Mission to make cycling more accessible for women

Lucy Poulden is planning to complete a 230-mile (370km) cycle over four days

A woman is on a mission to make cycling more accessible for women.

Lucy Poulden, from Reading, decided to set up a business making stylish cycling clothes for women after she was knocked off her bike by a car, having decided against changing into her reflective gear after going out for dinner.

She creates reflective clothes that can be worn during the day, including to work, to save women from having to change.

Now, Ms Poulden is planning to complete a 230-mile (370km) cycle over four days to inspire other women to get into cycling.

'Crazy idea'

Along with an old school friend, she will cycle from Reading to Newhaven, get the ferry to Dieppe, and then cycle the Avenue Verte through the French countryside to Paris.

"This crazy idea, I've dreamed of for the last couple of years," she said.

"We obviously want to test our own boundaries and our own personal achievement, but also inspire.

"I've got a small following on social media and it just takes one person to show what they can do to inspire someone else."

The Avenue Verte finishes at the Notre Dame in Paris

Data from Cycling UK shows women are less likely to cycle than men.

In 2023, men made an average of 22 cycle trips in the year, whilst for women the figure was just nine.

In 2021, 12% of men said they cycled for pleasure or to keep fit, whilst only 5% of women did.

As part of her motivation, Ms Poulden started You See Lucy, a clothing company.

She has designed a pair of smart black flares that can be worn at work, but then the cuffs can be poppered up to turn the trousers into a pair of sports leggings with a reflective logo for the cycle home.

"It's fashion with function," she said.

"To make a trouser like I'm doing with You See Lucy solves that issue of keeping [women] safe on the roads, but also saves them from packing extra clothing and getting changed at their destination."