Why don't women cycle? - Insight from a Bike SA Survey

Here's a stat for you - Only 1 in 5 cyclists in Adelaide are female. The question is why? 

We just completed a survey last week - and it gave us some rather important insight.  If we want more women on bikes - then we need to improve infrastructure.   

Adelaide local Sophia Barrios had a chat to The Advertiser on the weekend and told them: "The scariest thing about riding is not having a dedicated bike lane."

And she's not alone. The majority of respondents to a Bike SA survey, all of whom were female, said they would feel more comfortable riding a bike if there were more separated bike paths and better bicycle infrastructure. 

Here are some of the key stats from more than 500 women that responded to the survey:

• 60 percent of respondents believe that having more separated bike paths followed by better bicycle infrastructure (52 percent) and more bicycle lanes (47 percent) would encourage more women to ride more often.
• Notably, 70 percent of female cyclists believe that compulsory helmet laws are not a barrier to getting more women cycling, and only 12 percent believe that not having to wear a helmet would increase the likelihood of women riding.
• Overcoming barriers to personal safety and the attitudes of other road users featured frequently in submissions to the survey by women who ride regularly
• Several respondents also said that they feel more comfortable riding as part of a group or with another person.

Bicycle SA will be pushing both local and state governments for more and better infrastructure. So come ride with us, become a members or simply spread the gospel of cycling in South Australia and beyond.