Cycling UK, the national charity dedicated to promoting cycling and active travel, has announced that women now make up a quarter of its total membership. This marks a significant milestone for the organization, which has witnessed a notable increase in female participation over the past year.
The charity, which advocates for cycling across the UK while offering its 70,000 members a range of benefits such as insurance, has seen over a third of new sign-ups in the past year come from women. This growth contrasts with the struggles faced by many other membership organizations in similar sectors.
Cycling UK’s outreach efforts have led to over 800,000 individuals discovering or rediscovering cycling, with initiatives ranging from supporting refugees in North Yorkshire to introducing toddlers to balance bikes in Glasgow.
Katie Hammond, the charity’s commercial director, emphasized the wider impact of Cycling UK’s work. “Anyone who joins us can be certain they’re contributing to our higher purpose as a charity, which is to transform people’s lives through cycling,” she said. “In turn, this helps us tackle pressing challenges, whether they be environmental, health-related, or economic.”
Between 2022 and 2025, the proportion of female members increased from 22% to 25%. This progress is largely attributed to the charity’s targeted campaigning and program initiatives aimed at addressing the barriers women face when considering cycling.
“The barriers people most frequently mention are not having access to a bike, a lack of confidence to ride, and social isolation,” Hammond explained. “Thankfully, all of these barriers can be overcome with the right support. That’s where Cycling UK plays a crucial role.”
Cycling UK has introduced Community Cycle Hubs to provide support to underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, and individuals with health limitations. Notably, 51% of those benefiting from these initiatives have been women, while 52% come from disadvantaged areas and 42% from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Since 2020, 7,500 individuals from underserved communities have joined Cycling UK clubs across England, which provide a welcoming and supportive environment with access to essential skills and equipment.
“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we are focused on doing even more,” Hammond said. “Our goal is to encourage even more women to take up cycling through new campaigns and continued impactful work with local communities.”
Related topics
- Visma-Lease a Bike Seeks Improvement After Opening Weekend
- Kaden Groves Fined and Relegated for Celebrating Teammate’s Win
- Pursuit Cycles Shifts Focus to Composites Research