Why aren't women riding more?

24 comments
By Richard Peace | Friday, Mar 13, 2009 10.00am

Women are still lagging behind men in their willingness to get on two wheels, research by sustainable transport charity Sustrans has found. Many lack the confidence to take on the dangers, perceived or otherwise, that cycling involves.

Some 79 percent of the women questioned felt that cycling wasn't for them, with less than 1 in 10 women cycling more than once a month. Concerns for safety ranked high among women's negative feelings, along with lack of fitness and motivation. 

The 'cycling gender gap' is reinforced by recent figures from Cycling England, which suggest men are three times more likely to saddle up than women.  

The Sustrans research broke down the responses according to age, with the following findings:

  • 17 per cent of women considered themselves too old to cycle
  • The 35-44 age bracket are the most likely to cycle, cycling 50 percent more than women in the 15-24 age group, even though 69 percent of this age group never cycle.  

Fears over safety

BikeRadar spoke to Sarah Leeming, active travel co-ordinator for Sustrans in Luton, where her daily work often involves helping get women back in the saddle.

She said: "Confidence is a big issue with all age groups, especially with regards to road safety. Traffic-free routes, such as Luton's National Cycle Network routes, are an excellent way for women to gain confidence in safe surroundings, as are the group rides Active Travel organises."

The Cycling England research corroborated Sustrans' general findings, with more than half the women questioned citing safety as an issue. In the image stakes, the biggest fear amongst 18- to 34-year-olds was 'arriving at work sweaty'.

Yet more research from Portland State University in the US confirms that 'too much traffic is a barrier to biking' is a more prevalent view among women (52 percent) than men (34 percent).      

Leeming also felt 'helmet hair' syndrome was a factor, with some women citing turning up at their destination dishevelled and sweaty a factor. She said one of the best ways of countering this image problem was to get women on bikes and enjoying themselves through cycle training.

"Some larger ladies say they are simply too big to get on a bike but my experiences with cycle training have never shown this to be true," she said.

Image problem

BikeRadar

She said: "In countries with a culture of cycling where it isn't seen as a marginal activity, like Holland, Germany and Denmark, equal numbers of men and women cycle. This is because people are influenced by what they see around them ... and whether they can identify with being a cyclist.

"In the UK, the image associated with cycling is male, often in Lycra, quite likely to be moving at speed and often not a very friendly person – possibly aggressive. 

"There are good reasons for this – it stems from cyclists feeling marginalised, constantly being criticised from all sides, not liked by pedestrians and not appreciated by drivers – so a particular mentality has resulted. For women this isn't attractive."

Where women live is also likely to influence how often they cycle, according to Sustrans. Women in the South West are most likely to cycle (wet weather and hills – two commonly cited disincentives – clearly not putting them off), while those who live in Scotland and the North West are the least likely to saddle up.  

To encourage women to get on their bikes, Sustrans will be organising female-friendly cycle rides in the summer using traffic-free sections of the National Cycle Network. 

The charity has also set up a new women-specific website, www.bikebelles.org.uk, which has just gone live and has lots of information on what to wear, where to go and how to do it. 

You can follow BikeRadar on Twitter at twitter.com/bikeradar and on Facebook at facebook.com/BikeRadar.

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User Comments

There are 24 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 24 of 24 comments

  • Great article!

    It's strange because in Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Berlin there are loads of women cyclists and a lot of them are either commuters or mothers. I think it may also be the UK weather. But then again it rains quite a bit in Holland as well. I ride everywhere but my sister thinks it just isn't cool to wear a helmet or bike clips. It certainly does not stop girls in Copenhagen from looking sexy. If women only realised that a fit body would actually increase their attractiveness.

  • "If women only realized that a fit body would actually increase their attractiveness."

    Bravo!! This is the definitely the main KEY for women to get involved in ANY physical activities...only it have to get to their head and mind.

  • The lycra issue is interesting. All the other cities mentioned have lots of cyclists and I can't recall seeing anyone riding in anything other than normal clothes. Their bikes are also considerably more modest and old-fashioned. We probably over-do it here - a simple bike, with a chainguard is all most people need for short rides, rather than a super-fast road racer. In general, I think we might over-equip ourselves here, which could well put others off trying cycling as part of their transport option-mix.

