Episode 197: Shuhena Islam

Cycling Solo Through Asia as a Muslim Woman

Shuhena Islam didn’t grow up riding bikes. In fact she only learnt how to cycle as an adult. But fast forward a few years since and she is totally hooked. Her cycling goals have expanded from those early rides where cycling 10 miles to get an ice cream was an achievement. Her first bigger rides involved supported cycles from London to Paris. Then she discovered the Alps and riding up mountain climbs.

Shuhena always viewed bikepacking as a white person’s sport, something that was closed off for her. In the UK she rarely saw people like herself cycling. So it was quite something for her to quit her job as a corporate lawyer and decide to go bikepacking in Asia. She got herself a one way ticket and what followed was an adventure through 7 countries.

Shuhena explains how in her culture travelling as a solo woman without a male chaperone isn’t the done thing. While she admits she’d rather not cycle solo, she still wanted to go travelling adn didn’t want being single or being a woman to be a barrier for her. She ended up finding community on the road. In Malaysia she saw more people like herself out riding bikes. The kindness and generosity shown to her by complete strangers was endless. She stayed in mosques and was hosted by many people in every country she cycled through.

Riding through China was never in her original plans, but when she was cycling in Vietnam and saw how close she was to it, how could she resist. The visa process took a while, but soon enough she found herself crossing over the border. She found she was so well looked after there and spoke really highly of how respectful and kind the police were.

Indonesians were the people Shuhena pointed out as being the most hospitable of the journey. Opening up their houses to her and giving her the little they had. It was also one of the most hilliest countries she cycled through and the road leading up to Mount Bromo was excruciatingly tough. She ended up hitching a ride to the summit for sunrise, and after hearing others tell of the ridiculous gradients on that road I can’t blame her!

I loved hearing Shuhena share her experiences and how she hopes in time more and more muslim women will also discover cycling and bikepacing as something that they can do as well.

You can follow with Shuhena’s future adventures via her instagram – @Cycling_Shu