E-bike campaign aims to encourage women to cycle

Ebube Izekor and Alyssa Pearce are supporters of sustainable transport

An electric bike campaign is aiming to encourage more women in Gloucestershire to get into cycling.

Georgia Yexley, founder of Loud Mobility, and Caz Conneller, founder of CycleChic, have launched She's Electric to inspire women to use cycling as their preferred mode of transport.

Sustainable travel group, Think Travel, is supporting the initiative through the Pedal Eazy Rent Scheme, a Gloucestershire County Council e-bike hire scheme.

Ebube Izekor, 21, from Gloucester, who attended a campaign event in the city to learn to ride a bike, said she was "not encouraged to cycle growing up and had to take the initiative herself".

Loud Mobility founder Georgia Yexley wants more women to give e-biking a try

Jo Atkins, manager of Think Travel, said: "This gives people a chance to try e-bikes and see what a game changer they are."

Ethan James-Hodges from The Electric Bike shop said he had seen more women considering using electric bikes even though "typically the cycling industry is geared towards men and always has been".

The Electric Bike Shop is supporting the She's Electric campaign

Ms Yexley said: "The focus is on woman... to create a safe and friendly environment to give the bikes a try and see if it is something which you could enjoy."

Further taster events will be held on 17 September at Gloucester Quays, and on 27 September in Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham.

Sarah Summers, 54, said she uses the hire scheme to cycle to work three days a week and the new £48m cycle spine linking Bishops Cleeve to Stroud via Gloucester and Cheltenham had been a big help.

"The cycle spine helps enormously by providing a safe space to ride," she added.

The 26-mile route is expected to be completed in full by January 2026.