Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club

I've been invited onto Cycling Central this Sunday 11th August (SBS2 at 6pm) to join a women's panel.

Of course I'll be talking about DHBC and our focus on inclusion, women's track, the juniors and perhaps my experiences racing as Masters.

But what else would be good to mention? Help me out a little by giving me some stories please.

Hmmmm...
1. The Rapha Women's ride on Strava (and the number of women who had never ridden 100km before);
2. Donna's Domestique coaching;
3. The women's race series that was run by SU Velo (and others);
4. Commuting (just generally by women);
5. The fact that Marianne Vos' Giant Limited Edition is not pink!

Should I wear pink?

Should I wear pink?

Yes. With a matching pink hair band.

I'm seeing your Facebook profile pic right now ...

Do wear pink Eleri, and do mention your experience racing Masters and leading club rides. Seeing women being so active in things like this is a great incentive for others to have a go.

Do you know who else will be on the panel with you? It could be a really diverse bunch...

Fortunately I own NO pink.

Can I encourage all DHBC women to join us on Friday morning for a ride to La Perouse leaving Paddington Gates at 6:30am? SBS will be there to shoot some footage.

What about how our Dhbc men were your domestiques for the alpine classic. I bet no other clubs have had men supporting a woman in a race.

I haven't been riding for a long time, but I'm seeing more and more women commuting on their bike these days (compared to say 3 years ago). This is very encouraging.
Having said that, whenever i try to persuade my female friends and acquaintances to commute on bicycle, one of the more famous reason for not commuting on bike is safety on the road. The thought of having to share the road with cars travelling at ~50 kph scares them. So if there are more separated cycleways around Sydney, I suppose there will be more women riding to work and probably end up taking it seriously as a sport? - Just a thought.

The other thing I've noticed is that whenever there is a post related to women in cycling, 95% of the posts are by other women in the club.

What do the men think? Do they try to encourage their wives, girlfriends, sisters, mums to ride? What are the barriers? Time? Kids? Safety as Anna mentioned? Or do the men not encourage it as it may reduce their riding time?!

Michele here using Peter's login. Would love to do LaPa with the DHBC girls. See you Friday.

The other thing I've noticed is that whenever there is a post related to women in cycling, 95% of the posts are by other women in the club.

What do the men think? Do they try to encourage their wives, girlfriends, sisters, mums to ride? What are the barriers? Time? Kids? Safety as Anna mentioned? Or do the men not encourage it as it may reduce their riding time?!

I started riding (as a commuter) because my partner encourages me to do so. I also decided to get serious because of him. I set him as my goal now. I wanna be able to ride and climb as fast as him one day. As I'm a bit of a dare devil, the traffic didn't scare me when I just started commuting.

Anyway, I'll try my best to get up and come for tomorrow's ride. But since I'm extremely bad at getting off my bed at dawn, please forgive me if I end up not making it.

What speed is the ride?

It will now be Centennial Park. I've had to abandon La Perouse, it will be in a bunch and you will be fine.
See you there!

The other thing I've noticed is that whenever there is a post related to women in cycling, 95% of the posts are by other women in the club.

What do the men think? Do they try to encourage their wives, girlfriends, sisters, mums to ride? What are the barriers? Time? Kids? Safety as Anna mentioned? Or do the men not encourage it as it may reduce their riding time?!

I've bought one and build another two bikes from the ground up for my wife. These are used as leisurely weekender type rides. I just can't crack the commuting one. The reasons are as follows:

Helmet ruins the hair, crushed clothes, don't want to exercise too much in the morning (ie low effort levels on the bike are essential due to getting a red face after exercise). Not too concerned with safety as I would be the escort.

The last possible idea is to trial a tandem in the warmer months...

So yes, I encourage, I invest time (including research) and money to break the barriers and will keep on trying and I'm getting closer to that elusive first commute!

Funny story about 'personal grooming'...

I don't do a lot of it given my training, might brush my hair. But luckily I am in an industry where there is not a lot of focus on that.

However, the PA for our department invests a lot of time and money on her appearance. She owns $80,000 worth of handbags. We have a black tie awards ball coming up so I have brushed off the Yr 12 formal dress (it fits!) in readiness. It's a ball gown as befits the dress code. The PA asked what I was wearing and I showed her a photo of the dress.

Her response? 'Oh, I thought because you were going it meant that we didn't have to dress up'...

*Crickets*

$80K!
Get it appraised at your local Op Shop, probably worth closer to $800.

Dam should of read this thread last night, I was near CP this morning, could of had coffee.

