BikePGH’s First-Ever Virtual Women & Non-Binary Bike Summit was a success!

Over 132 people participated in the 7th annual Women & Non-binary Bike Summit presented by Dollar Bank. This was the first-ever virtual edition of the summit and the second-largest summit attendance EVER! This year’s Summit underwent a number of changes, including expanded accessibility with pay-what-you-can registration and a fully-virtual format.

In 2020, the Women & Non-Binary Bike Summit raised over $1,100 in ticket sales! Donations will support BikePGH’s Women and Non-Binary program (WMNBikePGH). The goal of WMNBikePGH is to empower cis and trans women, non-binary, genderqueer, agender and gender variant people of all ages and abilities to feel comfortable and confident riding bikes around the city. Together, we can learn from and uplift each other to build a more connected and inclusive bicycling community.

Summit Keynote Panel

This year’s Summit kicked off with a keynote panel discussion on diversity and inclusion in the cycling community, featuring powerhouse representatives from Black Girls Do Bike, Major Taylor Cycling Club, and The Black Foxes. Check out the youtube video above for a full exclusive recording of this magnificent keynote!

Keep on reading to learn more about our amazing keynote speakers: Monica Garrison, Diana Hildebrande, and Shequaya Bailey!

DIANA HILDEBRAND (SHE/HER) Diana is a League Certified Cycling Instructor, a Trek Women’s Advocate, a Shero for Black Girls Do Bike, a First Lady of Major Taylor Cycling Club Cleveland, a Trip Coordinator for Noble Inventions Bike Tours, and a consultant for several cycling organizations. Diana has made it her mission to change lives two wheels at a time by teaching everything that she knows about cycling and advocating for safer streets and neighborhoods. 

MONICA GARRISON (SHE/HER) Monica is the founder Black Girls Do Bike and a BikePGH Board Member. Monica believes that the simple act of riding a bike can be the catalyst to wonderful and empowering experiences for women of all ages. What started as an idea to connect lady cyclists has turned into a movement with more than 90 inclusive riding groups all over the country. Black Girls Do Bike is creating lady leaders in the bicycling movement, introducing new riders to the joy of cycling and filling a void in the larger cycling community.

SHEQUAYA BAILEY (SHE/HER) Shequaya is the President of the Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club (PMTCC), MajorForce Youth Mentor, a United Way Be-A-Middle-School Mentor (BAMSM) at Westinghouse High School, and Pittsburgh Youth Leadership Mentor. She has been cycling consistently since Spring 2011 as a commuter and then began dabbling in bicycle racing in approximately 2014. As of 2020, she is now a member of The Black Foxes, a collective of cyclists who aim to control their own narratives.

Workshops, Afternoon Activities, and more

This fun one-day virtual event featured workshops on bicycle adventures, bike maintenance, yoga, and skill-building activities to boost bicyclists’ confidence. Learn more about these amazing sessions!

How to Plan Your Next Bike Ride Workshop

Our first workshop was led by a team of on and off road adventurers including Tarra Gundrum, Suz Falvey, and Monica VanDieren. Their presentations focused on everything from safety, to ride essentials, gear fundamentals, and more! Participants also learned tips and tricks for planning a ride during COVID-19.

DIY Bike Maintenance

With our DIY Bike Maintenance session, participants gained valuable information on how to take care of all things bike maintenance. Carrie Tippen walked participants through the key components of gears, drivetrains, and shifters. A lively Q&A followed where participants found the answers to their questions and learned how to diagnose what might be wrong with their bike.

Afternoon Activities

The Summit wrapped up the live components of the event and then they had the chance to check out afternoon activities featuring:

• Confident cycling skills – Created by Karen Brooks who is certified through BICP and PMBIA to teach mountain bike skills, and through the League of American Bicyclists to teach safe riding on the street.
• Yoga for bicyclists – This class, taught by Sally Sherman, Ph.D., an ultra-endurance athlete, educator and yoga teacher/researcher, will help you learn yoga poses you can incorporate into your everyday routine – no yoga mat or gym membership required. 
• Virtual bike ride of Pittsburgh –  Pedal your way on a 17-mile journey through historic sites where rad activists fought for their rights! 
• WMNBikePGH zine – Participants are encouraged to contribute their stories, drawings, advice, on their personal bicycling experiences.
• Summit skills challenge – This is an awesome way to get inspired and improve your confidence while cycling. We’ve got 50 ways for you to grow stronger, ride safer, and feel more self-assured while you’re out and about on your bike.
• What to wear weather chart – It’s all about the layers…but what kinds? You don’t have to ditch your bike once the weather turns cold! This resource will help you prepare for the elements and enjoy biking year-round.

Stay Tuned for more events in 2021!

Get updates about BikePGH’s Women and Non-Binary program by subscribing to our newsletter and join our WMNBikePGH Facebook group to stay connected!