What can we do to encourage more women to cycle?

[rmw]

Oh crivvens, I'm struggling with this computer stuff. Why don't more women cycle? As a women who is old enough to recognise Beryl and Denise, and who doesn't give a stuff about her hair - actually, in the days when I had a downhill cycle to work, I never even used to bother combing it, just let the wind do it for me, which also tells you I don't wear a helmet, may I observe:
- it is not necessary to get sweaty on the way to work, just don't ride so fast , and if it's hilly, well gears are a lot lower than they used to be. THis is not true if you use your twenty mile ride for training, but it is true if you are making a journey of 3 miles which might take you all of 20 minutes
- celebrity obsessed 18 - 34 year old women do have some pretty strange attitudes it seems to those of us who inhabit the real world
- the under 35s regard going everywhere by car as normal
- many women do want to cycle but are put off by safety concerns

I speak with some authority on this last point having led a number of Five Miles to Fabulous rides over the last couple of years. The aim of these rides is to give women confidence on the road, largely by showing them good routes that avoid difficult traffic, plus giving advice on roadcraft - ride about 3' to 4' out from the kerb (that's about 1m for you younger readers) is my mantra. I get fabulous feedback from the riders - who on my rides have been over 35 and 'returners' rather than beginners.

Basically, to get more women riding, make the roads a better place to be, so that women and children feel safe on their bikes.

[rmw]

BTW, forgot to mention that perhaps these appearance-conscious young women should be told that cycling is good for the figure. My barnet may resemble a gale-ravaged haystack, but my stomach is admirably flat, and I have been known to flaunt it! And that's just from about 12 miles a week getting around town.

[thirdcrank]

Basically, to get more women riding, make the roads a better place to be, so that women and children feel safe on their bikes.

Speaking as a mere man, we'd all benefit - not just women and children.

[rmw]

I realise there is a strong likelihood that making the roads more attractive for women and the children they are taking to school / football practice / ballet class etc would make them nicer for men too.

[Simon L6]

I read that when she passed the fastest male rider, she extended a paper bag in his direction and asked him if he wanted a humbug (for those of you still wet behind the ears, this was a kind of boiled sweet). The male rider accepted and said 'Thankyou Mrs Burton'.

[thirdcrank]

Although I have lived in Gildersome (now regarded as part of Morley) since the mid 1970's I can claim no particular knowledge of BB. They moved to Harrogate around the time we came here.

I have in front of me her autobiography - most of which is not much more than page after page of, 'that Sunday I won the Wobbly Wheelers '25' in 57-28, a course record...' which is hardly surprising. I selected the pics because, among all the podium and typical racing action shots, I thought they illustrated something about the issues being discussed.

The famous 1967 Otley 12 is described in a bit more detail. It was the culmination of the men's Best All Rounder competition and several were in with a chance of winning if they did a good '12'. Mike Macnamara improved the Men's 12 Hour RTTC record by almost 5 miles, taking the 1967 B.A.R.

... 'Mac' raised his head slightly and looked at me. Goodness knows what was going on in his mind,but I thought some sort of gesture was required on my part. I was carrying a bag of liquorice allsorts in the pocket of my jersey and on impulse I groped into the bag and pulled one out. I can still remember that it was that it was one of those swiss-roll shaped ones, white, with a coating of black liquorice. 'Liquorice allsort, Mac?' I shouted, and held it toward him. He gave a wan smile. 'Ta, love*', he said, popping the sweet into his mouth. ...

- Personal Best by Beryl Burton O.B.E. with Colin Kirby

* In 1967, around here at least, 'love' was a normal term of address used equally between the sexes, strangers and friends alike, and had no patronising connotations.

[fatboy]

- celebrity obsessed 18 - 34 year old women do have some pretty strange attitudes it seems to those of us who inhabit the real world
- the under 35s regard going everywhere by car as normal

Well it has to be up to us who have children to change that perception before they grow up. I'm trying to do it with my children and trying to prove to them that it's a good means of transport.

I liked your comment about hair vs tummy! I had an interesting conversation with my sister-in-law who was complaining about being unable to lose weight and she said to me "but you don't have to worry". "Oh yes I do" I replied. She seemed to think that I was fit and not too fat becuase of my makeup (I'm a bloke so I mean phyiscal makeup not lippy ) and nothing to do with the 90 miles a week that I cycle. For the record if I didn't cycle/run/exercise generally I'd be a bloater and I'm not.

