THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS
Benchmarking women’s bicycling in the United States — and five keys to get more women on wheels
Introduction
Nationwide, bicycling is making a move into the mainstream, from the painting of bike lanes on iconic avenues to the placement of bicycles in all forms of advertising. Look closer, though, and there’s another transformation afoot: Whether avid, longtime cyclists or simply curious about the benefits of using a bicycle for transportation, more and more women are getting on bikes.
In 2009, women accounted for just 24% of all U.S. bike trips — but a groundswell of efforts are pushing toward gender equity.
The League’s Women Bike program aims to change the face of bicycling by getting more women on bikes and participating as riders, advocates and leaders. Our goal is to unite efforts nationwide and act as a hub of best practices and information on women’s bicycling.
But where do we stand in women’s participation right now — and how can we keep the momentum going? This report compiles key statistics, revealing the current and potential impact of women bicyclists and identifies five specific focus areas to lead us forward.
Over the past decade, the growth of the League’s Bicycle Friendly America program has been framed by the five Es (engineering, enforcement, encouragement, education, and evaluation). In this report, we reveal five Cs that will get more women biking:
- Comfort
- Convenience
- Confidence
- Consumer products
- Community
We know gender equity in bicycling is possible. In the Netherlands, women account for 55% of bike trips, in Germany 49%. In the United States, women from all demographics are recognizing and championing the bicycle as a simple solution to so many social challenges: economic recovery, community health, environmental protection, and neighborhood vitality
More than social good, bicycling also offers a quintessential liberty: not only freedom, but joy in our daily mobility — no matter where the ride takes us.
Download full report (PDF): Women on a Roll
About League of American Bicyclists
www.bikeleague.org
“The League began as the League of American Wheelmen (LAW) in 1880, and was responsible for defending the rights of cyclists from its start. The League of American Wheelmen is credited with getting paved roads in this country before the reign of the automobile.”
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