Even With Higher Cycling Rates in the Twin Cities, Gender Gap Persists

Greta Kaul writes that data shows the Twin Cities has one of the highest levels of bike commuting in the country, but it also has a gender gap in cycling. "In the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, men who work were twice as likely to commute via bike as women who work, at 1.2 percent, compared to 0.6 percent."

While this gap is smaller than it is in most other U.S. cities, men still commute by bike more than women generally. The reasons for this difference include women’s concerns about safety, the perceived need to be "put together" at work, and the greater responsibility put on women to transport children.

While Minneapolis-St. Paul is relatively bike-friendly, the gender gap suggests that changes still need to be made to bring more women into cycling. Kaul notes that safer streets would encourage women to bike as well bike shops that make biking accessible to women and other underrepresented groups. "The gender gap isn’t the only gap activists are working to close in biking in Minnesota, said [Linnea] House, of Move Minnesota. There are also gaps for people of color and seniors, she said."