Author: Bicycle NSW

In support of the annual Gear Up Girl cycle event on Sunday 8 March, Sutherland Shire Council has put together a council team to take part in Bicycle NSW’s female only recreational ride in Sydney which finishes at Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla.

The event which offers 20, 40 and 60 km cycle routes was first run in 2008 and is supported by the Heart Foundation and Go Red for Women with Sutherland Shire Council an event partner.

Councillor Tracy Cook will join with council employees to take on the challenge and is looking forward to the opportunity to ride with many other female riders from across Sydney in a fun event which features some of the best cycling routes in Sydney.

“I’m proud council is supporting the Gear Up Girl event which is held on International Women’s Day. I can’t think of a better way for women to celebrate the day than getting outside to enjoy the friendship of other women while also improving our health,” Cr Cook said.

“Gear Up Girl raises awareness of heart disease which is the biggest killer of women in Australia. We can all look after our hearts better by eating well and exercising and by taking part in this event, we can make a difference in making people more aware of this significant health issue.

“That’s why I am involved in Gear Up Girl this year and I encourage females of all ages over 10 to join us,” said Cr Cook.

Sutherland Shire Mayor, Kent Johns welcomed the return of Gear Up Girl to the Shire and the many riders from all over Sydney. “It is going to be a great event again this year and I wish all riders a safe and fun day,” the Mayor said.

There are three ride options catering for all levels of fitness. The 60km Coast Ride is for those looking for a challenge with the route starting in Bicentennial Park at Sydney Olympic Park and then heading south along the Cooks River cycleway and on to Kurnell before returning to Cronulla to finish at Don Lucas Reserve.

The 40km Classic Ride is a more leisurely ride, ideal for all abilities. Starting at Bicentennial Park at Sydney Olympic Park, the route will take riders south along the Cooks River cycleway and on to the finish line at Cronulla.

For those wanting a shorter ride which is ideal for mums and young daughters, the 20km Beach Ride starts at Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla and takes you out along dedicated cycle lanes to Kurnell and then returns back to the Cronulla to the finish line. Children must be 10 years and over and must ride with a paying adult.

Gear Up Girl doesn’t stop once you have crossed the finish line. At the Cronulla Festival Finish, you can celebrate your achievements and enjoy the atmosphere with a Pamper Zone, the Dressed to Impress Parade, live music, street performers and market and food stalls.

Females can enter as an individual or you can create or join a team when you register online. For more details www.gearupgirl.com.au

“I am a social rider but I am honoured to be an ambassador for the 2015 Heart Foundation’s GEAR UP GIRL Ride. I did a girls-only ‘fashion and café’ bike ride around Newcastle a couple of years ago and loved the girl power energy of being one of fifty women cycling through the streets. Finding time to exercise is a challenge, but if you can find an activity such as cycling that you can share with friends and family then that’s a bonus, not only to your heart health but to your mental health and general sense of well being. I look forward to the ‘push off ‘come Sunday the 8^th March.”

Julie Anne Mitchell, Cardiovascular Health Director, Heart Foundation NSW

“As a woman committed to cycling to and from work, I’m thrilled to be an Ambassador for the Heart Foundation GEAR UP GIRL Ride 2015. I love cycling because it’s great for my heart, it’s an easy way to be environmentally friendly, and I can always find a free parking spot! My daughter and I are riding this year to support the Heart Foundation and Bicycle NSW in encouraging more women to take up this wonderful activity that benefits our health and our environment.”

Bicycle NSW were proud to feature Jacqueline in a Business Insider article in 2014 where a select group of cycling CEO’s shared their cycling experiences, “THE NEW GOLF: Tony Abbott And 8 CEOs Tell Us Why They Love Cycling”. You can read Jacqueline’s story here. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-new-golf-tony-abbott-and-8-ceos-tell-us-why-they-love-cycling-2014-4

Jacqueline Arias, Founder & CEO, República Organic

Republica Organic: www.republicaorganic.com.au

Marrickville Mayor Mark Gardiner is encouraging women and girls to mark 2015 International Women’s Day by joining Sydney’s largest female-only recreational bike ride.

