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Last week, at the 2012 National Bike Summit, the Alliance and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals hosted the first-ever National Women Cycling Forum — and it was a huge success. More than 200 people attended the gathering, and the diverse panel of women from advocacy, history, diplomacy, racing, engineering and retail inspired and informed us with their unique experiences and insight.

We hope to continue that conversation with a free webinar on “Empowering Women to Bicycle for Transportation” on Wednesday, March 28th at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Since APBP inaugurated the Women Cycling Project in 2010, thousands of women have participated. This year’s webinar highlights programs and approaches that encourage women to bicycle on a more regular basis. Learn about Cycles for Change, the Minneapolis program that educates and empowers women of various cultures to use bicycles as transportation; Birmingham’s Magic City Cycle Chix, whose mission is to encourage women to mountain bike; and more.

The webinar will also include a brief update on:

• Outcomes of the National Women Cycling Forum
• Plans for the interactive Women Cycling website
• Update on transportation legislation in Congress

Sign up here! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Marla Streb, a former World Mountain Bike Champion and Team LUNA Chix Ambassador, will be a panelist at the National Women Cycling Forum on March 20. Learn more here.

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

In 1990, I was convinced by a friend (now my husband, Mark) to tour Europe by bike, where we rode and camped throughout 13 countries trying to “find” ourselves. After two months together over mountain passes and in tough weather, we became soul mates (and only showering twice in that time also kept us platonic!). A few years later, the same guy encouraged me to become a professional mountain bike racer and supported me throughout my 16-year career.

What’s your favorite memory or proudest moment on a bike (or in bicycle advocacy)?

Winning the World Cup in Austria in 2005 — that win kept me from retiring, and I raced for four more years (for a total of 16 years!)

What campaigns, events or other efforts are you working on right now or looking forward to that have the potential to increase women cycling?

• LUNA Chix: I work with the LUNA Chix Ambassadors, 280 women from around the country who are biking enthusiasts. These women go back to their hometowns and are the influencers there, and they do the same thing locally.
• Bike MINDED Program: We at Bike Maryland hold adult commuter workshops and kids rodeos, with an emphasis on safety. Normally, parents accompany kids and we reach them just as well (including moms). Also, I lead women’s only rides from downtown Baltimore.

What advice would you give to women who are wary of cycling — or to women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling in their community?

I encourage women to take a clinic or cycling camp to learn proper techniques (and avoid bad habits). Most women who take a skills clinic become more confident. They can relax and have fun on their bike, and they also make important connections with other female cyclists. To make a bigger impact in the community, women should support and encourage each other to try cycling for fitness, fun, and transportation.

If you could look 20 years into the future of the cycling movement, how would you hope things would be different?

I would like to see at least 50 percent female ridership, especially during commuting hours. Also, I hope to see many women more commuting/running errands, with their children safely in tow.

Veronica Davis, a principal planner and engineer for Nspiregreen LLC and a co-founder of Black Women Bike DC, will be a panelist at the National Women Cycling Forum on March 20. Learn more here.

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

I’m a utilitarian cyclist. I got into cycling when the gas prices skyrocketed and filling my gas tank was costing an arm and a leg.

What’s your favorite memory or proudest moment on a bike (or in bicycle advocacy)?

The creating of Black Women Bike is something to be proud of. Myself and co-founders Nse Ufot and Najeema Washington, started the organization from a Twitter conversation. It is bold and in your face. It let’s everyone know that we are here. Our membership has grown from the three founders to over 400 in less than a year.

What campaigns, events or other efforts are you working on right now or looking forward to that have the potential to increase women cycling?

Black Women Bike are working on campaigns to encourage black women to consider cycling for commuting and/or recreation. In addition, we are hoping to get more black women in leadership of existing bike advocacy organizations, such as WABA.

What advice would you give to women who are wary of cycling — or to women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling in their community?

If you want to have an bigger impact in advancing cycling, the first step is to be seen.  Black Women Bike started from a conversation about a young black girl who was excited to see me biking through her neighborhood. Your mere presence is a statement. The second step it to be at the table for transportation projects in your neighborhood. Remind people there needs to be a place for cyclists.

