| dc.description.abstract | Project Background
My own observations of Pedalpigane and the fact that they recruit an unprecedented number of women to cycling drew my attention to examine what characterizes this particular club. Not only do they recruit and encourage women to physical activity and making them stayers: most of the members participate in highly challenging races like the Color Line Setesdal Tour. How do they do that?
Main Question
The fact that Pedalpigane has succeeded establishing a women’s cycle club in a male dominated environment, along with the point that from a public health perspective they represent, in my opinion, an essential activity, made me want to understand and study who these women are and how this club emerges. I have sought to highlight the aspects that draw women to this particular milieu.
What characterizes this milieu, what factors contribute to making more and more women choose biking as their physical activity?
Methods
My method of approach has been fieldwork within the club Pedalpigane, being the participating observer.
Approaches
The assignment is based on a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. The approach focuses on how people interpret phenomenon and personal experiences and where the concept of comprehension is essential. The scientific approach is based on Merleau-Ponty (2002), Gadamer (2004) and Heidegger (2007), serving as a framework for my methodical study and discussion on empiricism.
Results
I identified four main issues as the most central, contributing to the recruiting of more and more women to Pedalpigane: (i) the slogan “All in” as an outspoken norm, setting the standards for how to embrace new members as they enter (ii) the social fellowship, by displaying (iii) social support and emerge as (iv) an ground where overcoming and communication is laid on/ arranged for.
The implication of the norm ”All In” as it sets the standards for how Pedalpigane embrace new members.
The context’s impact on women’s need to be acknowledged, development of social identity, and on how the group behaviour appears and is displayed. The context is therefore a determinant for the cohesion of Pedalpigane.
Cohesion is a determinant for motivation, social identity, sense of belonging, overcoming, communication, performance, joy, mood, well-being and humour.
The women’s perspective is essential as it contributes to intensifying the social identity and meeting the specific needs women have.
Pedalpigane represent a female approach to the biking activity, which is both a new and valuable phenomenon from a public health perspective. Physical activity is preventive and health-promoting. In the same way, the sense of belonging and experienced social support form a determinant for the newcomer’s social identity, motivation and ability to succeed. These are considered important factors when it comes to good health | nb_NO |
