women in 2018, creating a non-intimidating, social riding community that significantly expanded opportunities for women riders in Gauteng. Her work and insight in this space led to her appointment as the Women’s Commission representative for Mountain Biking South Africa, a role she has held for the past two years. Driven, motivated, and deeply passionate about making a positive and lasting impact, Joanne brings far more than cycling experience to the table, she brings decades of leadership, advocacy, media expertise, and a lifelong commitment to growing mountain biking, especially for women.
Femme Partners
