Cycling for Women

Cycling is great for both physical and mental health and it doesn't demand much in the way of expense or fitness levels to get started.

 

However there are far fewer women enjoying the benefits of bikes. According to government figures, in the UK only half as many women as men cycle, and women don’t tend to cycle as far.

 

A recent survey by Sustrans showed that nearly half of all women (44 per cent) have access to a bike but three quarters of women do not cycle at all. Read more.....

 

  

 

 

 

The first edition of our Women on Wheels newsletter is out now.

This handy guide to cycling for women in the Lancaster District includes features on:
  - Cycling and health
  - Local profiles
  - What to wear
  - Getting Started
     and more

 

 
 

 

 

Women and Cycling Survey 2008

 We received 350 responses to our recent survey (summer 2008). See below for a summary:

• 79% of respondents owned a bike (or had one available to them)
• 86% of respondents are aged between 18 - 59
• A quarter have children under the age of 16
• 20% said cycling was their main mode of transport - 51% said that the car (as driver) was their main mode
• 40% cycle at least weekly, while 8% never cycle
• 27% regularly cycle to work
• 2% regularly take children to school, while a further 9% do so occasionally or would consider doing so
• 62% were confident or average cyclists; 33% were not confident and 4% could not cycle
• The 5 main advantage of cycling were: physical health (97%), environmentally friendly (85%), low cost (82%), being outdoors (77%) and mental health (65%).
• The 5 main disadvantages were: weather (77%), road safety (74%), carrying loads (63%), personal safety (49%) and bike security (43%)
• 57% expressed an interest in maintenance training, 40% in on road cycle training and 29% in off road training
• 83% of respondents were possibly interested in cycling more

  

 

Help Available

 

If you have a specific question - re clothing,luggage, routes, training etc etc - then please feel free to email us at celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk or call us on 01524 582392 and we'll try our best to help.

 

We can offer:

 

Commuting to Work

How to commute in style

 

Those of us who've ever gone for a hard swim before work will know that walking around the office, or worse, turning up for a meeting with red goggle marks on your face is probably more undignified than the mark you get from a cycle helmet.

 

Nevertheless there are loads of unflattering attributes that go hand in with commuting to work by bike, most of which we've found can be eliminated with a few careful tricks that we keep up our sleeves.

 

Don't fear - if you do choose to take the cycling option, you don't have to be a red, stinking mess all morning with frizzy hair and the brand of your helmet imprinted across your forehead. Read on to find out some tips that we've learnt along the way to turn up fresh and beautiful (if we do say so ourselves) after a ride to work.  

 

 

CTC Cycling for Women

CTC first annual Cycling for Women took place in June 2005. Lots of 'come and try' events took place all over the country - find out more here (or see above for local events).

 

Download the CTC's 8 page Guide to Cycling for Women (pdf) - full of useful features on choosing a bike, accessories and clothing; top reasons to ride; confident cycling and health.

 

The CTC guide to Family Cycling is now available (£9.99 + free postage). Inside its 196 full-colour pages you’ll find everything you need to know about cycling with children. The guide is written by Cycle Editor Dan Joyce and it includes: How to teach your child to ride, what to look for when you buy a bike for yourself or your child, how to choose child-seats and trailers, and the best places to cycle with your family. To order a copy call 01795 414824.

 

 

Cycling Women

www.josiedew.co.uk - Cycle adventurer Josie Dew has been cycling around the world for over 20 years.

 

www.annemustoe.co.uk - Anne set off to cycle alone round the world, she was 54, overweight and unfit. She had not cycled for 30 years and she wobbled on her new machine. Most travel writers start travelling when they are young and hope to make a career of it. Anne had already had her career and wanted an adventure before it was too late. What she didn't know at the time was that her adventure would turn into a new career

 

www.outdoorphilosophy.co.uk/carboncycle.html - Kate Rawles was awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to cycle along the North American Great Divide from El Paso on the Mexican border to Anchorage in Alaska. On the way she will explore the consequences and responses to climate change as she encounters them in the most oil intensive culture on Earth.

 

On her return, she plans to contribute to the debate about climate change in the UK and, most importantly, how to bring about the personal and political changes needed to tackle it. At the same time, Kate hopes her journey will be inspirational to others as an example of how an ordinary person can bring adventure into her life and engage with environmental and social issues.

www.familyonabike.org - The Family Adventure Project is a family venture to promote the benefits of adventurous family experiences. We believe environmentally sensitive, family adventure travel is good for your health, relationships, education and the planet.

 

The Family Adventure Project is the work of Stuart Wickes and Kirstie Pelling. Our home is a Cumbrian village just South of The Lake District in England's scenic North West. We're a family of five. Kirstie (37) is a writer, journalist and promotions producer. Stuart (41) is a training and development consultant with a special interest in learning and the outdoors. And we share our home and adventure in living with Matthew (4), Cameron (3) and baby Hannah

 

View local profiles of women who cycle to work here.

 

 

Useful Links

www.bikebelles.org.uk/ - New site from Sustrans (Mar 09) - What every woman needs to know to get out and about by bike

 

www.bonniebikes.com - Accessories for the savvy cyclist

 

Introduction to Cycling for women - Includes lots of tips and advice on maintenance; riding while pregnant; road confidence and much more plus do you need a womans bike?

 

 

  

Women's Design Service 'Cycling for Women' was a year-long pilot project based in Camden and Lambeth seeking to understand and begin to address the reasons why comparatively few women compared with men cycle as a means of transport in London.

 

www.cyclechic.co.uk - The modern woman's guide to cycling. Includes sections on advice and buying a bike as well as a fashion section extolling the vuritues of legwarmers, full skirts, cycling capes and much more. Proving that it is possible to cycle and look good.

 

www.girlgear.co.uk Girlgear was born as a result of "Les Marin Girls", aka Ann & Jan, extended cycling tour of France and Spain in 1999. We live on a small island which is attractive but has limited touring possibilities. So we take every opportunity to get away to Europe with our cycles to find some open countryside, sample the regional produce and visit some interesting places. We believe cycle touring is all about having fun, sharing experiences and the freedom of the open road.

 

www.cyclodelic.co.uk - Cyclodelic combines thousands of miles of pedaling experience with the simple goal of creating beautiful clothing, accessories and events for women who don't want to forfeit fashion over function when arriving by bike.