I think another problem with encouraging people to cycle, be they women of men, is the awful bikes that most people buy or get pushed towards buying by Halfords etc. Seriously heavy full-sus bikes with no luggage capacity are hopeless for "real" transport. Perhaps there should be a contest to design a "cool" (is this word still used like that?), useful bike. Plus show some pictures of supermodels riding bikes without telling them that they are the devil's child!

[Dee Jay]

BTW, forgot to mention that perhaps these appearance-conscious young women should be told that cycling is good for the figure. My barnet may resemble a gale-ravaged haystack, but my stomach is admirably flat, and I have been known to flaunt it! And that's just from about 12 miles a week getting around town.

I must admit that this is a major motivation for me.

And the fact that it passes on good habits to my children.

[Dee Jay]

DeeJay

I didn't mention that she had quite a deprived childhood including spending 9 months in hospital with the medievally named St Vitus' Dance. At one point she was partially paralysed.

She sounds an extraordinary woman.

Thanks for all the Beryl stories.

[Dee Jay]

Well it has to be up to us who have children to change that perception before they grow up. I'm trying to do it with my children and trying to prove to them that it's a good means of transport.

This cannot be strongly stated enough.

[essexman]

anyway back to topic....

So the fashion world is full of images of glamorous women cycling and they have these wonderful role models, so if there are barriers they are fear\danger \caution\lack of knowledge.

So.. how to address those?
-Safety Training
-Clear solutions to all of the obvious hassles of cycling
-Positive promotion of the benefits
-SUPPORT. Provide the support to help people get started. For most people this is usually a friend or colleague.

Does anyone know of succesful local examples where these issues have been addressed?

I've never really understood why equality means doing more...

I think there is an assumption in this discussion that 'It is a good thing if more people cycle. Lets target some groups that dont.' So i dont think this debate is about equality, its about raising cycling numbers. (thats my assumption anyway)

Off topic , your question has an obvious answer, but its a debate that will rage forever.

[kwackers]

I think there is an assumption in this discussion that 'It is a good thing if more people cycle. Lets target some groups that dont.' So i dont think this debate is about equality, its about raising cycling numbers. (thats my assumption anyway)

Off topic , your question has an obvious answer, but its a debate that will rage forever.

In my admittedly very limited experience, most women I know that don't cycle (but could), don't because they don't want to. They give many of the reasons listed, but when solutions are proffered simply look for the next problem.

And it's not just women - I've spent a fair bit of time at work trying to get people on to a bike, some have absolutely no reason not to, but rather than just say 'no' they come up with one excuse after another.

I think there are people who can be converted - but for a large percentage of the population it's only when there is no alternative will they begin to consider it.

Since a lot of the reasons women don't cycle also apply to men and with this in mind I'd say that I think a lot of the ideas put forward would benefit both sexes and these I think are worth exploring.

Positive discrimination is still discrimination (however I understand full well the complexity of the issues).

[AlanD]

Chocolate coated George Cluney lookalikes perhaps

[Dee Jay]

Chocolate coated George Cluney lookalikes perhaps

What?? Give one of the above to each woman who made a committment to cycle??

[EdinburghFixed]

The problem is surely that cycling is not seen as a practical, 'normal' thing to do.

While cyclists remain an out-group of racers, road warriors, obsessed with arguing over helmets and lights and equipment / clothing of every shape and colour, and ranting over the lethal nature of the roads it's hardly surprising that more people don't ride (so they give whatever survey option sounds most convenient when asked).

I also think (however non-PC this is) that the combative nature of cycling to work or cycling in a club predisposes it as an activity for men.

The problem with almost all cycling initiatives is that they reinforce the problem even if superficially they address the 'symptoms'. Putting cycle lanes down may make people think they are safer, but it sends the message that riding without a cycle lane is dangerous (and most places you want to go, it's not possible to guarantee a cycle lane 100% of the time) - the net result is that fewer people ride, which ironically *does* make it more dangerous.

Ditto helmets. Nobody can deny that *if* you fall and *if* you hit your head where your helmet is covering and *if* you would otherwise have died there is a *chance* you will survive. So in theory, helmets are a great thing. But the problem is it screams to non-cyclists that the activity is frighteningly dangerous so hardly any of them do it. If the government legislates to say that it is so dangerous it's actually illegal not to wear a helmet, things will be far worse (you don't need a helmet to go rock climbing, or parachuting, or base jumping, or whitewater rafting, but it's illegal to get on the road without one - people aren't stupid and draw the obvious conclusion!)

In my opinion what's needed is less meddling and more people to just damn well get out and ride their bikes dressed in normal clothes, without worrying about 'special' facilities and safety gear and maintenance etc.