Cath Blakey and Juliana Peloche will be front row and frocked up at the inaugural Fancy Women Bike Ride Wollongong, set for the first day of spring this year. Photo: Jess Whittaker.
Going over the participation statistics of the 2022 UCI World Championships, Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (IBUG) vice-president Juliana Peloche was perturbed.
“I always knew, just anecdotally, that the sport was male dominated but the number was ridiculous – a really low percentage of women participated in that event,” she says.
They had their suspicions, based on their own experiences, as to why, but formed a task force to investigate.
“In conversation with women, we confirmed what we thought – many women were fearful. The fear of judgement or abuse from motorists, the lack of infrastructure to support bikers, uncertainty about where to go or what was allowed all made it quite intimidating,” Juliana says.
“You’re not allowed to ride on footpaths, but the streets feel unsafe, especially when you’re starting out. Who wants to venture out onto Memorial Drive if you’re not familiar? It’s a shame because bike riding represents so much freedom.
“We thought – what if they had someone to ride with them, who knew the way and was confident about the rules?”
Juliana and a few of her IBUG contemporaries took matters into their own hands, organising a free screening at Sage Hotel of a documentary called Women Don’t Cycle.
It follows a woman named Manon as she cycles from Brussels to Tokyo, meeting other women cyclists along the way.
“She has no experience, no fancy bike, she’s just learning as she goes. Every stop, she tries to connect with other women who ride bikes and in Turkey, she learns of this event – the Fancy Women Bike Ride,” Juliana says. “It sparked an idea.”
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Juliana and fellow IBUG members Jen Stone, Jess Whittaker and Liv Lorkin and some funding from Port Kembla Chamber and Climate Action’s Teresa Huxtable, the inaugural Fancy Women Bike Ride Wollongong will take place on Saturday 1 September.
Jess Whittaker, Cath Blakey, Juliana Peloche, Jen Stone, Liv Lorkin and Emma Rooksby provide some inspiration – participants are encouraged to dress up to be in the running for prizes. Photo: Jess Whittaker.
The route – roughly one hour long – journeys along shared paths and cycleways from the University of Wollongong to the end of picturesque Belmore Basin, where Basin Cafe will host live music from jazz folk band The Swamp Wallabies Syndicate.
The $10 sign-up fee covers the live music, a drink from the cafe and entry into the prize pool from Wollongong bike shops Giant and Trek. In the Fancy Women spirit, participants are encouraged to dress up, and prize categories include Fanciest Rider, Best Dressed Bike, Best Dressed Group, Team Spirit Award, Best Bike Bling, Best Floral Bike and Best Vintage Bike.
Riders are invited to bring along picnic baskets or even drop them off at Basin Cafe before the ride.
“It’s the first day of spring and we’ll be arriving around midday, so it should be brilliant timing for a picnic lunch,” Juliana says.
The event is open to cyclists of all ages and skill levels. The focus is empowering women and gender diverse individuals to reclaim public spaces, promote sustainable transportation and challenge societal norms, all while having a fabulous time. However, importantly, all are welcome and indeed encouraged, because the ride tackles a whole-of-community issue, and aims to spark a chain reaction.
“This is an event open to everyone who supports the idea of encouraging more women to ride, not just for leisure or commuting, but also for fitness and the freedom to come and go,” Juliana says.
“We would love for this to become an annual tradition … We’re counting on Wollongong turning up in force.”
Fancy Women Bike Ride Wollongong takes place on Saturday 1 September, kicking off at 11 am at the University of Wollongong. Registration costs $10 – book here.
Loading ...
