How to Get Involved with Women's Festival of Cycling: 17 July – 1 August
Cycling UK, a major British cycling charity, is holding the Women's Festival of Cycling this July and I, for one, am massively excited. Why? Because if something encourages more women to ride bikes, I'm all in.
I grew up in a pretty unusual household. Both my parents were (and my mum still is) keen athletes competing in road and cyclocross racing. There were hardly any women cycling when I was growing up in the 90s and most of the women I saw at races were there supporting their male partners and/or looking after children. Getting to watch my mum race, train and set club records (stop blushing mum there's proof and everything) was just normal life to me. But now, I can see how massively her influence was on me.
In the 90s, you just didn't see women pedalling around on the weekends. You didn't see women cycling to the supermarket to fill up their panniers or riding their bikes to work. In the shops, women's bikes were few, far between and often in 'female colours'. You know the ones I'm talking about. The same went for clothing.
Yet this is how I grew up:
More women in cycling
These days, seeing women cycling around is an everyday occurrence whether they're commuting, racing or simply out for a spin. But I still know far fewer female cyclists than male ones.
Lots of women weren't brought up cycling and have never had the confidence to go out on their own or go particularly far in case something breaks. While cycling is a choice that we can all make, without ever having been empowered to learn bike maintenance, how to create routes or even how to navigate challenging roads, junctions and conditions, it's easy to just think, 'cycling isn't for me'.
And that's exactly what Cycling UK are trying to disrupt. Because cycling is for everybody including women. The Women's Festival of Cycling 2021 runs from 17th July to 1st August and has lots of interesting virtual workshops and sessions going on.
Here's a round-up of some of the coolest events the festival has to offer. Get involved! Knowledge is power and community offers unrivalled support.
Women's Festival of Cycling Line-Up
Here are a few amazing online offerings from Cycling UK, so sign up and block out your calendar! Did I mention it's free?
Change an Inner Tube Workshop: At 7pm on 19 July, you can take part in an online inner tube change workshop for bikes with rim brakes. At the same time on 26 July you can do the workshop for disc brake bikes.
Yoga for Cyclists: Cycling puts your body into a pretty unorthodox position and keeps it that way until you get off your bike. There's nothing wrong with this, as long as you stretch yourself out regularly. Cycling UK are putting on four yoga sessions that specifically target parts of the body cyclists use a lot.
Saddle Sore Clinic: Good god, I once cycled about 10 miles in jeans and let me tell you, all was not well in the nether regions afterwards. Cycling puts some pretty unusual pressure on your crotch and, if you don't know how to avoid pain, it can be enough to never want to cycle again. Luckily, there are plenty of ways around this problem (appropriate clothing for one) and I'm sure this talk and Q&A will delve into them. You can even join and ask questions anonymously and participants' names won't be shown regardless.
Get involved in the Women's Festival of Cycling 2021
There are more events, articles and all sorts on the main festival website so check it out and start plotting some fun rides to do during the fortnight. You can log your rides, share them on social media or keep your pedalling a secret, whatever suits you. And yes, electric bikes count!
Now quickly before I check my tyre pressure and go for a pedal up an uncouthly long hill, if you want to read about six inspirational women who are new to cycling and pushing past the barriers, read this article about Cycling UK's digital champions.
Happy cycling!