YOU MADE OUR DAY – congratulations everyone

On behalf of Bicycle NSW and the Heart Foundation, we hope you are still shining in the afterglow of an amazing ride on Sunday. And it is all thanks to you.

With an official rider count of 978, and our amazing team of 211 volunteers, we had 1,189 bike riders celebrating International Women’s Day and demonstrating we can change the inequities in women’s cycling.

Awesome, amazing, fantastic, delightful, special, fun, ecstatic… are some of the wonderful adjectives you have shared with us over the past few day. Thank you for your enthusiastic feedback and praise for the entire team at Bicycle NSW, and thank you for the important recognition of our volunteers. We could not do it without them, we could not do it without you!

We have loved hearing and seeing your highlights on Facebook and Instagram – keep them coming. Here are just a few of our highlights, but be sure to tell us all yours in our rider survey.

  • 40% growth in riders number and a record breaking year
  • Molly – the powerful 10yr old riding the 40km Classic Ride with her mum, raising over $800 for the Heart Foundation (thanks to the help of her grandmother!)
  • Marie – 85yrs young, and riding 40km Classic Ride with family and friends. Her fourth Gear Up Girl Ride in 5 years
  • Diversity of Ambassadors – politicians, business leaders, CEOs and pro cyclists including Sara Mills, the 18yr old mountain bike pro rider recently selected to the Australian National MTB Development Team.
  • Partnerships – sincere thanks to our partners who all share our vision of encouraging more women to be confident to ride regularly: Heart Foundation, Sutherland Shire Council, Smooth FM, Sydney Olympic Park, Republica Organic, Rolling Wines, Park Bikes
  • Mmmmmmm – Republica Organic, fresh coffee. According to the vendors there was a lot of coffee enjoyed!
  • Volunteers and Eventeamwork – 211 amazing, diverse, dedicated, energized, smiling and cheering volunteers. All with very important technical expertise on hand for the riders, all thanks to the ever amazing Jana and Helen
  • Picture perfect weather (and a cheeky headwind at Kurnell)
  • Scenic cycling route – community gardens, river sides, waterways, market gardens, coastlines and beaches
  • Your stories – everyone’s enthusiastic and generous feedback at the festival finish site as you shared your experiences and adventures
  • The serendipity of Lesley winning the Rolling Wines Vintage Ladies Bike Package, having ridden Gear Up Girl on a borrowed bike. Read the top entries here, and check out the gleeful winners and grinners!
  • The massages – thanks to the healing hands from the students and staff at the Community Services and Health Faculty, TAFE and the Chiropractic Students, Macquarie University
  • And – Channel 10 National News showing how women like to celebrate International Women’s Day.