And this is a worldwide phenomenon. In 2009 in Quito, 23% of the cyclists that use the bicycle as a means of transportation (at least) one day a week are women. In 2007 in Santiago de Chile 11% of the cyclists were women; in 2005 in a study in the city of Delhi 1000 people from the low income working class have been interviewed of whom only 2 bicycle users were women. Part of the other women interviewed knew how to cycle and had cycled in their home towns and villages, but stopped cycling after migrating to Delhi. Figures from cities in the United States show the same: in Chicago 32% of cyclists were women, in Pittsburgh 12% and in Jacksonville (FL) 9% (US Census 2000).
Apart from these statistics, that are not available in every country and citiy, there are many observations that men cycle more then women. “The UK's Department for Transport statistics show that there are roughly twice as many men who cycle than women. And transport authority Transport for London has found that for every five men who cycle regularly in London, there are only two women.” as the introduction to an action research study by Womens Design Service in London mentions. “In the U.S., men’s cycling trips surpass women’s by at least 2:1” states Linda Baker on the Scientific American website. Even in ‘Cycling Nation’ the Netherlands specific groups of women cycle very little. In the publication ‘Anders Onderweg’ Lucas Harms states “Especially immigrant women and Turks of the second generation bike less [then Dutch natives]”.
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