Anna, I started commuting in 2000 and at that time it appeared to me that it was 90% male, 10% female of which virtually none were 30+. Commuting has gone a lonq way since then, at a guess there are 4 times the number of commuters and females make up a higher percentage. The difference being the bike paths, each time they put a section in, it increases bike usage not only on the path but on associated roads.

In Holland I hear there are more female bike commuters than male.

As for all the excuses "unfit people find reasons not to exercise, fit people find time to exercise"

And one of the most amusing comments I've had several times is when asked about the rider.
Coworker: How far to do you ride to work
Mike: 9k
Coworker: Return?
Mike: Each way
Coworker: Wow that's a long way

And one of the most amusing comments I've had several times is when asked about the rider.
Coworker: How far to do you ride to work
Mike: 9k
Coworker: Return?
Mike: Each way
Coworker: Wow that's a long way

Yea I received that comment + "she is mad! " every time someone ask me how far I traveled each day and I said close to 30k.

Taking it off topic slightly, the perfect question back is: how long do you spend in traffic/public transport. 2 hrs? You're mad!

Some cold air shots this morning

SBS ride at Centennial Park this morning

wooo hoo - you go girls looking forward to Sunday night

The other thing I've noticed is that whenever there is a post related to women in cycling, 95% of the posts are by other women in the club.

What do the men think? Do they try to encourage their wives, girlfriends, sisters, mums to ride? What are the barriers? Time? Kids? Safety as Anna mentioned? Or do the men not encourage it as it may reduce their riding time?!

This is Kerry Vogel logged in as Todd......the initial decision to ride was my own and this was just based around curiosity. However, once mentioned Todd took the opportunity to see if I was serious. So during the 2012 Tour de France sale at Clarence St cyclery he said let's go & buy you a bike. From then I can say that all of the people I have dealt with since I have had nothing but encouragement. Todd has been extremely patient & supportive. I had a few setbacks coming off but managed to persevere. From starting on bike paths at a very slow 18kph, going to Saturday slowies, riding to Kurnell with Todd and now waterfall in the 25s. In the last 4 months I have really enjoyed riding. I have found all of the guys very supportive & encouraging & I am always pleased when there are a few women in the bunch on Sunday. I agree with Anna that safety is a significant impediment to women riding, particularly commuting. I have found Riding in a bunch with guys feels safe. I am rather in awe of all the women in the club that commute regularly and alone. As for the personal grooming......sweaty helmet head after 80kms just can't be helped

Great story Kerry! I bet you never imagined you would be riding to Waterfall before you got the bike. And it sounds like the ability to have rides that were progressively longer - sort of a pathway - helped.

As for the sweaty head, well I just cut my most of my hair off. Life got easier, except now I really have to get haircut every 6 weeks.

Keep the feedback coming everyone! It's great.

When I joined DHBC there were no female riders then Joanne joined. Soon after Lindsay started Saturday Slowies, which the fasties were initially banned from and the clubs growth got into overdrive.

Nowadays there are many more female members than total members when I first joined. Many of the ladies have steadily pursued greater challenges, such as Sunday Waterfall, Adventure Rides and racing. All very impressive

[quote="Eleri"]Great story Kerry! I bet you never imagined you would be riding to Waterfall before you got the bike. And it sounds like the ability to have rides that were progressively longer - sort of a pathway - helped.

As for the sweaty head, well I just cut my most of my hair off. Life got easier, except now I really have to get haircut every 6 weeks.

You are right. I used to laugh when Todd said I would be riding to Waterfall. Progressively longer rides was definitely the best way for me to develop. Kurnell is a 50km return trip so it helped with improving my speed which started out at 22kph and is now about 28kph, it is flat and the road is relatively quiet. Riding on the bike path was too difficult to improve speed, hazardous and offered no road riding or bunch experience. I was also very conscious that I would not attempt Waterfall until I could maintain at least 25kph over 50ks. My hair is short too!

I stand guilty of stopping my wife from riding about 10 years ago when she expressed an interest (in her late 40's) in getting a bike and learning to ride. She had not had the opportunity whilst growing up on a remote tea estate in Ceylon. My 'winning' reasons were: roads too dangerous, nowhere to learn to ride safely without loading up the car and driving to an empty carpark, CP or a bike path, definitely falling off and hurting yourself, the bike would end up not being ridden, etc etc. These same reasons had caused me to get rid of my bad Malvern Star 30 years ago once I moved away from Paddington and stopped riding laps around CP (no road riding).

