I’m nearly a bike thief. On a winter’s evening, I found an abandoned road bike in my courtyard, in Milan. A note hanging on the frame said: “to be removed or to be dumped“. The old vintage bike showed no scratches or rust. At night, I picked it up and took it home. I had it fixed by a good mechanic. After that, it looked almost brand new although it actually dates back to 1975.
On the Naviglio Grande’s cycle path, in Milan, where I often ride, the bike felt ungovernable at first touch. It took me some days to synchronize my breathing and thoughts to the pedal strokes and to get familiar with the old gears
That green bike was my first road bike. I liked it. I fell for the charms of the bicycle. I started thinking of a women’s cycling blog. No bike blog existed in Italian at that time, either online or in the print media.
The first women’s bike blog in Italy
Ladra di biciclette, which literally translates “woman bike thief”, was founded in Milan in May 2017. My vision is to provide a place where women cyclists can find inspiration and information. Ladra di biciclette is a platform for storytelling that celebrates women cycling and travels. Subjects like style, gear, nutrition, culture, advocacy and “how to-s” are addressed. I write for women, but men cyclists are very welcome here.
So, if you have a good story, I will be happy to listen to it. If you want to motivate a group of women or to foster a sense of community, write to me from the contact form. If you want to know more about cycling across Italy, feel free to ask. I am happy to meet women cyclists from all over the world and to share my thoughts and travels on 2 wheels.
