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Why women don't cycle?

Did you know that 75% of cyclists are male? 

Cycling provides an opportunity to substitute the car for a healthier option. It doesn't require fuel, it contributes to an active healthy lifestyle, and saves reduces the huge air pollution problem in the UK.

I am trying to investigate why the gender imbalance exists in cycling in the UK, as in countries such as Germany and The Netherlands women cycle as much as men; furthermore, cycling is a popular mode of transport in these countries.

So what do you think are the main reasons behind this? Some contributing factors that have emerged in my research are;
 

Harrasment (verbal abuse, funny looks, sexual harrasment)
Lack of confidence
Fear of traffic
Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc
Distance
Weather
Lack of cycle lanes
hills
Not knowing enough about bicycle maintence
Bikes are too expensive, not sure where to get a 2nd hand one

Would love to hear your views, please feel free to reply, the more detail the better!

Hopefully my research can contribute to achieving a gender parity in UK cycling!

Best wishes,

George
University of Manchester

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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66 comments

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Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
1 like

Depends on what kind of cycling you wish to encourage; Commuting, shopping / local journeys, sport and recreation.

From random conversations over the years with the tiny demographic of women who would speak with me I would cite, as genuine concerns, lack of confidence in actually riding a bike, usually as a result of not cycling as a child, usually due to parental fears over road safety. And leading from that, lack of safe cycling infrasture at critical points. E.g a single scarey roundabout can make an otherwise simple commute a no go.

After that the excuses become more of a veneer over simply not wanting to make an effort or being put to any discomfort over the cocooned space of the car.

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webcrest | 5 years ago
0 likes

I think many women don't use their cycle for everyday journeys because they can't carry stuff on cycle like  shopping bags , multiple things etc and some one want to build a child seat on cyclic.
i think required more publicity about how to make bicycles useful in everyday life?

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Kapelmuur | 5 years ago
1 like

My 17 year old granddaughter is a dancer, a competition ice skater  and she is goes to a gym for strength and flexibiliy training for skating, so I asked her whether she would consider cycling.

She said that she would cycle but she's scared of traffic and that's what puts her off the most.

She also made the point that no girls she knows cycle and that it would be wierd to be the only one who does.   She said that it's easier for boys to continue to ride to school as they don't have to wear skirts.

Finally, she enjoys the social side of skating (she's in a team) and dancing and doesn't see cycling as a sociable activity. 

 

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Watty650 | 5 years ago
2 likes

I'm a female and I cycle for fitness.  I was late to the party, only starting in my 40's and starting off at a very low fitness level.  Luckily i found Breeze rides whihc has helped me progress & I now cycle with a number of mixed local cycling groups & I am a Breeze leader.

Of your list 

Harrasment (verbal abuse, funny looks, sexual harrasment)

I have been shouted at and abused by passing car drivers, but I can usually hold my own and luckily they have never stopped, plus I am told in certain circumstances I can be a little scary.

I do though sometimes worry about being in remote places on my own on a bike ride but that's because i watch too many murder mysteries

Lack of confidence

As a female I do worry about rocking up to join a new group, particularly a mixed group.  Usually I worry about being fast enough & getting dropped, especially if i don't know the area or causing some inconvienience & holding the group up.

Some groups also do not encourage women.  A club local to me advertises their "beginner" rides as 17-18mph average.  Too fast for most beginner women to manage & a number of men I would imagine

Fear of traffic

I can't say i'm keen on traffic, but it's not really put me off.  I try to be sensible, i wouldn't cycle down a major A roads if i can avoid it & if it is busy i'd use a cycle path if there was one available, but is that gender related or just general common sense?

Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc

That's not gender specific, it's person. Some people worry about these things, some don't.  Personally i'm usually covered in snot & oil within 10 minutes & am passed caring.

Distance

Again depends on the person, women tend to have better stamina than men so distance isn't really a problem when we get going.  I'm training for ride london so for me i wouldn't bother to turn up for rides less than 50 miles.

One consideration that may not have been mentioned is that the majority of Breeze rides are restricted to 50 miles or less, unless the leader has been on a level 2 training course.  This can resstrict the distances alot of women are offered on group rides. 

Weather

I won't go out in ice, but again is that gender or just sensible., as i can't really afford a broken bone. I will though use my turbo if i can't get out, that's partly why i have one.

Lack of cycle lanes

Not a problem where i am as i live on a sustrans route & in quite a rural setting.  

hills

I can't say I like them, and I'm not the fastest up them, but i have passed a number of men pushing their bikes up.  All I ask is if you get off, pull to the side of the road & when pushing don't walk in the middle of the road.

 
Not knowing enough about bicycle maintence

Again that could be anyone, regardless of gender.  My other half doesn't know one groupset from another, where as i like to research everything about the bikes i purchase. i regularly read this forum, a number of bike magazines. 