If you could look 20 years into the future of the cycling movement, how would you hope things would be different?

In 20 years, I’d like to see cycling be a culture similar to cities in Europe. Our road capacities are approaching their maximums. We need to look at alternative modes, such as cycling, to move people around the city.

Andrea Garland, a planner with Alta Planning + Design, will be a panelist at the National Women Cycling Forum on March 20. Click here to register for the event!

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

I’ve always had an interest in cycling. Growing up I was always excited to go on bike rides with my dad. I attempted to bike for transportation a few times while I lived in Colombia, but I was always afraid of riding in traffic. When I moved to the US eight years ago I bought a bike, because it was cheap. I found biking invigorating and fulfilling, and started riding it everywhere. I think the true revelation moment for me was after my husband convinced me to train and do our first bike tour (2006). Touring taught me how to ride safe and conveniently carry my stuff. After that, there was no turning back, I started biking more often and quickly got convinced that it was the most practical and easiest way to get around.

What’s your favorite memory or proudest moment on a bike (or in bicycle advocacy)?

Favorite Moment: I got proposed to at the end of a weekend bike tour from Charlottesville to Richmond along Monument Avenue.

Proudest Moment (advocacy): Seeing the smiles on people’s faces playing in the streets during the first Roanoke Ciclovia I organized (2009).

What campaigns, events or other efforts are you working on right now or looking forward to that have the potential to increase women cycling?

The Women Cycling Project with APBP, I’m excited to see what is next for this project and how I can be involved.

What advice would you give to women who are wary of cycling — or to women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling in their community?

Give it a try, it’s very fulfilling. Choose a destination that is convenient for you to bike to, usually a short trip (two miles or less), maybe ask a friend to go with you. Make it a routine to bike to this place once a week. You’ll be surprise how soon you would want to increase the number of trips.

To make a bigger impact, I think it’s important to always keep a positive and friendly image about bicycling. Be an example in your community, by first riding (not just talking about it), being respectful to others on the road and outside of it, and getting involve in local issues where bicycling can change the dialogue.

If you could look 20 years into the future of the cycling movement, how would you hope things would be different?

• Cycling will be normalized, and recognized as a formal mode of transportation by our government.
• Every city will have a network of physical infrastructure for cycling that is connected to attractive destinations.
• There will be a measurable evidence of the impacts of the active transportation mode shift in the overall health of our communities, especially kids and youth.

Sue Macy, author of “Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom,” will be the keynote speaker at the National Women Cycling Forum on March 20. Click here to register for the event!

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

Although I rode my bike as a kid and throughout college (in the 1970s), it wasn’t until I started training for a Danskin triathlon in 2005 that I started cycling again. I’m still an occasional cyclist, but I love it every time I ride.

What’s your favorite memory or proudest moment on a bike (or in bicycle advocacy)?

When I finished writing “Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flats Along the Way)” in 2010, a friend and I took part in a cycling weekend in Maine sponsored by L.L. Bean. There were all different levels of cyclists, including some kids, but there was a family of incredibly fit folks from Sweden who basically set their own pace. On the second day, I actually passed the strapping dad and two of his 20-something kids, which left me with a great feeling of accomplishment! The fact that they passed me back about a mile later didn’t diminish my sense of satisfaction.

What campaigns, events or other efforts are you working on right now or looking forward to that have the potential to increase women cycling?

My main connection to cycling is through speaking about its history, especially the impact of cycling on women’s lives in the 1890s. Over the past year, I’ve spoken to all sorts of audiences: cyclists, kids, librarians, senior citizens. Hopefully, more women will be encouraged to ride today when they consider the impact of cycling on women’s freedom the first time around.

What advice would you give to women who are wary of cycling — or to women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling in their community?

