http://www.apbp.org/?page=Home

Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals is surveying women and girls about factors that influence their cycling or decision not to cycle. This is a non-profit organization. It's to get municipalities to improve the road/path facilities, improve municipal-funded programs to make cycling for friendly/possible for women and girls.

It is felt in real indicator of cycling popularity is the level of participation of women and children. There still is abit of tendency in some geographic areas of the world, where men and boys cycle more regularily.

Some useful questions are asked on perspectives on desired cycling infrastructure, personal reasons that influence our cycling or non-cycling, etc.

I did the survey. Survey open until May 15/10. There is a webinar presentation end of Mar. about this project.

Your feedback would be useful. If you look at the questions and multiple choice answers, you will see.

I took the survey becasue I really would njoy biking, and have a bike, but we don't have good bike paths. We have some in places, but what do you do when they end and you're in the middle of a city?

I took the survey as well. My community is not a comfortable place for me to bike because I'm concerned about safety - distracted drivers, narrow roads, etc.

Also, I have bad knees. I haven't even tried to ride a bike since my knees started bothering me. Do you know if cycling will make them worse?

But I did just hear that a large bike race in 2010 is coming through our little town next May! That will be fun to watch, with Lance Armstrong and everything.

We have no sidewalks and the area next to the pavement is rock...and uneven. Plus, I like walking. Using my Z-coil shoes surely helps a BUNCH!

I didn't know you became a Trash Queen, DD. Did you bike hurt your knees awhile ago?

If your bike didn't hurt your knees during the months you biked, most likely the bike fits you.

However, if a bike doesn't fit you and you don't know how to use your gearing, (and end up pushing on a hard big gear), then your knees will hurt. I will try to find a photo/info. on bike fit, it might take me a day or so.

Dotsie: Unless the bike path is really long, alot of paths do end somewhere onto/neaer a road. The key thing is to know certain neighbourhoods where one can go onto a quieter road shortly, after being on a busier/narrow road. The cycling routes that I do regularily in my city, are a blend of bike path, bike lane and roads with no bike lanes. For instance a 42 kms. ride- includes 60% on residential quiet streets, 20% busy/tighter streets, 20% separated, protected bike path.

Over the years, I have learned (alot of it from my partner) how to map out a route that at least reduces time on a busy, non-bike lane marked road.

Thanks Orchid. Biking is not the reason for my bad knees; it runs in my family and my extra weight lately is not helping at all. I haven't biked in many years, but it sounds fun to try to do again.

Will the helmet mess up my hair? haha

My youngest daughter bought me a bike last Mother's Day...a powder blue beach cruiser...I love it and ride it everywhere when I am down the shore..but all of the streets are perfectly flat in our little beach town..I don't think I would be able to ride on hilly roads.

It's called 'helmet hair' Dancing Dolphin. Not beautiful but better than falling on and getting a melon head, splat!!!

Fantastic gift that gives back fun!
Since your cruiser is a single speed (or 3 speed?), and unless you're very fit, it will not help you get up hilly roads efficiently. That's why the bikes with multiple gear shifters are necessary for many riders --beginners and expert.

As long as you know your bike's limitations, enjoy!

(I personally wouldn't buy a cruiser regardless of my age. I see cruiser as a "fashion" bike. But they are hip/cool with certain crowds. Strong cyclists do mount hills on single speed bikes but it's not for everyone. Doesn't give me the gearing range power for ascending difficult hills or going fast on flats. I'm not a strong person, so I need all the technical bike component help possible. I have two 24-speed bikes. 3rd bike is a 12-speed and definitely is limiting to me.)

DD: in this thread there's a small a photo of yours truly on bike. The bike fits me.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=34449

There's only a slight bend in my knee when seated and foot on pedal. My arms a slightly bent, not ramrod straight, over-stretched. My upper body is close enough to the handlebar set without being overstrethed....which is a frequent problem for newbies.

Alot of people (including myself) when they haven't cycled for many years or are unfamiliar with a new/strange bike, will lower the seat just to be comfortable for a few yards. But sitting on your bike and your feet flat on ground, will result in sore knees, since it feel too tight in leg movement when you starting spinning the pedals. So raising the seat abit and perhaps adjusting the handlebar higher or closer to you, helps. However the bike should never be too big nor seat too high, that your upper body rocks back and forth side to side when cycling seated in saddle. A rocking cyclist who is pushing along on flat terrain, means the bike is too big/seat is too high.

When a cyclist becomes strong and fit, they find the need to raise their seat a tiny bit more to give themselves more spinning power. However, always mindful it never hurts one's knees, never overstretching arms or upper torso too much.

Remember an experienced older woman even at 70-80 yrs. should be cycling a 24 or 27-speed bike just to make the ride easier on herself because she is changing her gears throughout the whole ride. After all, she is not getting much stronger at that stage in life.

Luckily for me and the rest of my biking group, The Pedal Pushers, we live on very flat grounds in the desert. No major hills to have to worry about.