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Background: It is essential to better characterize the energetic profile of individuals during very low-intensity physical activity. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether the saver profile from sit-to-stand persists during light physical activity and characterize patterns in substrate utilization from sit-to-stand and during very low-intensity physical activity in healthy men and women. Methods: Sixty-two healthy adults (38 women) performed an experimental sequence that corresponded to 15-minute sitting (SIT1), followed by 15-minute standing (STAND), 15-minute sitting again (SIT2), and finally 15 minutes of light cycling. Continuous indirect calorimetry was allowed to calculate energy expenditure (EE) and respiratory quotient through the entire sequence. Savers and nonsavers (<5% and ≥ 5% increase in EE from sitting to standing, respectively) were determined. Results: There was an interaction effect in EE between savers and nonsavers through the whole sequence (P =.008). Only nonsavers (71%) exhibited a significant increase in EE from SIT1 to STAND (P <.001). Nonsavers and savers significantly increased EE during 15 minutes of light cycling relative to sitting or standing (P <.001), without any difference between groups. The percentage of change in respiratory quotient from SIT1 to STAND was significantly different between the 2 groups, with increased values in savers and decreased values in nonsavers (P =.03). Significantly lower values in respiratory quotient and EE were found during 15 minutes of light cycling in women compared with men (P <.001). Conclusions: It is essential to determine individuals' energetic phenotype to determine those who may benefit more from strategies such as standing or light physical activity. The sexual dimorphism in terms of substrate use during such exercise should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationships between age and race performance in women's road cycling. Therefore, we consider public data from ProCyclingStats (PCS) on race results of 558 female riders present in the top 500 of one of the yearly rankings between 1993 and 2021. We apply a data-driven approach consisting of three subsequent steps. First, we train decision tree classifiers to distinguish between race profiles. Second, we cluster the riders based on the fraction of PCS points obtained in different race types and uniquely identified the speciality of a rider as Sprinter, All Rounder or One Day. Third, we use polynomial regression to determine relationships between age and a rider's yearly race performance, defined as the average number of points per race entered in a single year, for each cluster. We obtain that the yearly performance is independent of age for one-day specialists. For sprinters and all-rounders, we found that the race performance increases until it reaches a maximum at 28.7 (sprinters) and 27.0 (all-rounders) years and then decreases again. Our findings can be used as a benchmarking tool for monitoring the development of women's road cyclists, talent identification or constructing long-term training programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question: Social media in sport management contexts is increasingly used to highlight social issues in sport and to advocate for change, such as expanding the opportunities for women to participate. The purpose of this study is to examine how and why people strategically used various Twitter conventions to advocate for women's cycling during the 2013 (men's) Tour de France. We draw on Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis to frame our exploration and analysis of the issue. Research methods: We analyzed the text of approximately 6000 tweets to examine the use of Twitter conventions, as discursive practices, in digital activism efforts to advance the women's cycling agenda. Findings and discussion: People used links, retweets, hashtags, direct mentions, and influencers' posts as individual discursive practices and for their collective potential to draw attention to, and advocate for, women's pro-cycling in the context of the 100th iteration of the men's Tour de France. We discuss why this was an important process in the context of women's cycling, and some of the impacts, ten years later, of this Twitter activity. Implications: Twitter conventions can be a useful digital activism tool for feminist agendas in sport. We are cautious of overstating this case as each cause will have different contexts, and the ability of trolls and other users to derail activism is ever present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PrEP cycling among women is thought to be safe when there are distinct "seasons of risk." However, cyclical PrEP use over short periods may be associated with increased risk of HIV acquisition. We aimed to characterize key social ecological factors contributing toward PrEP cycling among female sex workers (FSW) in the context of high HIV risk. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 36 FSW at risk for HIV acquisition and 12 key informant (KI) service providers in eThekwini (Durban), South Africa from January-October 2020. FSW identified key factors driving temporary discontinuation of PrEP including relocation, lack of information on or difficulty coping with side effects, and delays in accessing PrEP. In many cases, FSW were motivated to restart PrEP once barriers were overcome. In contrast, KIs emphasized the importance of individual adherence to PrEP and reliance on personal risk assessments when counselling FSW on cycling decisions. FSW and KI perspectives highlight a disconnect between providers' recommendations on the potential for cyclical use of PrEP during periods of minimal risk and actual drivers among FSW causing temporary PrEP discontinuation. Further interventions supporting safe PrEP cycling are needed to ensure decisions