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Cycle commuters twice as likely to be male according to poll London bus and cyclist.jpg

Cycle commuters twice as likely to be male according to poll

Safety concerns the most common reason given for not riding to work
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Aug 25, 2015 14:14
11

New research commissioned by Aviva – the sponsor of the Women's Tour as well as the upcoming Tour of Britain – has found that men are twice as likely as women to cycle to work. BikeBiz reports how the survey of 2,000 people found that 18 per cent of men used their bike to commute compared to nine per cent of women.

On top of this, 41 per cent of women questioned said they have not ridden a bike for over two years, compared to 28 per cent of men. Lindsay Forster, UK and Ireland customer marketing director at Aviva, lauded the impact of Bike to Work Schemes, but said further action was needed to address the imbalance.

The main reasons given by women for not cycling to work were safety concerns (41 per cent) and fitness levels (25 per cent). The equivalent figures for men were 28 per cent and 13 per cent. A lack of showers at work was also cited by 16 per cent of women, while needing the car later in the day was given as a reason by nine per cent. Both men and women felt similarly about the distance to work and cycling in bad weather.

However, nine per cent of women said they had been inspired to take up cycling regularly after watching events such as the Olympics and Forster said she hoped the Aviva Women’s Tour earlier this year would also have helped. “Cycling has numerous benefits including improving people’s health and wellbeing, keeping commuting costs down alongside being better for the environment. I hope more women will be encouraged to give cycling a try.”

Earlier this year, national cyclists’ charity CTC urged more people to commute by bike after research revealed that 47 per cent of people live five miles or less from their place of work.

CTC’s Bike Week Co-ordinator, Jonathan Sharpe, said that this and other findings made ‘a really a compelling case for cycling.’

“It is easy to start your day on time, less burdened by traffic jams, and with money still in your pocket ready for a hearty lunch break – the answer is cycling to work.”

Other research previously featured on road.cc has found that those who commute by bike are more likely to arrive at work refreshed and be more productive than people who do so using other modes of transport.

Aviva
Cycle commuting
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

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Dressmaking Cyclist | 9 years ago
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Where I work, the men have a purpose-built shower and changing room block, with full size lockers that is attached to the secure garage that's been converted for bike storage. The women... we lucky things get to use the ladies' toilets so we have to lug everything a across the site to the main building, manhandle it through the security turnstile - and then keep everything under the desk for the rest of the day. I only tend to cycle in on dress down days. It's too much hassle the rest of the time.

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ydrol | 9 years ago
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Here is a useful video for ladies (and gents) venturing out onto the roads.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsEKPHFoIp0

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Women?
On bicycles?
For Gods sake haven't we pandered enough to these harridans, they can vote, they can wear trousers, they can get paid almost as much as men.
Where will this madness stop?
Who will make my tea?

Avatar
levermonkey replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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crikey wrote:

Women?
On bicycles?
For Gods sake haven't we pandered enough to these harridans, they can vote, they can wear trousers, they can get paid almost as much as men.
Where will this madness stop?
Who will make my tea?

You missed out "Their wombs will drop and they will become hysterical!"

This dates from the 1800's. It relates to women cycling and is my all time favourite pseudo science bollocks.

Anecdote time. Shortly after a discussion about the early days of cycling a female colleague was asked to reorganise the storeroom (a horrible job - dirty, sweaty and with much heavy lifting - usually given to one of the lads) by a middle management woman-hating martinet. She looked at him with wide-eyed innocence and said "You can't ask me to do that! My womb might drop!" I cracked two ribs trying not to laugh. I failed and departed by mutual agreement soon after.

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GrahamSt | 9 years ago
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The same reason women are under-represented in other extreme sports!

Give them safe infrastructure and watch the figures change.

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bdsl | 9 years ago
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I wonder whether the nine percent that said they were inspired by watching sports cycling did so in response to a leading question. It would be good to see the exact wording of the questions asked.

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danthomascyclist | 9 years ago
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I'm riding increasingly defensively every day. It's my stubbornness and passion for riding that keeps me commuting by bike. This article comes as no surprise. The roads currently aren't fit for cyclists. Another survey, more proof that people don't ride because governments don't fix. Be prepared for the lack of action that will follow.

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oozaveared replied to danthomascyclist | 9 years ago
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danthomascyclist wrote:

The roads currently aren't fit for cyclists.

I am not even sure what that means. There are potholes and bad surfaces, and some traffic and some drivers that aren't always helpful but generally the roads can be cycled on. I started riding in a club in 1973 and actually the roads and the drivers are better than they were.

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vonhelmet replied to oozaveared | 9 years ago
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oozaveared wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

The roads currently aren't fit for cyclists.

I am not even sure what that means. There are potholes and bad surfaces, and some traffic and some drivers that aren't always helpful but generally the roads can be cycled on. I started riding in a club in 1973 and actually the roads and the drivers are better than they were.

But it's still an act of will to do it. For the general man on the street, it appears extremely dangerous.

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kraut replied to oozaveared | 9 years ago
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oozaveared wrote:
danthomascyclist wrote:

The roads currently aren't fit for cyclists.

I am not even sure what that means. There are potholes and bad surfaces, and some traffic and some drivers that aren't always helpful but generally the roads can be cycled on. I started riding in a club in 1973 and actually the roads and the drivers are better than they were.

It's very simple: Our infrastructure does nothing to make cycling be pleasant or feel safe.

If you have the infrastructure to make cycling feel safe, it's not self-selecting by gender, and, just as importantly, restricted by age.

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mrmo | 9 years ago
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http://road.cc/content/news/161711-video-man-pushes-female-cyclist-traff...

1+1

is it really that surprising?

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