BICLOU, EPISODE 1 - They are called Noëmie, Alexandra, Caroline, Anne-Louise… They are cyclists in Paris and are part of the Girls on Wheels (GOW) collective, in French: "Women on two wheels". If they joined this non-mixed group, it was because they were tired of riding with men, who often set their pace or the route.
Every Wednesday evening, the Girls on Wheels travel between 20 and 50 kilometers in the streets of Paris. The speed is sustained - but they always respect the highway code. These women, from all walks of life, organize their "rides" and exchange good deals on a private Facebook group, which brings together nearly 1,700 members.
"As if we were not in our place"
The evening we follow them, Noëmie Gauthier leads the race. For this young designer, the Girls on Wheels were a real emancipation: “As women cyclists have been mocked, as if we were not really in our place. "
In 2018, Noëmie created her own brand, specializing in clothing for cyclists. It was thanks to Girls on Wheels that she was able to launch this project, with the help of her friends on two wheels, who also inspired her a lot.
Like her, Alexandra Lambert decided to live fully from her passion for cycling. So she left Paris and her friends on Girls on Wheels to create her bike workshop in Bois-le-Roi, in Seine-et-Marne.
Biclou, a series on the bike
What is "Biclou"? A Biclou, in somewhat familiar language, means a bicycle. It is also the title of a large video series launched by "Le Parisien", in partnership with Facebook Watch. Every week, you can find an issue of "Biclou" on the Facebook page of "Parisien". In total: a one-year operation, with 48 episodes in magazine format, and a dedicated team to talk about the little queen's comeback.
In 2020, the bicycle is making a comeback. Green, fast, occupying a reduced space on the road, and maintaining the shape of its users, the biclou reappears in the landscape adorned with all the virtues. Electric bikes, which sell like hotcakes, open up new possibilities, in town as well as in the countryside. "Le Parisien" intends to cover this "velorution" in all its forms, and set off to discover its pioneers and its tribes.
"Biclou" is not just a series on the bicycle, but on those who make it, design it, design the cycling infrastructures of today and tomorrow. "Biclou" will meet cycling enthusiasts, in Paris, in the regions and abroad, especially in the most advanced cities on the subject.