Bikes and Scones: Cycling in the City

Glasgow Women's Library tackles difficult cycling conditions in the city

Are you a mudhoney? A skinny? Or maybe a rusty? Whether you’re an off-roader, a city cyclist, or you’ve only just taken off your stabilisers, Edinburgh cycling club Hervelo has a suitable appellation for you. The capital boasts a well-established cycling community, with campaign groups, blogs and online forums to advise new riders -- so the only real obstacle for cyclists might be peddling yourself up the thigh-aching hills.

Sadly, Glasgow seems to be stuck in a slower gear, as taking your bike Clyde-side can be risky business. After all, it was only last year that Sir Chris Hoy called the dear green place ‘hell’ for cyclists. What with the abundance of leafy parks and proximity to the Campsies, it might be tempting just to keep your bike off the road -- but Glasgow Women’s Library disagrees, and if you're a lady with a bike they’ll even bribe you with a bit of baking.

'It's basically an invitation to join other women cyclists over tea and scones,' says the event's organiser, GWL's Gabrielle Macbeth. 'We'll also share and discover safe and fun cycle routes to and from Glasgow Green, the Commonwealth Corridor, and GWL's beautiful home-to-be [in the Bridgeton Library].'

One of the reasons for organising this event is 'to allow women to share with each other routes which are tried and tested, and avoid ridiculously busy roads and areas in which women might not feel safe,' according to Macbeth. But cycling safety isn't just a female issue: potholes, aggressive drivers and lack of cycle lanes affect everyone, and the GWL event is a great opportunity to discuss ways these problems can be addressed.

And if you find that the biking-and-baking combo suits you, you're not alone: check out cycling cafés Siempre in Glasgow and Ronde in Edinburgh. Ah, go on -- after all that cycling, you’ve earned a wee bit of cake