My ride. Our right: Annette, 39, Cheshire West

Annette Ros, 39, has been cycling for years, using her bike for everyday journeys and commuting. As a passionate advocate for cycling, she has experienced firsthand both the joys and the barriers that come with being a woman on a bike. Supporting Cycling UK’s campaign, ‘My Ride. Our Right’, she shares her experiences of cycling, the unique challenges women face, and what can be done to make cycling safer and more accessible for all.

For Annette, cycling is more than just another mode of transport.

I cycle because I love it. It’s the way I get around, but it’s also how I look after my health and the environment. It also saves me money – sometimes I think about how much I’ve saved spending on train fares, petrol and parking, and it feels like a win

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While Annette feels safer on her bike than she does walking, she acknowledges how cycle routes and cycle parking can affect women’s safety. “On a bike, you’re moving faster, which makes it feel a safer option to travel, but that doesn’t mean you’re not at risk, especially when cycle routes go through poorly lit areas with little to no footfall.”

Like many women, Annette has felt the need to alter her routes to avoid places that feel unsafe. “There are cycle paths I won’t use at night,” she explains.

“I used to cycle to work in Chester, and part of the route went along a quiet country path. During the day, it was fine, but at night, it was just too isolated. I imagine there are lots of women who might want to cycle, but don’t see it as an option because of where they live.”

She points out that while cycling infrastructure is often built with physical safety in mind, the emotional and psychological aspect of safety is rarely considered.

Well-lit routes, clear sight lines, and making sure cycle paths don’t feel hidden away – these things make a huge difference. And yet, I don't think the people designing cycling infrastructure always think about them

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Another overlooked aspect of women’s cycling safety is where they park their bikes. “The most vulnerable moment isn’t always the journey itself,” Annette says. “It’s when you stop. You’re focused on locking up your bike, you’re stationary, and that can make you a target. Well-lit cycle parking areas with good visibility and cameras would also make a real difference.”

Annette went on to share that these kinds of feelings aren’t isolated, and her stories are mirrored by thousands of women up and down the UK. “I have to say, cycling has been really safe for me for the decades I’ve done it, but there have been a few really unpleasant incidents that stick out in my memory.”

Close passes

Cycling along a busy, 40mph road at dusk, Annette was overtaken by a lorry. As it pulled alongside her, the driver, let off a very loud and prolonged beep. “There’s a general feeling among some road users that we shouldn’t be cycling because it slows the journey time of drivers by a minute or so.”

“The worst is when cars overtake too closely, and on three separate occasions, it has seemed really deliberate, because someone has wound down the passenger-side window and screamed at me – no words, just a really loud noise,” she recalls.

“It felt very much like they want me to fall off, just for their amusement. It just shows how little some drivers respect people that cycle or care about their safety. My husband cycles a lot too, but I seem to be targeted way more often. It does make me wonder whether it’s because I’m a woman.

There have also been a few occasions in which drivers of vans have beeped and I could see no reason for it at all. These didn’t seem angry or aggressive and I wasn’t in anyone’s way, and on at least one of these occasions, I also saw the driver and passenger smirk

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“It feels a bit like a wolf whistle, but from a car,” she says. “Which just makes you feel vulnerable for being a woman, when you’re already conscious of your vulnerability as a cyclist.”

Beyond infrastructure, Annette believes attitudes need to change to encourage more women to cycle. “If you only ever see men in Lycra cycling to work, it’s easy to think that cycling isn’t for you. But cycling should be for everyone – whether you’re in work clothes, a dress, or whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

“I think some women see cycling as too ‘sporty’ for them. I’ve seen groups in the past try to empower women to feel ‘sportier’, but there’s a great movement gaining momentum in the UK that shows cycling can just be a routine, convenient way to travel.”

Comparing the culture of cycling in the UK to Europe, Annette shares: “To a certain extent, many regions of the UK are disadvantaged when compared with the Netherlands, as they are too hilly for the Dutch-style bicycles to be comfortable.

“Over flat ground, those bicycles are so comfortable that cycling feels almost effortless and not ‘sporty’, even though it is still physical activity that is good for physical and mental health and, of course, the environment.”

“That’s why it’s really important to also think of the relationship between cycling and public transport in the UK and how it can be improved. You either want to leave your bike at the train station in a good bike lock-up facility (secure, well-lit, public area) or be able to get your bike on the train without too much effort.

“There are often segments of a route that women might have to avoid and that makes public transport all the more important.”

Mixed modes

Annette regularly combines bike and rail travel but finds that quite a lot of train stations have no lifts, making the carrying of a bike – which can weigh in excess of 20kg, when you've packed a change of clothes, a towel, a work laptop and so on – up and down stairs another barrier, especially to people relatively new to cycling.

“Also, I’ve noticed that, in the Netherlands, Google maps gives you route suggestions that combine cycling and rail travel, but it doesn’t in the UK, meaning planning your journey takes a bit more research.” Her story highlights a common problem – cycling infrastructure and transport systems are often not designed with real-life experiences in mind.

Attitudes and accessibility to cycling hasn’t always had these challenges to overcome. Annette shared that: “My Grandma and a few of her female friends had a cycling holiday in Ireland in the late 1940s when they were all around 20 years old. I find it incredible to think that they felt able to do this.

“I love cycling and have had a few cycling holidays in the UK and abroad with my husband, but a ‘girls’ cycling holiday’ in the UK/Ireland has never even been discussed among my female friends.

“Of course, there are lots of reasons for the difference, but two major reasons that spring to mind are fewer cars on the roads, which made cycling feel safer, and the fact they were so used to cycling because back then it was seen as the norm.

I remember my grandma saying she would occasionally cycle 15 miles to the nearest cinema! Nowadays, everyone just jumps in their car, even if they’re travelling two miles down the road.”

She has also noticed how women are often criticised for cycling, especially when travelling with children. “There’s this perception that it’s dangerous,” she explains.

But what’s actually dangerous is the number of cars clogging up school gates. I’ve started cycling with my child in a trailer, and I know I have to be extra careful, but I want them to grow up seeing cycling as a normal and safe way to get around

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For Annette, the solutions are clear. “We need better consultation with women when designing cycling infrastructure. For women, safety isn’t just about being visible on the road. It’s about having safe routes, secure cycle parking and good integration with public transport that actually accommodates cyclists.”

Despite the challenges, Annette remains committed to cycling. “It’s fun, it’s freeing, and it’s worth it. But it shouldn’t have to come with all these barriers.”