FWBR IMPACT REPORT

European Mobility Week is an annual initiative of the European Commission. It calls on cities and towns to devote one week to sustainable mobility.  From day one, FWBR became the promoter of European Mobility Week, which most municipalities and institutions had never heard of, but is now celebrated with dozens of local events in many cities across Europe.

World Car Free Day is celebrated on September 22. It is an opportunity for cities to highlight how congested roads can be used in different ways. Fancy Women Bike Ride’s first event in 2013 was on world car free day. Demanding the celebration of the day by closing the city centre to motorised vehicles was a part of the manifesto. In some cities, mayors decided to close some of the roads to cars, giving space to the community activities, at least for a day; London, Brussels and Paris are examples.

Fancy Women Bike Ride  has been a vocal advocate for safe cycling infrastructure, urging governments and municipalities worldwide to invest in women and bike-friendly paths, lanes, and facilities.

One of the greatest impacts of the Fancy Women Bike Ride was the creation of regular free cycling courses for women in the cities. The volunteers of the movement taught thousands of other women how to ride a bike, women who were motivated to cycle in order to participate in the annual ride.

Through the simple act of riding a bike, the Fancy Women Bike Ride has empowered women to challenge stereotypes and break down societal barriers. The movement encourages women to embrace their strength and independence. 

The slogan “Be Women Be Visible” was immediately embraced all over the world. Most of the time,  it’s only the visible things that get the attention of the media and are considered when decisions are taken that impact our daily lives.  Fancy Women Bike Ride helped to make bicycles visible on our roads (and be considered in urban planning and traffic management), and helped women to be visible as they are, without getting dressed as a road construction builder.

Back in 2013, the male dominated cycling community was also dictating the rules of cycling. Such rules made cycling inaccessible for many potential urban cyclists. Fancy Women Bike Ride, with the annual event aimed to normalise cycling, proved that anyone with any kind of clothes, shoes, or hats could cycle, wherever they wanted, with the pace they preferred.

The participants of the Fancy Women Bike Ride had the opportunity to know each other and do something together throughout the year. Smaller groups were created in different neighbourhoods and the social rides were almost every weekend.

The Fancy Women Bike Ride has brought together women from diverse backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and solidarity. As a movement, FWBR has created lasting connections and friendships among the organisers of the local events all around the world. 60% of the local bike rides were organised by Turkish women, and immigrants/expats with a Turkish background.

The Fancy Women Bike Ride tried a new style of activism and succeeded. Instead of aggressive rallies like many other cycling advocacy rallies, it collected many participants for a fun event and used the media visibility to reach out to the mayors with clear requirements on road safety and cycling infrastructure.

Bicycle use has been spread, especially among women. The bicycle is no longer believed to be just a recreational vehicle of athletic men in lycra. Everyone can cycle, and we all should encourage our peers to cycle. 

The founders, Sema Gur and Pinar Pinzuti, received the 2022 Special Award World Bicycle Day of the United Nations for their leadership and excellence in promoting cycling for all.