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By BRENDA I still remember the first time I set out on a bike ride beyond my comfort zone.
It was during the 2020 pandemic, when the world seemed to stand still and I had no choice but to get on one.
I had not sat on a bike for years.
The road stretched endlessly ahead, the sun brushed my shoulders, as I carefully pedalled along Hoima road — a highway in Kampala.
The beauty of cycling during the pandemic was the calm.
There was not much traffic to intimidate me and that gave me an assurance that I was safe to bike on the streets of Kampala.
What began as a simple weekend cycle soon became one of the most transformative ways I’ve ever learned to travel.
For many women, the idea of cycling through unknown towns or winding trails can feel intimidating — and understandably so!
There’s the concern of safety, the fear of getting lost, or the thought that maybe it’s something “only professionals” do.
More specifically in Kampala, where it’s long been whispered that women lose their virginity when they cycle — a belief rooted in old cultural myths from Buganda — many women shy away from biking altogether.
I used to believe that too — until I realized that bike travel is one of the most grounding, freeing, and empowering ways to see the world.
A bike adventure slows you down in the most beautiful way.
It reconnects you with the rhythm of your breath, the whispers of the wind, and the pulse of the world around you.
It teaches you to trust your instincts, listen to your body as you change gears, and see every road as a story waiting to unfold.
In this blog, I will share 7 reasons why I believe every female traveler should consider a bike adventure — and I hope you, a fellow woman, feel inspired to begin your own.
1. The Freedom Only Two Wheels Can Offer
This is one of the things that’s kept me hooked on cycling.
When you travel by bike, you taste freedom in its purest form.
You decide when to stop, where to explore, and how far to go.
Unlike traditional travel, where you move from one attraction to another behind glass windows, cycling allows you to feel the world — to smell the world around you, to wave back at strangers, to pause for a mango at a roadside stall.
It’s travel at human speed.
Every turn of the pedal is a reminder that you are capable, powerful, and in control of your own journey.
And for women, especially those navigating independence and self-discovery, that sense of control is deeply empowering.
A bike doesn’t just carry you to places — it carries you home to yourself.
2. A work out that stays in the books
It’s one thing to intentionally sweat indoors on a stationary bike; it’s another to cycle outdoors and sweat as you explore.
You hit many birds with one stone.
From getting familiar with your neighbourhood to expending calories at a pace that’s just enough to facilitate awe – not as slow as walking and not as fast as driving.
It’s also a window into a city’s road culture.
For me, being used to cycling on the left side of the road in Uganda, it felt daring — and thrilling — to switch to the right in Europe and the U.S.
Every ride became an adventure in itself.
And culturally, it’s eye-opening.
In Kampala, a woman on a bike draws attention; abroad, I blended in as just another cyclist.
Both experiences reminded me that being a woman on a bike means something powerful — it challenges norms wherever you are.
3. Connection Beyond Borders
Some of the most genuine human connections I’ve made have happened while cycling.
In small Ugandan villages and regional bike rides like Velosano and bike fundo, people wave as you pass.
Children run beside you for a few meters, laughing or arguing with their peers about the type of bike you’re riding.
Shopkeepers offer you a glass of cold water, or a word of encouragement.
When compared with other travel means, cycling breaks down the invisible barrier between traveler and local.
It gives an experience of not just speeding by — but actually moving with the landscape and becoming part of the scene, not just a spectator.
And as a woman, these encounters carry an added layer of inspiration.
You remind others — especially young girls who see you — that women, too, can travel boldly, explore fearlessly, and write their own stories of adventure.
4. Reclaiming Strength and Stillness
When it comes to the less glamorous parts of traveling on a bike, they challenge your mind as much as your body.
The hills, the heat, the occasional flat tire — they all become metaphors for life itself.
It’s one of those practices that culture endurance, patience, and the quiet art of perseverance.
But equally, it brings you stillness.
The repetitive rhythm of pedaling becomes a meditation.
With each breath, each turn of the wheel, your thoughts begin to settle.
You start noticing how light shifts on the horizon, how your heartbeat syncs with the rise and fall of the road.
It’s in those moments of solitude that the journey becomes something sacred.
In the end, cycling teaches you to listen — not just to the sounds of the world, but to your own inner voice.
5. Seeing the World Differently (Literally)
A bike changes your perspective — literally and figuratively.
This mostly happens when you take the same route.
You notice the subtle details often missed in fast travel: the scent of blooming jacaranda, the chatter of a marketplace, the faces that tell stories without words.
When I cycled in the Rockies, every climb rewarded me not just with breathtaking views, but with a sense of earned wonder.
I learned that the beauty of the world isn’t just in the destination; it’s in the slow unfolding of the journey itself.
For female travelers, this slower form of exploration can be deeply grounding.
It allows you to travel consciously — aware of your environment, your impact, and your own inner growth.
6. It Doesn’t Take Much to Begin
You don’t need fancy gear or an expensive bike to start.
It’s usually easy to begin exploring your home’s compound and then next your neighborhood.
If you happen to live in organised cities with trails designated for cycling, then you can start with a nature trail, a ride along a lake, or during a short weekend getaway with a friend.
What matters is the mindset: curiosity over comfort, courage over certainty.
With every ride, your confidence grows.
You learn how to navigate routes, pack light, and care for your bike.
What once felt impossible becomes your new normal.
And before you know it, the desire for fancy gear and an expensive bike comes naturally once cycling grows on you.
Cycling, like life, rewards those who start before they’re ready.
7. The Deeper Meaning: Journeying Within
Beyond the miles and the motion, a bike adventure is ultimately a journey inward.
You’ll encounter moments of exhaustion, yes — but also moments of grace.
The world quiets down, and you realize how vast, resilient, and beautifully alive you can be.
Especially if this is a solo ride and you’re going downhill with hands off the handle bars.
It’s a sacred kind of solitude and communion.
Communion with the earth beneath your wheels, the sky above your head, and your heart steady in between.
Every ride becomes a metaphor: for balance, for trust, for surrender.
And somewhere between the first pedal stroke and the final rest stop, you might just say to yourself, “Oh hell, yeah, I’m doing this again!”
Final Thoughts
Every woman deserves to experience the freedom of a bike adventure at least once to realize it’s not about distance or destination.
But rather, it’s an opportunity to rediscover what it means to move — through landscapes, through fears, through life itself — with grace and courage.
So if you’ve ever felt the call of the open road, listen to it.
Start small, but start.
Let the wind be your companion and the journey your teacher.
Because when you travel by bike, you don’t just see the world — you see yourself anew.