Linda started cycling more when her marriage broke down. She joined WATBike group and soon felt the huge mental and physical benefits of cycling. At 71 years old, she regularly leads group rides, planning and leading the route and encouraging others along the way. A true inspiration, this year Linda and the group plan to cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats.

Linda Taylor said…

"Cycling helped me overcome my deep depression when my marriage broke up in 2011. I joined Watbike and soon felt the huge mental and physical benefits of cycling.

"I met lots of new people, some in the same situation as me, and made good friends. I have since gone on to take our little group out twice a week and we enjoy challenging ourselves in the hilly countryside of Northumberland."

Nominated by…

Linda was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Liz Norman, who said: 

"Linda leads our rides (we are a group of five friends who cycle together)  She is 71 years old (Linda is the eldest) and is the better cyclist in our group.

"She plans and leads the route, she has all the routes around Northumberland in her head. She encourages us all to push ourselves, we do long endurance rides with plenty of hills (Linda loves hills).

"On a typical ride we would climb 2500-3000ft and cycle 60-80 miles. She is our inspiration and has kept us going throughout the pandemic (sticking to the rules).

She is our inspiration and has kept us going throughout the pandemic

Liz Norman

"We have developed into stronger, passionate cyclists with Linda as our leader. We cycle at least twice a week and more when we can, we are hoping to cycle Lands End to John O’Groats this year as our challenge for 2021.

"She truly is an inspirational cyclist who has motivated us to become better cyclists."