Turning the Cogs survey: How to build cycling diversity and inclusivity
“Turning the Cogs is a project looking to understand how to build greater diversity and inclusivity at cycling events, further enabling the full spectrum of riders to be welcomed at the start line.”
The research project, launched by Wendy Ellis and Hetty Key, aims to help build a broadly sourced data set from which to gain insights which enable more riders to experience and participate in cycling and cycling events.
The survey – which can be found here – is actively seeking input from ‘all folks and spokes’.
With the launch Turning the Cogs Wendy and Hetty are extremely keen to hear from those keen to make change in this area:
- Cyclists
- Brands
- Organisations
- Media
For brands or organisation interested in this research, the results, or its promotion, there is also an opportunity to connect with the team conducting the research.
What we are doing:
We believe that change should be based on data. And that to have a real impact, we need to understand exactly what riders are experiencing. Our survey aims to reach a minimum of 3,000 riders who already enjoy cycling as a regular pastime. We particularly want to hear from those who are part of an under-represented area of cycling (hint: if you are asking yourself if you’re under-represented, it’s probably not you); however, we are open to everyone’s thoughts and opinions.
Why this is needed:
Cycling has taken off in recent years, bringing many of us joy mentally and physically. However, despite the rapid growth on the roads and trails with more and more diverse groups appearing, the starting lines of events are lagging behind in reflecting the world around us – and we want to know why.
Who can be part of this:
Anyone with a love of bikes.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve already participated in an event, are an experienced racer, or have never had an interest in cycling events. We want to listen to your experiences and thoughts, so together we can make events inclusive for the full spectrum of riders.
In February of this year Laura Laker explored how 2 cycle workshops took on the challenge of bike retail diversity. Meet the needs of a fast changing customer base is critical to business success, yet despite data based reporting highlighting a 50% increase in the number of female cyclists, many businesses continue to struggle in reflecting participation with staffing and/or product offerings.
