Published May 4, 2026 04:01PM
When I first started cycling, I didn’t see many women.
In terms of how the bike industry moved and shaped, the key players looked mostly male. Bike shops, mechanic spaces, bike races, group rides, Strava commenters. It’s a lot of guys.
But that perspective began to change as I met women who were not only in the cycling industry, but were shaping it.
In 2024, I traveled to Taipei to attend one of the largest bike tradeshows in the world, the Taipei Cycle Show, where the industry looks ahead at what’s next and showcases some of its most innovative technology, and for the first time I was exposed to how many women are shaping cycling as I know it today.
I met women leading factory teams, women answering engineering and schematics questions at booths, and women shaping the products behind the bikes many of us ride.
Meeting marketing and sales manager Emily Yu from Ora Engineering was the beginning of that shift for me.
Two years ago, I met Emily during a factory tour with the Pinkbike team, where we saw up close the tubing and frames that you might recognize at your local group ride. During the tour, I was struck by her product knowledge and her understanding of the manufacturing process, as well as the way she led the team around her. I remember leaving thinking I couldn’t believe it took me this long to meet someone like this in the industry. After that tour I knew I wanted to meet more Emilys of the cycling industry.
Two years later, I found myself back in Taipei at the Taipei Cycle Show, as part of the Pinkbike and Velo team. We were there to cover those major product launches, like we always do. But this time, my focus had shifted beyond just the tech.
I wanted to spend time in deeper conversations with the women shaping the industry around me that this show brings together, many of whom remain largely invisible to the everyday cyclist despite being behind the bikes they ride.
While I spoke with many women at the show, I had particularly insightful conversations with three: Emily Yu, marketing and sales manager at Ora; Szu Chen, product marketing assistant manager at Giant/Liv; and Penny Tseng, senior manager at Alex Rims. Between them, they represent decades of experience navigating and leading within the cycling industry, and I wanted to better understand how they got there.
Below are some excerpts from our chats. The show moves fast and our chats are brief — but their answers were what I wish I had heard when I got started working within cycling.
I first spoke with Szu Chen, product marketing assistant manager who has been with the Giant/Liv brand for almost 10 years. Liv is the global leader in the women’s cycling space as the largest manufacturer of women’s specific bikes. I knew I had to speak with a woman from the brand’s team to learn more about the women who make a company like this possible.
Q: How long have you been with the company?
“Almost 10 years. My role has been switching across different areas. I started from components, then bike marketing for China, and after that moved to cycling gear, and now e-bikes.”
Q: What was it like entering the bike industry? Have you always worked in cycling?
“No. But my passion was sports. My first job was with cycling computers. After I joined, I started cycling more. I learned road biking, and I attended events. Later, I also started motorbiking.”
Q: What has it been like working in the cycling industry as a woman?
“To be honest, the bike industry is still very male-dominated. But I feel lucky working for Giant Group, because we have our own brand. Although it’s still small, at least we have a chance to make something for women. I can see from leadership to our team members, there are women who can really design bikes. That’s something special. But it’s still not easy.”
Q: Do you feel like you face challenges as a woman in the industry?
“I didn’t feel like there was any trend personally. But because the majority of people in the industry are still men, women are fewer. So when you speak, your voice can feel smaller. Even if you want to speak on something, the majority is still men.”
Q: What has it been like for you growing in your career within Giant/Liv?
“When I first joined, I was responsible for components, and that was very male-oriented. I didn’t need to think about anything for women. After I joined Liv, everything changed. I had to think about women. Even though I am a woman, sometimes we forget the real needs of women, because we are used to serving others. Also, the consumer is mostly men, so brands focus on that.”
Q: What advice would you give your younger self, or another woman entering the industry?
“Be brave. Especially for women — even though the majority is still male, if you don’t speak for women, nobody will notice women’s needs. At least if you speak out, more people will start to understand these issues.”
Q: Do you feel like there’s still opportunity for growth in women’s cycling?
“Definitely. Even though Giant Group has Liv, many people still don’t know about it. Whenever we mention it, people are surprised. Sometimes men don’t notice, or don’t pay attention.”
Next, I spoke with Penny Tseng, senior manager at Alex Rims, a company that is leading the charge on 32” wheels.
Q: Tell me your role, what you do, and how long you’ve been with Alex Rims?
“Alex Rims is my first job. I’ve been with the company for about 30, 31 years. I started as a sales assistant and worked my way up to senior manager.”
Q: Have you always been based in Taiwan?
“Yes. But we also have factories in China and Cambodia, so sometimes I travel there.”
Q: What was it like when you first entered the cycling industry? Were there many women?
“It was quite different. In the beginning, because I worked in sales, most of the product managers I met, maybe 95%, were men. But in recent years, things have changed. More women have joined product teams, and they enjoy riding bikes, they understand the products, and they are technical.”
Q: What does the gender balance look like now at your company?
“In sales, most of us are women. For engineers, we still have more men, but there are some women.”
Q: What has your experience been like as a woman in a leadership role in the cycling industry?
“There are advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that customers are not so picky with me, maybe because I’m a woman. But the disadvantage is that my technical or riding experience is not as strong as men. They can talk more deeply about those things.”
Q: What advice would you give your younger self, or other women entering the industry?
“For me, I focus on product knowledge. Sometimes I feel my technical riding knowledge is a weakness. But I can understand our products, and that is what I can share.”
Q: Do you feel proud of how far you’ve come in your career?
“Yes. After 30 years, I have a lot of experience. I know many people in the industry, and that helps me grow. People in this industry are kind, and it’s interesting — that’s why I’ve stayed.”
Q: What has it been like being part of product innovation at your company?
“With experience, we understand market trends. We work with engineers to develop the right products to match the market. I think our product development and innovation are leading in the rim industry.”
Lastly I had a brief chat with Emily Yu from Ora Engineering, a full circle moment for me with her being one of the first female leaders I met in cycling.
Q: Emily, how did you get started in the industry? How long have you been with Ora?
“I’ve been with Ora for over 18 years. I started in the warehouse and worked my way into sales. I started in the warehouse. I had to learn everything myself.”
Q: What did that early experience look like?
“Things were not very structured. I asked engineers, went into the factory, and learned every process. When customers asked questions, I found the answers — I learned from every part of the company. I had to go to the factory every day to check everything. Sometimes I didn’t know the answers, so I asked my colleagues and figured it out. That’s how I learned.”
Q: What is the gender breakdown at Ora?
“Around 20 women out of 60 to 70 people. Our VP is a woman. Her father led the company before, and now she is leading it too.”
Q: What advice would you give your younger self or other women entering the industry?
“Have patience. If you have patience, you can do everything well.”
While I came to the Taipei Cycle Show to see where the industry is heading, I knew that taking the time to meet the women taking it there would have a lasting impact on me. I don’t know if I’ll ever reach a full decade of working in the cycling industry (one can only hope) but I’m so grateful I got to meet women who have multiple decades of experience. I hope to meet even more next year at the Taipei Cycle Show.