SWAPFIETS LAUNCHES CYCLE SQUAD TO HELP WOMEN OVERCOME FEARS OF URBAN CYCLING
SWAPFIETS LAUNCHES CYCLE SQUAD TO HELP WOMEN OVERCOME FEARS OF URBAN CYCLING
Swapfiets launches Cycle Squad to help build confidence and community for female cyclists
Launch follows new survey that ranks London as 3rd most feared city for cyclists in the UK
Swapfiets Cycle Squad follows last year’s e-Bike Proficiency Scheme
Participants can book via Eventbrite
May 2024, London: Bike subscription service, Swapfiets, is launching a new Women’s Cycle Squad initiative to help build confidence and community to encourage more women on two wheels. Swapfiets’ Cycle Squad event will take place on Sunday 2nd June from 11am - 3pm, starting at its Spitalfields store.
The Cycle Squad comes following a recent Swapfiets study that found that 90% of women fear cycling in cities, with being hit by a vehicle, being a victim of road rage and nighttime cycling topping their list of fears.
Swapfiets’ first Cycle Squad will operate in London following the bike subscription’s research revealing London to be one of the most feared cities for cycling, ranking third in the UK, following Sheffield (#1) and Manchester (#2), with Cardiff (#4) and Liverpool (#5) rounding out the top 5.
The Swapfiets Cycle Squad aims to directly address these concerns by fostering a supportive community of female cyclists and providing guided group rides led by cycling experts.
The event will kick off with a meet & greet from 11am-11:30am at the Swapfiets store, where participants can get to know one another and discuss any cycling fears or questions with the Swapfiets cycling experts.
At 11:30am, the group ride will commence, led by Swapfiets’ cycling expert Katarina Hlavata. The two-hour ride will follow a route from Shoreditch down to the River Thames for a scenic riverside ride, heading to the iconic Hyde Park for a leisurely lap before hitting the cycle lanes back to the Swapfiets store. The route has been carefully selected by the Swapfiets team, sticking mostly to designated cycle lanes for an accessible experience for all levels.
Katarina Hlavata, UK Country Manager at Swapfiets, said: "The research showing 90% of women fear cycling in urban areas really resonated with me, as I've experienced many of those fears myself over the years.
"We're launching the Cycle Squad program in direct response, to empower and build confidence for women exploring their cities by bike. Cycling should feel easy, fun and freeing, not intimidating. By fostering a supportive community and sharing skills, we want to help make that possible for more women."
The Swapfiets Cycle Squad follows the brand’s e-Bike Proficiency Scheme, which it launched last year to teach riders of every level how to use an e-bike.
Participants are welcome to bring their own bikes, or they can use one of the Swapfiets bikes available at the store for the ride, including e-bike models the Power 1 and Power 7.
How to Join the Cycle Squad
The Cycle Squad is open to all women interested in building their urban cycling confidence in a fun, supportive setting. To book, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/swapfiets-womens-cycle-squad-tickets-903167768107. Spots are limited.
About Swapfiets
Swapfiets is the world’s first ‘bicycle as a service’ company. Founded 2014 in the Netherlands, the scale-up quickly developed being one of the leading micro mobility providers in Europe with 280.000 members in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, Austria and UK.
The concept of Swapfiets is quite simple: For a monthly subscription fee, Swapfiets members receive a fully functional bicycle or e-mobility solution for their own use. If needed, a repair service is available within 48 hours to repair or directly swap the two-wheeler at no additional cost.
