Celebrate International Women’s Day with Together We Ride

With the mercury oozing upward and club rides underway, women are taking the lead locally, nationally and globally with bike rides rolling March 8-11 for the sixth annual International Women’s Day Together We Ride celebration of International Women’s Day.

Multiple Chicagoland groups host free rides open to all cyclists, conveying through movement a message of diversity, equity and inclusion. At least that’s according to Lombard’s Dawn Piech, nonprofit Inspyrd Movement founder and originator of this global cycling event. Piech encourages cycling anywhere, any distance, indoors or out, then posting photos on the event’s Facebook page. Any donations benefit World Bicycle Relief, supplying bicycles primarily to females in rural Third World countries. “We are trying to raise funds to build five Buffalo Bikes,” per Piech, one more than in 2024.

Piech isn’t the only suburban woman biker moving the needle.

With nearly 500 Facebook members on her Trek HP Women's page, Buffalo Grove’s Sheri Rosenbaum is a leader among Chicago area women cyclists, with riders from numerous suburbs A-to-Z, yep, Arlington Heights to Zion.

One of 30-40 Trek Women’s Advocates, in the heyday of that company’s national program (2018-2020), Rosenbaum remains a Trek Ambassador affiliated with the independently owned Trek Bicycles of Highland Park.

She has hosted numerous group rides and clinics at the shop — women-only and coed — and contributed product reviews and other articles for Road Bike Rider. A frequent presenter at biking organizations, virtual webinars and related Chicagoland events, I’ve yet to meet any female cyclist who doesn’t know of her.

Since its inception, Rosenbaum has hosted International Women’s Day rides from the Trek shop. This year’s March 8 ride (or optional hike) leaves the shop at 10 a.m. followed by Pilates, pizza, raffle prizes and goody bags.

There’s a link from the shop’s website to its women’s group Facebook page — a safe place for women to ask cycling questions, seek riding partners or obtain information on cycling and nutrition. Her own blog Sunflowers and Pedals offers tips and advice on rides, safety devices, and training prep, plus reviews of recently announced products.

Women in Cycling

Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBr) began discussing its Women in Cycling initiative in late 2024. With women-only categories already slotted in its summer three-race series, CAMBr hopes to welcome more female participation.

Nothing formal has been established yet, per Marketing and Grant Director Brian Louis, but experienced, enthusiastic volunteers are primed to help at CAMBr-developed mountain biking trails.

Bartlett resident Heather Simpson, food scientist in Hoffman Estates, gets her kicks in nearby Paul Douglas Forest Preserves.

“I learned about CAMBr building trails at Paul Douglas,” she explained. “It’s very Inclusive and welcoming. I just showed up and worked on tasks they thought I could do.”

“I put in a lot of sweat equity, asked questions, picked up biking tips,” Simpson continued. “That’s where I built relationships and that’s what got me over that newbie feeling. I have a biking community of friends now.”

“Thursday night rides at Paul Douglas are posted on Facebook and open to all. We normally get eight to 10 women and generally break into skill groups. We’ve discussed getting more women involved.” Simpson leads the newer riders.

Noting the August 2023 “Barbie” ride at Carpentersville’s Raceway Woods, she said, “We’ve talked about doing more theme rides like that but have a regular schedule: Tuesday night at Raceway, Wednesday beginner group at Palos, and Thursday night Paul Douglas rides.”

Fun Social Rides

As a certified instructor, Gina Kenny of Willow Springs, started with REI, Recreational Equipment, Inc., in 2017 and, since 2018, has taught Ninja Mountain Bike Performance clinics. Women’s only sessions are scheduled at Raceway Woods and Andres Bike Park on May 17, July 12 and Sept. 6.

Besides racing and riding, Kenny has volunteered with CAMBr for a couple decades in various capacities. She joined group rides but rode less frequently for a while due to parenting, etc.

Last summer Kenny started the Palos Wednesday group, promoted as fun, social, beginner-friendly rides, not specifically women-only.

“Not all were beginners,” she noted, “some just wanting a slower pace. As more rode, we broke into level groups.”

Like Simpson, Kenny appreciates that a community of social, friendly riders has formed. “Women seem a harder group to stay in biking. They typically are juggling parenting and other tasks that can make it harder to attend group rides.”

Judy Schneider of Crystal Lake jumped into mountain biking after moving to Illinois. Eleven years with CAMBr, she reported volunteering at “a little bit of everything” — race registration, special events, trail maintenance, “even driving the dirt buggy” on workdays and the winter Snow Dog groomer.

Schneider has helped recruit high schoolers needing service hours for trail building/maintenance.

“I started volunteering because the park was and still is free. I wanted to keep it that way. I feel it’s my responsibility to help make these trails even better!”

“Is it awkward volunteering as a female? Not at all. I’m treated just like everyone else. It’s a very inclusive, welcoming group, like a family out there.”

Through personal connections and Facebook, she has informally recruited women for Raceway’s coed Tuesday evening rides. When several women show up, they form their own riding group.

“I’d like to see more women out riding, at any ability level,” Schneider said. “I’d love to share what I know and ease them into the thrill of mountain biking.”

International Women’s Day Rides

March 8, International Women’s Day Together We Ride events:

• Elmhurst Bicycle Club, 10 a.m. to noon, 10-mile ride starting at the Elmhurst depot.

• Bike Walk Berwyn’s four-mile ride, 10 a.m. from The Local Flour Stand Cafe, Berwyn's women-owned coffee shop.

• Trek Bicycles of Highland Park 10 a.m. from the shop; for details, check: trekhp.com/articles/trek-hp-clinics-special-events-pg571.htm

• Fox Valley Bicycle & Ski Club, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., from Batavia Riverwalk, 20 miles round trip; registration required.

• Cycle Brookfield, 10 a.m. from Brookfield Village Hall, 6-10 miles on Salt Creek Trail.

• Friends of Cycling in Elk Grove, 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 11-mile (round trip) ride from Elk Grove Village Public Library, stopping at Roselle’s Maple Leaf Coffee Roasters.

March 9:

• Elmhurst Bicycle Club at Morton Arboretum parking lot, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by refreshments in the Visitors' Center. Arboretum pass or fee required.