I’m female and I bike, and so can you

Facing a holiday break with very little snow has forced me to re-think my winter recreation. Last year, I commuted to work via bike all winter, but I never pulled out the bike for a fun ride. With too little snow for cross country skiing, I’ve gotten out on my bike during the break and I’m really enjoying it. But I noticed that, while I’ve seen other cyclists on the trails, I even saw a unicyclist, I haven’t seen anyone who looks female. Now, this doesn’t mean they haven’t been out. Winter cycling gear can make it hard to tell. And I do try not to assume gender identity when I see someone. But, even with that in mind, it appears that women are in a minority.

If I’m honest, I would say this is the case all year round. I do know a few all season female cyclists but, when I talk about bike commuting or riding in general, more men express interest, and more women express fear. I find this really interesting and is a source of pride for me. I have some chronic injuries, both could have ended my biking days if I had let them. But I built strength, found some equipment tweaks, and got back on the bike. Overall, I am healthier as a result. I also have in the back of my mind that because I do push myself in sports and activities and I have the occasional crash, I’m maintaining a certain level of confidence that I can walk away from a crash most of the time. This makes it less terrifying to do everything, including walking on increasingly icy paths as our weather changes.

There is some research on women and cycling. Although, I sadly haven’t found anything related to a willingness to fall. The most recent study I found is out of Australia. Pearson and colleagues (2023) found that among men and women who were interested in cycling but concerned about actually starting women expressed greater concern regarding the risks of riding in traffic and a lack of confidence with biking and bikes in general.

Bike infrastructure, with proper separated paths and quality intersections, is clearly important to address. I wonder though if wayfinding support could help as well. I often avoid riding on busy roads, but I have the knowledge of the local trails, and the fitness to extend my rides, to choose alternative routes. Today I rode 25 km and didn’t mix with traffic except in my own neighbourhood. If I had to travel via the main or even secondary driving routes, I wouldn’t touch a bike in winter when I know I will be slow and in conditions that make it riskier. So, if I consider my winter riding perspective to be similar to someone who is interested in biking at other times of year than until we get the infrastructure, I think we need to invest in helping people find routes where they can build their confidence with riding and avoid potential conflicts with cars.

This doesn’t negate the need for better infrastructure, just allows people to get started without having to wait.