around cycling are deliberate and guided by changes in HIV risk rather than external factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobility plays a crucial role in constructing gender. This study provides empirical evidence of this by focusing on both the embodied and situational agencies of women to explore gendered mobilities in cycling tourism. Interviews and observations were used to collect data in Hainan, China. This study found that the bodily practice of cycling allows women to exercise agency by permitting them to express and improve their skills, which further enables them to reconsider gender identities and challenge traditional gender dualism. However, this agency also depended on context. The widely accepted ideas related to cycling and rural public spaces were maintained in cycling tourism. This study contributes to understanding the intersection of cycling mobility and gender through embodied and situational agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, there have been several efforts in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to increase the opportunities and improve the experiences of women cyclists in recreational and racing contexts. However, cycling in Victoria and Australia more broadly continues to be a male dominated sport. This study incorporates a digital ethnography of two Melbourne-based women's cycling Facebook groups including 11 interviews with stakeholders over the period of 2017–2018 to analyse how women and girls are harnessing social media to create counter sports spaces to enhance women's cycling. The paper explores the emergence of the "virtual clubhouse" which operates as a digitally networked counterpublic, providing a space for women and gender diverse cyclists to connect, coproduce and engage in knowledge sharing practices, and build a more inclusive culture for cycling that challenges dominant, mainstream narratives of women's sport. The "virtual clubhouse" addresses a gap in the physical bicycle landscape in which cycling and cycling knowledge (including bicycle maintenance) is largely mediated by men and cycling clubs are configured as masculine spaces within Australia. This research adds further depth into a specific localised network of women cyclists to consider how physical and online sports cultures and communities are intertwined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacing during cycling and running in an IRONMAN triathlon has been investigated in only one study with elite IRONMAN triathletes. We have, however, no knowledge of how professional triathletes pace during an IRONMAN World Championship. To investigate the split-by-split speed, pacing strategies and pacing variability in professional female and male IRONMAN World Championship participants in the fastest IRONMAN World Championship ever in IRONMAN Hawaii 2022. For both cycling and running, 25 specific split times were recorded in each discipline. The best 30 men and 30 women overall were chosen from the official IRONMAN website database for further analysis. They were divided into three performance groups: Top 10, 11–20th place, and 21st–30th place. Mean speed, individual linear regressions with the corresponding correlation coefficients, and coefficient of variation were calculated to assess split-by-split speed, pacing strategies, and pacing variability, respectively. In both men's and women's cycling and running segments, the top ten participants exhibited faster split times compared to the slower performance groups. Notably, no discernible differences existed between the 11–20th and 21st–30th place in men's cycling and women's running times. Conversely, in men's running and women's cycling segments, those in the 11–20th place displayed quicker times than those in the 21st–30th place. In the cycling segment across all groups, men demonstrated a more negative pacing pattern (indicating an increase in speed), whereas women exhibited more consistent pacing. In the running segment, the top 10 men and all women's groups showcased relatively similar slightly positive pacing profiles. However, men ranking 11–20th and 21st–30th displayed more pronounced positive pacing strategies, implying a more significant decline in speed over time. In terms of cycling, the variability in pacing remained relatively consistent across the three performance groups. Conversely, during the running segment, the top ten male triathletes and those in the 11–20th place displayed lower pacing variability than their counterparts in the 21st–30th position place and all women's groups. In summary, performance and pacing were examined in professional male and female IRONMAN World Championship participants during IRONMAN Hawaii 2022. Top performers showed faster cycling and running split times, with differences in pacing strategies between sexes. The pacing was more consistent in cycling, while running pacing varied more, particularly among male triathletes in different performance groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial "Women's cycling: specificities, situation and perspectives" published in Frontiers in Sports & Active Living focuses on the current state of women's cycling, highlighting the need to address the specificities and challenges faced by female cyclists. The research topic collected data on the distinctive characteristics of women's cycling, including the impact of menstrual cycles on performance and the importance of individualized training programs. The editorial also discusses the need for gender equality in professional cycling to enhance mental well-being among athletes. Overall, the editorial aims to contribute to the advancement of women's cycling by prompting reflection among key stakeholders. [Extracted from the article]

