02/04/2021
1st Leon Salvaje Ladies Road Bike group today.
I’d been meeting lots of women who said they’d like to try cycling but didn’t know where to start… so I created something for them.
As a woman who came to cycling aged 30+ it felt like there were lots of barriers to entry and I’m trying to address some of that:
Cycling can be a bit elitist and expensive; there’s a lot of cycling specific knowledge, kit, equipment & jargon that can feel intimidating to beginners. I also think men and women learn new skills and approach physical activities in different ways & this needs to be recognised if we want to encourage people to take up cycling.
I’m trying to build a welcoming space for beginners that will be supportive and informative as well as fun. Beyond the basics I’ll pass on as much knowledge as people want, building enough confidence that people can go on to enjoy cycling however suits them.
Besides operating the bike & fixing a puncture, it doesn’t really matter what else you understand about bike mechanics - if it interests you - super - if it doesn’t, who cares?!
Want to ride around in a small circle as fast as possible? Great. Wanna push yourself to the limit in Ultras? Super. Wanna smash 100 miles up massive hills? Cool. Want to do an easy pace coffee and cake loop? Grand. Do what makes you happy. We’re all different and there are as many ways to enjoy cycling as there are reasons why people cycle.
I’m teaching these women that as long as you’re on a bike and pedalling you’re a cyclist. At hobby level, a lot of the kit, equipment & expense is unnecessary. Wanna do it in top to toe Rapha - cool. Wanna do it in trainers and your yoga pants? Awesome. You do you. As long as you’re safe and comfortable the rest doesn’t really matter.
I want cycling to be accessible and enjoyable for everyone. That’s the brilliant thing about cycling to me - it can include a great range of motivations, skills and fitness levels. Cycling doesn’t need more gatekeepers – we need more cyclists who champion and encourage others at every level. We raise each other up by sharing knowledge and supporting each other.
