Community Spotlight: NOWcc

At its core, No Ordinary Women cycling club is about connection: creating a space where women and non-binary riders can feel strong, push themselves, and find belonging in a sport that has long been male-dominated. We host weekly rides, workshops, and clinics that bring riders together to build confidence, learn new skills, and share the joy of cycling on road, gravel, and track.

The NOWcc founder story:

Founded in 2019, NOWcc, was born when two cyclists, Aster (a fellow CCC contributor) and Emmy, recognised a clear gap in the cycling landscape. In Amsterdam, there were no rides created specifically for underrepresented genders, and they felt a strong need for a space that fostered equity and belonging for women and nonbinary riders. In many group rides, women typically made up only about 20 percent of participants, a reality that highlighted how uneven the playing field still was. NOWcc emerged from a desire to change that dynamic and to build a community where women’s+ cyclists could ride, grow, and feel fully represented!

Where are you based aka where do you ride?

NOWcc started in Amsterdam and has since expanded to Utrecht, while also organising events and rides across the Netherlands.

What sort of riders are part of your community?

Our crew is made up of an amazing mix of riders- from those who are pushing their limits on ultra races, to gravel racers, crit racers, and track riders to the everyday badass who loves a fast group of folks to ride with weekly but doesn’t feel the need to compete.

Do you target any specific groups?

Women and non-binary riders with experience. On occasion, we offer beginner style clinic and meet-ups that are for all levels but most of our rides are really dedicated towards a space we didn’t see out there for many w+ riders, which is an advanced riding group where we could feel safe pushing ourselves and riding hard every week.

Tell us about your community activities: Rides, meetups etc

NOWcc runs a full calendar of rides and events throughout the year, from weekly group rides in Amsterdam to monthly rides out of Utrecht. Our weekly rides are the heartbeat of the community, a consistent space to show up, push hard, and ride with people who get it.

Beyond the regular rides, we organise skills clinics and workshops to help riders build confidence on the bike, whether that's learning to ride in sand, bike mechanics, or race prep. We also run special events throughout the season: our International Women's Day ride, now in its third edition, is the biggest women's ride in the Benelux.

Last year, we introduced Community Conversations, informal off-bike gatherings designed to spark connection, learning, and honest dialogue within our cycling crew.

A time where riders come together to share experiences, ask questions, and talk about the things that actually matter to us as cyclists. Led by the community, for the community.

We also collaborate with other crews and brands on joint events, bringing Amsterdam and Utrecht riders together.

The season typically runs from April through September, with select events and indoor activities keeping the community connected through winter. And this November, for the first time, we are venturing further to host a gravel weekender in Girona!

Where can people find you and contact you:

Send us a DM on Instagram @noordinarywomen.cc

Email: now.cyclingclub@gmail.com

Or check out our upcoming events: https://luma.com/user/NOWcc

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NOWcc is one of our featured communities. A collection of people doing great things throughout the world with a focus on diversity.

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