This study is governed by two aims: firstly, expanding the meagre knowledge store regarding the demands set by professional female road cycling and, secondly, ascertaining whether these demands vary in relation to different race-levels and race duration (single- or multi-day events). A total of 1349 female professional road races was analysed and demands (intensity, load and performance) were determined. Races were classified based on race level (i.e. Women's World Tour [WWT], level.1 and level.2 according to the International Cycling Federation) and race duration (single- or multi-day events). Differences were assessed with a multilevel random intercept model whilst the strength of said differences were indicated by Cohen's d (0–0.19 trivial; 0.20–0.59 small; 0.60–1.1.9 moderate; 1.20–1.99 large; ≥2.00 very large). In general, no moderate differences for load and intensity were noted for the different race levels. This result contrasts with data obtained from male road cycling. Moderate higher 3 and 5 min maximal mean power (MMP) values were noted in the WWT compared to Level.2 races. More substantial differences were found to exist between single- and multi-day races with single-day races presenting small to large higher load and intensity values. In addition, single-day races presented higher MMPs overall durations (5 s–60 min) although these differences can be rated trivial to small. This study contributes to the limited knowledge store describing demands in professional female cycling. The reported data provide valuable insights which may aid practitioners and/or coaches in preparing female professional cyclists for races. Highlights Within female professional cycling, some differences were noted in the demands (load, intensity and performances) set by different race levels. However, (in general), these differences were trivial to small, which contrasts with male professional cycling. More pronounced differences were noted in the demands set by single- and multi-day races. The load (Work done, eTRIMP and TSS) was moderate to large higher in single-day races. Differences in load are primarily caused by a combination of small higher duration and small higher intensity. No moderate differences in performance measures (i.e MMPs) were noted for different race levels or between single- and multi-day races. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicana Lesbians provides a fruitful theoretical framework to examine the documentary Ovarian Psycos, directed by Joanna Sokolowski and Kate Trumbull-LaValle, about a radical Latina women's cycling collective founded in Los Angeles in 2010. Many of the group's members are lesbians, and all of them are feminists with radical politics who organise cycling-related events to protest against the gentrification of East Los Angeles, racism and violence against women. The film interweaves interviews with the collective's members with footage of their moonlit group bike rides. In one such interview, founding member Xela de la X explains that the group provides a safe space, a community and even an alternative family for its members, while their cycles are both a form of activism and a celebration of active Latina bodies. This article will situate the film's celebration of the group's activism in a brief overview of the history of cycling in order to highlight why cycling is a particularly apt symbol for the intersectional feminism espoused by the Ovarian Psycos. It will also examine the connections between the film and the exploration of issues such as family, motherhood, violence, and racial politics in Chicana Lesbians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qatar has used sport to portray itself as a modern progressive society for over 50 years. But the country's sportswomen have been conspicuous by their absence throughout this period. The widely held belief that has emerged as a result is that Qatari women simply don't do sport. However, a report published by the Josoor Institute in 2021 shows not only the opposite to be the case, but that the number of Qatari women taking part in various sports is growing annually. Cycling is one such sport that has experienced an increase in the number of women participants. Was there a specific effort to promote Qatari women's cycling in the country by the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation (QCTF), the sport's governing body, and how did these riders adapt to an explicitly Eurocentric environment dominated almost singularly by competitive racing? This study tells the story of Qatari women's cycling, from the unfulfilled aspirations of the Ladies Tour of Qatar to the short-lived Qatar women's national team, to ultimately how dissatisfaction with the QCTF's Eurocentric bias led to these riders creating their own cycling community in Qatar, one specifically tailored to their cultural requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycling is an outdoor activity with massive health benefits, and an effective solution for sustainable urban transport. Despite these benefits and the recent rising popularity of cycling, most countries still have a negligible uptake. This uptake is especially low for women: there is a largely unexplained, persistent gender gap in cycling. To understand the determinants of this gender gap in cycling at scale, here we use massive, automatically-collected data from the tracking application Strava on outdoor cycling for 61 cities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and the Benelux area. While Strava data is particularly well-suited to describe the behavior of regular cyclists and its generalizability to occasional cyclists requires further investigation, the size of these data and their characteristics represent an unprecedented opportunity for the literature on cycling. Leveraging the associated gender and usage information, we first quantify the emerging gender gap in recreational cycling at city-level. A comparison of cycling rates of women across cities within similar geographical areas—where the penetration of Strava is assumed to be comparable—unveils a broad