What is Sustainable Cycles?

Sustainable Cycles is a collective of "spokeswomen" who travel across the country by bicycle to lead workshops about eco-friendly menstrual products. The project was started in 2011 by Sarah Konner and Toni Craige, who biked down the West Coast of the USA meeting with groups of women to discuss the cultural taboos of menstruation and pass around a show-and-tell kit of alternatives to single-use pads and tampons. The project gained momentum and a year later, Rachel Horn led a second bicycle tour, talking about periods and the environmental impact of the products we use everywhere she went.
Now, SIX WOMEN from diverse backgrounds want to take the project to the next level! Rachel and Olive from Los Angeles, Ruby and Sarah from New York City, Rosie from Australia, and Kim from South Africa are going to bike from the West Coast to Boston. Our riders will follow two separate routes (one southern and one Midwestern) from California to converge in Richmond, VA. Then they will ride in one big group up the east coast to end at the Society of Menstrual Cycle Research's National Conference at Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. They will present their project at the June 2015 event and network with others doing work in this field.

SO FAR, MENSTRUAL CUP AND REUSABLE CLOTH PAD COMPANIES HAVE DONATED OVER 1,000 SAMPLES FOR THE TEAM TO PROMOTE AND DISTRIBUTE ON THIS TRIP! SPONSORS INCLUDE DIVA CUP, LUNETTE, MY OWN CUP, RUBY CUP, PARTY IN MY PANTS, JUJU AND GLAD RAGS. THEY'VE ALSO HAD GEAR SPONSORS FROM MULTIPLE BIKE STORES IN THE USA.

During their three months on the road, they will host events in different cities and start person-to-person conversations with hundreds of women about menstrual health and alternative products. They will encourage them to switch to methods that are safer and more environmentally friendly, and spread the word to their friends and communities, breaking the cycle of shame and embarrassment around "cycling"!

Sustainable cycles have already raised a little over $10,000 USD to help cover the cost of food, bicycle maintenance, emergency repairs, and transportation for the group ride. However as Rosie is travelling from Australia, she needs to raise money to cover a few more expenses including airfares! She is doing her best to be frugal and source used and donated gear, however there are still many items she doesn't yet have that will be necessities on the road (such as a bike!). Especially since Sustainable Cycles will be riding through a variety of climates and terrain. 

If you aren't able to contribute financially at this time, please check out the list below of other donations she will gladly accept!

Who is Rosie?

Why donate?

Funds raised through this campaign will be used as follows:



$1650 - Return Flights from Adelaide to LA



$1100 - A used touring bike, panniers and other biking and camping equipment


$200 - One way flight from LA to Austin
$300 - Pre-loved camping equipment, including a compact sleeping mat, tent and sleeping bag
Any additional funds raised will go towards safety gear, a flight from Boston to LA, travel insurance, bike repairs, food and other trip related costs. Any excess funds will be used towards a Sustainable Cycles event in 2016. 

Anything can happen on the road! We are preparing with plenty of training and extensive trip planning, as well as lots of pit stops along the way to replenish and 1 to 2 rest days per week. We will also have insurance for the ride, and plenty of methods to contact the outside world. We are going to staying with people and camping, depending on where we are at the time.