Women-only rides

random man
random man Posts: 1,518
edited June 2013 in Women's cycling forum
It is an exceptional event when a female rider joins our club run. Do any women on this forum have a women-only section in their club?
Do you think more women would cycle on group rides if more were women-only?

I can understand why a lot of women would be put off riding with a male-dominated club but have wondered whether women-only rides would encourage more women to cycle regularly in a group.

Comments

  • Rotatinglegs
    Rotatinglegs Posts: 7
    Hi there, In our club We don't have a women only section, I just ride with the men! Unfortunately I am the only 'Full-time' female in the club. a couple have came and went and it is completely understandable when they say that the men are too fast for them! I definitely think if there were more women then more would join but my guessing is that alot are intimidated or fear that they will be laughed at.

    (btw, I ended up in my current club due to my father also being a member so leaving is not an option! lol)
  • heatonrider
    heatonrider Posts: 109
    we set up our own www.teamglow.net
  • Pezzle
    Pezzle Posts: 27
    Very much one of the reasons that I haven't joined a club. I mountain and road bike with guys but they are guys I know who don't mind if we stop more and slow down a bit. I think you would definately get lots more joining if you did ladies only rides, build their confidence up and then they may feel okay to ride in a mixed group.

    Good luck and let us know how it goes.
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    The women in our club ride in an appropriate group to their speed - a women's only group would be the same problem any small number of highly variable strength people have on a ride - some people bored out of their mind riding slower than they want, some getting a good ride, and others feeling super guilty at holding everyone up. You need to be a reasonably similar strength - or proportionately weaker that you can draft all day. Our club has over 40 women members (still only ~10%) but they spread out across all the different rides available in the club run, from the fastest to the slowest.

    A lot of riders don't realise that you ride on the front of a group differently to how you ride solo - with big efforts on the downhills and easier on the uphills, opposite to solo - and the different power curves women have amplify this even more. But learn how to ride smoothly on the front and get the women involved in your regular runs I'd say.

    There are womens only rides available around London the LWCR and member clubs run them often, and there are the Sky's Breeze rides of course.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,479
    My club has recently started women's rides on a Sunday evening. They are intended as beginners sessions and are a result of a few mothers of our thriving kids section saying they'd be keen to start going out. Probably the best thing the club has done for a few years. We also have one of the strongest women's racing teams in the country and when not training on their own they will ride with our main club run with no problems (our reigning club 10 champion is a 16 year old girl!).
  • hjghg5
    hjghg5 Posts: 97
    My club has a social ride which is usually more women than men, but not exclusively for women. Tbh I'm happier riding with whichever group is going the distance/pace that works for me rather than going with the social group, but it did makeme comfortable turning up for the first time as I could try the social group and know I'd keep up the work my way up through the groups from there.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    My first ever club ride had a woman rider in it ... towards the end of the ride she was the one who instructed the group to slow down when she noticed I was flagging somewhat ...

    My wife went for a women only ride having been told they'll do 10-12mph average ... she bailed out after they averaged 16mph for 7 miles or so then headed up a hill leaving her behind. I saw the "group" at the beginning of the ride - it was a complete shambles with riders all over the place (similar to another club that rides in the area). She won't bother with that group again!
  • random man
    random man Posts: 1,518
    Thanks for the replies, it was just a bit of a general query really. It seems that, like any club or group, organisation is the key, and to work well a women-only group would need to be well organised - sounds like a job for a woman! :D



    I'll get my coat :oops:

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