For the month of February, I’m diving into a topic that we, as women, need to be active leaders of in cycling: representation. While I do strongly agree that cycling media needs more diversity, I also believe that women need to be active participants in investing in it. For the entire month of February, I’m going to be giving you insights into how women can address representation through their influence and showcase women-led brands who have braved creating companies and organizations to address women’s needs in a male dominated industry. I’m calling this month Women Lead, in hopes that you are inspired by these insights and stories to think how you can reshape representation this in industry, in your community, and more.
In a world of women becoming more involved in sports, women in cycling remain underrepresented. It wasn’t always this way though. Women have a long history with cycling starting at the end of the 19th century. The bicycle was a huge part of the women’s equality movement, it also gave women a tool to challenge ideas of woman’s fashion wear and offered them mobility without relying on their male counterparts. If the bicycle has done so much for women in the past, why can’t it seem to recruit more women into cycling now?
Last week I shared how we can close the gender gap in cycling. A couple of months I did an Instagram story questions about the intimidation factor of cycling clubs and why one should join one. While I got a lot of really good feedback, what stood out to me is that many of my readers found cycling clubs intimidating – kind of like how novice women cyclists find the road intimidating. I’m sure many of us can remember our firsts experiences as a cyclists and the defeating feelings of being an “outsider” who is just learning their way into the sport. My last question to my audience about cycling clubs was “What would make cycling clubs attractive for you to join?”
The solutions readers offered where supportive of new cyclists and offered ways to support their growth and interests in cycling. I also found that many of these answers can also help solve the question of how to encourage and support women to get on two wheels. Here are a few ways that you or your community can support women to get involved and motivated about cycling.
Welcoming Environment
The first step to increasing women’s participation in cycling is to create a community for women to feel comfortable and to participate together in. A group ride dedicated to women-only group rides centered around teaching new cyclists about safety and basic bike skills with others. Additionally, skill clinics and group levels to graduate to can help build their skills into a community that suits their needs and also help build confidence on the bike without them feeling intimidated by observing and learning from mentors and other women who are learning too.
A dedicated event like CycloFemme that benefits specific charities would be one sure way of drawing women to the bike. Building a feeling of community creates an enthusiasm of working together for a purpose and most likely leads to increased involvement.
Have A Purpose
Once more women begin to ride, we need to give them more incentive to continue cycling. Making all of the health benefits associated with cycling such as reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and coronary heart disease more publicized is a good way to keep woman motivated and aware of the benefits. Cycling also reduces the signs of aging by increasing blood circulation, which helps to flush-out toxins and bring more oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. There’s nothing better than an all natural anti-aging skin care activity.
Building a community with purpose can look like a monthly group ride with charity events, volunteer opportunities, and skills building workshops can also be one way to increase ridership.
Offer Recruitment
There are definitely women that will never be convinced to give racing or even riding faster a try. However, evidence from other sports show that there are plenty of competitive women that want to test their limits. So why not cycling? If recruiting women for a group ride or racing was a goal, creating simple, non-technical courses for beginners who are interested in trying something new in cycling may be a start. Add a laid back atmosphere and encouraged participate, novice cyclists just may be likely to join as they gain confidence and ability.
Support Women’s Pro Cycling
Over the years there has been lots of backlash over the lack of equality and media coverage of the women’s pro peloton. The response usually goes like this – “nobody is interested in women’s cycling”. While women’s pro cycling is gaining momentum and supporters are pushing for media coverage, I strongly believe there is a correlation between lack of media coverage and lack of women’s participation in cycling. Women’s professional cycling needs more races and race coverage in order to increase participation in the sport. Women have to see it to be it.
There has been a lot of backlash over the years over cycling’s lack of equal coverage, pay, and treatment amongst male and female athletes. Networks and organizers say that they need a reason to build races and provide coverage. That there has to be more interest and active participation among all levels of female cyclists to generate the kind of revenue to make it work. Sound familiar? In order for sport to grow, collectively we have show support for the women in pro cycling for it to become popular sport among women.
To learn more, I shared a few tips to support women’s pro cycling here.
Community Organizing
For those of us that are passionate about cycling, we should all to our part to make an impact. Last week I shared with you tips on how we can close the gender gap in cycling. One point I made is how we can interact with the cycling industry, media, and our local community can make a great impact when we work together. Throughout this post I’ve layed out a few ways you could encourage and support women to cycle through group rides, charity rides, workshops, recruiting events, and volunteering. Make an effort and you may have a profound impact on a girl that will have lasting effects.
I hope this post offers you ideas or a purpose. I’d love to hear ways in which you’ve been able to inspire and support women in your own community to cycle!
Image: EncourageHerCycling