Sharing the bike wealth
Women throughout Milwaukee combat gender disparity in cycling
Sally Sheperdson is a bicycling convert.
Before joining the Milwaukee bike share organization Bublr Bikes as executive director in February, Sheperdson was dedicated to her car. Using a bike to get from one meeting to another was unheard of for her.
But thanks to her new job, Sheperdson now bikes almost everywhere in her day-to-day life, save her daily commute from Pewaukee. So far, it’s been a welcome lifestyle switch, she said.
“It’s changed my life,“Sheperdson said. “I see the city very differently when I’m on my bike.”
One of Sheperdson’s missions as director is to get more women to bike, and she’s not alone. Sheperdson is part of a larger, grass-roots movement in Milwaukee working to get more women to embrace bicycling and break down misconceptions about the activity.
In 2009, 24% of all bike trips in the U.S. were made by women, according to the League of American Bicyclists. That had risen to 43% by 2014, according to the People for Bikes. Both cited safety concerns as one
“It’s one more source of empowerment (for women).” SALLY SHEPERDSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BUBLR BIKES
reason for the disparity.
While the gap between men and women seems to be narrowing, the disparity is still an issue Sheperdson hopes the city’s bike community can tackle.
“It’s one more source of empowerment (for women),” Sheperdson said. “And it’s one more barrier we can break down.”
Bublr started surveying its users in April, and the nonprofit is closing in on an even gender split, Sheperdson said. That’s not the case for bike share programs in a handful of
other large cities around the country where ridership is 60% to 70% male, according to data collected by Bublr.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint what is causing Milwaukee to buck the trend, Sheperdson said one factor could be Bublr’s focus on outreach. Having a diverse and representative rider population is a priority for the organization, she said.
“It’s just a testament to Bublr’s roots,” she said. “(We’re) going out of our way to make it accessible.”
Because greater visibility often can lead to more people biking, it’s important that the biking community is welcoming to a wide range of people,” said Caressa Givens, who oversees Bublr’s community engagement efforts.
“Not only do we need to get more women on bikes, we need to get more women of color on bikes,” she said.
Getting involved
Longtime cyclists and bike commuters in teh area are putting together female-only cycling trips and do-ityourself bike repair workshops in an effort to get even more women riding bikes.
Lai King Moy, one of the leaders of Cadence, a new cycling group for women in the Milwaukee area, said riding with other women is empowering. The group aims to create a supportive environment for female cyclists, and women of all skill levels are invited to join, Moy said.
“This isn’t the Tour de France. You don’t have to ride 20 mph,” she said. “You just have to get out there.”
Women involved in Ladies Revolution MKE gather three times a month to hang out at bike shops all over Milwaukee. Organizers try to keep their DIY mechanics meetings casual and openended, organizer Nicole La Brie said.
“If we have to show you the same thing five weeks in a row, that’s totally fine,” La Brie said. “We all just kind of help each other out.”
Teaching women about mechanics can make them feel safer and more confident biking solo, she said. If a person knows how to fix a flat, taking a longer bike ride isn’t as daunting.
While learning more about bikes is an important part of feeling more comfortable on the road, issues such as catcalling and other forms of street harassment could still be a possible deterrent for some women, La Brie said.
“It shouldn’t stop anyone, but it’s definitely something women have to deal with on a bike,” she said.
Having an encouraging and non-intimidating place to learn about biking is an important piece in getting even more women to ride, especially when bike shops aren’t always female-friendly, said Amelia Kegel, coowner of Wheel & Sprocket bike shop.
Shops are natural hubs for bicyclists, she said, and her stores have hired more women in an effort to create a more inviting atmosphere.
“Growing up with two older brothers, I was always so intimidated about riding a bike. And I was always trying to keep up,” said Kegel, who’s also a leader of Cadence. “It’s so much more enjoyable riding with other ladies.”
While Milwaukee still has a way to go until it’s considered with the likes of famously bike-friendly American cities such as Minneapolis or Portland, Ore., the biking infrastructure in the city has improved in recent years, said Carolyn Weber, who owns Coast in Bikes in Walker’s Point. The additional bike lanes and better lighting ease riders’ worries, she said.
“You’re seeing more females riding a bike because they feel safer on their routes,” she said.
A longtime Milwaukee bicyclist, Weber hasn’t owned a car for about a decade. “(Bicycling is) a community and a culture you get into,” she said. “I love how many more women are out there.”