Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling highlights and celebrates women who love cycling and who encourage others too. Women from all walks of life and every corner of the cycling world are included, from mountain bikers and endurance cyclists to community group leaders, cycling school-run mums and industry entrepreneurs – and even a pair of cycling suffragettes.
In particular, the list this year focuses on women who are ‘breaking the mould’, achieving great things in typically male-dominated sectors of cycling, such as framebuilding and running mechanics classes, or simply challenging the idea that they should be held back by age, size, disability or motherhood.
Overall, cycling is still suffering from a vast gender gap; men are almost three times more likely to cycle than women, and on average cover four times as many miles.
To mark the 100 years since the Representation of the People Act of 1918, which first gave women in the UK the right to vote, the list also includes two cycling suffragettes: Rose Lamartine Yates and Millicent Fawcett. The bicycle played a remarkable and little-known role in the struggle for female suffrage, and became a symbol of women’s emancipation. Today, the connection between cycling and liberation still resonates; a recent survey by Cycling UK found that more than a fifth of female cyclists rate the ‘sense of freedom’ as their most important reason to ride.
By showcasing how any woman from any walk of life can cycle, the role models of the 100 Women in Cycling list are changing perceptions
Julie Rand, Women’s Festival of Cycling co-ordinator
The release of the 100 Women in Cycling list comes just ahead of Cycling UK’s Women’s Festival of Cycling, a whole month of rides and events throughout July 2018 around the UK held to encourage more women to get into cycling.
Julie Rand, Cycling UK’s co-ordinator for the Women’s Festival of Cycling, said: “By showcasing how any woman from any walk of life can cycle, the role models of the 100 Women in Cycling list are changing perceptions. There are teachers, campaigners and community leaders, and many have overcome illness or cultural barriers.
“This diverse group of women have all demonstrated in different ways how cycling benefits people’s lives, and they deserve to be recognised and celebrated.”
On Saturday 30 June, Cycling UK will celebrate this year’s 100 Women with a special free event: From Bloomers to Baggies and Beyond – celebrating the role of cycling in liberating women past, present and future, a day of talks, workshops and activities in Manchester.
Adele Mitchell – mountain biker and award-winning writer
Aggie Maxwell – cycling instructor for mums in Newcastle upon Tyne
Aileen Brown – membership secretary for Bath Cycling Club
Alaina Beacall – adventure cyclist and charity fundraiser
Alison Paterson – ride leader and driving force behind Cycle East Durham
Alison Salthouse – track racer and ‘track mum’ at Derby Velodrome
Alix Stredwick – runs CarryMe Bikes in east London
Amanda Tanfield – founder of mountain biking group Ladies Do Downhill
Amy Hickman – cycle commuting role model
Aneela McKenna - partner at Go Where, a Scottish mountain bike travel specialist
Anita Hartley – founder of women’s brand Flow MTB
Anna Glowinski – television presenter and clothing designer
Audrey Christie – adventure cyclist, Breeze leader and rights of way officer
Barbara Kerr – volunteer with Belles on Bikes Edinburgh and the Cycling UK Scotland Committee
Belinda Scott – founder of women’s cycling group BellaVelo
Beryl Burton – legendary racing cyclist
Brenda Mitchell – founder of Cycle Law Scotland and Belles on Bikes in the Borders
Caren Hartley – founder of bespoke bicycle company Hartley Cycles
Carolyn Axtell – cycling instructor with Hornbeam JoyRiders in Walthamstow
Charlotte Carter – cycling development officer in Preston, Lancashire
Clare Rankin – cycling and walking officer in Cambridgeshire
Danielle Welton – founder and editor of women’s cycling magazine Casquette
Deborah Willeman – project manager for Cycle Training UK
Dilys Gartside – cycling instructor and volunteer cycle campaigner in Dorset
Doreen Lindsey – volunteer with Chester and North Wales CTC
Eleanor Smith – founder of workshop and cycling training organisation the Broken Spoke Co-op
Eve Berry – club helper for the Wirral Wheelers
Fran Whyte – operations manager for women’s cycling brand VeloVixen
Hannah Myers – founder of women’s mountain biking clothing brand Flare
Helen Matravers – leader of women’s mountain biking group Dame Cycling
Hester Wells – cycle campaigner with CamCycle
Hilary Webber – triathlete and Ironman competitor