The Heart Foundation GEAR UP GIRL Ride on Sunday 8 March is open to women and girls of all ages, experiences and abilities. The event provides a safe, scenic and social chance for women to rediscover the freedom and joy of riding a bicycle, and is designed to give women and children the confidence to cycle regularly for recreation and transport.

Participants can take part in a 20km, 40km or 60km ride, and children ride free. Marrickville Mayor Mark Gardiner praised the initiative.

“As an enthusiastic bike rider, I would love to see more people take up this form of transport that is so good for our environment and our health.  I congratulate Bicycle NSW and the Heart Foundation on this terrific initiative. I hope many of our inner west women and children register for Sydney’s largest women’s only recreational bicycle ride to celebrate International Women’s Day,” said Gardiner.

Only 7% of Australian women use a bicycle for transport which is why there is an urgent need to get our girls ‘geared up’ and riding regularly. Across all states, weekly recreational cycling participation rates for men are almost double female participation and the divide gets greater with age, with males aged 50+ out cycling females 3:1.

Chief Executive of the Heart Foundation NSW Kerry Doyle said she hoped the event would encourage more women to be physically active.,

“Few women are aware that heart disease is the number one killer for Australian women. Through Gear Up Girl, we have an ideal opportunity to encourage our girls to get on their bikes and get active. Physical exercise has proven as a great weapon in the fight against heart disease.

“We know that for some people finding the time to exercise can be difficult, but there are many opportunities to be active in everyday life. Bike riding is a low impact physical activity that can be part of both daily recreation and transport,” said Doyle.

Gear Up Girl was founded by Bicycle NSW in 2008 and is held annually. The Heart Foundation is partnering with the event in 2015 as part of its ‘Go Red for Women’ initiative, which aims to educate women and raise funds for the fight against women and heart disease.

EVENT DETAILS
WHEN: Sunday 8 March, International Women’s Day,
WHERE: Rides commence from Cronulla Don Lucas Reserve (20km Beach Ride) or Sydney Olympic Park (40km Classic Ride and 60km Coast Ride). All routes finish at Cronulla Don Lucas Reserve.
WHAT: A unique women’sonly event on International Women’s Day.
WHO: Women and children of all ages and cycling abilities. Ride with confidence, ride with a community of women!
REGISTER: www.gearupgirl.com.au

Bicycle NSW Board member, Sara Stace, is getting ready for the Gear Up Girl ride on Sunday 8th March.

“It’s great to celebrate International Women’s Day with a bike ride for women and kids,” says Sara. “Bicycles are an affordable and easy form of transport. My teenage years were liberated by having a bike to ride everywhere, and I was encouraged to ride rather than rely on my parents for transport.”

Sara did the Gear Up Girl Ride in 2013 with her then 3-year old son, using a Chariot trailer hitched to the back of her bike. This year she plans to ride with her two young children in a ‘Bullit’ cargo bike, which has a power-assisting electric motor.

“Recently a friend lent me his electric cargo bike to try, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It was so much fun! My 5-year old son, who’s been reluctant to learn how to ride, kept making excuses for us to ride on this electric bike. We rode it to daycare, the shops, the beach, and to his friend’s house, all because my son insisted on ‘trying it out’”.

“The experience has shown me that you don’t need to be super fit, wear lycra, or worry about carrying kids. This electric cargo bike provides all the answers.”

Look out for Sara and her two children on the Heart Foundation GEAR UP GIRL 20km ride on Sunday 8 March. Kids can participate for free, including boys.

Men can help out by volunteering on the course, fixing bikes, and preparing the festivities at the end of the event, and carting partners home at the end of the day.

