Statistically, fewer women tend to be cyclists compared to men, although the gender gap for this sport is certainly closing thanks to more prolific female cyclists making the headlines and safety measures for cyclists being put in place. There are many reasons why more women don’t consider taking up cycling as a sport, but the good news is that today, most of these problems have been dealt with in some way. 

‘Men’s’ Sport

Over the years, cycling was historically seen as a men’s rather than a women’s sport. However, things have certainly changed over the years thanks to the feminist movement and women fighting for their own equality. Today, cycling is seen as neither a sport for men nor women, but a sport that everybody of any gender and reasonable age can enjoy. When it comes to women and cycling history, female-specific bikes were designed to encourage more women into cycling, but the truth is that today, the majority of bikes are ideal for any rider and can be fitted to your body size, shape and height regardless of your gender. 

Accessibility

As mentioned, bikes in the past were typically designed for men to ride; they were often too big for many women to operate since men do naturally tend to be taller and bigger compared to women in general. This made riding a bicycle quite uncomfortable for many women. Today, bikes are available for people of all sizes and you can find bikes that are specifically designed to be more comfortable for women if you prefer. 

Safety

Another big concern for many women that may have put them off from starting cycling is that there are many risks. This is especially true for cyclists who ride on the roads, who are at risk of being involved in a collision – a position that many women simply did not want to put themselves in. However, the good news is that today, cycling on the roads is becoming safer. Not only are there more dedicated safe cycle paths to keep cyclists away from the flow of traffic, but there’s a wider selection of gear available for women including helmets, reflective clothing, and more. 

Cost

Today, it’s hard for many modern women to imagine a time where they had to rely on their husband to pay all the bills and buy the essentials. It might seem like a faraway time, but in reality, it has not really been that long since men were seen as the breadwinners and women stayed at home. During these times, it may have been impossible for many women to take up cycling simply because their husband’s salary wouldn’t cover the cost of getting a bike and the necessary gear. However, this isn’t a problem for the majority of women today. 

Insurance

Both men and women might worry about what will happen in terms of finances if their bike is stolen or damaged, or if they are involved in an accident that leaves them with big medical expenses. It is a valid concern to have, and one that might have put many women off from taking up cycling. The good news is that today, you can get excellent bike insurance policies from sites like Velosurance to ensure that you are financially covered if anything goes wrong while riding your bike. Velosurance offer policies suitable for any type of cyclist and their site has plenty of interesting information about women and cycling history if you are interested in learning more. 

Time

In the past, women were generally staying at home and bringing up children, which may not have left them with a lot of time to dedicate to cycling. Once women began to cycle more often, it was often as a means of transportation rather than a sport, form of exercise, or a recreational activity. However, things are definitely different today with women who are mothers having more access to childcare than ever before, leaving more time for cycling. And, moms who are interested can even find attachments for their bicycle where their baby or child can ride. 

Options

Today, there’s no denying that women have a lot more options available to them when it comes to cycling. From the types of bikes that they can choose from to the safety gear and cycling clothing available to buy, women have endless choice when it comes to finding the perfect cycling set-up for them, something that was certainly not the case just a few decades ago. 

If you are a woman and want to cycle but have been put off so far by any of the above, the good news is that things have definitely changed in the cycling industry for women. Today, you have your pick of bikes and gear to use, and the roads are becoming much safer and more cyclist-friendly in general.

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