Women in the Bicycle Industry: Meet Shawna Macan

Content provided by Melanie Fry – Athlete, Bike shop Employee, Coach and Advisory Board Member Women’s Cycling

Today we are introducing you to Shawna Macan, the store manager at Mojo Cycling in Bentonville, Arkansas. Shawna’s father taught her to ride a bike when she was about 6 yrs. old, giving her the freedom of riding everywhere with all of the other kids in the neighborhood around Shawnee, Kansas.

Just as when she was young, Shawna’s father once again gave her the push on the bicycle, getting her back into cycling as an adult by having her ride RAGBRAI with him. This was the impetus she needed to fall in love with the bicycle all over again. Shawna started racing cyclocross, and since she needed a way to pay for parts and nicer bikes, she began working part-time at Epic Bike and Sport in Kansas City. She became fully addicted to bikes and realized she was miserable at her “adult job”, leaving it a few years later to go full time at the bike shop.

Shawna rides for many reasons – to clear her head, to exercise, to boost her mood, but mostly because it’s fun and makes her feel like a kid again! And riding has even provided her a chance to be a hero as she was able to rescue a kitten from the side of the highway and find it a good home.

The community that comes with riding bikes is important to Shawna and she appreciates how most cyclists wave, smile, and offer help if needed. And she’ll tell you that if you meet a bike packer, the stories that are shared will make you question why you’re not out riding with them. Shawna truly feels that cycling brings people together no matter their education, profession, or world views.

As a woman cyclist, Shawna knows there are detriments to attracting women to the sport. She has been inconvenienced by having to go to the bathroom while wearing bib shorts and is very thankful to the brands that have added magnetic detachments or extra stretch to prevent having to completely disrobe. Another common problem is that bike shops are still primarily a male-dominated space and walking into one can be intimidating for women. She also finds that women feel guilty for taking time and money for themselves over their families, even though exercise and taking care of oneself is important. Unfortunately, cycling can also be cliquey and expensive. Shawna is aware that many women have a tendency to fear their appearance and ability aren’t good enough and worry about being ridiculed or left behind on group rides. For women that want to commute or run quick errands by bike, many times there aren’t safe routes without distracted drivers or those that want to harass them. Very few jobs provide a place to shower, change clothes, or store a bike and gear.

So, what solutions would Shawna suggest? She says that creating an environment that’s comfortable to women is paramount. This can be done by recruiting and welcoming more women in the industry, especially having more women working in bike shops. Women should be offered their own classes about bicycles, gear, and tools, which gives them the confidence to operate and understand their bicycles and feel capable of performing simple repairs out on a ride. She sees value in providing no-drop rides, with a sweeper to ride with the last cyclist, helping women gain confidence, boosting morale, and promoting inclusivity. Demo bike programs, so women can try it out before spending money, are also beneficial. Shawna wants more brands to manufacture bikes, especially mountain bikes, that better fit women’s more petite statures. She also wants performance clothing manufacturers to offer women’s products at the same price point as the men’s. But most of all, she says that a safe place to ride is what is needed. Better bicycle infrastructure in every city is a vital part of cycling growth.

Shawna wants women to be advocates for women’s cycling. If you find a shop, brand, or product that you believe in, that shares your values, get involved somehow. She wants women to volunteer their time, take a part-time job at a shop, or become an active leader in the local cycling community. Women’s input and ideas can help change the industry and Shawna wants all women to make their voices heard and to be visible. She would encourage women to focus on improving bicycling infrastructure, promoting safer routes for commuting or for kids to ride to school. Shawna knows that the more people cycling, the better it is for the community and women can become role models for the current and next-generation, just as she has found role models in Rebecca Rusch, Lael Wilcox, Katie Compton, Leigh Donovan, Helen Wyman, Lea Davison, and other strong women cyclists. She especially likes Susan B. Anthony quote, “I’ll tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than any one thing in the world”.

Shawna’s love of cycling has introduced her to wonderful people, places, and experiences that she otherwise wouldn’t have known. She has been pushed outside her comfort zone and been shown that she is capable of more than she ever could have imagined. The following are Shawna’s own words, encapsulating exactly what cycling means to her.

“Over the years cycling has taken on many different forms for me. Charity rides, RAGBRAI, road racing, cyclocross, gravel endurance events, commuting, mountain biking, bike packing, and each one has taught me something and boosted my confidence in other aspects of my life. No matter if I’m riding a lot or if I’m not riding at all, the bike is always there waiting. It doesn’t matter if I’m fit, gained weight, become depressed or if I’m happy, it’s the one constant thing I can count on. It’s always there for me, along with a community of cyclists if I choose to ride. I wish every woman could experience the joys of cycling!”