Women Empowering Women on Bikes
Over 50 women attended the emergency bike repair clinic last Friday.
Last Friday, over 50 people from the FEM community attended our annual emergency bike repair clinic with Idaho Women’s Bikepacking! Our shop was filled corner to corner with stations covering a range of topics, like plugging tires with bacon strips to stitching up sidewall tires with dental floss. Many issues that could be encountered in the backcountry were covered in this clinic with hopes of inspiring confidence for folks to safely put their hesitations aside & prepare to have an adventure of their own on a bicycle. Through exploring common backcountry challenges, this clinic helped equip them with the confidence and knowledge to safely pursue a bicycle adventure of their own.
Since its inception in 2021, Idaho Women’s Bikepacking (IWBP) has heavily grown the bikepacking community among women in Idaho. With over 600 subscribers on Substack (their communication hub) and dozens of women signing up for each ride, it’s safe to say that this group has successfully built a community of women empowering women on bikes! The group started with the simple goal of mentoring women who wanted to race in the classic Idaho Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400 - a world premier bikepacking race that begins and ends in our city of Boise. But over the years, it’s evolved beyond a racing group into a vast network of adventure riders of all ages and abilities.
“In the IWBP group, I’ve met women who have dusted off their bike for the first time as an adult, all the way to seasoned riders who have ridden regularly for over 20 years. It’s incredible to see the range of experience levels coming together to support one another with the simple sentiment of having fun on an adventure. I’ve also met some of my best friends and acquaintances through IWBP, which has provided a priceless experience for me on so many levels. I believe the challenges and joys of bikepacking can bond us as people, and definitely as women.”
- Whitney, Marketing Manager at BBP
Laura Heiner, the group founder and organizer, saw a real opportunity to not only encourage and organize these women-supported group rides, but also to relieve the barrier of entry for many: gear! She decided to organize the IWBP gear library, providing free rentals of bike bags, stoves, sleep systems, water filters, and more for those who would like to give bikepacking a try without making a big financial commitment up front. This library is open to anyone and everyone in the community who would like to give bikepacking a try. Laura has also been known to help fit gear to bikes alongside running the gear library.
While we partner with Idaho Women’s Bikepacking once a year for this clinic, we host a monthly FEM Night shop class on the first Friday of every month. FEM Night creates a welcoming space for women, trans, non-binary, and gender-expansive folks to build community around cycling and bicycle repair. Last year alone, we welcomed an incredible 219 attendees! Our next FEM Night is Friday, May 1st, and participants are encouraged to bring their bikes for help with repairs, maintenance, or any questions they may have.
We’re also excited to introduce a new FEM Volunteer Pathways Class, a four-session series that covers essential skills like patching tubes, adjusting brakes, and cleaning bearing systems, culminating in a full bike refurbishment. In addition, we offer a variety of shop clinics open to all, each focused on different aspects of bicycle repair. You can find details on all of these opportunities on our calendar.
