bikewonder
04-13-2007, 02:18 PM
Group Discusses Actions to Improve Cycling for Women
In Portland, Oregon a group formed to mobilize women to influence policy, programs, products and projects to break down barriers to cycling.
(Portland, OR) - On the evening of April 7, 2007 at the McMenamin’s Kennedy School Community Room, three Portland cyclists convened a group of women to ask whether there is a need to hold regular discussions about topics relevant to women who ride bicycles. The overwhelming response from the diverse group was: yes!
Thirty-five women attended the Saturday evening exploratory session. In attendance were business owners and bicycle racers, educators and advocates, mechanics and moms, transportation planners and women who use bikes for transportation. The group agreed: It doesn’t matter how you ride. It doesn’t matter why you ride. It doesn’t matter how frequently you ride. What matters is that when you want to ride you can do it in a way that fits. Literally.
While there are many women who are confident and competent cyclists, a higher percentage do not ride due to safety or comfort concerns. To get more women on the roads and trails requires involvement at many levels of cycling, including expanding places to ride, improving clothes to wear, increasing places to store bikes and training people how to talk to women about bicycling.
There were personal stories describing the barriers women face. In response to the “shrink it and pink it” trend in women’s cycling apparel, Susan Otcenas started her own business, TeamEstrogen.com, to sell a wider range of cycling clothes to women. Yet she notes the persistent lack of other women designers and sales reps in that field. Natalie Ramsland owns Sweetpea bicycles and is one of only two women frame builders in the country. She wonders where the other women are and often feels isolated. These stories were a theme. Women racers, older cyclists, new cyclists, moms and women who don’t wear lycra want to make sure there are products, programs and places for them to ride. As the largest potential market in the cycling industry, the group is ready to help.
The solutions can be simple. The group identified some key priorities that have wide-reaching impacts from creating products that suit women, making cycling safer, improving places to ride, expanding the definition of bike culture and providing relevant trainings for a variety of cyclists.
The problem doesn’t start or end in Portland. Many facets of cycling originate in other areas. But Portland is recognized as a leading bicycle city and with many attendees being leaders in their fields, the group sees great opportunity to make the necessary shifts to remove barriers and make cycling more accessible to women, and hopefully for others as well.
There is no official name, no website -- yet. The group will use BikePortland’s forum entitled Women on Bikes as a starting place. The group will reconvene in May.
About the Women and Cycling Conversation
The idea for the meeting was generated three years ago when Janis McDonald, Women on Bikes Program Manager at the Portland Office of Transportation, dreamed of holding regular meetings to encourage more women to ride bicycles. It wasn’t until January 2007 when Barb Grover, Community Outreach Manger at the Bike Gallery, posed the question on local blog, BikePortland, “would we benefit from a coalition?” Alison Hill, Director of Development at the Community Cycling Center, joined the group to help plan an exploratory meeting to gauge interest about topics relevant to women who ride bicycles. The first meeting was held on Saturday April 7, 2007.
In Portland, Oregon a group formed to mobilize women to influence policy, programs, products and projects to break down barriers to cycling.
(Portland, OR) - On the evening of April 7, 2007 at the McMenamin’s Kennedy School Community Room, three Portland cyclists convened a group of women to ask whether there is a need to hold regular discussions about topics relevant to women who ride bicycles. The overwhelming response from the diverse group was: yes!
Thirty-five women attended the Saturday evening exploratory session. In attendance were business owners and bicycle racers, educators and advocates, mechanics and moms, transportation planners and women who use bikes for transportation. The group agreed: It doesn’t matter how you ride. It doesn’t matter why you ride. It doesn’t matter how frequently you ride. What matters is that when you want to ride you can do it in a way that fits. Literally.
While there are many women who are confident and competent cyclists, a higher percentage do not ride due to safety or comfort concerns. To get more women on the roads and trails requires involvement at many levels of cycling, including expanding places to ride, improving clothes to wear, increasing places to store bikes and training people how to talk to women about bicycling.
There were personal stories describing the barriers women face. In response to the “shrink it and pink it” trend in women’s cycling apparel, Susan Otcenas started her own business, TeamEstrogen.com, to sell a wider range of cycling clothes to women. Yet she notes the persistent lack of other women designers and sales reps in that field. Natalie Ramsland owns Sweetpea bicycles and is one of only two women frame builders in the country. She wonders where the other women are and often feels isolated. These stories were a theme. Women racers, older cyclists, new cyclists, moms and women who don’t wear lycra want to make sure there are products, programs and places for them to ride. As the largest potential market in the cycling industry, the group is ready to help.
The solutions can be simple. The group identified some key priorities that have wide-reaching impacts from creating products that suit women, making cycling safer, improving places to ride, expanding the definition of bike culture and providing relevant trainings for a variety of cyclists.
The problem doesn’t start or end in Portland. Many facets of cycling originate in other areas. But Portland is recognized as a leading bicycle city and with many attendees being leaders in their fields, the group sees great opportunity to make the necessary shifts to remove barriers and make cycling more accessible to women, and hopefully for others as well.
There is no official name, no website -- yet. The group will use BikePortland’s forum entitled Women on Bikes as a starting place. The group will reconvene in May.
About the Women and Cycling Conversation
The idea for the meeting was generated three years ago when Janis McDonald, Women on Bikes Program Manager at the Portland Office of Transportation, dreamed of holding regular meetings to encourage more women to ride bicycles. It wasn’t until January 2007 when Barb Grover, Community Outreach Manger at the Bike Gallery, posed the question on local blog, BikePortland, “would we benefit from a coalition?” Alison Hill, Director of Development at the Community Cycling Center, joined the group to help plan an exploratory meeting to gauge interest about topics relevant to women who ride bicycles. The first meeting was held on Saturday April 7, 2007.