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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.

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.