Women’s Forum: 10 Reasons to Attend

Nationwide, bicycling is making a move into the mainstream, from the painting of bike lanes on iconic avenues to the placement of bicycles in all forms of advertising. Look closer, though, and there’s another transformation afoot: Whether longtime cyclists or simply curious, more and more women are getting on bikes.

The National Women’s Bicycling Forum, coming up March 3, is the hub of this growing movement, the opportunity to come together, build community and accelerate this exciting progress to make bicycling accessible and inviting to ALL.

This annual Forum is the only event of its kind, where women leaders will step into the spotlight and campaigns targeted at increasing ridership will be come center stage. While just one day, the Forum is a surge of inspiration and information that will ripple across the country — and we need you to be there to share your energy and insight.

Here are 10 reasons you can’t miss this event:

1. Be inspired: Recharge your passion for bicycling by hearing from world-renown leaders who are changing the world and transforming women’s lives through bicycling. In our opening plenary, we’ll hear from Shannon Galpin, a global visionary who is empowering women in conflict zones and working with the Afghan Women’s Cycling Team.
2. Make connections: Many women are breaking down gender barriers in their cities and towns, initiating new campaigns and ideas that are mobilizing female riders. Be emboldened and supported by others who are doing this same work, creating a sense of community nationwide.
3. Steal great ideas: In 2013, Women Bike granted $25,000 to diverse and promising women’s advocacy and outreach. Don’t just hear about these campaign, but take home ideas and toolkits to implement their success in your community.
4. Hone your leadership: From advocacy to industry, bicycling is still a male-dominated field. Learn how you can excel and success with tips and lessons learned from female leaders, like Shellie Pfohl, executive director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.
5. Become a master storyteller: Getting more women on bikes starts with selling the joy and benefits of riding. Delve into best practices in marketing and storytelling with top experts like Leah Flickinger, executive editor of Bicycling magazine and Hillary Benjamin, director of Marketing for Rapha.
6. Get schooled: Throw out the book on boring bicycle education and hear from women who are pioneering new ways to empower women and girls from diverse backgrounds to ride confidently on the streets, trails and race course.
7. Harness the power of… fun!: What’s the number one reason women ride? Fun! Learn from new groups and concepts that put the fun before the wonk and are growing the ranks of women bicyclists, including Bike Parties, Cycle Wild, Red Bike & Green and others.
8. Discover your inner filmmaker: Join Clarence Eckerson, creator of Streetfilms, for a dynamic session that will teach you how to make killer videos… with just your iPhone.
9. Shop’ til you drop!: Browse and buy the wares of 25 female entrepreneurs who are making bicycling more fun, functional and fashionable for women riders.
10. Be part of something BIG: Women Bike is a movement with a bold agenda: To change the face of bicycling by engaging more women as riders, advocates and leaders. The Forum is the opportunity to plug into this exciting, first-of-its-kind national campaign — and be part of a generation of leaders who revolutionize bicycling in the United States.

Don’t miss this transformative event: Don’t wait to register; early-bird rates end January 24 at midnight EST!