8 Ways to Encourage More Women into Cycling

Although women's cycling has never been more popular, riding bikes CAN still be a bit of a dude-fest. Getting more women into cycling is kind of our mission - whether commuting, road, gravel or mountain biking - and we've learned a thing or two as to how to create a multiplier effect.

If you're passionate about getting more women out on their bikes, try these 8 tips (and spread the word!). 

1/ Compliment someone's riding (irl or on social)

A lot of us can be self-conscious when we ride - how we look, whether we're crap, anxiety about home life, work stuff or just generally not feeling one hundred. 

Beginners especially can feel self-conscious... "am I wearing the right things? Is my bike 'good enough' to show up to this group ride? Will I be able to keep up?"

Take the time to jump on Instagram (use the hashtag #chickswhoridebikes to find someone). Pay someone a compliment expecting nothing in return.

Tell them you love their bike, or their kit!

Tell them their body positioning is fantastic. Tell them you love the way they look where they want to go when cornering.

If you're doing this irl, try saying hello to someone you don't know and add a nice compliment - "I just wanted to tell you that you look so happy when you ride. It makes me smile."

You never know whose day you'll make, and it'll create a wonderful domino effect where that person will then pay it forward to someone else.

2/ Phone a friend and organise a bike ride with them

We reached out to our community and did a quick poll, 83% of women don't ride as often as they would like to. Whether it's to do with work or family commitments, psychosocial issues or just general busy-ness, it's important that we make time for "me time".

If you've noticed a friend you used to ride with has been absent a while, or even if someone you know has Big Life Stuff happening at the moment, give them a call and organise a little micro adventure. Hopefully the endorphins from a bit of exercise and fresh air will help them remember that they are loved.

(If they're resistant, tell them you're happy to go super slow if they want, and that you'll buy them coffee and cake afterwards.)

3/ Donate to a worthy cause

We're all bike riders here, that's probably why you follow our page. And because you ride bikes, you know that riding gives you a feeling of freedom, improves your emotional health, connects you with the resources around you and serves as a basis for connection with others.

A great way to get new people along to a bike ride is to choose a worthy cause to promote. Of course, we like charities that promote biking accessibility and safety that improves communities like these:

• Afghan Cycles - Afghan women and their male allies challenge gender barriers, inspire the world, and risk their lives to ride a bike
• Bikes4Life - alleviates poverty and social injustice in Australia and overseas by recycling and restoring discarded bikes
• World Bicycle Relief - empowers people and communities through life-changing bicycles, helping people conquer the challenge of distance, achieve independence and thrive
• Qhubeka - allows people to earn bicycles to help them get to jobs, doctors and schools
• Bikes Palya - aims to drive school attendance rates higher and to engage with typically hard-to-reach youth through the power of the bike.

As they say: to give is to receive.

4/ Thank someone who has made a difference to your riding journey

Riding bikes is probably an important part of your week when it comes to physical, mental and emotional health and it's important to recognise those who help you maintain your sanity

Whether you ride recreationally, race or commute to work, we all have people in our lives that make riding our bikes possible. It might be a coach. It might be your partner who does the school drop off, your friends who get up at 5am to train with you, your work for choosing to install end of trip facilities...

Whatever it is, take the time to say thanks. Whether it's a quick text, a card or letter, acknowledging those who made a difference to you will inspire that person to continue the great work they do!

5/ Answer the call of event organisers (and bring a friend)

Those wonderful bike events put on throughout the year by private promoters and state based bicycle advocacy groups don't just happen without a lot of help from both paid team members and volunteers. 

Bike events of all disciplines need people to assist with marshalling, manning food or drink stalls, handing out finisher medals, setting up and taking down course bunting and markers... none of which take an expert level knowledge of cycling!

Bring a non-cycling friend along will not only to help the event organisers, but also to show them how totally not scary bike events are which may encourage them to sign up to the event next time.

 

6/ Volunteer with the local trail builder (and bring a friend)

If you're a mountain biker or you've explored one of the magnificant rail trails in your area, you've already enjoyed the fruits of a magical trail fairy's labour... but have you ever seen them at work?

It takes a lot of effort from a relatively small part of the riding community to keep things safe, smooth and clean. Do a google search and find the local trail maintenance team in your area, send them a message and tell them you'd like to donate or volunteer to help them out. 

Similarly to volunteering for an event, it doesn't take special knowledge to get out and help. Bring a friend along - even better if they have a green thumb and enjoy being outdoors! - and show them what trails look like, dispelling notions they might have of mountain biking being only what they see on Red Bull TV.

7/ Donate cycling clothes, parts (or even bikes!) you don't use anymore

Whether you're just an apparel addict, you're not the same size as you were or you bought things in the wrong size - now's the time to make room in your closet and help someone else start out their collection.

Go through your cycling wardrobe and pull out a few items that are in good knick (get it?!) but that you just don't wear, and post them as giveaways in the CWRB Marketplace.

New threads are always offer a little bit of a mood bump, and it may help someone be motivated to get back out on the bike.

8/ Offer to take newbies out for a bike path ride

This is Cathy. She's our Brisbane CWRB Ambassador and ADORES taking newbies out for rides. Not because she gets paid. Not because it's low effort. But because she believes in the power of the bicycle, enjoys seeing newbies take on new challenges (and because if we want to see 50/50 representation in the bike economy, we need to help support those new to riding bikes).

If you have a fave place near you, offer to take a newbie out for a ride. It doesn't have to be fast. It doesn't have to be far. It just has to be full of encouragement and the support of someone who believes they can do it.