Who's got the best bike in the peleton...

[simonineaston]

As I bumble about, latterly on my 'leccy Brompton and now on my shiney, newly fettled Moulton TSR, I'm happy. The sun's (mostly) out, the roads are quiet and I'm enjoying the ride. I'm pleased to see family groups out too - it's heartening to see them, enjoying a day out together, getting exercise and fresh air and sharing an activity together. But as I see more & more, there's one thing that each group seems to have in common. Dad, at the front is often on a decent bike that appears to be roughly the right size and set up just about OK, the kids - well kids' bikes are kids' bikes... but poor old mum - she's either on some crappy shopper, or else a cheap 'mountain-bike' that is the wrong size, weighs a ton, hasn't been set up properly, has flat tyres and a rusty chain, or a combination of all the the preceding properties. Result? Dad's bored 'cos no one can go as fast as he can, but mum is having a complete 'mare - she's sweaty, her legs hurt and she can't keep up - all so completely avoidable... how sad. If mum were on a decent, fast road-bike, set up right for her, with the tyres pumped up good and hard & a fresh squirt of lubricant glistening on the chain, she'd be thinking, "Wow! This is Good - I feel like I'm flying!! I'm gonna do this every week-end!"

[francovendee]

I discovered this years ago. My wife's bike gets more attention than mine. It's worth the effort and avoids the cry 'xyz isn't working' when out for a long day.

[Mike Sales]

As I bumble about, latterly on my 'leccy Brompton and now on my shiney, newly fettled Moulton TSR, I'm happy. The sun's (mostly) out, the roads are quiet and I'm enjoying the ride. I'm pleased to see family groups out too - it's heartening to see them, enjoying a day out together, getting exercise and fresh air and sharing an activity together. But as I see more & more, there's one thing that each group seems to have in common. Dad, at the front is often on a decent bike that appears to be roughly the right size and set up just about OK, the kids - well kids' bikes are kids' bikes... but poor old mum - she's either on some crappy shopper, or else a cheap 'mountain-bike' that is the wrong size, weighs a ton, hasn't been set up properly, has flat tyres and a rusty chain, or a combination of all the the preceding properties. Result? Dad's bored 'cos no one can go as fast as he can, but mum is having a complete 'mare - she's sweaty, her legs hurt and she can't keep up - all so completely avoidable... how sad. If mum were on a decent, fast road-bike, set up right for her, with the tyres pumped up good and hard & a fresh squirt of lubricant glistening on the chain, she'd be thinking, "Wow! This is Good - I feel like I'm flying!! I'm gonna do this every week-end!"

It has long been like that.
The choice of bike type is probably because some women see the fat tyres and upright position as easier to ride than a road bike.

[Bonefishblues]

We all ride bikes of similar capability on family rides (A couple of Whyte hybrids and a Genesis 24" wheel) because fair and contributes to everyone's enjoyment.

[simonineaston]

...and don't get me started on some of the disgraceful pieces of twaddle I've seen young girls having to put up with - dreadful pieces of tat, with streamers on the 'bars, pony stickers all over the pink sparkley paintwork and plastic baby-carriers for the doll, fer chris' sake... These kids are doomed to life of stereotyping and prejudicial thinkng, starting right at home!!

[Bonefishblues]

Nope, that's never happened either. I think she had a Mickey Mouse bell once, mind

[rjb]

They need one of these. Plenty of room for family additions, but no good for social distancing.

[merseymouth]

Hi all, The comment about the sort of cycles the fair sex get faced with rankles with me, even when the girls grow up!
my daughter needed a new cycle, as her current one is hernia inducing when attempts are made to put it on the roof of the motor, very lardy!
She likes a step-thru, but at 5ft 10ins finding one is difficult.
Invariably the largest offered is 48cm, so a joke.
After much searching I discovered a concern that makes a 55cm lady's cycle, (22 inch), so much better. Also it has sensible gearing, something that has been an issue for eons!
So well done Temple Cycles in Bristol. One now on order, just the job at a reasonable price. TTFN MM

[Cugel]