  • I agree with pintoo. In Amsterdam the bikes are very basic and most people just ride in normal gear. But who cares as long as they are riding. You should see the bike garage at Central Station. It is completely nuts. There must be at least 5000 bikes there. I felt a bit of show-off with my Cannondale touring.

    Regarding the women thing, women go to great lengths to look good - diet, clothes, makeup etc - but in the end if the body isn't in shape then what's the point? I'd much rather see a natural looking fun sporty girl in casual riding gear than some done up city type with make up and a handbag any day.

  • Even as a reasonably experienced male cyclist, used to doing reasonable distances on a bike (180 miles in a week was my normal riding last year) I can only say I'm not suprised women feel unsafe on the roads, I feel it myself!

    Narrow roads with high speed traffic and aggressive drivers are very off-putting for anyone, the lack of consideration given by planners in provision for cyclists and the assumption that we will happily 'mix it' with traffic that includes heavy lorries fine in theory but in practice a recipe for disaster.

    Question might be better put, not why so few women cycle as to why so many men are prepared to chance it?

    Answers as to how to 'fix' the problem might include providing the infrastructure and related legal environment, that other countries have which supports the widespread take up of cycling, have one without the other and all the campaigns and tax incentives in the world won't tempt people out of their cars.

    Of course that would mean the UK catching to up where other countries were 30 years or more ago...another fine example of British ability to screw things up by short term thinking?

  • I am quite astonished that article don't mention that mothers are usually in charge of children (far more often that their male counterparts); only SuperFatty bring this up in the first comment.

  • marcba - I drop my kids off at school in the mornings. I wheel my bike while we walk. Cycling just isn't an option for those who have to drive their kids to school and then to work and then to school to pick-up... There are issues around choice of quality schools and the distances we commute to work, but they are quite different things to address. Mothers and fathers run around because we don't have schools, roads or a society we trust our kids to navigate themselves.

    I will always maintain that families in cities need cars. I don't believe that cars are needed for all journeys, though. I take my children to the park and to their grandparents' house on bikes, or by foot as much as possible. This is why I think a mix of options is important. Frankly, public transport is my last option when I'm in a hurry - and that's most of the time.

    As a start, I would love to see people taking their bikes for trips down to the local shops when they need to get a loaf of bread or pint of milk. I would love to see more kids riding to school on their bikes rather than crammed into an over-crowded bus or their parents' car. Changing the smaller journey-mentality has a knock-on effect to use the bike for other journeys - or just for the joy of riding.

  • Bikeability is a good initiative, trying to build confidence in all riders, not just woman.

    I don't think the UK is a particularly dangerous place to ride, quite the opposite.

    I agree that cycling should be perceived differently but that won't happen until people learn to respect the law. Cyclecraft should be compulsory reading at school, where most kids have to learn to respect and obey the law. Only then we will change something.

    In countries where cycling is more widespread, like Italy, the riding standards are quite low too.

    I think we should aim to achieve both.

    Besides, although I normally do wear a helmet, that is not compulsory in this country and I actually don't see it being necessary for trips down the shop on cycle paths.

    If more people learned, from their parents, to ride on the road, safely, rather than on the pavement, I think we would achieve a lot more in terms of safety.

  • I agree with all the comments from the bloggers but I think the problem is that cyclists on this site are often preaching to the converted - The message has to be put in the mainstream areas where women will be more exposed to the message...and I hate to sound like a chauvanist but the Duffy ad is a great start for this - Diet coke and duffy on a bike contains a good blend of marketable messages i.e. Low calorie product, fashionable pop singer who is a bit of a style icon and has a good figure.

    Maybe some sort of fashion clothing by Topshop etc aimed at sporty types?

    I think bikes engineering aspect is also an offput - not just for women but anyone who doesn't like getting their hands dirty - I can't see some fashionista by the side of the road in the wet changing a puncture on an oily bike, spanner in one hand, lipstick in the other.