Since then she has had a total hip replacement and has recently reinstated the goal of learning to ride on her list of things to do as she recovers her mobility.

I started riding again recently and did much the same as Kerry (Kurnell definitely has its merits). I am now reminded by my wife of my initial objections to her riding every time I go out on my bike! And rightly so. And the guilt I feel won't/shouldn't cease until she can do a Saturday Slowies.

My story is very much like Kerry's. I was lucky enough to have a great knowledgable friend go bike shopping with me, giving up his weekends and evenings and filling me with information, I thought he was just being nice. I now understand it is a complete addiction. I got indroduced to the club through Mike. I couldn't even keep up with slowies my first time. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging, really the only reason I came back. I'm glad to say I've progressed since then. I've ridden with other clubs, and while they all have there merits, DHBC always feels happy and friendlier.
Eleri, I hope you mention the clubs "personality" and the great mix of people who make that up. I have to question if the club was not there for my first 12 months of riding whether I would have stayed on the bike and developed the passion for cycling I have today.

Aaw Colin! I want to tease you but thanks so much for sharing that. I do hope your wife comes to Slowies when she's ready.

And Paulette, I'll definitely talk about the DHBC personality - because that's why I kept coming back. If it wasn't for that small group of blokes who decided to rebuild the club from a very small group and make it inclusive, then most of us wouldn't be here. And I doubt the club would either. It's definitely something we have to keep and reinforce as we grow. That was really clear in the survey.

I think the general thing to mention which I didn't when SBS asked us some questions is that the biggest thing stopping woman from riding has usually been in the past, lack of woman riders or riders at that beginners level. When I joined I almost gave up as being dropped by the elite or strong masters guys for 6 to 8 months when there were no woman was spirit breaking. But now there is a ride on in Sydney of all levels different days of the week, from Dhbc, brats, LACC woman's group just to name a few. There is so much more opportunity now for woman.....so now they just need to start riding with a club, and get fit and meet new people at the same time.

Hi All,

Don't forget to tune in tonight at 6pm on SBS2 to see Eleri form part of an all women's panel on Cycling Central.

You may also get a glance of the other DHBC members who were at CP on Friday morning.

Tune in!

Well done Eleri, that was excellent

I thought it was great! Both to have the discussion and the opportunity to be a part of it. We have such a great story to tell in DHBC and I hadn't really realised that until I got the opportunity to tell it a few times lately.

Thanks everyone for your stories - I hope I did justice to them and incorporating them into what I had to say. It went so quickly! There's so much more we could all have said ...

And didn't the club get a great plug! Lots of visuals, name checks and positives.

Yep, good showing.

re: women's cycling. I Must admit that the state of elite/pro side of women's cycling doesn't really resonate with me as a concern. Such a tiny percentage of cyclists are involved at that level, and elite/pro sport is a bizarre beast shaped by TV, sponsors, audience interest levels, i.e way too many complex factors to think you can magically level the playing field. Anyhow look at it this way - the 200th best swimmer in Australia doesn't make a cent and is unknown, but the 200th best AFL player makes a motsa and is a household name. Is that fair?

I think getting the grass roots right is something we as a club can control, and will ultimately bear fruit at those higher levels

Great interview Eleri, and great shots of the Friday morning ride. Red and black, Red and Black and Mike loves us all. The debate was the best debate on TV that night. Beat that other debate which started just after you finished! Eleri for PM!

A real pleasure to watch! Very well done, and I'm still smiling at the mention of "Saturday Slowies" on national TV.

A real pleasure to watch! Very well done, and I'm still smiling at the mention of "Saturday Slowies" on national TV.

...and Pete, we saw you on tv riding at the back of the bunch with the woman. Well done!

I thought it was great! Both to have the discussion and the opportunity to be a part of it. We have such a great story to tell in DHBC and I hadn't really realised that until I got the opportunity to tell it a few times lately.

Thanks everyone for your stories - I hope I did justice to them and incorporating them into what I had to say. It went so quickly! There's so much more we could all have said ...

And didn't the club get a great plug! Lots of visuals, name checks and positives.

I think every one will agree you did a fantastic job promoting our club and woman's cycling! Go Eleri.

*Blush*

It's up online now - for your viewing pleasure. And so you can check out the DHBC chicks again. And Peter T who was wheel sucking.

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/vi ... -11-August

Well done Eleri. I just watched the episode on SBS on Demand app on my iPad. You were terrific! You did a fabulous job promoting the club and supporting women cycling. And congratulations to the Friday mooring bunch who were also interviewed ... Jacqui