Meet the woman behind Johannesburg’s pink helmet movement
What started as a simple idea has grown into a thriving community of women reclaiming the streets on two wheels. Girls on Bikes founder Karabo Mashele shares the story behind the movement.
If you’ve spotted a group of women wearing bright pink helmets cycling through Johannesburg, chances are you’ve seen Girls on Bikes in action.
Setting off from Braamfontein Werf at 44 Stanley on bicycles supplied by the organisation, the riders have become a familiar sight.
At the heart of the movement is founder Karabo Mashele, whose mission has grown into something far bigger than teaching women to ride. Three years after launching Girls on Bikes, Mashele says the community has changed her life in ways she never expected. “I’ve got friends. I’ve got sisters. I’ve got more girlfriends than I ever thought I would.” She says leading the community has also helped her discover a quiet confidence and leadership she didn’t know she had.
Read more: Police look to stop bicycle theft
One moment still stands above the rest. During the group’s first 947 Ride Joburg, Mashele watched dozens of women ride past in matching pink-and-purple cycling kit she had designed. “I couldn’t believe these girls trusted me. I remember crying afterwards because I realised people actually believed in what we were building.”
For Mashele, it’s stories like that of a member who bought her own bicycle after joining the club, that remind her the movement is about far more than cycling. Her hope is that every woman leaves a ride believing she can do hard things and feeling like she belongs on the road. “I want women to feel powerful.”
Also read: Bicycles are the future
Looking ahead, Mashele dreams of growing the community, taking members on cycling weekends across South Africa, and one day seeing Girls on Bikes represented on some of the world’s biggest stages.
If she could describe Girls on Bikes in three words, they would be confidence, sisterhood, and freedom. And for women wondering whether to join? “Girly pop, just do it. Just get onto that bicycle.”
For Mashele, every ride is proof that sometimes the biggest journeys begin with a single pedal stroke.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!
