Women on Wheels
Guest post by Shgufta Anwar, Women on Wheels founder
What is Women on Wheels?
Women on wheels is an organisation which gets women on to bikes and keeps them in the saddle for life. We originally started when a group of individual Muslim women came together by chance and through a shared joy of cycling, challenged the barriers they faced to biking.
Saddle up, we’re going to take you on a journey! This journey will take us along a road which although bumpy at times, has still been one of the most exhilarating of rides.
Why is this project so important?
Most people don’t have to think twice before climbing into the saddle but for many Muslim women even their clothing can be an issue. Long, flowing garments tend not to go so well with chains, brakes and pedals.
But, of course, it’s not just clothing that poses a problem when it comes to cycling; we’ve faced other barriers too. In our culture, cycling is just not the done thing for women, many see it as immodest, others see riding a bike as a climb down in terms of social status.
Then there are the barriers shared by everyone in Scotland, such as, not having a bike, lack of confidence, road safety, the lovely Scottish weather and of course, the potholes!
These barriers are shared by all but what you may not know is that women are still much less likely to get on a bike than men. In fact, men undertake twice as many cycling journeys as women in Scotland and three times as many in the UK and they travel four times as far.
On the other hand, we are well into our cycling journey and although we have collectively clocked up some impressive miles, we have no intention of stopping. We want to share our pedal power with other women so that they too can feel the wind in their hair or their hijab for that matter.
What are the plans for the future?
Our next bike stop is not just for a coffee and a slice of cake but for the whole three -tiered, glorious gateau. We want our own inclusive community cycling hub with a difference, a space led by, run by and for women. A space where women of all culture, colours and backgrounds can feel supported whether they’re complete newbies, a little wobbly in the saddle or even seasoned riders, all are welcome. Be part of this journey and join us on our wheelie adventures, the bumpy rides and the smooth, and together we can be Women on Wheels.