I can't strip down my bike but i can fix a puncture if I'm out, have the number of my local bike shop on speed dial & i have breakdown insurance if I'm totally stuck on a ride.  

Bikes are too expensive, not sure where to get a 2nd hand one

Rubbish again, not gender specific. My other half tries to limit me to 3 bikes.  I have 5 with nothing less than ultegra, and I have the gadgets to go with them.  this depends on the person & if they like "stuff" and have the means to buy it.

What i have found though, is bike shops can make assumptions.  They see a female & see lower spec and talk to you accordingly.  If i have this situation i take my custom elsewhere & tell all my female cycling friends, conversely I also tell them if the cycle shop staff are helpful & non judgmental.

 

 

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HoarseMann | 5 years ago
3 likes

Safety is the biggest concern for my wife.

On the UK roads most drivers are considerate, but there are enough bad drivers to almost guarantee a scary incident on every ride.

Cycle infrastructure should help, but in the UK it is often a muggers paradise of quiet alleyways lined with bushes.

Then you’ve got the occasional aggression just for being out on a bike minding your own business...

https://youtu.be/WYV6o_Nyszc

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ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
9 likes

It seems to me that this is the wrong place to ask this question. First, it's predominantly men, second the women here do cycle. You should be asking the women who don't cycle, and they're probably not reading this site.

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ManchesterRider replied to ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
0 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

It seems to me that this is the wrong place to ask this question. First, it's predominantly men, second the women here do cycle. You should be asking the women who don't cycle, and they're probably not reading this site.

 

I have already done a focus group with female non-riders.

 

This has still generated interest and people are answering on behalf of their partners etc.

 

 

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matthewn5 replied to ConcordeCX | 5 years ago
5 likes

ConcordeCX wrote:

It seems to me that this is the wrong place to ask this question. First, it's predominantly men, second the women here do cycle. You should be asking the women who don't cycle, and they're probably not reading this site.

THIS

If you're really doing university research, with all due respect, I wouldnt start here. Have a look at Rachel Aldred's excellent work, look at her methodology, and try reproducing elements of that.

My OH commutes from London to Hatfield. It would a 5 minute cycle to the station, but the traffic around the station is hideous, and the station crowded and awkward even as a pedestrian. She'd have to carry the bike up stairs, onto a train with no cycle spaces, then carry it over the bridge at Hatfield (there are at least lifts there). But the real problem is cycling from Hatfield station to her office: the New Town has been laid out for the convenience of motor cars, with fast dual carriageways everywhere, and although there are cycle tracks (divided pavements, essentially), the routes are indirect, interrupted and awkward.

She likes coming out for a ride into town on a Sunday, loved the new segregated cycleways and cycles happily when she's not being intimidated by drivers. But useful segregated tracks are rare in this country....

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
1 like

Kudos for cycling 40 miles to work. My work is less than 10 miles away and I still can't be arsed some days.  

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bikerchickie | 5 years ago
8 likes

I guess I'm your atypical woman then. I love riding my race bike. So here's my answer to your list of factors.

 

Harrasment (verbal abuse, funny looks, sexual harrasment)
I'm from Belgium, lots of cyclists here, but I do find that I still get looks from male cyclists. Some are looks of amazement, usually from older cyclists, others give me a "hey look, a woman on a race bike"-smile.  I don't give a crap. 

Lack of confidence
Nope. I often go riding with men and I can hold my own. 

Fear of traffic
Sometimes, on busy roads, but I tend to avoid them like the plague. Luckily, there are enough bike paths here where  you don't see cars for miles and miles. 

Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc
Bwuahahahaha. I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer. Isn't that why showers were invented?

Distance
I commute to work by bike twice a week. My office is 40 miles away. You do the math. 

Weather
Nope. When it rains,  I get wet. I'm not made of sugar, I won't melt. I only cycle indoors (track) when temps go down lower than -5° or when it snows, which hardly ever happens here.

Lack of cycle lanes
Nope. Plenty of those around here.

hills
I'll give you that one. I hate climbing. Doesn't stop me from going to the Mont Ventoux each year. But if given a choice between a hilly ride and a flat one, I'll always pick the latter.

Not knowing enough about bicycle maintence
After riding for two years, I got sick of paying through the nose for bicycle maintenance, so I went to evening school and am now a licensed bicycle technician.

Bikes are too expensive, not sure where to get a 2nd hand one
I just ordered a BMC Teammachine SLR01.  I don't have kids, have to spend my hard earned cash on something, right? 

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ManchesterRider replied to bikerchickie | 5 years ago
0 likes

bikerchickie wrote:

Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc
Bwuahahahaha. I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer. Isn't that why showers were invented?

 

 

Hi,

this came up frequently with fellow students, 'concerns over appearence' were cited frequently. Which is why I included it.

