Cycling is wonderful, and I want as many people as possible to discover its joy. Whilst I’m all for breaking down the barriers that stop anyone from riding, as cycling continues to be a male dominated sport - in 2022, men made almost three times more cycling trips than women - I especially want to encourage more women into the fold.
I’m not, by any means, anti-men. I love men, I’m surrounded by them. I’m lucky enough to have an extremely supportive husband (second time lucky) and two permanently hungry, lanky teenage sons. I do like to be surrounded by women too, though, and I find I get more from myself on the bike in a same sex group.
This summer, I’ll be the ride leader for several women’s only cycling camps. I can’t wait. It was a women’s only Cycletta sportive which got me hooked on the sport in the first place, and now I’d like to give that opportunity to others. It’ll be, I hope, reminiscent of the summer of 2019, when I rode the full route of the Tour de France alongside nine other women as part of a campaign to see its organisers introduce a race for the female pro peloton. In 2024, we’ll cheer on the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, so the progress in just five years is undeniable.
But what is it about women’s only rides that proves so effective in breaking down the barriers between women and their bikes? I’ve got some ideas…
Shared experiences build strong bonds
When we created the InternationElles - to ride the full route of the Tour de France as a team of 10 amateur women - we were a force to be reckoned with. We built memories to last a lifetime, and I am so proud to have been part of that bad ass girl gang. Each year a bunch of us get together to celebrate the race we campaigned so hard for, and along the way we meet other like minded women and our network grows. This annual celebration is unfailingly joyous.
You don’t need to cover hundreds of kilometres to create these memories, or foster unbreakable bonds. Cycling, by its nature, gives us the opportunity to push through boundaries, and build new, stronger versions of ourselves. Experiencing this metamorphosis in a group of like minded individuals - in an environment where no topic is off limits (more on that later) - creates unbreakable friendships.
Riding with other women is more fun, and feels safer
Not everyone will understand this, and that’s ok. If you never feel unsafe or scared when you’re out and about, it may be a privilege you’ve not fully recognised. When women are in a safe, nurturing environment we are able to discuss issues which uniquely affect the female body and mind, such as physically carrying and birthing children, saddle problems, training at certain times of the month, menopause and sports bras.
Menopause and perimenopause still seems to be a bit of a taboo and a lot of women aren’t comfortable talking about it with men around. However, there's a huge benefit in sharing experiences around getting help, medication recommendations and understanding symptoms. Personally, I’m struggling with coming to terms with the fact that I’m already at the age to be discussing this junction in the female experience of life, I certainly don’t want to chat about it with blokes around; I'm sure there are things my male friends don't talk about when I'm around.
The upshot for everyone? Most men will be grateful they don’t need to be around to listen to this and women are around peers and more comfortable to talk openly.
All abilities are welcome
Men aren’t the only ones who can push the pace - as clearly evidenced by the results we see at races like the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. We can and will ride hard. But, we can and will also take it easy when we want to.
There are biological differences between men and women, which mean that - all other factors being equal - for a woman to ride at the same pace as fast men, she needs to be ‘super fast’. A female beginner cyclist may struggle to keep up with beginner men. Cycling is more fun when we are able to ride with other individuals who share both a similar ability, and a similar mindset or level of interest.
Women only events make sure everyone is welcome, catered for, and paired alongside people who they will likely have more in common with.
Women’s only events let us leave ingrained roles at the door
Women only events are an opportunity to set aside our day-to-day responsibilities for a short time, and enjoy ourselves. We can, momentarily, put away thoughts of the jobs we do or the roles we have at home. You don’t need to be anyone’s mum, boss, employee or wife whilst on the bike.
On mixed trips, heterosexual couples so often fall into the roles they have at home, and that’s less likely to happen on single sex trips, providing a break from the ‘mental load’ - the “anticipating, fulfilling, and monitoring [of] household needs” which a 2022 study found women typically take on 70% of. Of course, these stats won't represent all households or relationships, but it's still a common theme.
One mixed cycling trip I went on a few years ago was a real eye opener for me. The men expected the women to be in charge of cooking and the toilet was so disgusting I vowed to never go away with mostly men ever again. I wholeheartedly recognise that there’s a ‘not all men’ component here - the vast majority of the male species knows how to cook and aim in the loo - but it’s not an experience I’d like to repeat.
Finally, on mixed tips, women in heterosexual relationships often attend with a partner - which can be isolating for solo travellers, too.
The fear of failure is forgotten
Being away from home, and cycling in a group of riders all at different stops on their journey with the bike, fosters a sense of camaraderie. Time and time again I’ve seen that, in a same sex environment, women are more likely to push their boundaries and work that little bit harder. There is no need to be afraid of failure, there is no failing, it’s all about the joy of the ride. It's difficult to put into words exactly why a same sex situation creates this environment, but, it very often does.
Being on a cycling holiday, or at a cycling event, is an opportunity to revel in everything it is about cycling which made you fall in love with it, and whilst I’m happy to share that moment with men, personally, an all female peloton has always proven itself to be the best experience.
