Derbyshire mum named among UK’s 100 most inspirational women in cycling

Kelly-Jayne Collinge, 32, has earned a place on the annual list published by the charity Cycling UK which celebrates the individuals who make cycling more inclusive for everyone – no matter what their gender, background or ability – with Government statistics showing men across England are much more frequent cyclists.

Since she began riding trails in 2015 and Kelly-Jayne has discovered a great sense of freedom in her hobby, and an opportunity to switch off, enjoy adventure and connect with like-minded people.

Kelly-Jayne said: “I ride with my son, we love going on bike rides together and share this with other mums. We particularly enjoy bike-packing. I’ve had opportunities to share my experiences of cycling and motherhood, and that’s been really special for me.”

Her passion for the sport has seen her take up a day job as cycling community manager for navigation app Komoot, supporting community groups across the UK and helping to make the outdoors accessible.

Closer to home, she helps lead the riders’ group Cotic Women of Steel, which acts as a safe space for women to come together on the trails of the Peak District and take action on issues such as environmental pollution by organising litter-picks.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK’s chief executive, said: “Choosing the top one hundred winners involves some really tough choices – there are so many brilliant women out there who we’d want to celebrate.

“A great way to encourage more women to cycle is to share the stories of these amazing women – whether they’re chronicling their adventures on social media, advocating for better infrastructure in their neighbourhoods, inspiring their communities to join them for a ride or winning medals around the world.”

She added: “Cycling is a fantastic way to get around sustainably, keep fit and have fun outdoors and we want everyone to benefit from the joy of cycling.

“But in the UK, substantially fewer women ride than men. It’s our mission to reverse that and see equal levels of cycling across all genders.”

To learn more about Kelly-Jayne’s exploits, see www.komoot.com/user/563418442531 or instagram.com/kellyjaynecollinge.

For the full list, go to https://www.cyclinguk.org/100women/2023.

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