From Empress to Ambassador - Donna's story of diversity and changing perceptions in cycling
- Donna McConnell
- May 30
- 4 min read
Written by: Donna McConnell
In March, I was asked to be a brand ambassador by Balfe’s Bikes.
I get the use of a beautiful new Specialized Tarmac Expert SL8, bike accessories, and they
service my bikes.
Not unusual for a cycling content creator with an engaged following, but maybe a little
different because I’m a 56-year-old Black woman.
I’ve been creating content to share my love of cycling for the last six years, to encourage
more Black women, women with curves, and older women to get involved in cycling.
I may have been a late starter to group riding but I’ve been making up for lost time.
I’ve completed an Ironman, several triathlons, ridden London to Paris twice, Manchester to
London for Ambitious About Autism, and the North Coast 500. I’ve cycled in Girona, ridden Venice to Rome, Rwanda and more recently South Africa with the charity Black Unity Bike Ride (I’m a trustee). I’m also a ride leader for Chain Gang Cyclists and Rapha Cycling Club.
Early in my road cycling journey, I discovered Black women cyclists like Yewie Adesande,
Rhianna Parris-Smith and Dalila Lecky, but I noticed Black women in road cycling were very
much in the minority.
I realised that if someone like me, a journalist and editor had missed out on the info about
group riding, then clearly it wasn’t being spread far enough.
I wasn’t new to cycling, I’d always loved it as a kid, and learned on a bike given to me by my
Grandma, who also rode a bike back home in Jamaica.
I bought my first bike, a Muddy Fox in 1987 and I’ve owned one ever since, but as an adult, I
didn’t know anyone who rode a bike.
This all changed when I decided to train for an Ironman after I turned 50. My training
started as the pandemic began – and we were locked down. But it meant, others were
discovering cycling, including more people that look like me. I did group rides with triathlon
club 10Ironwomen and the Black Cyclist’s Network, and I was hooked.
At that time, I was amazed to discover there wasn’t a women’s Tour De France. So clearly,
diversity and inclusion was already an issue in cycling.
I’ve been active for most of my life, and there’s always been a problem with the narrow
representation of women in the fitness space, and cycling is no different.
It’s not just race, it’s age, gender, body diversity, people with disabilities, and those from the
LGBTQIA+ communities.
Becoming a cycling ambassador was not on my over 50s bingo card. But since I began
and Ride London.
I welcome this of course, because I think it’s important to represent women being active at
all stages of life.
I’m not a unicorn either. I know quite a few amazing women; runners, cyclists, PTs,
and triathletes over the age of 40, who are inspirational. To many people, it’s more inspiring to see someone older ride to Paris or run the London Marathon. And if I can complete a 29km mountain climb in Spain and Rwanda, as I did last year – maybe they can too.
More and more women are entering their 50s active, or wanting to be active, and at least
on social media, they can find inspiration. Older men – or MAMILs are marketed to in the
cycling space – but older women in general just aren’t featured.
It is of course rare to see any woman in her 50s become an ambassador of anything to do
with cycling or fitness in general.
Balfe’s approached me to become a brand ambassador based on my social media content
which challenges limiting beliefs around age and body image, and a focus on events and
cycling style. Older women are the perfect ambassadors because we literally do not care
what anyone thinks of us anymore.
The gag is I don’t just ‘inspire’ older women to ride, it's women of all ages – including young
women who need to see that ageing does not mean decaying, that they can remain vibrant,
adventurous, healthy, and fit even when they’re close to 60. And I’m even bringing men
who relate to the content along for the ride too.
Becoming an ambassador at 56 is the icing – but the real cherry on the cake is when a woman finds the confidence to try a group ride or join my women’s group for hills training after one of my posts.
That’s the endorsement that really matters.
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Donna is a regular contributor to Cycling Culture Club. Read her bio to learn more
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