KOSTÜME’s Post

At Sea Otter Classic, America’s biggest bicycle trade show, pedal power wasn’t just about bike racing and the latest gadgets. Amidst the sea of booths, a powerhouse of women in the industry gathered for a live Uplift panel, dishing out insights and advice for their industry peers. Recent studies hit hard, revealing the cycling world still leans heavily towards white, straight men, with many women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals facing harassment or worse. In fact, 71% of the women say that they were considering leaving the cycling industry. In response, a group of industry veterans are hitting the alarm bells, rallying for change through dialogue and mentorship. Attracting over 160 attendees, the panel featured off-road racing legend Rebecca Rusch, Zwift’s Kate Veronneau, DEI specialist Lisa Bourne, MBA Bourne, and yours truly. We shared advice on breaking barriers, making an impact, and forging connections in a male-dominated arena while fielding the crowd’s questions and concerns. Moderated by Uplift’s founder Rachael Burnside and hosted by Kathryn Taylor of Feisty Media, the event was a first step in opening up the dialogue and making connections.  A video of the event will be made available soon via these channels, and while you wait, dive into our series exploring the challenges and triumphs of women in the bike industry today: "You don’t have to be a straight white man to work in the bicycle industry, but it helps" - uncovering the industry's diversity report. https://lnkd.in/gYEh3SYt "71% of cycling industry women are considering leaving" - hear from trailblazers on why and what’s being done to turn the tide. https://lnkd.in/gDpkz2QE "After 10 years in cycling, here’s why I am leaving the bike industry" - a personal account shedding light on the realities within. https://lnkd.in/gAzr6mYv

Some important messages here - if you couldn't make the webinar there is a good summary article attached.

This is Jess Golding. Yesterday afternoon she crossed the Arctic Circle wearing KOSTÜME kit, as one of our supported riders on the North Cape 4000. What an image and story to wake to this morning! As a long distance rider and racer, Jess had really struggled to find cycling shorts that worked for her, so I sent a pair of ours to try, and here she is completing a 4,000km epic in our full #EDIT001 kit! Satisfying doesn't begin to sum it up. Before I launched the brand I was advised again and again not to put effort into women's kit. It won't sell. You'll lose money. It's not worth it. So, of course, I prioritised it. I found Demi Bowater to help with technical design, and we developed features like a clipless/zipless toilet break and gripper-free legs for the bib shorts, a ponytail hole for the cap, nailed the cut and sizing, and made sure our women's kit was front and centre when it came to launch reviews, marketing etc. I knew that what those experienced heads were saying was rooted in some truth (although our preorder model de-risks the 'lose money' part significantly) but I also know that it is essential to support female cyclists with the same quality, innovation and sophistication - or indeed even more so - than the male-equivalent products. I don't want to be part of a world (or certainly not run a business) where these are not the absolute basic values. So yes, our sales are massively male dominated. But it's very early days, and better, more sustainably-made, fully-featured and affordable products will absolutely help to grow cycling for everyone. And in the meantime, stories like Jess' make it all the more tangible and worthwhile. #BeMoreJess #Kostüme #cyclingapparel #womeninsport #cycling #roadcycling #womenscycling #equality #inclusivity #longdistancecycling #ultracycling #northcape4000

Did you know that for every two men riding a bike there is only one woman? For women the top barrier to getting on a bike is lack of safe infrastructure. I love this article which shows the way to getting more women cycling. It also highlights the personal benefits of cycling. For those in the transport infrastructure sector it emphasises the value of co-design. Women must be engaged in the planning process. #womenininfrastructure #transportplanning #activetransport #womenempoweringwomen

It's International Women's Day AND Bike Pic Day! The best way to celebrate – aside from telling the women in your life how important they are (do that **RIGHT NOW**) – is to have a look at one of the best-looking, women-specific bikes out there – the Liv Langma Advanced Pro Disc 1 AR. It. Is. Stunning. Period. The paintwork is marvelous. I've seen recently women stating that they'd like to have kit available in the same colours as men, but to be honest – I'd ride this bike. No questions asked. It's equipped with SRAM Rival AXS and Giant's own SLR 36 mm wheels (tubeless ready and hookless). Clearance up to 32 mm means that while this bike is performance-oriented, it can act as an all-road. But more importantly, this is a bike designed for women. So it should fit riders ranging from a height of 152 cm (5 ft.) up to 183 cm (6 ft). It also sports a Liv Alcra SL saddle that's women-specific as well. In line with the target audience, the crank arms range from 165 (size XS) to 172,5 (size L) and the bar width ranges from 360 (XS) to 420 (L). Clearly Liv has thought about these at length. The bike also comes equipped with a power meter. Unfortunately, I only know of 2 brands that are dedicated to female cyclists. Liv and Juliana. And that's part of the problem. While men and women are equal in terms of rights and what they can achieve in life. Their bodies are different. And, in turn, they require different bikes. Different saddles. Different geometries. Many of my female-riders-friends say that they're uncomfortable on their bikes. And that puts them off and makes it harder to really enjoy cycling. To go and ride into the sunset. Literally and figuratively. So on this International Women's Day I'd like to wish all the ladies in my network and outside this: May you enjoy many hours spent on bikes that are made especially for you. May you enjoy cycling. May you be able to ride without fear of judgement. May you feel great on and off your bike. But most importantly – be kind to yourselves. Be you. Not because you deserve it. But because it shouldn't even be an issue. And it's a f… travesty that it is. Jeans and shirts for women have a different cut. Bikes should too. End of story. ⁉️⁉️Do you know of any cycling brands that make products specifically tailored for women? Share them in the comments. Let's spread the word!⁉️⁉️ #cycling #internationalwomensday #equality #fridaybikepicday #jointhefight

