Labor MLA Dr Marisa Paterson wants more women to ride bikes to work as the government’s light rail disruption begins – a healthier, less stressful way to commute. Canberra Daily talked to some keen women cyclists and bike organisations to find out why they enjoyed cycling, and how to encourage women to take it up.
Why cycle?
“It’s such a freeing, accessible way to get around, let alone to exercise,” said Ella Bloor, women’s co-ordinator for the Canberra Cycling Club. Bike-riding has been a huge part of her life growing up. “A bike can create such a good sense of community, which is not just important to women, but important to everyone.”
“It’s a great network of people that are out there riding,” agreed Belinda Chamberlain, her predecessor. “It doesn’t matter what age, where you come from; they’re so inclusive, it’s very easy to get involved.”
The Canberra Cycling Club, the Vikings Cycling Club, and the ANU Cycling Club have pushed female cycling programs to introduce more women to the sport, she said. And a lot of social rides finish with a coffee. “That’s the main reason we do it – for the coffee at the end and the social aspect!”
Then there are the health benefits. A 2017 study by the University of Glasgow showed that cyclists were less likely to develop or to die from cancer or heart disease, said Ian Ross, CEO of Pedal Power ACT. It is also environmentally friendlier and cheaper than any other form of transport – and cyclists feel part of the environment, rather than whizzing through it in cars.
“It’s great for those of us who have very busy lives,” Ms Chamberlain said. “You work, you have kids, you run around and do everything. It’s one way to clear the head.”
Commuting to work
“Bike riding must be the easy, convenient and safe option for it to be viable, and for you to consider it as a preferred option, it should not be a chore,” Dr Paterson said.
According to the 2016 Census, the closer people live to the city, the more likely they are to ride to work or school, Mr Ross said. But a bike can be a great solution for people commuting 10km to work; and an e-bike for those travelling longer distances. But cycling must be convenient and direct. “Nobody has time to ride an extra seven or eight kilometres.”
In fact, women have different travel patterns and needs from men, Dr Paterson stated. Although they make fewer journeys to work by car than men, they undertake more non-work-related trips. They ‘trip-chain’: dropping children at school, going to work, shopping, as part of the same trip.
“While women’s journeys might typically be shorter and more complex than those of men, many of us travel regularly to the city centre and other town centres for work and other purposes,” she said.
Dr Paterson suggested women could combine bike riding with other forms of transport, such as riding with children to school then catching public transport to work, or driving to an appropriate location then riding (‘park and pedal’) – approaches Mr Ross believes could work.
“I could envisage that cycling would be an option for almost everybody in the Woden town centre,” he said.
Safety on the roads
Some cyclists are hesitant to ride on the road through traffic, cars thundering along. They would prefer to ride somewhere well maintained and separated from cars, Mr Ross said.
“Getting on a bike in traffic can be daunting if you’re not used to it,” said Ms Bloor. “The more you do it, the more comfortable you are, and you realise how safe we are on Canberra roads.”
But it’s important for motorists to give cyclists a 1 metre passing space in speed zones of 60kph or less, and 1.5 metres in speed zones of more than 60kph.
“We live in a place where road users are a lot nicer than in some other places,” Ms Chamberlain said. “Some people are having a bad morning or a bad afternoon, and they take down the cyclists – but as long as you stay in your lane and you maintain your road rules, everyone seems to get along a bit better nowadays.”
Concerns about safety and risk can influence travel choices, Dr Paterson said; some women cyclists might take a longer, more indirect route, not travel at certain times of the day, or not travel solo.
“It’s obviously safer if you ride with people, not just by yourself,” Ms Chamberlain said.
Ms Bloor said she had never found riding alone an issue. “It’s quite saddening to think that it is something [that would deter women riders]. We live in such a safe environment in Canberra; I’d encourage more women to get out on bikes.”
Ms Chamberlain said she felt safe riding at night. Canberra had good cycleways and lights, but cyclists still needed to wear bright clothing and to have flashes on the front and rear of their bike after dark.
A male-dominated sport?
Despite cycling’s popularity with women, men are still twice as likely to ride a bike as women, Mr Ross said. (Conversely, women walk and use public transport more than men.) According to the 2016 Census, on 9 August, only 3% of commuters (5,358 people) in the ACT cycled to work; of these, only a third were women.
Ms Bloor said she was not surprised by the figures. “It’s a hugely male dominated sport, but that’s changing.” In the late 19th century, she points out, cycling was frowned upon, considered ‘unladylike’. “No wonder the statistics show that more men ride bikes.”
But those early bikes also gave women social and political independence; cycling was closely tied up with the suffragette movement. “Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world,” said early American feminist Susan B. Anthony; “it gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.” Even today, in Iran and Saudi Arabia, cycling is forbidden or restricted for women.
Belinda Chamberlain manages two National Road Series teams, which race at the top of the elite level in Australia. It is extremely hard to field a full women’s team, she said, whereas there were always plenty of men – a big discrepancy. A lot of girls are keen on the sport, then peter off.
“Women have a lot of other things in our lives that come to the forefront, and so we usually put ourselves down the bottom. That includes something like your hobby (which could be riding) or your fitness avenue (which is cycling). Men, especially up until the age of 30, tend to put more into their cycling, which is why we have a lot more of them in Canberra than we do of females.”
Do you want to ride?
Get in touch with local bike shops, and use online resources such as Strava (a social network for cyclists and runners) or Facebook groups. They will put you in touch with other cyclists, and show you good routes to work.
“Give it a go,” Ms Bloor said. “Give it a go. Now that we’re getting a bit warmer weather, it’s a lot more appealing; winter is pretty tough for commuting on two wheels, but now is a perfect time to start.”
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