As I bumble about, latterly on my 'leccy Brompton and now on my shiney, newly fettled Moulton TSR, I'm happy. The sun's (mostly) out, the roads are quiet and I'm enjoying the ride. I'm pleased to see family groups out too - it's heartening to see them, enjoying a day out together, getting exercise and fresh air and sharing an activity together. But as I see more & more, there's one thing that each group seems to have in common. Dad, at the front is often on a decent bike that appears to be roughly the right size and set up just about OK, the kids - well kids' bikes are kids' bikes... but poor old mum - she's either on some crappy shopper, or else a cheap 'mountain-bike' that is the wrong size, weighs a ton, hasn't been set up properly, has flat tyres and a rusty chain, or a combination of all the the preceding properties. Result? Dad's bored 'cos no one can go as fast as he can, but mum is having a complete 'mare - she's sweaty, her legs hurt and she can't keep up - all so completely avoidable... how sad. If mum were on a decent, fast road-bike, set up right for her, with the tyres pumped up good and hard & a fresh squirt of lubricant glistening on the chain, she'd be thinking, "Wow! This is Good - I feel like I'm flying!! I'm gonna do this every week-end!"

It has long been like that.
The choice of bike type is probably because some women see the fat tyres and upright position as easier to ride than a road bike.

Now then! This psychology thing and the various theories......

First, have you asked them ladies to give their reasons for the bike they ride? One should not make assumptions based on one's innate brain pre-juices.

Second, if you have asked them, have you sought the real deep dark unconscious reasons as opposed to the rationalisations-after-the-fact ones give by the wifey? Folk rarely know why they really do stuff.

Third, you can belay the first two as your guess is probably as good as hers.

Cugel

[Mike Sales]

Now then! This psychology thing and the various theories......

First, have you asked them ladies to give their reasons for the bike they ride? One should not make assumptions based on one's innate brain pre-juices.

Second, if you have asked them, have you sought the real deep dark unconscious reasons as opposed to the rationalisations-after-the-fact ones give by the wifey? Folk rarely know why they really do stuff.

Third, you can belay the first two as your guess is probably as good as hers.

Cugel

I have tried to sell bikes to men and women.
I have listened to the preferences they express, and the reasons they give.
I was not my place to psychoanalyse the customers.
I merely accepted that when they said they felt more secure on a certain type of bike, that this had some correspondence to what they felt.
My assurances that they would not have to work so hard on a different bike cut no ice.

[Postboxer]

Sounds like you have seen me. Me on a Dawes Horizon, two kids, one on a b'twin kids bike, bought from eBay, other on a Raleigh also bought from eBay for the bargain price of £1, wife on a terrible Apollo bike, about £15 from eBay, which looks even worse as she insists on having the saddle far too low, because of this, the frame size is really small for her height, when I rode it with the saddle as high as possible it feels like I imagine a Penny Farthing would feel, like I'm day over the front wheel. In my defence she didn't do any cycling before we got that bike so she didn't want to spend much. Think I'll keep my eye on eBay for a better one.

The Dawes Horizon is my second bike really too, my other is better. Just handier for carrying picnics, discarded hoodies, balls etc, sometimes shopping when we've detoured to a shop. Not doing any of that at the moment though, just short rides with few stops.

[PH]

The choice of bike type is probably because some women see the fat tyres and upright position as easier to ride than a road bike.

That's because they are
I think it's easy to make too much out of this, if we leave the gender to one side, could it be that the cycling enthusiast who's regularly riding for leisure, sport or utility has the enthusiasts bike and the occasional cyclist (though there's always hope for them) has an occasional cyclist's bike? Maybe in these changing times they'll get the bug, then I'd expect them too to have an enthusiasts bike.
Putting the gender back in and generalising a bit - when I see couples touring, it's often the other way round, the man has followed fashion and might have something too sporty for the task, while the women has chosen the sort of bike I'd prefer to tour on.

[rmurphy195]

My wife doesn't like any bike with big wheels 'cos its a long way to fall if she falls off. Was perfectly happy with the Brompton though.

[Bonefishblues]

My wife doesn't like any bike with big wheels 'cos its a long way to fall if she falls off. Was perfectly happy with the Brompton though.

Surely though those small wheels seem far away

[Cugel]

My wife doesn't like any bike with big wheels 'cos its a long way to fall if she falls off. Was perfectly happy with the Brompton though.

Surely though those small wheels seem far away

My prescription sunglasses worn on the bicycle make the ground seem farther away than it is when I'm not wearing them. I feel I'm much taller in the saddle when I have them on.

Initially (years ago now) this made me more cautious 'round the bends - as though I really was taller with an associated rise in my centre of gravity. Of course, the CofG stayed where it always was.

Conversely, if I now remove the sunglasses when cycling (a rare ocurrence) I feel absurdly close to the tarmac - as though i could lean the bike over 60 degrees and stillstay upright. I suspect I could, with today's modern low pressure sticky tyres; but I'll not be performing the experiment.

Cugel