Wheelin’ women

Takin’ it to the street: Streeter proudly shows off her wheels. She is the author of Women on Wheels. Photo courtesy of Women on Wheels.

April Streeter has been a dedicated cyclist for nearly six years and has no plans to buy a car in the near future.

“I totally believe that cars are practical, especially in Portland’s rainy climate, but strongly encourage women to take advantage of our great biking infrastructure,” said Streeter, a women’s cycling advocate and author of the book Women on Wheels. Streeter will speak at Portland State’s Bike Hub next week to encourage students and city residents to ride.

With its ubiquitous bike lanes and decreasing speed limits, Portland biking is far beyond the “up-and-coming” phase: It stands second behind Minneapolis for the title of most popular biking city in America. Portland also features a good mix of riders of both genders.

“We have a great female-to-male biking ratio that consists of 30 to 70 percent, making Portland one of the top cities,” Streeter said.

After moving with her family to Sweden in 2005, Streeter realized the convenience of mobile transportation.

“A large majority of Europe’s population rides their bikes, and it’s thought of as a normal thing compared to U.S. cities,” Streeter said.

After selling her car and turning to cycling as her means of daily transportation, Streeter has spent the last several years working hard at sharing her knowledge of female city cyclists and the challenges they face.

Streeter’s latest book, Women on Wheels (a how-to guide for female cyclists), is a mix of inspiration and education, according to the author. Women on Wheels combines a narrative of “the early heroines of cycling with a practical look at some of the issues women city cyclists face,” according to Streeter’s website.

Streeter gives her best tips for women who don’t feel comfortable on bikes so they can gain the necessary confidence.

“I highly suggest riding with an experienced rider on your first bike route, but have fun with it,” Streeter said. “Riding to campus and back is a great way to gain confidence and ease with your route and the traffic flow.”

PSU provides the perfect safe atmosphere for student bikers who wish to ride more and drive less.

“Although it can be a terrifying experience at first, my mission is to inspire women all over to ride, and my book provides safety precautions women can take when picking up the sport,” Streeter said.

Portland is such a wonderful city for those who favor the outdoors, especially street biking. Most city streets have well-marked bike lanes, making it perfect for beginners.

“I want to make [biking] an enjoyable experience, which I think many people misinterpret,” Streeter said.

Cycling is often thought of as a super-serious sport with riders decked out in spandex tights, heavy helmets and flashing neon jackets. Many of the early female riders wore tall lace collars and extravagant corsetry, but found that riding empowered and liberated them.

In her book, Streeter covers these early inspirational female riders, including American actress Katherine Hepburn, America’s Women’s Champion Tillie Anderson and Louise Armaindo.

“I admire these women because they are not celebrated, but make up [the] ‘hidden’ early history of cycling that changes our perceptions,” Streeter said. “For example, most of us didn’t think that women [rode] the penny-farthing high-wheeled ordinary bikes…which were extremely difficult to maneuver in ankle-length skirts, but history reveals that women actually rode in them and raced them.”

Portland has earned a number of bicycle-friendly awards and continues to encourage and educate new bikers around the city. The Bike Hub, which is located in the Campus Rec building, is a great starting point for beginners who wish to learn city cycling.

The Bike Hub offers a number of classes, tutorials and resources throughout the year. Clint Culpepper, the center’s supervisor, has noticed the work the city has put in to advocate bike riding.

“Portland has done so much work to get new riders, while continuing to rebuild neighborhood streets and roadmaps,” Culpepper said.

Streeter stays active spreading her message by sharing her advice and knowledge with female riders. Six years ago, during that fateful trip to Europe, Streeter discovered her love of bicycles and found it to be a way of life.

“It’s a much easier way of living, but people don’t understand that until [they] actually ride,” Streeter said. She feels that riding a bike can invigorate women of all ages, reminding them of the freedom they felt when they first pushed down a pedal and rode.

“I want to bring out that young soul again, no matter what age,” Streeter said.