As a wary cyclist myself, I’d say start cycling on Sunday mornings. There’s usually less traffic on Sundays and many of those who are on the road are driving less aggressively because they’re not rushing to work. It also helps to have a destination, like a farmer’s market or a coffee place. Another suggestion is that if you’re getting back on your bike after a long time, be sure to first get it checked out by a mechanic. You’ll feel more confident if you know all the parts are in working order. And consider taking a bicycle mechanics class yourself. Many communities have them, and they’ll help your confidence as well.

If you could look 20 years into the future of the cycling movement, how would you hope things would be different?

I hope there will be more universal awareness of cyclists by motorists, which will make cycling a whole lot safer. Toward that end, I hope communities will come up with better designs for bike lanes and better laws allowing cyclists the right of way. I also hope more cities and towns will institute programs with public bikes, where you can pick one up, ride it, and deposit it when you’re done—hopefully for free.

Elysa Walk, General Manager of Giant Bicycle Inc, will be a panelist at the National Women Cycling Forum on March 20. Click here to register for the event!

Who or what inspired you to start cycling?

A friend inspired me to start cycling. I think that women have such powerful relationships with their girlfriends and enjoy riding together in non-competitive, fun adventures.

What’s your favorite memory or proudest moment on a bike (or in bicycle advocacy)?

My proudest moment on a bike was completing a ride around the island of Taiwan (600 miles) with the other General Managers of Giant subsidiaries worldwide. I was the only female to complete the whole ride and we had tough conditions to get through with weather, traffic, jet lag and cultural challenges. Coming into the finish at Giant’s Global HQ with hundreds of people cheering, fireworks and photos was unforgetable.

What campaigns, events or other efforts are you working on right now or looking forward to that have the potential to increase women cycling?

I am most excited about an ambassador program that we have just launched at Liv/giant. We want to support those local ladies who are key influencers to cycling in their community.  We are giving them tools and incentives to structure women’s group rides, maintenance clinics, ladies nights, etc. because we want to get more women on bikes. Women encourage other women at a personal level much better than a brand can or a guy can. Plus, as a bicycle brand, it is difficult for us to be out in the communities, so we are aligning and supporting some neat ladies as ambassadors who can be a groundswell for cycling in their areas.

What advice would you give to women who are wary of cycling — or to women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling in their community?

To women who want to have a bigger impact in advancing cycling to others who are wary, I would say that they should use their inherent female power of being experts in relationships! Remember the times when you have been so touched that someone reached out to you? Turn that around and reach out to invite that active gal to an easy, fun weekend ride with other women, even if it’s just to a coffee shop or around a beautiful lake. She is going to be intimidated by a fast group clad in spandex, but not so in a safe “no-drop” group that can introduce her to cycling, help her if she gets a flat, and teach her a few things about feeling secure on the road with traffic.

If you could look 20 years into the future of the cycling movement, how would you hope things would be different?

I hope that every major city in the United States is the new Amsterdam, where cycling is part of life for everyone.

Sue Macy, author of Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way), will appear as the keynote speaker at the inaugural National Women Cycling Forum. The forum will be held on March 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in conjunction with the 2012 National Bike Summit.

Women still cycle at much lower rates than men in the United States—making up just 24 percent of bike trips in 2009. But that trend is shifting. This Forum will be the first national gathering specifically dedicated to raising awareness about and discussing how to engage more women in bicycling.

“This critical topic and rising energy is gathering momentum across the country as more women of all backgrounds are starting to ride or getting more involved in the movement,” said Carolyn Szczepanski, Communications Coordinator for the Alliance for Biking & Walking. “We’re eager to start a continuing conversation aimed at increasing the number of women who bicycle for transportation and recreation.”

Sue Macy will provide unique inspiration to kick off that discussion. Among other accolades, Wheels of Change was named to the 2011 Best Books lists from the Washington Post and the San Francisco Book Review. “Ms. Macy wrote a captivating book about the bicycle’s historic role in women’s empowerment, and we hope this forum will be the catalyst to begin closing the gender gap in today’s cycling environment,” said Kit Keller, Executive Director of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.

