Can Public Bike Sharing Systems Encourage Migrant Women to Use Bicycles?

Abstract

To increase the number of cyclists more detailed knowledge about potential user groups is required. This article provides empirical results on one such potential user group: migrant women who did not learn to cycle in their childhood but then trained in adult cycling courses. We argue that many of these migrant women interested in cycling will not own bikes even after successfully finishing the course. This article considers whether and how the use of public bike schemes (PBS) can bridge this gap between (re-)starting cycling and owning a bike. In an experimental setting, a PBS-training-module was tested and a survey among migrant cycling course participants was conducted.