August 16th, 2025 | by Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie
After rediscovering cycling 8 years ago, Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie, a passionate advocate for senior women's health, took the initiative to start her own cycling club in Winnipeg, Canada. Collaborating with her local bike shop, Bikes and Beyond, Sarah identified a need for a welcoming community that would promote the physical, mental and social well-being of senior women. Recognizing the numerous benefits of cycling, she embarked on a mission to create a supportive space where senior women could come together, enjoy the outdoors, and improve their overall health.
After rediscovering cycling 8 years ago, Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie, a passionate advocate for senior women's health, took the initiative to start her own cycling club in Winnipeg, Canada. Collaborating with her local bike shop, Bikes and Beyond, Sarah identified a need for a welcoming community that would promote the physical, mental and social well-being of senior women. Recognizing the numerous benefits of cycling, she embarked on a mission to create a supportive space where senior women could come together, enjoy the outdoors, and improve their overall health.
Cycling with Sarah was launched in May 2023. After retiring 6 years earlier and rediscovering my passion for cycling, I discovered there were no cycling groups that would meet my needs as a senior woman. I had reached out to a couple of cycling groups only to be met with barrier after barrier. There was also an unspoken message that my age was not the demographic that fit with their groups. What often starts as a barrier or frustration is often the very thing that is the motivation for creating something new. This is exactly my experience. When my local bike shop, Bikes and Beyond, and Liv Cycling Canada offered me the opportunity to become a Liv Ambassador and to help them meet their mission of getting more women on bikes, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I would start a cycling club for senior women with no barriers. A woman could ride any type of bike she wanted; the pace would be a social one with no expectations of maintaining a challenging minimum speed, and the focus would be on creating a community of women who encouraged and supported each other.
Cycling with Sarah has become everything I hoped for and more. Our members now refer to themselves as cycling sisters. My first cycling sister was Rose McDonald who became our Co-Founder. The bonds of friendship that have formed are powerful. Through life’s exciting moments and milestones, we celebrate together and through the challenges and losses that inevitably come our way we are there to support and care for each other. By belonging to our cycling family/community, our lives have become richer and we have found a solid social connection again!
Cycling with Sarah was launched in May 2023. After retiring 6 years earlier and rediscovering my passion for cycling, I discovered there were no cycling groups that would meet my needs as a senior woman. I had reached out to a couple of cycling groups only to be met with barrier after barrier. There was also an unspoken message that my age was not the demographic that fit with their groups. What often starts as a barrier or frustration is often the very thing that is the motivation for creating something new. This is exactly my experience. When my local bike shop, Bikes and Beyond, and Liv Cycling Canada offered me the opportunity to become a Liv Ambassador and to help them meet their mission of getting more women on bikes, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I would start a cycling club for senior women with no barriers. A woman could ride any type of bike she wanted; the pace would be a social one with no expectations of maintaining a challenging minimum speed, and the focus would be on creating a community of women who encouraged and supported each other.
Cycling with Sarah has become everything I hoped for and more. Our members now refer to themselves as cycling sisters. My first cycling sister was Rose McDonald who became our Co-Founder. The bonds of friendship that have formed are powerful. Through life’s exciting moments and milestones, we celebrate together and through the challenges and losses that inevitably come our way we are there to support and care for each other. By belonging to our cycling family/community, our lives have become richer and we have found a solid social connection again!
Another thing we heard a lot was women talking about how, after retiring, they felt invisible. They didn’t feel seen or heard the same way they did while working. One idea we had to combat this was to get custom, bright and matching kits! Through the generosity of Liv, 3 of our local bike shops and a couple of local businesses, we now have a custom kit we all proudly wear. The colours are bright and bold and we are definitely not invisible anymore. When we are out cycling together people will stop to ask us about our club and cars honk their horns in support! The custom kits did exactly what I had hoped for; they created a strong and positive identity for all of us.
Being part of Cycling with Sarah has created a strong and powerful identity for all of us. We are challenging the ageism and stereotypes that are out there regarding senior women. We are not silent and frail but rather we are strong and use our voices to celebrate aging. Together we are making a statement that our senior years can be filled with joy, new experiences and challenges. We are role modelling to younger women and girls that new friendships can be made at any age and that as we get older life can be full and exciting.
Another thing we heard a lot was women talking about how, after retiring, they felt invisible. They didn’t feel seen or heard the same way they did while working. One idea we had to combat this was to get custom, bright and matching kits! Through the generosity of Liv, 3 of our local bike shops and a couple of local businesses, we now have a custom kit we all proudly wear. The colours are bright and bold and we are definitely not invisible anymore. When we are out cycling together people will stop to ask us about our club and cars honk their horns in support! The custom kits did exactly what I had hoped for; they created a strong and positive identity for all of us.
Being part of Cycling with Sarah has created a strong and powerful identity for all of us. We are challenging the ageism and stereotypes that are out there regarding senior women. We are not silent and frail but rather we are strong and use our voices to celebrate aging. Together we are making a statement that our senior years can be filled with joy, new experiences and challenges. We are role modelling to younger women and girls that new friendships can be made at any age and that as we get older life can be full and exciting.
So much has been written about the loneliness epidemic that people are experiencing today, especially seniors. From the very start in 2023 the connection between our ladies has been strong and continues to grow stronger each year. We started with 18 full-time members and this year we have 80 members and 3 Chapters. We are currently planning to add 17 new riders for our 2026 year. The need for social connection is fundamental to people’s mental health and it has become a core value for our club. As cycling wrapped up in 2023 no one wanted to let go of our connection to each other, so we started our Fall and Winter Program. We offer hiking, snow shoeing, XC skiing and fat biking events weekly.
So much has been written about the loneliness epidemic that people are experiencing today, especially seniors. From the very start in 2023 the connection between our ladies has been strong and continues to grow stronger each year. We started with 18 full-time members and this year we have 80 members and 3 Chapters. We are currently planning to add 17 new riders for our 2026 year. The need for social connection is fundamental to people’s mental health and it has become a core value for our club. As cycling wrapped up in 2023 no one wanted to let go of our connection to each other, so we started our Fall and Winter Program. We offer hiking, snow shoeing, XC skiing and fat biking events weekly.
Cycling with Sarah has been able to grow through so many of our members stepping up and volunteering to be Ride Leaders and Sweeps. We also now have an Event Planner, 3 Fall and Winter Coordinators and members who volunteer to help with our big events by doing presentations. Many of the women have said they never could have seen themselves taking on a leadership role but being a part of a supportive group has given them the confidence to take on new challenges.
Cycling with Sarah has become a family; a family that cycles, works and plays together. We support each other and the communities we live in through our 4 yearly Community Donation Campaigns. We are stronger together; united by sharing the same goals. At the same time, we support, encourage and celebrate each person’s goals, milestones and achievements.
Cycling with Sarah has been able to grow through so many of our members stepping up and volunteering to be Ride Leaders and Sweeps. We also now have an Event Planner, 3 Fall and Winter Coordinators and members who volunteer to help with our big events by doing presentations. Many of the women have said they never could have seen themselves taking on a leadership role but being a part of a supportive group has given them the confidence to take on new challenges.
Cycling with Sarah has become a family; a family that cycles, works and plays together. We support each other and the communities we live in through our 4 yearly Community Donation Campaigns. We are stronger together; united by sharing the same goals. At the same time, we support, encourage and celebrate each person’s goals, milestones and achievements.
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