Indigo Kelly-Forest – founder of Women’s French Adventures
Jackie Moralee – Cycling UK volunteer and ride leader
Jane Chapman – media officer for Cycle Bristol CTC
Janet Fallon – founder member of the Walsall Arboretum Community Cycle Club
Jenny Graham – adventure cyclist and world-record chaser
Jenny Nuttall – mountain biking guide and owner of Ride Bikes in the Lake District
Jo Roach – founder of inclusive cycling club Pedal Power in north London
Joan Reynolds – inspirational member of the Walsall Arboretum Community Cycle Club
Joy Lummis – Breeze ride leader in Lancashire
Judith Worrall – co-founder of Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club
Juliana Buhring – legendary ultra-endurance cyclist and best-selling author
Karen Darke – paralympic gold medallist
Kat Jungnickel – cycling historian
Kate Horsfall – co-founder of Yorkshire Lass Cycling Club
Kathryn Bertine – pro-cyclist and CEO of the Homestretch Foundation
Kerena Fussell – joint co-ordinator of Newham LCC
Kheira Mohammad – club secretary and ride leader for Share CCC
Kishori Agrawal – inspirational member of Walsall Arboretum Community Cycle Club
Lisa Pugh – co-founder of Surrey Hills MTB Chix
Liz Brown – cycling fundraiser and instructor
Liz Colebrook – founder of bespoke bicycle company Beaumont Bicycle
Liz Hodges – owner of Route 2 bicycle shop in Topsham, Exeter
Louise Henderson – from inclusive cycling charity Cycling Projects
Lucy Husband – mountain bike guide and instructor running Swift Trails in the Tweed Valley
Lynne Armstrong – founder of women’s mountain biking coaching and event company Air Maiden
Marcia Ellis – co-founder of Surrey Hills MTB Chix
Margaret Jones – cycle campaigner in Cardiff
Maria Clayfield – cycling volunteer and Bikeability instructor in Hertfordshire
Maureen Wilkins – tutor at Seashell Trust’s specialist college Royal College Manchester
Melanie Evans – founder of Deeping Lady Riders
Michelle Brideau – adventure cyclist and influencer
Millicent Fawcett – founding president of the National Union of Suffrage Societies and cycling suffragette
Morag Prach – the Cycling Scientist: freelance cycle trainer, bike mechanic and science tutor
Nadjie Butler – cycling volunteer and fundraiser
Nancy Waine – cycling volunteer and ride leader
Natalie Wilson – recumbent trike rider raising awareness of Elhers Danlos Syndrome
Pamela White – lifelong family cyclist and club volunteer
Patti Zogolovitch – cargobike role model
Phoebe Sneddon – cyclocross racer and Specialized ambassador
Polly Clark – founder of Mountain Yoga Breaks
Rachael Walker – mountain biker and brand manager for Hope and Hopetech Women
Rachel Norman – founder of Café Adventure’s Women Riders in the Peak District
Ravinder Virdee – volunteer for Manchester community bike project the Bike Hive
Rhian Ravenscroft – co-founder of the women’s cycling and triathlon brand Threo
Rickie Cotter – inspirational endurance cyclist
Rose Lamartine Yates – first woman elected to CTC’s council and cycling suffragette
Ruth Williams – barrier-breaking time-trialler
Sandy Boyd – founder of mountain biking community GirlBikeVan.
Sarah Javaid – founder of Walthamstow cycle group Cycle Sisters
Sarah Wakefield – founder of MTB Divas in Bridgend
Sarah Wheeldon – Transport for Greater Manchester cycling representative and founder of Urmston Social Cycling
Selina Aktar – ride leader and Bikeability instructor with Ashiana CCC in Birmingham
Shaila Sharif – ride leader and Bikeability instructor with Saheli Cycling Club in Birmingham
Sharon Merredew – Breeze Champion and area co-ordinator in Hampshire
Shelley Lawson – co-founder of children’s bicycle company Frog Bikes
Sheila Hanlon – Cycling UK volunteer historian
Shona Black – visually impaired cyclist with Talking Tandems and Portovelo Cycling Club
Sue Burton – chair of the 1066 Cycle Club in Battle, East Sussex
Susanne Jennings – volunteer ride leader for Sustrans and Breeze
Sybil Williams MBE – founder of all-ability cycling charity Cardiff Pedal Power
Tamasine Corney – founder of women’s cycling club the Widger Spoke Easies in Cornwall
Tiffany Lam – researcher of the cycling gender gap
Tracey Collins – volunteer with B10 Community Cycle Club
Val French – Breeze Champion and area co-ordinator for East and North Yorkshire
Val Ravenhill – lifelong cyclist and champion for other female cyclists
Vanessa Kelly – senior project officer in the Cycling Projects team at Cambridgeshire County Council
Yazmin Saleh – ride leader and Bikeability instructor with Share CCC
Zoë Westerman – director and co-founder of track cycling team challenge event series Cyclone24
