Their names are Noëmie, Alexandra, Caroline, Anne-Louise… They are cyclists in Paris and are part of the Girls on Wheels (GOW) collective, in French: Women on two wheels”.
If they joined this single-sex group, it is out of weariness of riding with men, who often impose their pace or the route.
Every Wednesday evening, the Girls on Wheels travel between 20 and 50 kilometers through the streets of Paris. The speed is sustained – but they always respect the highway code. These women, from all walks of life, organize their rides and exchange tips on a private Facebook group, which brings together nearly 1,700 members.
As if we weren’t in our place”
The evening we follow them, it is Noëmie Gauthier who leads the race. For this young designer, Girls on Wheels was a real emancipation: As women cyclists, they suffered mockery, as if we were not really in our place”
In 2018, Noëmie created her own brand, specializing in clothing for cyclists. It was thanks to Girls on Wheels that she was able to launch this project, with the help of her friends on two wheels, who also inspired her a lot.
Like her, Alexandra Lambert decided to live fully from her passion for cycling. She therefore left Paris and her friends from Girls on Wheels to create her bike workshop in Bois-le-Roi, in Seine-et-Marne.
Biclou, a series on cycling