range of gender gaps. On a macroscopic level, we link this heterogeneity to a variety of urban indicators and provide evidence for traditional hypotheses on the determinants of the gender-cycling-gap. We find a positive association between female cycling rate and urban road safety. On a microscopic level, we identify female preferences for street-specific features in the city of New York. Assuming that the determinants of the gender-cycling-gap are similar across regular and occasional cyclists, our study suggests that enhancing the quality of the dedicated cycling infrastructure may be a way to make urban environments more accessible for women, thereby making urban transport more sustainable for everyone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As I Cycling for Sustainable Cities i makes clear, the urban cycling movement has grown up with multiple global cities implementing large-scale cycling systems that have set a new standard for safe cycling designs. The book is organized around key issue areas in urban cycling scholarship with introductory and conclusion chapters by Buehler and Pucher acting as bookends to guide and synthesize key elements of the chapters. I Cycling for Sustainable Cities i edited by Ralph Buehler and John Pucher (2021) captures the key research findings and current debates of contemporary cycling scholarship and defines what works to make safe, well-used urban cycling systems. [Extracted from the article]

This paper aims to investigate the impact of different parameters on promoting the role of cycling as a daily mode of transport. In the first step of the analyses, binary logistic regression was used to examine the impact of different parameters on using or not using the bicycle as a transportation mode in weekly trips. Then by text mining, the main reasons for not using a bicycle in weekly trips are outlined. Finally, for those who use bicycles for at least one utilitarian trip a week, the effect of different factors on the popularity of this mode is investigated by structural equation modeling. Tehran, as a big city in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, was considered as the case study. The results suggest that it is necessary to work on social norms about cycling, especially among those with higher education levels and income. Women use bicycles less than men and it is also necessary to rethink attitudes and regulations in relation to women cycling in Islamic countries. Bicycle promotion should aim to facilitate more positive attitudes among women. Providing more facilities such as safe bicycle paths, bicycle parking, and bike-sharing facilities have significant impacts on using this mode and its popularity. In highly congested cities, alongside facilitating cycling, it is important to set restrictions on private car use. The United Nations has outlined sustainable development goals (SDGs), which among other important aspects focus on transportation systems in the cities. Attracting citizens to bicycles can be an effective step to establish a more sustainable future transport system. To contribute toward this objective, the current study aims to investigate the impact of different parameters on increasing the popularity of cycling and proposing countermeasures to attract more people to this mode. Tehran, the capital of Iran as a big Middle East and North Africa (MENA) city in a developing country with substantial sustainability challenges, was considered as the case study and 1,074 people in different districts of the city were surveyed. The practical results suggest that it is necessary to work on social norms about cycling, especially among those with higher education levels and income. Women use bicycles less than men and it is necessary to rethink attitudes and regulations in relation to women cycling in Islamic countries. Bicycle promotion should aim to facilitate more positive attitudes among females. Providing more facilities such as safe bicycle paths, bicycle parking, and bike-sharing facilities have significant impacts on using this mode and its popularity. In highly congested cities, alongside facilitating cycling, it is important to set restrictions on private car use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women cyclists are an underrepresented group and initiatives taken to promote the uptake of cycling among women have been limited. This exploratory study employs the Futures Triangle as a framework in structuring a series of in-depth interviews conducted with fourteen women cyclists to capture women who cycle's images of the future. Three themes emerge from the analysis: why women don't cycle more, motivators for women encouraging them to cycle more, and the desirability of connecting with other women who do cycle. The findings of the study, further deconstructed using Causal Layered Analysis, result in a deeper understanding of the systemic causes of the issues facing women cyclists, and the worldviews held and narratives owned by society and women themselves which perpetuate those issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the relationship between bicycle travel and gender relations in changing social contexts? How can socio-cultural research contribute to a nuanced analysis of women and cycling without relying on universalizing translations? Drawing from intersectional feminist ethnography and decolonial theory, this paper complicates certain generalizations about the relationship between women and bicycling. Through a reconstructive approach to Mexican history, it examines the bicycle's changing roles and meanings as well as the ways that women confront gender stereotypes on and off of the bicycle. This paper aims to resituate diverse women's experiences in local cycling histories and current planning agendas. It posits the need for greater attention to the complex social processes that enable and restrict bicycle travel, engendering multiple and