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