According to a recent report from TfL only 29% of London commuter cyclists are woman. Why is that?
Cycling is dangerous!
It could be that last year 13 cyclists were killed in London. Out of these gruesome statistic 9 people were killed by HGV’s turning left and 8 of these causalities were woman. (from Moving Target).
Bike shops
It could be that many woman find bike shops a male dominated intimidating places. Most woman that I talk to will not go to a bike shop. In fact in the USA there is a trend to have woman only nights in bikes shops to counteract this.
Helmet hair
Other female friends have said that there hair will get ruined – the famous helmet hair. However, there is help at hand at the bikegirl website. Suggestions including wearing a scarf and certain hair products. However, in the UK it is not the law to wear a helmet and there is some contention whether helmets are a good idea or not. See this article on the CTC website.
Cycle sweat
Nothing worse than cycle sweat! Sweat, it’s a real pain when you commute to work on a bicycle and you feel that your clothes have a built in shower system that has been turned on for half an hour. Dripping, salty, running down your back sweat. “When will I start smelling?” you think. Yuk. However, there are many ways to avoid this scenario. However, in a previous post I tell you about Four proven ways to solve the sweat problem when cycling.
Cycle maintenance
The other concern is the maintenance of a bicycle. The stereotype of boys love to get dirty and to play with mechanical things while girls play with dolls! However, you could always use a Cycle2Job London Mobile Bicycle Mechanic.
What do you think?
What do you think? Let us now on the comments below. Till next time.
Iain Clark, Founder and Director, Cycle2Job
Other articles
http://dc.thecityfix.com/gender-and-the-art-of-bicycle-maintenance/
WOW : Women on Wheels, A Ladies Night Out March 4, 2010 « Bike Shop Girl.
Nine cyclists were killed by lorries, however, not all were turning left. Some were going in a straight line out in front and got rear ended by lorry drivers that simply didn’t see them.
You seem to have got the subject backwards: it’s 29% of cyclists are women, not 29% of women are cyclists. You’d hardly be able to move on the roads if 1/3rd of all women walking or on bus/tube were on cycles.
As for whether this is actually a cycling problem requires more data: the figures say that for every 2 men on bicycles, there is one woman. Looking around my office, I’d say there is a 2:1 men:woman ratio, so if that is true across the area of the survey, then there isn’t a problem at all.
your article help me a lot for my job.
Nine cyclists were killed by lorries, however, not all were turning left. Some were going in a straight line out in front and got rear ended by lorry drivers that simply didn’t see them.
Great post. You make a very good point. I would never thought of some of that.
Thanks for sharing
wow … nice statics. good post. bookmarked
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I love biking. I have 3 bikes at home and I don’t see any danger with it as long as you know how drive and safety first.
figures say that for every 2 men on bicycles, there is one woman
not all were turning left. Some were going in a straight line out in front and got rear ended by lorry drivers that simply didn’t see
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Why are you guys cycling with a helmet on? here in NL nobody does and nobody would even consider wearing a helmet.
My wife has a bike and she always use it when she wants to stroll around our village. It’s her form of exercising every morning although I don’t really permit her to drive a bike on the main road because I find it so dangerous for her even if she has complete protection gear such as knee pad, helmet, etc…
We love to bike here as well. I dont care what people say. Its healthy way to do.
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