What would you like to know?

[bonniekate]

I would talk about some of the basics, like why a women's group can be so beneficial to women riders (versus coed programs). From my experiences, and there is not a women-specific program here, most women in my area start cycling with their husbands or boyfriends and will either begin riding in coed groups or will only ride with the person they started with. It is hard to get the ladies confident to want to move forward with their riding. And without riding with a group they don't want to ride alone and therefore do not ride as often as they would like. So how do you get the ladies involved and wanting to get out there into a program? I would love to see a women's group here, but don't have the motivation to start one myself. Even some of the spouses and girlfriends of the guys I ride with won't come out on our group rides and we don't drop ANYBODY!

You have to know where you're coming from to know where you're going!
good luck, it's a great topic!

bk

[Eden]

Vivian! Thank you so much for your passionate response.

BTW, 54 is not old. On our very first race team, one of the racers (who had never raced before) was 52 years old. She is still racing 6 years later.

In our organization, I've found the demographic pretty representative of the women's demographic in the bike industry in general. There's a pretty distinct bell curve, with the critical mass falling in the 35-50 range with a smattering above and below. I think our youngest member this year is 10 and our oldest is 73.

This is exactly what we've experienced here too - we have a lot of women who come to racing relatively late in life and are successful at it. I started at the age of 34. One of the other people who started the same year I did is in her early 50's and is incredible. Most of our riders above cat 4 also qualify to ride masters (and in fact many of the top riders in the area too). We have some younger people but I think the 35+ crowd out numbers them. Our two youngest members I think are 17 this year. (there are already several excellent organizations for juniors in the area so I think we might hesitate to take on very young children)

[shootingstar]

Well maybe Seattle or further inland abit as a convergence point..

I looked over my data and realized I hadn't updated my thinking.. it's returning to cycling at 32 yrs. and cycling for nearly past 17 yrs.

For all my years of cycling so far in 2 major Canadian cities where I've lived (toronto & Vancouver), only about 2% of my mileage, has been cycling with groups of 3-15+ cyclists. Otherwise, around 60% of my mileage I cycle with my partner and rest of the time, I simply do it solo...for hrs. Some years I was cycling solo 100% when my partner was living for 2 yrs. in another city.

It would have been great to cycle occasionally with another woman who lived within cyclable distance to meet up and ride together. I am not sure I would have always wanted to be locked in to a meet time for a regular group ride...for certain not right now, my personal schedule is very limited.

Knowing a network of women cyclists locally would be helpful. Right now, what does keep me on bike, even though it does feel solitary at times, is to remain healthy,, save money and...because we don't have a car.

When we had our info. table at an annual bike trade show that drew 10,000 people, it was abit strange where some women just treated us /our group like lepers when we tried to provide them merely info. These women were with their male friends/spouses.

Honest, some women have insecurity issues that they don't want to associate at all with an all-female cycling group.

To reach teenage girls, the focus should not be on competition nor racing for the majority of girls at that stage. Instead more focus on cycling competency, endurance and confidence to take on long routes, busy traffic ...while also having fun. When there is clear evidence that many teenage girls (to me) look heavier than teenage girls were 30 years ago, cycling certainly can become sellable option as healthy fun thing to do ...if the girl doesn't feel safe or too exposed to be jogging solo. At that age, I would tend to build in some social time for teenage girls during a ride/workshop(s).

I was an awkward, brainy nerd in high school and for certain, suggestions of racing/competition would have intimidated me from cycling. thank god at that time, I was still cycling in cemeteries where I felt safe from roaring traffic But then I was wierd and abit of a loner who did my own thing.

[Eden]

To reach teenage girls, the focus should not be on competition nor racing for the majority of girls at that stage. Instead more focus on cycling competency, endurance and confidence to take on long routes, busy traffic ...while also having fun. When there is clear evidence that many teenage girls (to me) look heavier than teenage girls were 30 years ago, cycling certainly can become sellable option as healthy fun thing to do ...if the girl doesn't feel safe or too exposed to be jogging solo. At that age, I would tend to build in some social time for teenage girls during a ride/workshop(s).