Sara Stace, Executive Director LinkPlace and Board Member Bicycle NSW

Humans On Bikes

Sara is also the Founder of a new and rapidly growing social media community “Humans On Bikes’. Capturing the beauty, joy and freedom of people riding their bicycles. It is what it says – a site dedicated to ‘humans riding their bicycles’, one story at a time. So please share your stories with Sara including a photo and she would love to add it to the growing community.

Facebook: @HumansOnBike
Instagram: @Humans_On_Bikes
Twitter: #HumansOnBikes

Registration for the 2015 Gear Up Girl are now open.

Register HERE!

Ride the 2015 Gear Up Girl and go red for women to support the Heart Foundation.

Gear Up Girl goes red for women with the Heart Foundation in 2015

Bicycle NSW is proud to announce that Gear Up Girl, our women’s only series of workshops and annual NSW event, will go red for women in 2015 with the Heart Foundation.

“Gear Up Girl was founded in 2008 as a response to the fact that more men are riding their bicycle for recreation and transport, and we needed to encourage more women onto their bicycles,” said Sophie Bartho, Communications Director, Bicycle NSW.

“Across all states, weekly cycling participation rates for men are almost double female participation and the divide gets greater with age, with 50+ males out cycling females 3:1.”

“Only 7% of Australian women use a bicycle for transport which is why there is an urgent need to get our girls geared up and riding regularly,” Ms Bartho said.

According to Bicycle NSW, women are seen as the change agents in communities so by encouraging women to ride and eliminating the barriers they can bring others to this important and healthy lifestyle.

“With three in five adults and one in four children overweight and obese across Australia, women are an important part of improving our lifestyle choices,” Ms Bartho said.

Chief Executive of the Heart Foundation NSW, Kerry Doyle believes this partnership will promote a positive image of the benefits of bike riding to the wider community and also highlights the benefits to health and the environment that come from active transport.

“Few women are aware that heart disease is the number one killer for Australian women and through Gear Up Girl we have an ideal opportunity to encourage Australian women and girls to get on their bikes and get active,” said Ms Doyle.

“Physical activity has been proven as a great weapon in the fight against heart disease and the Heart Foundation recommendations at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

“We know that for some people finding the time can be difficult, but there are many opportunities to be active in every day life. Bike riding is a low impact physical activity that can be part of both daily recreation and transport.”

“Evidence shows that people who ride daily live significantly longer than those who don’t, which is good news for bike riders and for our community. In fact some studies suggest that the simple act of riding to work can lower the risk of early death by 40 per cent,” Ms Doyle said.

Research shows there are six barriers to women riding, both perceived and real barriers to participation:

• More males ride! So the perception cycling is a male domain reigns on our parade!
• Safety perceptions including personal safety
• Women want to ride with like minded women
• Traffic including speed and volume of cars
• Apparel – what to wear, do I have to wear lycra, does my bum look big in this!
• Mobility of children

Throughout 2015 there will be a number of practical information workshops held to break down these barriers by providing women with a safe environment to learn essential bike riding skills, share information, meet like minded local women, and find the confidence to get on their bikes.

The annual Gear Up Girl ride will be held on Sunday 8 March 2015 in Sydney.  Women and girls everywhere are encouraged to register, or if they can’t make it on the day they can host their own local ride.

We want females everywhere to build up the confidence to get on their bike, discover the joy and freedom of cycling and to learn to “love your ride”!

Gear Up Girl Event details

When: International Women’s Day, Sunday 8 March
Where: from Sydney Olympic Park to Cronulla
What: The annual event offers a unique women’s only ride with a choice of a 20km Beach Ride, 40km Classic Ride or 60km Coast Ride, with the routes including spectacular Kurnell, the Cooks River Cycleway and the Cronulla coastline.

http://gearupgirl.com.au

Ride the 2015 Gear Up Girl and go red for women to support the Heart Foundation.

Cycling is a vital part of how Sydneysiders move, from commuting to work, to exercise and as a leisure activity with friends and family. Gear Up Girl is a fantastic program which encourages and  brings together women to explore Sydney’s cycle friendly spaces.