    I think the solutions involve:

    Fashionable clothing

    Local bike shop courses on maintaining your bike (Edinburgh bikes do a good one)

    More high profile association of cycling with celebs

    A true cycling female icon - pendleton & cooke are a great start but we need more

    Some way of getting girls on to bikes and taking them round the city - an urban cycling course, maybe?

    And I definitely have to agree that a natural girl who's cycling fit is far more attractive than a prissy missy with uber expensive handbag.

    Here's to the girls!

  • Oh and showers/lockers at work are very helpful too - My work has a place to park your bike under CCTV, shower rooms and a locker for clothes and toiletries - I am spoiled here but a few basic provisions at work should help a modestly worked out person - I do about 13 miles each way (including monster hills!) so really need to shower but anything under 5 miles over most roads should be fine (I would have thought!)

  • MC Hammer and Millie Vanilli (?) somehow made cycling shorts fashionable in the 90s - didn't make for more cyclists.

    I genuinely think the ride 2 work type schemes have increased the number of cyclists in London. More schemes to make cycling part of our daily lives really help.

  • Haha! True - Although the cycling shorts were not associated with cycling! Men have a lot of sporting cycling heroes whereas women who (I would imagine) watch less sport and do not have the same admiration and recognition for Pendleton and Cooke that men would have for Lance, Hoy, Wiggins etc as they generally watch less cycling activity. Having a more mainstream figure such as Duffy or respected Celeb who can make cycling aspirational, credible, acceptable - whatever would help.

    A great emphasis on getting "the olympic body" or "olympic sexiness" or something - tap into the greatest need for the target market. Or am I assuming women are a bit vain?

  • Didn't MC Hammer have really baggy trousers? It's Hammer time! Okay, that doesn't add anything to the debate but hey...

  • The other problem is that women in general are quite lazy when it comes to exercise. If it isn't in a nice warm gym with an ipod then it's too uncomfortable. When I see people running on running machines it actually makes me angry. But don't get me wrong, when women do sport properly they are just as good as men. During every single mountain bike race I am regularly overtaken by 20 something females whizzing passed me on the way up and down. So it can be done.

  • U spelt bikes wrong :D:D:D

    To encourage women to get on their bieks, Sustrans will be organising female-friendly cycle rides in the summer using traffic-free sections of the National Cycle Network.

    im quite a spelling geek

  • Superfatty - Treadmills can be a very useful tool in training a running gait to perfect form and have flexible inclines and exact distances and workrates calculated. Yes they are boring but when put in partnership with road running they are useful.

    Jamieh5463 - People need to go for training rides in traffic! The biggest fear is overcoming cars on the road! Going along a traffic free bath on a sunday afternoon is one thing but rush hour commuting is totally different. Learning how to signal, change lanes etc. - Just as you would in a driving lesson. I cycle in leeds city centre duting rush hour traffic and it took me a few attempts to feel confident - you can't get the confidence and awareness without immersing yourself - In this case going through a built-up area - Maybe that's why men are more commonly seen commuting - Risk taking behaviour is more of a male trait.

    All this is a real shame as i'm sure every bloke on the road would be more than pleased to be helpful in teaching people how to look after themselves on the road and the bike too (every guy loves to help a damsel in distress) - A volunteer scheme if you will. Errrr....sounds a bit seedy, but meant in a genuinely friendly, helpful way. You get the idea...

  • traffic free path, even.

  • I'm a lady who got her first new bike two years ago so I could commute the six and a half miles to work. I did it at first because I hated the gym and could never find the motivation to go after work, so I viewed my cycle commute as my work out. I haven't looked back. It's so addictive! I just think people just need to try it and experience the freedom of not being stuck in a car. It's become my hobby and I've just treated myself to a lovely carbon road bike with the intention of biking up the Galibier in July (eeeek!)

    As for arriving sweaty at work, it is a problem, but nothing a bit of forward planning cannot solve. The Times recently ran an article about women in the fashion industry who cycle to work, it shows that you can do it and still look presentable.

