Women’s Off-Road Cycling Congress unifies consumer voices; report to industry slated for December 2017
Meet-up opens dialogue with female mountain bikers of every experience level about how the industry can improve performance
(Boulder, CO 9.27.17) The organizers of the Women’s Off-Road Cycling Congress [WÖRCC] announce the inaugural conference night, to be held October 25, 2017 at Pearl Izumi World Headquarters in Colorado. WÖRCC, organized by Boulder-based Sports Garage Cycling [SG], asks a congress of 100 female off-road cyclists and mountain bikers “What do you love, hate, and hope for?” Billed as the antidote to bike shop ladies’ nights, the WÖRCC event will solicit the feedback of female riders of all experience levels during fast-paced breakout sessions covering an array of topics relevant to mountain biking and gravel cycling. The information gathered at WÖRCC will be compiled into a comprehensive report, available to industry and subscribers during the 4th quarter of this year.
“Our experience as a retailer is not unlike the opinions expressed in recently published reports.” Says SG co-owners Brad James and Elorie Slater. “The mountain biking industry continually progresses in the way they serve female riders, but the progress is slow.” SG reports they have made conscious choices, such as tripling their store’s number of demo bikes appropriate for women, to improve service to female clients. The Women’s Off-Road Cycling Congress grew from their desire for a women’s event offering intrinsic value other than “wine, cheese, and discounts”, says James. With sponsorship and support from Camber Outdoors, Pearl Izumi, Shimano, VIDA, and Suerte Tequila, among others, WÖRCC has already captured the attention of notable brands. Guest speakers include Amy Thomas (Founder, Beti Bike Bash), Ashley Rankin (Founder and CEO, Shredly), and Dorothy Nichols (tenured industry executive).
“There is a difference between gathering data about female mountain bikers and straight-up asking their opinions,” responded Slater when asked what will differentiate the WÖRCC report from prior efforts to define the women’s marketplace. The October 25th agenda not only discusses industry improvement, but connects consumers’ voices with a road map for moving the needle. “The most rewarding part of this initiative won’t even happen at the event,” commented the organizers, who have an eye on multiple markets for 2018. “That will come later, when we find out who in the industry is listening.” More information about registering for WÖRCC can be found at www.womensoffroad.com.
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