 

Congratulations to the organisers of the Gear Up Girl Challenge and best of luck to all the participants. Hopefully, I can join you in 2015!

Gear up Girl and Bicycle NSW are excited to announce Elizabeth Farrelly – Sydney-based columnist and author will be participating in the Gear Up Girl Ride on Sunday 9 March with her daughters as the official Gear up Girl Ambassador, supporting women’s bicycling.

“Cycling is far the best way to explore Sydney, get to meetings or schlep around the city. It’s cheap, fast, energising and green; no parking worries and no traffic jams. Plus Sydney has the perfect cycling climate, personal view.” Said Elizabeth Farrelly.

On Sunday, 9 March 2014, 1,000 women of all ages and abilities will ride their bicycles from Sydney Olympic Park to Cronulla Beach in the Gear Up Girl Ride, Bicycle NSW’s celebration of women and bike riding.

Part of the of the Women’s Sports Festival, and coinciding with International Women’s Day celebrations, the annual Gear Up Girl Ride promotes the health and social benefits of cycling. By providing a safe, friendly, relaxed environment Bicycle NSW hopes to inspire in women the confidence to take up, return to, or continue to enjoy cycling.

Gear up Girl is Bicycle NSW’s program just for women, and it aims to get women and girls of all ages and abilities, shapes and sizes on their bikes.

“We established the Gear Up Girl Program in response to evidence that a low, disproportionate number of women cycle,” said Donna Little, Bicycle NSW Events Coordinator. “Confidence on the bike is a factor that contributes to many women’s reluctance to ride, and Gear Up Girl provides an environment that is safe and supportive,” Ms Little said.

The Gear Up Girl Program is supported by a group of strong, accomplished women who believe that all women should enjoy the many benefits of cycling. Ambassadors for this year’s event are Margie Abbott – Australia’s First Lady, Christine Forster – City of Sydney Councillor & Rachael de Zylva – founder of women’s cycling website Bikegal.

Gear Up Girl Ride 2013 was supported by the then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard; Margie Abbott, and The Hon. Julie Bishop, our current Foreign Minister.

The 2014 Gear Up Girl Ride will take riders on a 40km journey from Sydney Olympic Park along the scenic Cooks River Cycleway out to Cronulla – and on to Kurnell for those who are keen for the challenge of an extra 20 kilometres.

The Gear Up Girl Ride is open to all women, young women and girls, and to boys under the age of 16 years. Riders under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult rider. Over 200 volunteers lend a hand in staging the Gear Up Girl Ride and Bicycle NSW is proud to have a large contingent of men showing their support as volunteers for Gear Up Girl Ride 2014.

Registration for Gear Up Girl Ride 2014 is now open online at www.gearupgirl.com.au.

Gear Up Girl riders can also be Everyday Heroes, raising funds for our Gear up Girl charity partner, TAD Disability Services, whose Freedom Wheels program provides special bikes for children with disabilities. [Find out more about TAD at  www.tadnsw.org.au.]

We are also excited to have key support from event partners Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Sutherland Shire Council, Body Torque, Park Bikes, TAD Disability, Event Team Work, Bicycles Online and mtnbike.com.au

Bicycle NSW staged the inaugural Gear Up Girl Ride in 2008. ‘Bike South Australia’ has hosted a Gear Up Girl Ride since 2009; Gear Up Girl toured Canberra in 2009 and 2010; and we’re hoping to see the event taken up in other places over time.

In addition to the Gear Up Girl Ride, Bicycle NSW also conducts a number of Gear Up Girl Workshops over the course of the year. Over two to three hours (and a cup of coffee!), women learn bike riding and basic mechanical skills, share their experiences of cycling and discuss cycling issues, and take the opportunity to meet new friends with whom they can ride.

Each year, over 10,000 people participate in Bicycle NSW events that promote bike riding as a safe, healthy choice for transport and recreation. Our annual Gear Up Girl Ride attracts up to 1,000 women and girls in a celebration of women and cycling that coincides with International Women’s Day.