Does women’s cycling gear even matter? Some people think it’s just about what you wear, but it’s so much more than that. When you’re comfortable and confident in your gear, it changes the way you ride. It’s not just about performance or aesthetics—it’s about both. When your gear looks great and works even better, it transforms your experience on the bike. At LUCA, we blend thoughtful design with high-performance functionality because women deserve gear that supports them and reflects their personal style. 💡 Opinion: Women deserve gear that makes them feel unstoppable. It’s not just about the ride—it’s about how you feel while you’re doing it. It might sound cheesy, but it’s true. #CyclingApparel #WomenEmpowerment #Confidence #PerformanceWear

I've been reflecting this International Women's Day about how unusual Cycle Sprog is in the cycling industry. Our core team is myself, Saskia Heijltjes Mildred Locke and Emily Wormald. However, we are NOT a female cycling brand. Our audience is parents and grandparents who want to pass on the joy of cycling to the next generation. We also have a male co-founder and a number of amazing men contributing to our business. But what does having powerful female voices at the heart of our business mean? Well, Google tells us that our audience in 2023 was 54% male and 46% female. This is is a stat I'm very proud of as parenting websites in general tend to be female focused, and cycling websites and magazines usually reach a predominantly male audience. I strongly believe that Cycle Sprog has managed to hit that sweet spot by having a diverse range of voices sharing their experiences and knowledge. We use imagery and wording that makes women feel that family cycling is something they can do, and that kids bikes, cargo bikes and family cycling equipment is something they can understand and care about. I've heard people in the cycling industry saying they only get suitably qualified men applying for roles they advertise, so if you're keen to improve diversity in your workforce I really recommend using the Bicycle Association's Guide to Inclusive Recruitment when you write your next job advertisement. Perhaps it may just help reach new customer groups - something the cycling industry desperately needs at the moment. https://lnkd.in/e5art_HS #cycling #iwd2024 #femalefounders #parenting #internationalwomensday

Cycling UK's chief executive, Sarah Mitchell, featured in the Sunday Telegraph discussing the challenges women face when cycling in cities, following the findings of Swapfiets survey. The survey revealed yet again the reality that women face every day while cycling in cities. As the first female chief executive of Cycling UK, Sarah Mitchell takes the issue of women’s cycle safety very seriously. “To encourage more women to cycle, we need to continue to support work that creates a safer, more inclusive cycle culture in the UK. At Cycling UK, we’ve recognised and supported people that seek to build on this through our 100 Women in Cycling annual list, which highlights exceptional women and groups who encourage others to cycle. 2023 Community champions like Eilidh Murray have made incredible progress campaigning tirelessly for women’s cycle safety in their position as a trustee for the London Cycling Campaign and as the coordinator of its new Women’s Network.  “But more importantly, we must make sure that the responsibility does not lie solely with women. We need men to take proactive steps to ensure the safety of women cycling in cities. The fact that 62% of women fear cycling in urban areas because of road rage and harassment is a stark one. We need men to call out and report that behaviour when it happens and for those reports to be taken seriously. It’s unacceptable that women are almost twice as likely as male cyclists to face harassment or bad driving in London.”  Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/er_T8Naq 100 Women in Cycling annual list: https://lnkd.in/ehdbVYSz Community champion, Eilidh Murray: https://lnkd.in/eNaG4TcM London Cycling Campaign: https://lnkd.in/eUiuHnzX

"To boost women’s cycling we must ALL become safe infrastructure advocates" Mark Sutton #cycling #cyclingcommunity #activetravel #transport #futuremobility #newmobility #transportinfrastructure #remodeling #builtenvironment #inclusion #accessibility #societalimpact #economicimpact #environmentalimpact #futurecities #PolicyShapesSociety #government #policymakers #leadership #advocacy #lobbying #infrastructureinvestment #behaviourchange #mindsetshift

What an incredible "Lunchtime with Cycle Sprog" session yesterday, sharing some real successes getting women and kids on bikes, along with the real challenges this poses. My key takeaways were: 1) It takes time. Funders need to be aware of this and not expect instant results. 2) Many groups not usually reached by the cycling industry need to see themselves represented in the initiatives 3) It can take a lot of advance work to get people confident enough to give cycling a go 4) A decent bike makes all the difference between loving and hating cycling 5) Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure 6) BUT...... infrastructure itself isn't enough - you still need behavioural programmes, especially to groups not usually welcomed into the world of cycling. 7) Recent research is showing mothers who cycle with their kids say it's more convenient than driving - in certain circumstances. 8) Women only sessions are really important, and can drive huge numbers to participate when organised with, and advertised to, the correct demographics / communities. Huge thanks to Katherine Cory Dawn Rahman and Becky Cox for sharing their extensive knowledge and experiences and to Emily Wormald for making it all happen. And to everyone who turned up to learn and share their experiences and challenges. Look out for our next Lunchtime with Cycle Sprog session in the New Year when we'll be discussing campaigning. #ActiveTravel #Cycling #WomenOnBikes #FamilyCycling