Post on 18-Dec-2015
transcript
Women & Bicycling inSonoma County, CA
Sandra Lupien, Outreach Director
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition
Sonoma County: The Scene
• Population approx 500,000
• About 50/50 female/male
• Suburban/rural
• One-third live in unincorporated County
• Great bike/ped plans for the future
• Coast, forest, agricultural; wine country
Bike Scene
• Cycling #2 tourism draw• Recreational road
cycling• Mountain biking• Large fundraiser rides• Pro racer training
destination/home base for several teams
• Leisure cycling• Low transportation
cycling
Organizations & Clubs
• Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition
• Santa Rosa Cycling Club• Petaluma Wheelmen• Bike Monkey/Velostreet• Sonoma Valley Cyclists• HillJillys Women’s Bike Club• Jill B. Nimble Women’s Bike
Club• Many other teams/smaller
clubs
Women & Bicyclingin Sonoma County
• Sonoma County Transportation Authority 2010 bike counts: 21% women
• Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition Membership: 46% women
• Santa Rosa Cycling Club Membership: 30% women
• Women’s shop rides• HillJillys• Jill B. Nimble• Biker Chicks
Biker Chicks Women’s Rides
Supervisor Shirlee Zane got inspired by SCTA bike count!
• SCBC, Regional Parks worked with Zane to launch Biker Chicks
• Monthly, entry-level rides• Come as you are• Any kind of bike• Lots of mentorship/skills
training• Social outing at the end!
Biker Chicks – an early success!
• 35 – 50 women per ride• Many women over 50• “I haven’t ridden in 30 years!”• “It’s great getting out with
other women!”• “My husband/partner rides too
fast!”• “I feel nervous because I don’t
know how to fix a flat.”• “I love the social component!”• “I didn’t know I could ride that
far!”
Women & Bicycling in Sonoma County: A closer look
Survey conducted in June/July 2012 by SCBC
• 269 Responses
Age: 269 responses
Type of Bicycling: 269 responses
Frequency: 268 responses
Organized Rides? 241 responses
Organized Rides comments
• I spin at the club like a mad fiend. In class or alone about 100 miles/week. Want to ride outdoors but need help and fearful of accidents, clips, busted tire, etc.
• I would like to learn more• I have done organized rides but I
also ride more often informally both alone and with friends.
• I am never quite up to the organized rides as they go further distances or are much too fast.
• Biker chicks. So glad for a group to ride with that is open to all women of various shapes, ages etc.
Solo or…? 257 responses
Solo, or…? comments
• I do all of the above ... hard to pick a "prefer" choice
• I like to challenge myself by riding w/ others that are better than me so I can become a stronger cyclist
• Usually they are faster than me, so it frustrates me!
• I'm not a "talker" on the road~ I tend to like more of a quiet ride
• I ride with my children and husband - family transportation
• I'd love to ride with more groups, but its not flexible enough to have a full family schedule as well.
• SAFTEY IN NUMBERS
• I ride alone but would prefer to ride with a group
I would ride more if…
I would ride more if… comments
• More Bike routes completely removed from car-populated streets
• I would love to find more female riders my level and generally would like to feel safer on the roads. I recently moved from East Bay and see a unique anger from motorists toward cyclists in Sonoma County.
• Learn to use all those darn gears!
• I would need to re-order priorities. I just find that I have too many demands on my time to set aside enough for riding.
• If it was encouraged by the workplace and/or the cities.
• I am fit so I have been told the beginner rides would be a bit boring. I have limited time and I want to feel like I got a good fun work out
• More bike safety laws for cyclist and motor vehicles
• Would like more group rides at my level that are no drop I'm an A rider.
• although i ride all over, i dont feel safe biking to many destinations in santa rosa with my kids
• If I could get a really good bike with top notch components (hill climbing gears, all carbon, etc.) with hybrid handle bars because I can't bend over!
• There was less air pollution from cars.
• Really easy group mountain bike rides.
• I think some sections of the Joe Rodota and Santa Rosa Creek trails are unsafe for women riding alone.
• Emergency phone number to call
Do you ride with your kids? Why/not?
• Yes. This is how we get to school, dance classes, viola classes, grocery store, library, friends houses, etc.
• Not really--don't feel at all safe with kids on the roads & we are far from any bike paths
• Yes. My daughter is 15 and on Team Swift, which is AWESOME!
• My kids are 7 & 10 They grow too quickly I cant afford to buy them good bikes so they have trouble on longer rides.
• I ride occasionally with my daughter, who is 9. She can do up to 12 miles pretty well, but isn't yet up for the more challenging (hills, longer distance) yet.
• I wish. Younger teen daughter refuses to ride bike. Older daughter is a triathlete and is far too strong for me to ride with.
• I don't yet have a seat on my bike for my child and don't feel that a trailer is very safe for kids on Sonoma county streets
Invited to ride? What questions do you ask?
• "Beginners," and "casual" are often key words that catch my eye. I also love the concept of those rides to pizza or beer -- I like having a tangible reward at the end.
• Length, how often one can stop, location, flat or hilly. I need to be able to go at my own fairly slow pace and accommodate health restrictions.
• Who is going, how fast do they ride, how much climbing. Are there fun stops along the way? Are we riding TO a destination or just riding?
• Is it "no drop"? What is the average pace on the flat? Are there regroups? Are people comfortable in a paceline?
• Distance, cadence, and what they are wearing... I don't wear the spandex biking attire.
Invited to ride? What questions do you ask?
• Key words for me would be: beginner, no one left behind, women, coffee and a chat, bikes available to borrow, etc.
• Could someone riding a commute bike in regular street clothes ride with the group? How fast would the group ride? How hilly is the route?
• Will I be left behind if my skill is not good. Are there a lot of cars on the street. don't like to ride with cars, know too many people hit or killed.
• Speed is the big factor for me. Are the other riders fast? Are there steep hills involved? Will I feel like I'm holding people back? Even if it's a "no one left behind" ride, I don't want to be the one that the group is always waiting for.
What we’ve learned so far…
• Short flat rides with an option of something a bit more challenging
• Stops along the way
• Social opportunity at the end
• Experienced riders to mentor new and returning riders
• Offer skills training for your ride group
• Keep in touch between rides
• Comfortable, fun atmosphere
• Community leader involvement
• Supportive, not coddling
• Lots of press
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition
www.BikeSonoma.orgSandra Lupien
Outreach DirectorSandra@BikeSonoma.org, 707-545-0153