The Case for All-Women Cycling Clubs

We know from a 2009 survey from the Federal Highway Administration that women took only 24 percent of bicycle trips in the U.S. that year. Even bike-share programs, which are meant to draw people who wouldn’t normally ride, have failed to close the gender gap. Three-fourths of people using the three largest bike-share programs in the country are men, according to data analyzed by Buzzfeed in 2014.

Bike advocates cite lots of reasons for why women don’t bike: We have to deal with bikes that are designed for men and saddles that aren’t very comfortable. And then there’s practical stuff: figuring out how to haul groceries and children on bikes, and how show up to our jobs without looking sweaty and unprofessional. Another major issue: male-dominated bike groups and shops might not be welcoming spaces for women.