80% Divvy = Men. Women Bike Chicago Seeks to Change That

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on November 23, 2015 at 2:49pm

Divvy has the same issue as Citi.  Some interesting research is cited in this article: http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/07/why-arent-more-women-riding-ci...

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on November 23, 2015 at 8:51pm

In any business, if half of your potential customers have only a lukewarm response to your product, it does not bode well for its future.  You'd want to find out why they don't like it and do something to make it more appealing.

Permalink Reply by ad on November 24, 2015 at 12:47pm

Not by advocacy groups, since rental cars aren't a public (or favored) good, but I'd be surprised if Enterprise and Hertz (or their equivalent trade association) couldn't be convinced to spend a decent amount of money by marketing consultants to figure out why they weren't attracting women renters.  

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on November 24, 2015 at 11:59am

The Bikeyface blog is "a webcomic inspired by the real life experience of getting around on two wheels in a city built for four." I believe the author is a woman (though don't see her name mentioned anywhere). She might have some insights on specific issues related to women as urban cyclists.

Edit: Like this one: Fear of Sweat

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on November 25, 2015 at 2:15am

http://bikeyface.com/about/

BikeyFace is written and illustrated by Bekka Wright.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on November 25, 2015 at 5:04am

Thanks. I poked an about link but all I saw was the second bit, "About Bikeyface."

Permalink Reply by Thomas Bruzan on November 25, 2015 at 2:57pm

Especially surprising considering that they're girls bicycles.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on November 25, 2015 at 5:36pm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Step-through_frame

Technically, they are 'utility bicycles', or step through frame bikes. Unisex bicycles.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 25, 2015 at 3:27pm

The fact that Divvy ridership numbers are similar to the numbers that show up in bike counts suggests to me that the underlying problem is infrastructure and lack of traffic enforcement. Women don't feel safe in our current traffic conditions.

We've certainly made progress in recent years with respect to infrastructure. I wish I could say the same about traffic enforcement, which has gone in the opposite direction and is sorely needed in too many locations across the city.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on January 21, 2016 at 3:15pm

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/cyclists-group-urges-mo...

Women Bike Chicago and it's chairwoman, Elizabeth Adamczyk held another event to promote, support and build upon the cycling community.