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PRSboy replied to ManchesterRider | 5 years ago
0 likes

ManchesterRider wrote:

bikerchickie wrote:

Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc
Bwuahahahaha. I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer. Isn't that why showers were invented?

 

 

Hi,

this came up frequently with fellow students, 'concerns over appearence' were cited frequently. Which is why I included it.

 

Also, my office building does not have a shower facility.  This makes it impractical for me to regularly cycle a hilly 16 miles (though I'm a bloke not a woman, but the point still stands), so its back to the infrastructure point.

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Drinfinity | 5 years ago
0 likes

And Ros will be on the telly now to talk about it

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
0 likes

The BBC have picked up on this too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44446958

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CAF2012 | 5 years ago
3 likes

Some of it may be self-sustaining - as there aren’t many women riding, women don’t ride. This is just anecdotal, but the number of women riding in my cycling club has increased substantially over the past few years - in part as a result of people initially trying other (usually the women-focused Breeze/Let’s Ride) rides and perhaps because we offer non-speedrat groups as well. Last Sunday, the group I was in had 11 riders, 9 of them women - and a fair number of those had started their riding with Breeze rides in the past.  That number was a bit exceptional but it’s usually at least even in this group (which is a non-speedrat group); the faster groups tend to skew more male but we still have plenty of faster women. As far as I can tell, the reason that we have a reasonable number of women riding is because many saw women already in the club when they started riding. 

(I’m female, btw, and there were fewer women when I started. But the club was welcoming and I work in a fairly male-oriented industry so am used to not seeing many other women). 

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Canyon48 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Whilst I was on the committee for my uni cycle club, we REALLY struggled to get female members (we struggled to get members full stop - but that's a different matter).

Of the 25-30 members, 3 were female. Of the 5-10 regulars, 1 was female.

Interestingly, I would estimate 50-60% of the cycle commuters I saw most days who used the cycle parking at uni were female.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
5 likes

FEAR OF HARM, that is the main reason why women/most people do not cycle, then it comes down to lazyness/thinking that it takes too long, is too much hassle to cycle as opposed to using the car.

It's not cycling specific infra or lack thereof, that in itself is not required, it's the existing environment that we have, the infra that is already there that is allowed to be commandeered by the wrong group and using it by force majeure at the expense of the safety and ease of transit of everyone else.

You remove the freedom to go about with ease by motorvehicle, you restrict completely, you force by adapting vehicles to be only x size and allowed to go at x speed in certain environments and have a maximum acceleration speed too. This will turn the tide, thinking about cycle specific infra is small potatoes, first it won't happen and b it doesn't go anywhere near far enough, not even in the Netherlands.

Sometimes we have to force things by hook or by crook, governments of both leading parties are weasly tossers when it comes to forcing those that cause harm to change.

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Ronald | 5 years ago
16 likes

I'm Dutch, and only lived in England for about 5 years. To me it is really simple: England is extremely intimidating for any cyclist. The level and frequency of aggressive/inconsiderate/careless behaviour by motor car drivers is really off the chart.

I cycle less, and enjoy cycling less because of this than when I lived in the Netherlands. I like to be in control, but do do "risky" sports (fell running, downhill as fast as I dare, skiing). On the road I'm not in control, but at the mercy of an idiot who has a bad day, can't care less, who knows.

From here it is simple psychology... Men are more prone to take risks. I don't expect any chance in the male/female split in cycling until the game of chance that is cycling in the UK is gone.

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Beecho | 5 years ago
0 likes

Personal experience comes from the sister-in-law (Anna, serious rider and my main partner in 2 wheeled crime) and the more cake & coffee loving missus (Kate).

Anna rides everywhere in all weathers. Kate, never when it’s raining and rarely when it’s cold. Anna has short hair, Kate long, and long hair that ‘needs’ much straightening...

And that really is all I have to offer. Sorry.

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
2 likes

Been trying to get my other half onto a bike for years now, even offered to front up for an electrically assisted one but no chance. Think of about 20 of her friends only one actually cycles regulary for exercise, maybe on a couple more ride on family wobble abouts and the rest are bone idle and it shows. 

This is what happens when being overweight becomes the norm. 

 

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AfterPeak | 5 years ago
0 likes

Was the figure of 75% of cyclists are male adjusted for the work population split? I have no idea on this but career breaks for children may skew result as would areas where males dominate the workforce. Just a thought.

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ManchesterRider replied to AfterPeak | 5 years ago
0 likes

SpikeBike wrote:

Was the figure of 75% of cyclists are male adjusted for the work population split? I have no idea on this but career breaks for children may skew result as would areas where males dominate the workforce. Just a thought.

Hi,

Reasearch shows since the 1970s gender representation in the workplace has balanced out, but women are still expected to carry out most household duties.

