Say hello to Siobhan

Say hello to Siobhan! She’s in charge of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - making sure this Club represents all the fantastic communities and people of York. She’s passionate about cycling in every form and embodies everything the Rouleurs stand for as a Club.

Siobhan says:

“Hello, I am Siobhan and I joined the Rouleurs in April 2023. Before joining the club, I had never done any serious road cycling nor ridden with a group. My cycling mostly consisted of cycling round the city, on my hybrid bike, with the odd ride up to Beningbrough Hall and back, the 12mile circular trip feeling like quite an epic ride at the time. In fact, it was in the middle of one such trip, when I suddenly found myself in the midst of a cycling group who were also on their way there, that the idea occurred to me that joining a cycling club might be rather fun. Although the idea was attractive, it took a good six months before I built up enough courage to come along to an introductory 20-mile ride that a friendly looking club called the York Rouleurs were putting on.

Two and a half years later, I’m so glad that I took the risk. I have been on rides with the club in that time that I would have never dreamt I was capable of when I joined. From cycling to Rotterdam, a gravel ride in Scotland, bikepacking, doing the annual Betty’s Fat Rascal Ride (an 80-mile round trip, getting sumptuously fed at all the Betty’s in Yorkshire) and so much more, the Rouleurs is a club full of people who encourage you, give you helpful advice and expand your sense of what is possible when cycling with others.

Taking up the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion role feels a great way to give back to a club that has personally give me so much. When I joined the club, so many people gave me: tips about kit, advice about where I could get a second-hand road bike, coaching on how to ride in a group… It’s deeply embedded in the ethos of the club to make cycling as accessible as possible, and to do it in a warm, friendly and welcoming way, so wherever you are on the cycling spectrum and whatever your level of experience, if you’d like to give club cycling a go, do get in touch and come along.”

Siobhan Burke (she/her)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer