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Manchester's month of women's cycling events starts todaySustrans North West’s 2016 Suffragette Bike Ride in Chorlton (Livia Lazar-Sustrans).jpg

Manchester's month of women's cycling events starts today

Includes celebration of women’s cycling at the National Cycling Centre
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Mar 03, 2017 16:36
8

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) today launched Women on Wheels 2017, a month-long celebration of cycling intended to narrow the gap between the numbers of men and women who cycle in the area.

There’s a list of upcoming events on the TfGM website and further details on the Women on Wheels Facebook page.

There will be more than 60 events taking place across the region. These include a special celebration of women’s cycling at the National Cycling Centre on Saturday March 11. Running from 11am to 3pm, it will include led rides, cycle maintenance demos, track taster sessions and cycling-specific yoga.

Last year’s Women on Wheels month saw hundreds of people take part in over 50 events, which included a suffragette ride in Edwardian costume.

Ann Butler, who helped organise one event for women’s cycling group Burnden Belles, said: “The day was a huge success. We were inundated with ladies wanting to attend, some even buying their first bike, or replacing their old one, especially for the event.

“One lady had a mechanical fault with her bike whilst riding home and was able to fix it herself with what she'd learnt.”

TfGM’s Head of Logistics, Environment and Active Travel, Helen Smith, said:

“Cycling is a brilliant way to get fit and have fun and this year’s Women on Wheels event is a great opportunity for women and girls of all ability levels to get involved.

“Female cycling is on the up but, although more women are cycling, around 75 per cent of UK cyclists are male so we want to do everything we can to encourage as many women as possible to cycle more or saddle up for the first time and get out on their bikes.

“Last year we had a brilliant response and some of the events were so popular that they were booked out almost immediately.”

Manchester
Greater Manchester
Women on Wheels
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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8 comments

Avatar
Tour Le Tour | 7 years ago
1 like

I see your point but I've been told by a group of my closest friends that they didn't want to ride with me because they were intimidated. So I supported them going and doing a single sex event, so that they got on the bike. Afterwards, they all agreed that they had a great time and riding bikes is more fun than they thought, and we've been riding together ever since.

Avatar
VeloPeo replied to Tour Le Tour | 7 years ago
0 likes

Tour Le Tour wrote:

I see your point but I've been told by a group of my closest friends that they didn't want to ride with me because they were intimidated. So I supported them going and doing a single sex event, so that they got on the bike. Afterwards, they all agreed that they had a great time and riding bikes is more fun than they thought, and we've been riding together ever since.

Yup. 

Some women find getting into a new activity more comfortable in groups with other women. Some of those then go on to ride in mixed groups, some prefer to carry on riding with women - but there seems to be a much higher %age who continue long-term when they start off in female only groups. 

At the end of the day, who gives a monkeys as long as it gets more people cycling. 

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to VeloPeo | 7 years ago
0 likes

VeloPeo wrote:

Tour Le Tour wrote:

I see your point but I've been told by a group of my closest friends that they didn't want to ride with me because they were intimidated. So I supported them going and doing a single sex event, so that they got on the bike. Afterwards, they all agreed that they had a great time and riding bikes is more fun than they thought, and we've been riding together ever since.

Yup. 

Some women find getting into a new activity more comfortable in groups with other women. Some of those then go on to ride in mixed groups, some prefer to carry on riding with women - but there seems to be a much higher %age who continue long-term when they start off in female only groups. 

At the end of the day, who gives a monkeys as long as it gets more people cycling. 

the hetero-normative police give a monkey's - they certainly don't want to encourage the possibility of gratuitous lesbianism

Avatar
Valbrona | 7 years ago
0 likes

Single-sex cycling events are just not in the spirit of, well, cycling.

Avatar
dottigirl replied to Valbrona | 7 years ago
3 likes

Valbrona wrote:

Single-sex cycling events are just not in the spirit of, well, cycling.

I'm not a fan either, but some are, so I leave them be.

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to Valbrona | 7 years ago
2 likes

Valbrona wrote:

Single-sex cycling events are just not in the spirit of, well, cycling.

yeah, but that one with the moustache looks a bit lively eh?

Avatar
tritecommentbot replied to Valbrona | 7 years ago
5 likes

Valbrona wrote:

Single-sex cycling events are just not in the spirit of, well, cycling.

 

Pure guff.

Avatar
cyclisto replied to Valbrona | 7 years ago
3 likes
Valbrona wrote:

Single-sex cycling events are just not in the spirit of, well, cycling.

Maybe not, but they are a great opportunity to put more women on bikes. There is a great gender gap in cycling that has to be bridged and such events that enhance the image of cycling as a casual activity for all ages and genders, only benefits can bring.

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