at times conflicting meanings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Explores impact of social identity on women's perception of cyclists and cycling. • Women from all backgrounds associate cycling with a distinct social category of 'healthy and active lifestyle'. • All women considered e-bikes 'masculine' and not matching their social identity. • Low-income women often consider cycling as a practice 'not meant for them'. • The association of cycling with privileged social groups may limit underprivileged social groups' participation in cycling. Through the lens of the Social Identify Theory (Tajfel, 1974), this research aims to understand how social identity affects the perception of cycling as a mode of transport among women from different socio-income backgrounds. Using the case study of Tel-Aviv-Jaffa (Israel), we found that cycling is associated with distinct social categories rather than seen as a 'socially neutral' practice. In particular, we found cycling to be associated with 'being a Tel-Avivian' and with a healthy and active lifestyle. Such distinct identification of cycling is likely to enhance cycling uptake among more privileged groups, who are often able to identify with these social categories. In contrast, it may create a barrier for underprivileged groups, who do not identify with these social categories. In addition, we show how e-bikes – which are not identified with privileged groups – do not provide an identifiable alternative for women from all groups, as it is identified with "tough" and "violent" men. Furthermore, we show how cycling, in general, is perceived as "tough", "dangerous" and as requiring a "constant struggle" over space with other road users, and hence fits a typical "masculine" behavior. Finally, we show how currently cycling is perceived by the underprivileged as a threat to their way of life or even as a symbol of them being pushed out of their neighborhood – a perception that limits cycling uptake among these social groups. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for social identity in cycling research and policymaking, especially in low-cycling contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International comparisons of cycling behaviour have typically been limited to high-income countries and often limited to the prevalence of cycling, with lack of discussions on demographic and trip characteristics. We used a combination of city, regional, and national travel surveys from 17 countries across the six continents, ranging from years 2009 through 2019. We present a descriptive analysis of cycling behaviour including level of cycling, trip purpose and distance, and user demographics, at the city-level for 35 major cities (>1 million population) and in urbanised areas nationwide for 11 countries. The Netherlands, Japan and Germany are among the highest cycling countries and their cities among the highest cycling cities. In cities and countries with high cycling levels, cycling rates tend to be more equal between work and non-work trips, whereas in geographies with low cycling levels, cycling to work is higher than cycling for other trips. In terms of cycling distance, patterns in high- and low-cycling geographies are more similar. We found a strong positive association between the level of cycling and women's representation among cyclists. In almost all geographies with cycling mode share greater than 7% women made as many cycle trips as men, and sometimes even greater. The share of cycling trips by women is much lower in geographies with cycling mode shares less than 7%. Among the geographies with higher levels of cycling, children (<16 years) are often overrepresented. Older adults (>60 years) remain underrepresented in all geographies but have relatively better representation where levels of cycling are high. In low-cycling settings, females are underrepresented across all the age groups, and more so when older than 16 years. With increasing level of cycling, representation of females improves across all the age groups, and most significantly among children and older adults. Clustering the cities and countries into homogeneous cycling typologies reveals that high cycling levels always coincide with high representation of females and good representations of all age groups. In low-cycling settings, it is the reverse. We recommend that evaluations of cycling policies include usage by gender and age groups as benchmarks in addition to overall use. To achieve representation across different age and gender groups, making neighbourhoods cycling friendly and developing safer routes to school, should be equally high on the agenda as cycling corridors that often cater to commuting traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, transportation has been considered as a link to all aspects of life worldwide. In this case, the world's natural environment, social well-being and economic development all usually depend on transportation systems. In most cases, safe, clean, sustainable and equitable transport systems help countries, especially in cities and urban centers, to thrive. However, a wide range of research shows that transportation systems in most of the cities and urban areas are unsustainable. In fact, some of these transportation systems are considered to be a threat to the environmental, social and economical aspects of future generations. In this perspective, therefore, changing such trends in transportation requires the collaboration of various stakeholders at regional, national and international levels. In this study, therefore, a wide range of definitions of sustainable transport are discussed. More so, some of the aspects of smart transport for modern cities such as cycling and the role of women in sustainable transport were explored. With the aim of getting to the core of the subject, cases of women in bicycle transport, especially in the India is equally elucidated. Although