Greener Cities Through Women's Cycling

So, how do we get more people cycling, pronto?

We looked into the stats of who is cycling, where, when and how often. It wasn’t much of a shock to find out that women are still much less likely to regularly choose their bike as their mode of transport. This is despite knowing cycling is often cheaper, faster, safer and better for one’s health and the environment than other forms of transport.

But - that isn’t because women don’t want to. Lockdown bike sales are a strong indication that women’s cycling is on the rise, and that women aren’t afraid of the pedals!

Back in 2018, a report done by Sustrans Bike Life found a staggering 30% of women don’t ride their bikes, but would like to.

Which got us thinking, there are at least 30% of women around the UK that want to pick their bikes, and for various reasons don’t get out on two wheels. If we can help to move that 30% closer to 0%, that would be the most straightforward way of getting more people on their bikes? And if we manage that, hello greener cities!

How do we get more women cycling?

Cycling has always been a male dominated way to get around, and there are barriers that might not seem obvious to those in the industry. Which is why we are going out to the Laka Collective to bring up some known and unknown problems that many women face across the UK.

We need to identify these barriers and face them head on (not on your bike please, even with a helmet on). After lots (and lots) of reading of women’s cycling blogs, research, and articles, we’ve identified three areas that are preventing women from cycling:

Gear - What do you need to cycle?
Routes - Where can you cycle, and what are the cycling road rules?
Maintenance - How do you keep your gear sparkling and spinning?

We want to harness the knowledge of the Laka Collective to break down the barriers for the thousands of women who would like to start their own cycling journey. Find inspiration & info over on our webpage to start your first pedal revolutions towards a greener and healthier future.

We also want to hear from you! What makes you choose the bike over the bus? And what stops you from cycling more than you would like to? Let us know over on our webpage.