The region’s first women-only bicycle shop, Liv, will open its doors next month, reflecting the growing popularity of the sport among females in the UAE.
Liv is the female division of the bicycle maker Giant, one of the largest manufacturers of pedal bikes in the world. Liv will open the new 110-square metre shop at Box Park on Dubai’s Al Wasl road in Jumeirah.
"Women's cycling is actually exploding at the moment, with all the cycling resources available to us now," says the South African Nadine du Toit, 34, who owns Glory Girl Fitness. She started her own cycling group in November to cycle round Al Qudra on Saturday mornings. "I'm actually very new to cycling, I only started last July, but I'm completely hooked," says Ms du Toit. "The women cycling here are all so supportive. Just to be outside in the desert, with the sun rising and the wind in your cheeks, it's amazing."
In Dubai, there are two large cycling tracks at Nad Al Sheba and Al Qudra, and at least 14 shops catering for cyclists.
But these outlets don’t just sell bikes and accessories. They also play a role in nurturing the cycling community by helping to set up groups for enthusiasts to cycle together and get to know each other.
Damian Lowe manages the Trek Bicycle Store at Al Qudra. “Pretty much every bike store in Dubai has a cycling group that they run, from house,” says Mr Lowe. “Wolfi’s Bike Shop have the Dubai Roadsters group, Specialised have a small group, and Giant are affiliated with Ride Club.”
Now more women are now embracing the sport, they want to look and feel the part while they’re at it. But Dubai’s fledgling female cycling groups have until now had no all-female cycling shop to associate themselves with. Liv hopes to change that, and encourage more ladies to take up the sport. “We will be organising social rides, classes, talks and events,” says Lee Samuel, brand manager bike division for Giant. “Whether your goal is to win a race, start a new fitness routine or find a fun new way to get around, we invite you to join us.”
And the sport isn’t just for expats who have brought a love of the sport with them from home — three of the seven Dubai ladies’ cycling groups are led by Emiratis.
Mr Samuel says that year on year there has been a steady increase in spending on Liv products in the UAE, which until now have been sold at the two Ride bike stops in Dubai. Female cyclists represent a massive and rapidly growing market worldwide. The 2014 American Bicyclist Study conducted by the Gluskin Townley Group reported that women now make up 55 per cent of Generation X bicycling consumers.
And new online female cycling brands have also been coming on to the market in the past two years, such as Cycling for Girls, Velo Vixen, Cicla and F Riders.
Briton Emma Woodcock formed the UAE’s first female cycling group, the Velo Vixens, 18 months ago. It now has about 230 members. She admits it has been tough to find comfortable and feminine cycling equipment and apparel in the UAE. “The choice is very limited”, she says. “It’s especially hard for our curvier girls as there aren’t often larger sizes available. We tend to order from overseas if we can’t find what we want.”
Dubai’s female cyclists are hoping that having their own shop will also change the culture of cycling as a sport. “There aren’t yet any women-only cycling races held in the UAE”, says Ms Du Toit. “But I think this year, things are really going to change.”
The second Liwa Cycle Challenge is being held this week and for the first time, the prize money for the 117-kilometre race will be the same for females as it is for men — Dh25,000.
“That is wonderful, and it’s kind of unheard of in the world of sport to have the same prize money for both sexes,” adds Ms Du Toit, who hopes that having more females attracted to the sport could soon result in the UAE having its first professional female cyclist.
“There are now a few elite girls up and coming. But there’s no way of getting sponsorship at the moment. We’re definitely going to push hard this year for something like that opening up.”
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