not fully outlined, the idea of smart cities and sustainable transport have heterogeneous characteristics globally as discussed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to examine the extent to which the attitude-behavior relationship is affected by life events for household couples by combining the mobility biography approach and habit discontinuity theory. Using data from the Netherlands, we applied bias-adjusted three-step multigroup latent class transition models that allowed us to make comparisons between couples for latent classes and their transitions. We identified two classes for cars (car-lover and car-dispensable), three classes for trains and bus/tram/metro (BTM) (train/BTM-enthusiast, train-potential/BTM-captive, and non-train-user/BTM-haters), and three classes for cycling (cycling-lover, −enthusiast, and -avoider) based on travel frequency and attitude. The results show that gender differences exist across latent classes within each travel mode. Men were more likely to be car lovers, non-train users, and BTM-haters, whereas women were more likely to be cycling lovers, train-potential, and BTM-captives. Personal and household life events influence the travel pattern transition process, and these impacts differ by gender. Men are more likely to switch to the car-lover cluster than women after the occurrence of life events, such as childbirth and car acquisition. People may adjust their attitudes and travel behaviors gradually and to a limited extent; thus, further studies with multiple waves are necessary. • Gender differences exist across latent classes within each travel mode. • Men were more likely to be car lovers, non-train users, and BTM-haters. • Women were more likely to be cycling lovers, train-potential, and BTM-captives. • Personal and household life events influence the transition process of travel attitude-behavior pattern. • Life events experienced by one partner significantly influenced travel behavior of the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the gender imbalance in cycling ridership and the need to incorporate a gendered perspective in cycling and transport policy. It also mentions the factors influencing women's low participation in cycling and highlights the importance of inclusive urban environments and gender equality principles in policy development.

This article discusses the role of cycling in women's emancipation in late Victorian Britain and explores the attitudes of the middle-class public to women's pursuit of this recreational activity. The unique combination of healthy physical exercise, unrestrained mobility and sporting excitement that the bicycle offered elevated cycling into one of the epoch's most popular leisure activities. For women, the bicycle became an important instrument to break away from the constraints of the androcentric paternalistic culture that stereotyped them and cast them in the passive role of the angel in the house. The immense popularity of bicycling with middle- and upper-class women and the inevitable changes in patterns of female leisure, clothing and normative behaviour it involved, caused strong reaction from the bourgeois establishment. An analysis of opinions published in the British press at the time reveals a discourse marked by anxiety that cycling might become an avenue for women to claim more independence for themselves and even subvert the established social framework based on power relations and a clear delineation of gender roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Special Issue on new cycling research in Aotearoa, we bring you four new articles that explore aspects of our relationship with the bicycle. Whereas most cycling occurred in neighbourhood settings close to home, the perceived transgressions of cyclists during lockdown received considerable media attention, and some types of cyclists did not come out well in this reportage. Although Aotearoa is now a low-cycling nation, there is considerable cycling diversity beyond the lycra-clad riders. Cycling among Maori may be slightly more likely to be driven by transport poverty, and when Maori design cycling programmes they also identify different opportunities: including the possibilities of cycling as a way to build whanaungatanga, as well as to learn about and connect to Papatuanuku. [Extracted from the article]

In Minneapolis, an annual “alleycat” bike race has become a powerful tool to educate and celebrate gender diversity in the cycling community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in cycling as a sustainable form of transport has helped foreground questions of gender and mobility. This paper reports on a qualitative study into Australian women's experiences of cycling through the life course. It focuses on the circumstances in which women start and stop cycling and the spatial contexts in which this occurs. The study found that, after childhood, almost half of the respondents had returned to cycling several times through the life course. Changes in women's cycling patterns related to changes in housing, employment, health and family status. The findings suggest productive new way of researching everyday mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article explores the relationship between bicycle use and women's emancipation in late 19th-century Germany and the Netherlands. Particular focus is given to the safety bicycle. According to the author, cycling allowed women to gain a sense of individuality and personal freedom and to build bodily strength, but it also required a dependence on consumer goods. It is suggested that women's choices of clothing and bicycle model formed a significant part of their gendered performance of independence and consumption. Details on the social significance of the highwheel bicycle and the tricycle are presented. 19th-century evaluations of the health effects and aesthetics of cycling are also discussed.

