If you’ve seen a group of women laughing and cheering down the Tacoma streets on bicycles, chances are you just spotted VeloFemmes. A social group of women who come together to have fun and ride bikes in Tacoma, VeloFemmes hopes to inspire and empower more women to take to the streets by bicycle. VeloFemmes is open to all women and transgender/gender queer folks who are looking for a safe space in which to explore the wonderful world of bicycles at group rides, mechanical skill nights, and workshops.
Why women-only? The bicycling community tends to be male-dominated; most of the media images of cyclists focus on men, and in 2009 women made only 24% of the bicycle trips in the US (visit the League of American Bicyclists for more information). Because of this, the world of bicycles can unfortunately be a threatening and intimidating place for women to enter, despite the fact that bicycling is an efficient and convenient mode of transportation for both men and women across the nation. For this reason, VeloFemmes feels that creating visible, women-only spaces to explore bicycling can be positive and empowering for women, and an important tool to grow ridership and gender equality in the bicycling world.
Recent events have included a workshop on ‘How to Buy a Bike You Love,” a camping trip by bicycle, and a “What to Wear Whenever and Wherever You Bike” discussion night, as well as weekly Monday morning “Skip Your Spin Class” rides.
If you or other women you know are looking for a fun, inexpensive, efficient, and convenient way to get to work or errands, or if you’re interested in trying cycling for fitness, VeloFemmes can be a source of inspiration, information, and support!
Visit http://velofemmes.wix.com/velofemmes or http://www.facebook.com/VeloFemmes for more information about VeloFemmes and upcoming events.