by chérie louise turner  photos by dawn kish

Women's cycling, 1997-'98. Marketing to and creating items for women is a top contender for the next direction that many are hoping and predicting the industry will take. According to Jay Townley of Browning Co. in a review done by "Bicycle Dealer Showcase," a cycling industry publication, the worst case scenario for the cycling industry is continuing "the unhealthy trend towards underselling neglected markets we ignore and condescend to. Women don't want pink bikes. We need to craft products and a message to them." And since it has long been a fact that women make up at least 50 percent of the U.S. Cycling market, this makes logical sense.

But predictions are not products. The time may be ripe for the female consumer to be lured into the sport of cycling, but trends only become reality when the intricate steps of the dance between the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers are mastered. In the industry of cycling, women have been wall flowers, retailers are the shy teenage boys, and manufacturers run the gamut between coaxing chaperon and ignorant bystander.

To get a true sampling of where women stand in the cycling industry, we decided only to review companies who have created items specifically for women and have not resorted to "smaller sizes," "feminine colors," and "lower price range," (which, in the cycling industry, have been ways of saying "made for women" with a negative connotation). Nor were companies who used time-worn ideas like "unisex" taken into consideration. If it wasn't back to the drawing board with the sole intent of making it for a woman, it was given as much of our attention as they have obviously given to us--none. The companies that we did find were few, but notable and very enthusiastic and passionate about their commitment to women.

Since manufacturers continue to be dominated by men, from marketing to research to development, it is no wonder that details that would be more appealing to women are slow in coming. Ideally we will see more companies like Terry (see inset) and Trek (a leader in the industry with 4 other bike companies under their corporate umbrella) who not only have made a commitment to women's cycling, but are creating women's products with women designers, come into play. Janet Nelson, Trek's Apparel Product Manager, stated that she knows this kind of commitment is necessary to create successful women's lines and is optimistic about the women's market, which she expects to grow slowly, but steadily.

And even where the imperfections of the world still exist (where men are making women's items), we do find quality women's products that are meeting with increasing success due to intelligent marketing and merchandising. Rob Mossman of SCOTT Bicycles, which has been making the Solutions Series of bikes for women for four years (see BIKE section), is very excited about the growth in interest they have seen in their line. Due to the success of this year's sales, they are planning to add a higher end model for 1998, after having already added this year's mid-priced model. Scott's success, Mossman stated, is due to women being more discriminating about their equipment purchases and having retailers create women's sections in their store.

Which moves us on to the next piece of the bicycle industry puzzle: the retailer.

The typical cycling shop is still intimidating with a staff primarily composed of young male bike racers and mechanics who have little interest or know-how concerning conversation with a woman about the pad in her shorts, the fit of a sports bra, or the nuances of a women's anatomy that would lead them to properly fit her on a bike. Most shop owners are male and do not want to give up valuable floor space to create women's-only sections because, we are an unproven consumer (supposedly). Integrating women's apparel and equipment into retail locations forces owners and staff to learn how to sell to a new consumer, stock new product, and, ideally, bring on female employees. Paula Dyba, Marketing Manager of Terry, informed us that they have had quite a struggle educating retailers to the needs of women and have been met with a great deal of resistance.

Where retailers are listening to the advice of their manufacturers, sales are increasing. Some have made strong commitments to women's lines by having a women's section of their shop that offers quality products, selection, and niceties like a dressing room. Kristi Kidwell, buyer for the 3-store chain, Landis Cyclery, in Arizona, stated that her strong commitment to women's apparel coupled with being a woman selling to women, has resulted in a tremendous increase in their sales to women of women's-only items.

This is where you, the female consumer enter the game. Though it seems that these situations are in transition for the better, your voice will make an impact on how rapidly that change occurs. State your opinion, take notice of what equipment and clothing fit, and why or, more importantly, what doesn't fit or what isn't comfortable. Feedback is taken to heart by manufacturers who are trying to learn how to tap in to this potentially lucrative market.