    So come on girls, anything boys can do we can do better (and with more style). :-)

  • Janiem - So you should treat yourself to a lovely carbon bike! What is your opinion on how to overcome the problems of traffic/the 'vanity issue' and that women are 'too old' (whatever that means). How would you try and target women in general with the message of success and liberation that you've had?

  • This was discussed at length on CTC and a common thread was that women in thsi age group, look after the kids, do the school run, look after elderly relatives etc. The arugument well they do that in holland, germany, denmark etc is slightly naive as:

    -We dont have a Uk culture of transporting people (unlike holland, germany, denmark) on bikes.

    -People in the UK drive further to work, live further from their schools and relatives than other countries.

    -We dont have quality off road paths

    -We dont have bike shops that can advise new cyclists on how to transport their kids (we have a few but they are the excpetion to the halfords rule).

    -We dont even sell bikes for this purpose.

    I've been cycling all my life and working out how to do this is not easy.

  • They certainly are significant barriers to cycling - I think that maybe as the cost of motoring inevitably rises and people are one day pushed from their cars financially they will find a way - You should plan for a rainy day while it's sunny so to speak so best to try and get cycling in the routine whilst you have a blan b (ie the car) - The sad thing is people will only be forced out of their cars rather than try and find a solution. If they pro-actively thought about it i'm sure at least 30% of the general public could cycle - even just 2-3 days a week - That's a manageable target for most people - Ie the mass majority who don't do more than 5-6 miles to work every day - That would lead to at least a 10% drop in traffic levels in a week. A modest start but a step in the right direction.

    It's the reliance on the car which is such a shame and the resultant transport network, housing situation etc. that has built up around it. We all know it's bad, it pollutes and is a miserable way to get to work - Sometimes you gotta be brave and try and make the jump. This clearly isn't the solution for everyone but show me the average car driver who says this isn't possible and i'll show you a liar. (And a lazy one at that!)

  • cycledad2 makes a good point. We should be trying to get more women to cycle, but also, more elderly and importantly, more children. I cycled everywhere as a kid, then went through a few years thinking I had "outgrown" cycling - probably because I didn't see anyone else of my age group doing it. That all changes when you go to "cycling towns" like Oxford. Of course, it requires a commitment and will from local councils and sadly, many of them are entirely car-focused -- even though they don't offer anywhere to park the damn things.

    The reason I got back on a bike was because (a) cycling was the thing I enjoyed most as a child (age 6 to 16) and nothing else gave me enjoyment through all those stages of life and (b) I got totally fed up of relying on the London Underground. Folding bikes offered me an additional option.

  • Getting more women on bikes is a massive challenge in my opinion. When I first started commuting on mine, there was only one other bloke doing it at my workplace, but when the rest of the men saw me turning up everyday with my bike, loads of them started doing it. None of the girls did. A lot of them said they'd thought about it but helmet hair and vanity put them off. Don't get me wrong, I'm no dollybird, but I do have standards and I keep shoes, clothes, makeup etc at work. I wash and blow-dry my hair before setting off, and then straighten it at work. We don't have showers at work, but I shower at home, and then have a strip wash to freshen up in the ladies. All it takes is a bit of planning.

    As for the fashion element, I think online shops should stock nicer stuff. For example, I totally love the summer 2009 Campagnolo gillet, but can I find anyone who stocks it? No chance. We need a ladies Rapha equivalent.

    And what's this about women being put off by aggressive male cyclists in full racing lycra? I have only found my fellow roadies to be polite and smiley, even when they're totally dropping me on the hills and I'm getting in their way.

    I think it just comes down to personal motivation and confidence in the end. Riding on the roads is dangerous, but so is driving your car or crossing the street. All we can do is lead by example and just hope that more women will give it a go.

  • Great Article ! .. spot on about image.

    To reach this 'blue ocean' which includes women, (and anyone who is not male and sporty), we cyclist must be SO much less of a cliique - eg nerds about gear and how fast we got from AtoB, bike shops run for and by enthusiasts (think 'toys for boys' or any other nerd/hobby shop). The glamorisation of speed, tech and testosterone is fine for the athletic side of cycling but puts off people contemplating cycling as a means of transport - 'plain-clothes' cycling.

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