Cycling is a male-dominated sport. Although there was an attempt to begin a women’s Tour de France in 1955, it didn’t have enough financial support to be sustainable. It was in 1984, over 80 years after the Tour began, that a women’s Tour really took off. Unfortunately, it only lasted a few years before the organizers dropped the race to focus on the men’s race. Today, women are still finding it difficult to have equity in the sport, but many women are coming together to enjoy cycling, creating more opportunities for women to ride and compete. Whether you ride a women’s cruiser bike or a mountain bike, riding with other women has many benefits.
Table of Contents
Group Riding Connects You
Cycling might be independent of others, but that doesn’t mean people don’t want to connect with others. When you ride with a group, you experience the same scenery, the same weather conditions and the same road conditions. Riding in a group makes you more visible, which helps keep you safe. If you break down, you have someone to help you.
A Little Friendly Competition
Let’s face it, women have a different approach to competition than men. It tends to be a little less serious when it’s all women. When you compete against another woman, you’re on a more level playing field physically. Men have more muscle mass, less body fat and more testosterone, which gives them more power. Women have to be twice as better than men to win, so when you’re behind, it’s easier to just give up.
Staying Safe; Women Empowerment
There are certain topics that men often have a hard time understanding. Female riding buddies can empathize when you’re feeling hormonal and achy. Another woman rider can offer more than sympathy when you’re trying to push through your pain to enjoy riding. Their experiences can help you find solutions and motivate you to do what you need to do to take care of yourself.
Intensifying Your Workout
A little friendly competition can help you ride better. You may have the best type of bike for exercise, but if you don’t ride regularly, it won’t help you. Riding with friends in a group can really motivate you to get out and ride when you have time. Although other women may empathize with you about your time, your female friends may also call you out on it when you try to make excuses. Riding with women is a great way to intensify your workout and keep up with your routine.
Learn From Women
Mansplaining is a thing that almost every woman deals with. In the bike world, it can put more pressure on you to just go along with the status quo instead of asking questions. When you ride with women, you can be more open to be yourself without feeling like you have to put on a mask or hide what you know. Shop for women’s cruiser bikes for sale to fit your budget and riding preferences. Find a cycling group of women and enjoy your bike.