Pedal power

Elmwood

East Kildonan

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This article was published 24/04/2023 (938 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One local retiree who is passionate about cycling is hoping to build a community of like-minded women, one bike ride at a time.

When Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie retired six years ago, she made a trip to Bikes & Beyond (227 Henderson Hwy.) to buy a bike that she thought would see her through retirement. She was wrong. Instead, she discovered a passion for cycling she didn’t know she had.

“I’d always been active and like bikes, but you know: life, children, working full-time,” she said. “I started riding a lot. I got a better bike, then got another bike. I just realized it was something I was passionate about.”

During that time, Gravelle-MacKenzie got to know the staff at Bikes & Beyond, who she credits with helping her make the most of her newfound love for cycling.

“I took up winter cycling two years ago, which was awesome,” she said. “I didn’t realize how much I’d like it. I now want a fat bike. I thought, if I could discover this in my sixties, I could share that with other people.”

In January, Bikes & Beyond general manager Katherine White approached Gravelle-MacKenzie with an offer to become a Liv Canada ambassador. (Liv Canada is a bike brand specifically for women.)

“Liv offers the ambassadorship program to get more women on bikes and to represent their brand,” White said. “Sarah already owned a Liv bike, so she was one of the people we immediately thought about because she is so enthusiastic about cycling, and also sharing her passion.”

With Liv Canada, Bikes & Beyond, and the Manitoba Cycling Association on board, Gravelle-MacKenzie is set to launch of biweekly guided bike ride in and around Winnipeg this summer for women over the age of 55. Along with Gravelle-MacKenzie, who will lead the rides, and friend and fellow cyclist Rose McDonald, the rides can accommodate up to six additional riders, for now.

“The city has put up a lot of great active transportation spots, but sometimes they just end or they’re hard to get to,” White said. “Having someone who has ridden those as a guide is really good.”

“It’s all about trying to get women who are maybe nervous about riding alone, for safety concerns or maybe not sure about their abilities, to get out and ride and also have that social aspect,” Gravelle-MacKenzie said. “We’re looking at the mental health, physical health, emotional health, and trying to create a sense of community on bikes. We want to share our passion for bikes.”

McDonald, who recently retired, recently caught the biking bug as well.

“I’ve been biking for a few years now,” McDonald said. “I’m one of those people who didn’t really like biking by myself. I’d go on short runs, and I’d try to drag my husband out. (When Sarah) was telling me about becoming a Liv ambassador and starting up this cycling program, it was like, ‘Yeah, I’m in.’”

The group, Cycling with Sarah, is set to officially launch on May 10, with an event at Bikes & Beyond that will also provide basic tips and tricks for emerging cyclists, but already the interest in the group has proven to be greater than anticipated.

“I think I’ve tapped into something,” Gravelle-MacKenzie said, adding that nearly 40 women have already registered to attend the launch. “We’re not going to be able to help everybody. But when women see that it can be done and how much fun it can be, we’ll start recruiting them to be a ride sweep or ride leader and we can grow. Hopefully, this time next year, it won’t just be me and Rose (hosting rides), but other women as well.”

“There’s definitely a bigger demand than we’d thought,” White said. “We’re beyond excited to have Sarah on board with Rose’s help. This seems to be snowballing. It’s very exciting.”

“I think women sometimes doubt ourselves,” Gravelle-MacKenzie added. “Walking into a bike store can be a different language. By welcoming women in, showing them what a welcoming environment a store can be. We want to encourage and support women to rediscover the absolute joy and freedom of cycling while staying active. That’s my mission.”

Cycling With Sarah’s launch event starts at 1 p.m. on May 10. For more information, follow @cyclingwithsarah on Instagram or email cyclingwithsarah@gmail.com