Cycling for Women: Riding with Confidence

I remember the first time I discovered I could change a flat tire. My friend Ann was there, too, and she was just as much of a mechanical neophyte as me. We’d gone for a road ride on a beautiful day, but with just 5 miles remaining, disaster struck: a puncture.

Today it wouldn’t faze me in the least, but back then, never having changed a tire, I thought it was a very big deal indeed. So big in fact, that Ann and I took the risk of leaving her alone, stranded by the side of the road, while I rode 3 miles to the bike shop in the hopes of getting my buddy Eric to drive out and help us. But he had gone on a lunch break, so back I rode to inform Ann that we had to change it ourselves.

We didn’t set any speed records, but we did it. And the resulting feeling was euphoric. Confidence streamed through me with the realization that here was one thing I need never worry about again.

It’s true that a woman is more likely to run into serious trouble on a bike than, say, walking across a mall parking lot, so it sure doesn’t hurt to decrease the chances of trouble and prepare for it as much as possible. Consider the following precautions and learn what I did–that knowledge can empower you and increase your safety, skill, and confidence.

Steps to Prevention

Never let mechanical failure strand you. Buy or borrow a book on bike repair. Then practice the most common repairs. Mechanical skills will minimize the time you’re vulnerable on the side of the road, and you won’t have to hitch home or go door to door looking for a phone. Always carry some change, ID, a spare tube, a patch kit, tire levers, a pump, and one of those handy multitools with allen wrenches and screwdrivers. For basic mechanical tips, see part three of this book.

Circumvent trouble. When a car cuts you off or nearly hits you, stifle your urge to shout or gesture. You’re putting yourself in danger when you anger someone at the controls of a big motorized machine. If you let it go, you’ll forget all about the close call in a few minutes. But if you get into it with the driver, it’ll be on your mind for days and will tarnish your enthusiasm for riding.

Wear looser clothing. Yes, we should be able to dress as we like, but some yahoos are still convinced that form-revealing clothing means you’ll welcome their advances. If you’re riding solo, looser jerseys or T-shirts and baggy shorts are advisable, says Dave Glowacz, an instructor in the Effective Cycling bicycling education program and author of Urban Bikers’ Tricks and Tips. Glowacz also suggests hiding long hair in your helmet or under a jacket.

Ride a beater bike. If you ride for regular transportation, your worst fear may be a stolen or hijacked bike. The solution is simple. Don’t use a bike that anyone would want to steal. Ride an old, scarred bike with heavy-duty wheels and tires that thwart punctures. To those who use them, such bikes are affectionately known as beaters. Or do as Glowacz suggests and “uglify” your bike by putting reflective tape or stickers on the frame. Cover the frame’s chips and scratches with paint that doesn’t match.

Announce your route. When you’re heading out for a ride, it doesn’t hurt to tell a friend or roommate where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Then they’ll know where to start looking if you don’t return on time.

Stay alert. Avoid roads and trails where you know threats or attacks have occurred. Watch out for suspicious characters near debris in the road. Stick to main streets, avoiding alleys and cramped, bad neighborhoods. Talk to other cyclists and keep up with community news. Above all, vary the time and route you ride, which lessens your chance of being picked out as a target.

Listen to yourself. Your instincts and perceptions are invaluable when it comes to personal survival, says Gavin de Becker in his book The Gift of Fear. If the guy standing on the street corner up ahead is making you uneasy, don’t second-guess your feelings. There’s probably a reason. Trust your inner self and turn around. Don’t worry about hurting the feelings of someone you don’t even know. Don’t analyze your fear or discomfort, just heed it.

If Trouble Happens

Keep rolling if someone starts hassling you. You have two big advantages on a bicycle: You’re more mobile than a car and faster than someone on foot, points out Crystal Nelson, a Nashville bike patrol police officer. In an iffy situation, stay on your bike and keep moving. “Don’t give up your mechanical advantage,” Nelson says. Sure, if someone wants just your bike, it may be best to hand it over, but you can’t know what anyone really has in mind.

Plan an escape route. Pick out escape routes ahead of time, advises Glowacz. If someone seems to be following you, think ahead and turn into a busy street, a storefront, or even someone’s driveway. Don’t automatically stop for a flat tire should it happen in a weird setting. Sometimes it’s better to risk trashing the tire and rim by riding a ways to a safer place.

Call for help. A cell phone, programmed to speed-dial local authorities or 911, can let others know about a problem in seconds. A potential assailant may head the other way when he sees you using it.

Fight back. Ditch the concept that good girls don’t get into trouble–fight back with every ounce of energy you have. Hold your bike between you and your would-be attacker, then shove it at him and run in the opposite direction, says Glowacz. Scream, kick, gouge, hit. Bad guys want quiet victims, so don’t be one. If you’re being dragged, collapse to make it more difficult. Some people like to carry pepper spray, but check to make sure it’s legal in your state. Attach the canister to your clothing rather than your bike, so it stays with you; and practice using it ahead of time.

Go to Class

Better bike-handling skills make for a safer and more confident cyclist who is better equipped to handle threatening situations. Sign up for an Effective Cycling class through the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org). Jacquie Phelan, former mountain bike racer and founder of WOMBATS (Women’s Mountain Bike and Tea Society), recommends mountain bike classes to increase off-road riding skills and lessen the chance of injury. Check the WOMBATS Web site at www.wombats.org.