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