Women don’t cycle as much as men because we are more vulnerable on the roads than men. There. In one sentence I’ve answered the tricky question that has haunted politicians, cycling campaigners and a multitude of think pieces for decades. But, of course, it’s not as simple as that because despite the overwhelming body of research to back-up claims that women cyclists face greater, gender-specific, dangers on Britain’s roads: this discussion keeps coming back to what we wear.
According to the government’s National Travel Survey, in 2014 British men made three times as many bike rides and cycled four times as many miles as women. There are multiple theories bouncing around as to why women cycle less than men. Have we been chased off the road by our lycra-clad male counterparts? Is cycling less compatible with the modern woman’s lifestyle? Are we worried about breaking a nail while fixing a flat tire? This may sound like a flippant dismissal of the earnest research and head scratching that goes into working out why women cycle less. Unfortunately it’s also fairly representative of the conclusions that keep being drawn.
