Skip to main content

Oh, Yes it's Ladies Night!




I obviously work in a bike shop and, for the last couple of years, have wondered "Where my girls at?!" when it comes to this industry.  I work in a male dominated industry and have started to realize that the few women that are here really fall into one of 2 categories (BTW, I'm not putting EVERY female cyclist or shop employee in a box) 
1.Super awesome racer chick that's been doing it FOREVER and have paved the way for gals like myself, and
2. Complete novices who tend to get overwhelmed when walking into the shop
I seem to fall in the middle of these two categories, but lean more to the novice, "Why is this shop full of boys and OMG that is a lot of stuff involved for a BICYCLE" side of things.

It's been a major cause of frustration because sales in our women's categories aren't awesome.  In fact, they make up less than 40% of our overall sales.  So, I started chatting with anyone who would talk to me about it and I'm still a little baffled as to why the female presence is so low.  I wondered if it was just intimidating to walk in our shop full of a bunch of dudes and some (not all) really expensive bikes!  I wondered if the technical aspects of bicycles is just too much for some women and they can't be bothered.  The truth is, I don't know for sure, but I do know I want to fix it and inspire other women to get their butts on a bike (no matter what kind) and enjoy it!

Then I decided it would be fun to do an all women's event where we could girl it up and let the local community know that we not only support them, but that there are some pretty awesome girls around that are willing to help them out.  Sure, we can get technical but we can also openly discuss anything from helmet hair to cute pink bar tape to Hoo Ha Cream (yes that's a thing!).

So, Peachtree Bikes Ladies Night came about and is 2 weeks from tonight.  I'm looking forward to it and I feel a sense of honor being able to be a part of it.  I'm also super stoked because every gal I chat this event up to is pretty excited about it and more than supportive. 

If you're around the Atlanta area and a female and may be interested in riding, already ride or just want to meet some other gals, come on by!!  You can RSVP and invite friends via the shop's Facebook page here. 

Sure...carbon fiber and aero positioning can be fun to talk about, but I also love to talk about how we can set ya up with some cute gear that will totally make you look adorable while still being functional!  


"Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood."  
-- Susan B. Anthony 1896
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Questions? Comments? Share away!

Buzz kill? Keep on moving!

Popular posts from this blog

Daughter.

When you're estranged from not one, but basically both parents, the heaviness of that can still be palpable. Most days, most weeks, and months even, it's fine. I've learned to navigate questions like, "Where do your parents live?" or the weird feeling in my gut when someone says, "Oh, my mom sent me this from this favorite place of mine." I've learned how to adjust to Mother's and Father's Days by staying off of social media and doing something that makes me happy like getting out into nature. Some of these times are better than others. Here's the thing: whether or not the choice to go no contact with the two people who were supposed to show you all the basis of love was good or not, is incredibly difficult. Because social media is what it is, yesterday was apparently "International Daughters Day". It didn't bother me so much yesterday, but this morning wasn't off to a great start and for some reason, I felt agitated. I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bikes!

Twenty years ago this month, I moved to Georgia and got a job at a local bike shop. My long-term boyfriend from my early twenties was an avid cyclist and bike mechanic. He had gotten a job wrenching at a local shop, Bicycles Unlimited. I was 19 and looking for a retail job since, at that point, it was all I knew. The shop was owned by a family and they were welcoming to this young girl working there with ZERO experience. I started on the sales floor and moved on to inventory management. It was my first foray into the inner workings of small businesses. More importantly, this was my introduction to the bicycle industry which has been one of the most meaningful relationships I've ever had.  I'd say 75% of the people I know in my life can be credited to a bicycle. Whether it be through rides, shops, or sponsors... I have met some of the most inspiring and influential people because of a BIKE. Some of the most fulfilling experiences I've had have been on a bike or because of bi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Boundaries.

  When you hear the word “boundary”, what do you think of? For so long, the word "boundary" meant "no" to me. No to bad relationships. No to things that didn't fulfill me. That was it.  I've seemingly always been able to set boundaries. I used to say it was easy. I've made the hard decision to go no contact with not one, but both parents (and one step-parent) in the last 20 years. I walked away from a marriage mid-trying-to-have-a-baby because I just knew I couldn't be tied to this person forever.  I've recently realized that even though I've been setting some hard boundaries since my early twenties, it's actually never come easy. I know what you're probably thinking, "Well, no. Setting boundaries isn't easy for anyone." And I get that. However, I'm one of those super-feeling types of people. Also known as a (diagnosed) generalized anxiety-ridden people pleaser who is both prickly as a pear but super loving stemming ...
Post a Comment
Read more