Fewer cars on short trips
Most city journeys are under 5 km. Swapping even one of those a day for a bicycle takes a car off the road, shortens everyone’s commute and gives you back time stuck in a jam.
Since 2023 · Cycling school for girls & women · Bangladesh
Every girl deserves to ride.
Girls On Gears teaches girls and women of every age to cycle safely and confidently. No bicycle? Borrow one from us. No experience? That is exactly where we start.
- Women coaches
- Free bicycle loan
- Ages 8 to 60+
300+ riders trained
6 medals won
300+Girls & women learned to cycle
18Joined the Bangladesh Cycling Federation
6Medals won in competitions
12Now working in delivery
Founder’s story
A bicycle is the smallest machine that can change a girl’s life, and a city’s air.
Every morning our roads fill with smoke, horns and traffic that barely moves, and most of those trips are shorter than five kilometres. Every one of them could be made on two wheels, with clean air and not a drop of fuel.
Girls On Gears began from one belief: a girl who can ride a bicycle can go anywhere, on her own terms. Too many girls in Bangladesh are told to wait, for a ride, for permission, for a safer bus. A bicycle ends the waiting. Teaching a girl to cycle gives her freedom, fitness and a confidence that stays long after the lesson ends.
It is also a gift to our planet. Every kilometre pedalled instead of driven means less smoke in our lungs, less noise in our streets and less carbon in the sky. When hundreds of women choose pedals over petrol, our cities breathe easier, for everyone.
Since 2023, more than 300 girls and women have learned to ride with us. Some race for the nation, some earn their living on two wheels, and many simply ride to school and to the market with a smile. Each of them shows that empowering women and protecting our environment are one and the same journey.
When a girl learns to ride, she moves forward, and the air behind her gets cleaner.
Why cycling
Two wheels. A lot of difference.
Good for the city, good for the planet and, above all, good for the girl who rides.
A kinder planet
A bicycle makes zero tailpipe emissions and almost no noise. Every kilometre we pedal is cleaner air for our neighbourhood and a lighter footprint for the next generation.
Safety on your own terms
Crowded buses and public transport are not always safe or comfortable for women. Your own bicycle means you decide when you leave, how you travel and the route you take.
A life skill, not a luxury
Cycling builds balance, fitness and fearless confidence. For many of our riders it became a first step towards sport, a job and independence.
How it works
From first wobble to confident rider
Bring yourself. If you don’t have a bicycle, we lend you one for the whole training.
- 01
Say hello
Join us through the form below. No experience, no bicycle and no age limit needed. Just bring your curiosity.
- 02
Get a bicycle
Have your own cycle? Bring it and we will check the fit and safety. Don’t have one? Borrow one of ours for free for the whole training.
- 03
Learn with friends
Small groups, women coaches and a safe, closed practice ground. We start with balance and work up to confident riding step by step.
- 04
Ride the road
Group rides, traffic and road-safety training, and then your own path: everyday commute, racing or even a delivery job.
Bring your own, or borrow ours
Own a bicycle? We adjust it to fit and check the brakes and tyres. Don’t? Our community bicycle library lends one at no cost while you train.
Choose your starting point
Balance Buddies
Absolute beginnersBalance, braking and your first push-and-glide, with a coach at your side.
Pedal Pioneers
Can pedal, want confidenceTurning, starting, stopping and riding in a group on quiet streets.
Road Riders
Ready for trafficRoad rules, hand signals, safe riding in traffic and basic bicycle repair.
Gear Chasers
Want sport or workEndurance, racing prep with federation coaches, and delivery-rider orientation.
Our impact · since 2023
Small wheels, big journeys
Since 2023, hundreds of girls have found their balance. Here is where some of them have ridden to.
300+
Learned to cycle
Since 2023, more than 300 girls and women, from school students to grandmothers, learned to ride for the first time.
- School and college students
- Homemakers and working women
- Women over 40 riding for the first time
- Girls from low-income communities
18
Joined the Bangladesh Cycling Federation
Eighteen of our riders went on to register with the national federation and train as competitive cyclists.
- Registered federation athletes
- Training under certified coaches
- Selected for district and national events
6
Medals won
Six riders brought home medals, proof that a girl who learned to balance a few months ago can stand on a podium.
- Medals in competitive races
- Podium finishes at events
- More riders in training for the next season
12
Joined the delivery workforce
Twelve riders turned their new skill into a steady income as delivery riders, with training and safety kit from us.
- Food and parcel delivery riders
- Earning their own income
- Showing that women can work on two wheels
In their words
I was 34 and thought it was too late. By the third week I was riding to the market on my own.
My mother never learned. Now we ride together on Fridays, and she laughs the whole way.
Delivery work gave me my own income. The training made me feel safe on the road.
About us
A team that believes every girl can ride
Girls On Gears began in 2023 with one simple idea: in Bangladesh, a bicycle can be a girl’s first taste of freedom. We are a community of coaches, volunteers and riders who teach cycling to girls and women of any age, in safe, friendly spaces.
- Any age, any background: if you want to ride, you belong.
- Women teaching women, in safe and friendly spaces.
- No bicycle? No problem. Borrow one from us.
- Progress over perfection: wobbles are part of the story.
Sarrinah Binta RezaFounder & Instructor
Ruhum NoorManager
Kulsum HaqueInstructor
Dreamy ZamanInstructor
Tasnim HeraInstructorQuestions
Good to know before you ride
I have never touched a bicycle. Can I still join?
Yes. Most of our riders start from zero. Our women coaches begin with balance and confidence and move at your pace.
Is there an age limit for learning to cycle?
No. We have taught school girls and women past 50. If you can walk comfortably, you can learn to ride.
I don’t own a bicycle. What should I do?
You can borrow one of our bicycles for the whole training at no cost. If you have your own, bring it and we will check the fit and safety.
Is the training safe and women-only?
Yes. Sessions are run by women coaches in closed practice grounds, in small groups, with helmets and safety guidance. Parents are welcome to watch.
How long does it take to learn?
Most beginners ride on their own within 5 to 10 sessions. Confident road riding usually takes a few more weeks of practice.
Can cycling become a career?
It can. Some of our riders joined the Bangladesh Cycling Federation and won medals. Others became delivery riders and earn their own income.
How much does it cost?
Our programme is run by volunteers and supporters, with training kept free or very low cost. Contact us for the current batch details.
Join us
Your first ride starts here
Tell us a little about you. We will reply with the next batch dates, the nearest practice ground and your bicycle.
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- sarrinahreza.heba@gmail.com
- 01408719628