I was an awkward, brainy nerd in high school and for certain, suggestions of racing/competition would have intimidated me from cycling. thank god at that time, I was still cycling in cemeteries where I felt safe from roaring traffic But then I was wierd and abit of a loner who did my own thing.

I don't necessarily agree with this. While not every girl wants to be on a competitive sporting team I think that girls should absolutely be encouraged to get involved in competitive cycling. I would never have dreamed of trying to join the basketball team or the volleyball team when I was in high school. I definitely was about as opposite as possible from being a high school jock, I was a pretty poor swimmer and too small to be useful at any ball sports, but I was an avid cyclist and I probably would have jumped at the chance to join a cycling team. Unlike ball sports its something that is easy to continue into adult hood, competitively or not.

I was a pretty akward brainy nerd too - but I felt very much at home out on the road and used to do 70 mile solo rides when I was 14 (which probably only served to mark me more out....). I can respect that competition isn't for everyone, but I also think that it's not a reason to not encourage girls to do it. There are track and cross country teams and that doesn't discourage girls from jogging for fitness.

[shootingstar]

Another topic for female cyclists providing leadership locally to other women and girls... to help them understand when group cycling is beneficial vs. solo vs. competitive cycling/racing.

is how to look at sports and what a person's personality is like. Cycling can be a "social" oriented sport riding in groups to push one's competence further and for the social aspect. Or it can be pursued in a more solitary manner...for folks (like me) who are tend to be loners, independent and carve their own road.

Nowadays I advise people to choose a sport that they love to do..often enough...for many years to come. Doesn't matter if it's golf, running, bowling, etc. Also some people just don't realize that perhaps why they don't enjoy group/team sports...it may not fit their personality profile. Or they need group /team sport/exercise activity to stay motivated/be pushed to excel.

Keep in mind some girls might want sport to be a great workout with some fitness pushing to the limits, but non-competitive because already in other parts of their life they ARE competing (ie. academically) or they are competing on the job to stay on top of their profession.

[Starfish]

What would I like to know?

How to start a recreational cycling program for at-risk adolescent girls that would form the base for a life in cycling, regardless of whether that base led to competition, recreation, or commuting. Question areas I would have would include:

-Liability & parental consent issues
-Finding bike donations and mechanical support
-Finding volunteers to lead, teach, train
-Fund raising
-Involving moms for mother/daughter lifestyle changes together
-Mentoring issues to help girls compete if that was their wish
-Partnering with schools, YMCAs, or other existing programs
-Adding additional prevention components
-And probably lots more questions I haven't thought of!

[shootingstar]

Good points to mull over, smileycat. It does help to have a small core group..at least 2-4 other women who share in leadership /organization of "stuff". But even the little core group of leaders get burnt out too.

Another thing is:

Understanding leadership (if you want to be of the spearheaders of an organization) and your own personality style in cycling. It can set the tone for the organization and group dynamics. It's quite different to be just a competitive racer vs. a leader for an organization to have a viable membership that doesn't stagnate.

How to see and understand the relationship of your cycling group to other local cycling related organizations. It helps that the group leaders aren't just solely racers/competitors, from a marketing perspective and building bigger membership.

In our core group we had a transportation policy analyst who was a tourer, a woman who toured and ran her own cycling/walking touring business, etc. Some of us had cross memberships with cycling advocacy organizations. Cross-organizational linkages are great for getting the word out about our group because people will send referrals to us. I remember the lst year when we folded our organization and I was at a bike trade show...painful to hear someone unable to give referral to a women's organization when the women were looking for support.... they came from out of town to the show....and I was standing nearby..

Seems like so far for most co-ed large cycling events, rides..etc. that I've participated, is usually is less women in the group.