Today, over 70% of women aged 16–64 are employed, this percentage has increased from slightly over half (53%) in 1971.

 

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Drinfinity | 5 years ago
1 like

Ooh look, graphs. And maps. And maps with graphs!http://epomm.eu/tems/

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ManchesterRider replied to Drinfinity | 5 years ago
1 like

Drinfinity wrote:

Ooh look, graphs. And maps. And maps with graphs!http://epomm.eu/tems/

 

Thanks for finding that really useful!

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Hirsute | 5 years ago
0 likes

From my minority conversations: helmet hair, lack of showers, general affect on appearance, too dark, adverse weather

Lack of good routes would be in another set of reasons.

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Drinfinity | 5 years ago
1 like

Round here, traffic and hills. But mostly traffic.

 

my ramblings:

I was watching ‘Made in Dagenham ‘ the other night, set in the late sixties . The factory workforce arrived from nearby estates on bikes in their working gear. It was the normal way to get around - a motorcycle was a luxury item. Now it’s seen as a lifestyle choice, rather than the best, easiest option. 

I think the NL difference is infrastructure, and no hills, so bikes are easier than cars for short city journeys and commutes. In Haarlem I saw plumbers with cargo bikes just doing a normal job. In the UK that’s the sort of thing I might spot in Hebden Bridge,  but certainly not mainstream.

 

all of which means the barriers to cycling as normal transport in the UK are high, so the question could be asked - are women more risk averse than men? The comparison earlier with running is interesting- arguably a lower perception of risk running on the pavement than Cycling on the road, but more female participation even though running is horrible.

 

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PRSboy | 5 years ago
1 like

I've many non cycling bloke friends who have mentioned many of the same objections (though not sexual harrassment to be fair!)

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LastBoyScout | 5 years ago
3 likes

To answer your points:

  • Harrasment (verbal abuse, funny looks, sexual harrasment)
    My wife is used to being beeped/whistled at when she's out running, so probably wouldn't bat an eyelid at the same when on a bike.
  • Lack of confidence
    To some extent - she's not that great with the gears and worries about being in the wrong gear at the wrong time, but that would come with experience.
  • Fear of traffic
    Yes - we got rather close passed when we were out together by some impatient idiot, which didn't help. We are reasonably lucky that there are plenty of shared use paths and bike lanes around us, but they don't always go where you want to.

    Both these points enhanced now by cycling with a kiddy seat.
     

  • Not wanting to break a sweat / potentially mess your hair etc
    Not really.
  • Distance.
    To some extent.
  • Weather
    Definitely - she really suffers from Raynauds when it's cold.
  • Lack of cycle lanes
    Not too bad around here.
  • hills
    To some extent, but not too bad around here for short trips.
  • Not knowing enough about bicycle maintence
    A bit - punctures are a worry, but everything else would get handed to me anyway. That includes both my sisters.
  • Bikes are too expensive, not sure where to get a 2nd hand one.
    Not really, but then 2 of hers are new and I bought her the 3rd.

The main things putting my wife off cycling as an option for many car journeys are time, distance, luggage, kids and weather.

Can't really understand why my sister does't cycle to work, as it's only about 4 miles. I'll ask her when I get a minute.

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Shades | 5 years ago
5 likes

Chris Boardman did a good piece on Utrecht in the ITV coverage of the 2015 TdF.  His line was, "I didn't see cyclists, I saw people in normal clothes on bicycles".  If (current) cycling in the UK had it's roots in a 'mode of transport' with all the enabling pieces (eg infrastructure, behavour, laws etc) in place, as opposed to being grown out of 'cycling as a sport/fitness activity', I reckon there would be more women cyclists.

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HowardR | 5 years ago
1 like

Hi ManchesterRider,

Firtsly - thirded on the infrastructure.

The following stream of conciousness guff is largely based on what I see whlist walking through inner London. I make no claims to it being generally applicable...

First an observation - when cycling is used as a mode of transport  it is, as I understand it, often much more 'Sport' orientated than it is in countries such as the Netherlands. Lycra, Helmet & Chain Gang of fellow commuters seems to be the norm for many people.

I'd be intrested to know the mean/meadian/modal commuting distances of commuters in the U.K compared to more sensible places .... possibly a function of housing costs?

A number of items on your list could be equally well be applied to running, yet running seems to have a much higher rate of female participation. On a few occasions I've tried to keep a  tally of male & female runners (who seem to be commuting, ruck sack e.t.c) as I trudge my way from station to work <yes! I do need to get out more> and on occasion there have been more female runners than male runners.

and.... a number of the items on your list could be applied to horse ridding - but when I'm out on my bike & encounter a horse & ride 85% + of the time the rider is female.

and.... I'm betting that the clear majority of the replies that you'll get here will be posted by males

 

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