This article explores the gendered aspects of Finish rural cycling practices during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It uses written memory sources to examine the role of cycling practices in the performative construction of gender. According to the author, bicycle use was closely linked to cultural changes in the Finnish countryside. It is suggested that rather than adopting urban bicycle culture, rural men and women created new cycling practices based on their own social understandings of hierarchy and gender. Details on older women's attitudes towards cycling are presented. Other topics include the use of bicycles by women farm workers and the use of bicycles in courtship.

The purpose of this study was to determine the electrolyte concentration changes in arterial plasma from high-intensity repeated bouts of cycling exercise in well-trained females and to determine the relationships between arterial plasma lactate, potassium (K+), bicarbonate (HCO), and pH with minute ventilation. Fourteen female subjects (mean age = 27 ± 4 years; mean height = 170 ± 7 cm; mean weight = 62 ± 7 kg; maximal oxygen uptake = 50 ± 6 ml/kg/min) were recruited to perform 3 × 5 min bouts of exercise at 236 ± 27 W with 10 min recovery between each set. Minute ventilation, arterial plasma lactate, potassium, calcium, chloride, and sodium ion concentrations were measured a minute 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of each set and midway through recovery (21 sampling points total per subject). The results showed that the strongest relationship was between arterial plasma K+ concentration and minute ventilation ( r 2 = 0.91), and, that arterial plasma lactate mirrored both arterial plasma HCO and pH. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that women exhibit similar electrolyte responses as reported elsewhere in men, and support the idea that K+ may partly contribute to controlling ventilation during high-intensity exercise and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Women cycling patterns were observed in an innovative naturalistic study approach. • Proportions of women riders were similar (22 %) in road and off-road bicycle paths. • Greater likelihood of observing a woman rider on roads with cycling-friendly features. • Lower likelihood observed among road bike riders. • Greater likelihood observed during day hours, on weekends, and in group riding. Women are less likely to ride than men in low cycling countries such as Australia. In Australia, self-reported cycling participation appears to be declining, particularly for women. This paper examines the rider and road environment correlates of women's cycling. While most earlier studies relied on self-report data to understand gender differences in cycling, this study video-recorded 24,868 riders (22 % female) at 17 sites across Queensland, Australia. The probabilities of an observed rider being female under different circumstances (e.g., speed limit, riding location, time of riding, group riding) at these sites were modelled in a binomial logistic regression framework. The likelihood of a rider being a woman was greater during the day (9am-8pm) than the early morning (5–9 a.m.); on weekends than on weekdays; in groups of two or more riders than among single riders; in lower speed zones than speed zones of 60 km/h or over; on roads with bike lanes or multiple traffic lanes or raised medians than on roads without these, and in urban areas than suburban areas. The likelihood of the rider being a woman was lower among those riding road bikes than other types of bicycles. The use of a naturalistic study design marks the key strength of this paper. Findings of this study should help better understand women's cycling patterns and preferred cycling locations, which cycling communities and organisations can use to advocate for better roads and paths that make female riders feel safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the benefits of cycling are well-known, in New Zealand, women cycle much less than men. This qualitative research took a feminist intersectional approach and interviewed 49 women in six focus groups, to explore their experiences as women who knew how to cycle, and wished to cycle more. Participants, who were all based in one city, included two ethnic groups (Māori and non-Māori) and three age groups (adolescents, mothers with children at home, and older women), giving a range over the life-course and including an innovative study of Māori women's cycling. Topics covered included learning to ride as a child, experiences with traffic, topography and other local issues, feelings about cycling and taking an imagined ride. Results revealed the challenge and joys of cycling, what is normal and not normal in cycling, and a double or triple burden affecting women in terms of safety: perceptions of traffic danger; personal safety as women; and the need to be safety-conscious because of responsibilities for others. Differences between Māori and non-Māori arose in context of varying household types, access to bicycles and cultural perspectives on cycling. Participants were clear about how to support women cycling: safe and connected cycling infrastructure, and systems that normalise women's cycling, with national and local government policies to support these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]