Still lots to drum up participation. It's difficult to build racing numbers among women..when the foundation needs to be laid first.

[velogirl]

wow! I somehow missed a bunch of these replies (busy breaking up with my boyfriend last weekend). Alas.....

Here's where I'm going with this. Any thoughts?

Creating a Meaningful Women’s Cycling Program

Why Velo Girls – How it all Began

Why Programs Specifically for Women – Gender Differences in Cycling
• Desire for Community
• Need for Education
• How we Approach Competition
• Why we Begin Riding

Various Business Models
• Women’s Program within an Existing Co-ed Cycling Club
• Women’s Cycling Club
• Programs for Women within an Existing Coaching Organization
• Coaching Organization focused on Women
• Regional Organization
• Women’s Cycling Group within a Multi-Sport Club
• Women’s Event/Program within a Sponsor Organization (ie bike shop, health club, fitness center, corporation, local race association).

Developing Women Cyclists
• Why Women Start Riding
• How to Find Them
o

Partnering with bike shops
o Partnering with other Women’s organizations
o Partnering with other Cycling and Fitness Organizations

• How to Recruit Them
• How to Retain Them

Developing Women Racers
• Just What is Development Anyways?
• Competitive Athletes from other Disciplines
• Recreational Riders
• Demographic of “Typical” New Woman Racer

Retaining Women Racers:
• Life gets in the Way (Career, Motherhood, Partner’s Priorities)
• Keeping Women Engaged
• Overcoming Fears
• Providing Opportunities (ie working with Promoters)
• Dealing with Failure
• Managing Success

Does One Size Fit All?
• Juniors
• Masters
• Elites
• Recreational Riders
• Multi-Sport Athletes

Ideas for Success:
• Skills Education
• Health & Fitness Education
• Mentorship
• Community
• Sustainability
o L

eadership
o Group Dynamics
o Variety of Opportunities
o Measuring Success

Challenges of a Gender-Based Organization:
• Geography
• Working with Women
• Reaction of the Other Gender
• Competition with other Women’s Organizations

How to Overcome the Challenges to Being a Leader in a Man’s World

Concluding Thoughts

[tulip]

Well, I seem to be just full of ideas today...

I loved commuting to work on my bike when I worked in an office. I got a few people in my office to also commute to work, at least from time-to-time.

Most people express dismay about bike commuting--too far, weather woes, traffic fears, dealing with clothes and clean-up, etc.

In DC, there was a program by the local advocacy group to have commuter mentors--someone who you could call to ride to work with you. I tried to be such a mentor, but I never got a response to my inquiries, so I gave up with them. I still think it's a great idea, though.

Do any of you have experience with bike commuter mentor programs? That, too, could be a good way to get women on bikes, and even recreational riders together through commuting.

[Geonz]

Tulip, I got into cycling in Richmond. It was a February and I'd called a fellow for dinner to thank him for helping me teach a guitar class, and his obviously no-longer-ex answered his phone, and I thought "it's time to meet new people!"

That Saturday, I went on the Ashland Breakfast Club ride. I called the leader (they rotate every week - you sign up to lead one Saturday and do the sign-up sheet and help people connect)... showed up Saturday and he looks at my hybrid and looks at me and says "how fast do you go?" and I said "I don't know," and he points at this group of folks and says "they go your speed."

They did! We rode out to Hardee's where everybody literally regroups and decides how far they're *really* going. Our group ended up going 42 miles but at no point was I in the back of the group. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have been amazed because they could have dropped me in a heartbeat. Instead there was lots of talk about cycling and the sights theyh'd seen and the meals they'd had, and the idea taht if cycling was so much fun, why did some people want to get it over with as soon as possible?

Dang it, I just checked the website and *today's* leader is Rickey Davis - one of thsoe guys. Oops, I gotta go send him a late CHristmas card ... http://www.raba.org/ is the club site.