Alan LeMay
Every so often, someone comes along who quietly reshapes a community, not with fanfare, but with consistency, compassion, and a deep belief in what people can do together. In Brisbane’s cycling scene, that person is Bronwyn Victor.
Radiographer. Educator. Racer. Business owner. Mentor. Community builder. Bronwyn wears many hats, but the thread running through all of them is simple: she uses bikes to bring people together and change lives.
Her story starts far from road racing and charity pelotons. Growing up in country Queensland, Bronwyn rode to school dodging magpies and swinging sticks over her head in springtime. But her first true taste of freedom came at 17, riding her brother’s red Repco Traveller from Bribie to Morayfield. “I was amazed that I could do it. That sense of freedom, that was the hook,” said Bronwyn.
Years later, that hook would pull her into racing. At 27, she threw herself into road and track competition, eventually qualifying for elite nationals. She loved the discipline, the flow, the adrenaline, even the risk of crashing. One memory stands above the rest: a state championship with her late mum in the crowd, where she rode fearless and fast. It’s a moment she still carries.
But Bronwyn’s greatest legacy was never going to be measured on a results sheet.
Building a hub at Planet Cycles
When Bronwyn and her husband took over Planet Cycles, a bike shop in Woolloongabba Brisbane, they didn’t just run a bike shop, they built a community hub. Saturday mornings saw up to 100 riders rolling out together, four groups heading to the bay with laughter, sweat, and the kind of camaraderie that keeps people coming back.
“Any small business is 24/7,” she says. “It’s not just bikes. You’re thinking about your team, your customers, your community.” Planet became a place where staff became family and customers became lifelong friends. And from that environment, something extraordinary was born.
The rise of Sisters of the Saddle
In 2016, what began as a women’s skills clinic evolved into a bold idea: three days, 300 kilometres, and a question: could they do it? They could. And they did.
That first challenge became Sisters of the Saddle (SOTS), a movement that has since grown into a registered charity raising more than $1 million for grassroots organisations.
But Bronwyn is clear: “The money’s just the icing on the cake. The cake is the community.”
SOTS is built on women showing up for each other, on the bike and far beyond it. They train together for 10 weeks before each event, cheering each other through fear, fatigue, and self‑doubt. They support programs like Traction for Young People and Zephyr Education, and even helped Traction develop a culturally safe First Nations program now running in multiple schools.
One rider told Bronwyn the group saved her life. That’s the kind of impact you can’t measure in kilometres.
Riding for joy
Bronwyn doesn’t race anymore, but she still rides for wellbeing, balance, and joy. “We don’t get a lot of play as adults,” she says. “Riding is pure joy.”
And that’s the heart of her story: cycling as a tool for connection, confidence, and community.
Bronwyn Victor hasn’t just built rides; she’s built belonging. And our cycling community is stronger because of her.
Here is a link to the full My Cycology interview with Bronwyn Victor.