In addition to the keynote presentation from Macy, other confirmed speakers include:

• Elysa Walk, General Manager, Giant Bicycles Inc.
• Marla Streb, former World Mountain Bike Champion
• Andrea Garland, Planner, Alta Planning + Design
• Veronica Davis, Founder, Black Women Bike D.C. 
• Kimberly White, Youth Advocate, Recycle-A-Bicycle
• Nelle Pierson, Events Coordinator, Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Registration is free, and everyone is encouraged to attend. Sign up at www.nationalwomencyclingforum.eventbrite.com.

On March 21, the conversation will continue with a Women Cycling Social at Busboys & Poets from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both events are co-hosted by the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and generously sponsored by Giant Bicycle Inc., CLIF Bar, the League of American Bicyclists and the National Center for Bicycling and Walking.

For more information, questions, or sponsorship opportunities, contact Carolyn Szczepanski at (202) 449-9692 x2 or Carolyn@peoplepoweredmovement.org.

It was a day or two into the 2010 Alliance Leadership Retreat when Alexis Lantz stood up during lunch. The Planning and Policy Director from Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition had a proposal that energized every female leader in the room: The convening of a Women’s Caucus (pictured above).

That gathering at the Leadership Retreat was short, informal — and incredibly inspiring. There was so much to talk about: issues we face as women within our own organizations and the broader movement; how we increase the number of women in bicycle advocacy and boost female mode share out on the streets; how we stay better connected in the time between retreats and summits, building community and sharing ideas to deal with collective challenges and opportunities.

The Women’s Caucus carved out just a tiny window within the tight schedule of dozens of other sessions, but, at least speaking for myself, it was the most powerful and memorable moment from the entire weekend. With little time to develop specific next steps, we had to keep the outcome simple. The main consensus: Let’s keep the conversation going.

We knew we weren’t the only ones talking about these issues. Shortly before the Leadership Retreat, in mid-2010, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals conducted a Women Cycling Survey — and participation was through the roof. More than 11,000 women in the U.S. shared all sorts of information about why they bike, what would make them bike more and a wealth of other opinions and experiences. The insight gained from the (non-scientific) survey was not only revelatory; it was also an incredible spark for a lively discussion at conferences and online.

Clearly, women want to talk about bicycling. And our voices are getting more numerous and more prominent.

According to the Alliance 2012 Benchmarking Report, women are still vastly outnumbered by men, accounting for just 24 percent of bike trips in 2009. But that trend is shifting. A growing number of women from all backgrounds and communities are beginning to ride and getting more involved in the bicycle movement. As female leaders and cyclists, we’re eager to learn from our peers, share our experiences and explore ideas to engage more women.

So, like we said at the Leadership Retreat, let’s continue the conversation. Attend the first-ever National Women Cycling Forum on March 20, 2012 from 2-4 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC.

Hosted by the Alliance and APBP, this forum will provide insight from a diverse panel of women in bicycle advocacy, engineering, government and industry. It will foster collective discussion about best practices, creative ideas and potential next steps in addressing the pervasive gender cycling gap at a national and local level. And it will invite input on the Women Cycling Project—a joint effort of the Alliance and APBP to create a new, interactive, online presence for women cyclists and advocates.

This event will be held in conjunction with the 2012 National Bike Summit—and your presence at this annual event has never been more important. Congress is making important and long-term decisions about the next federal transportation bill and women’s voices and stories are essential to preserving billions in funding for bicycling projects and programs across the country. We’re on the brink of losing the hard-fought progress of the past 20 years and we need a HUGE turn-out at this year’s summit. (Register by February 20 to save $100.)

When you make your DC travel plans, make sure you arrive in time for the National Women Cycling Forum on Tuesday, March 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. This event is open to all interested attendees—both women and men. Sign up for the Forum here, so you’ll get all the details in coming weeks, including the line-up of panelists. And, please, start sharing the link as widely as possible!

Plus, mark your calendars for a Women Cycling Social on Wednesday, March 21 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Busboys and Poets, a very cool venue just a few blocks from the Summit hotel. Stay tuned for details.

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Have additional questions? Contact Carolyn@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.