Women In Cycling - Going Beyond

[classic33]

"Shrink It and Pink It"
"Nearly a quarter of all vehicles in London's morning rush hour are now bicycles according to Transport for London but despite the increased popularity of cycling, the sport has long suffered from a lack of female participation; according to British Cycling, of those people who cycle in England once a week, only 27% are women but this number is rising, and the number of female bicycle commuters has increased by 40% since 2008.!

 

[Steady]

I see a lot more pink bikes with the saddle too low complete with purple dangly tassles on the side of the handlebar pavement cycling females than I do females on any kind of bike on road and whilst it's nice to see them just out on a bike some of the roads the female pavement cyclists are choosing not to use really aren't that bad to use, changing their perception of that is going to be difficult to target.

I can't say I find a problem with cycle clothes at all but I don't see an issue in wearing mens if the fit is right and I definitely own nothing pink (or purple!) cycling related, but the real barrier I found is getting a bike in the first place.

Especially as a beginniner (typically less to spend) wanting a road bike, being smaller and struggling to find the right size bike was my barrier, the nearest store is Halfords and the smallest bike they did at the start of this year was 51cms. Now they've brought out a female tDF and Victoria's Pendleton Initial (fortunately neither are pink, and the Pendleton Intial taking on a 70s retro theme) but they both suffer from the 'shrink it'. They confuse me on sizing as my recommended sizing is according to them is 43cm, when I now know I much prefer a 48-51cm with a standard male 51cm frame just needing the reach altered.

I am the smallest female amongst my friends/family at 5ft3 so the Halfords 43cm/46cm definitely isn't going to be right size wise for them either, but as bad as Halfords is known to be these are the places females are going to go to first if they have no cycling friends yet to boost the confidence of going into the lbs or other 'proper bike places'.

 

[vickster]

Think Halfords bikes measure up quite differently, so. It's worth looking at the geometry

I am surprised even with a shorter stem that a 51cm toptube bike fits you comfortably at 5'3. I'm 5'10 give or take on 54cm frames with a 100mm stem