Cycling UK Forum

Just checked our club membership make-up and it's around a 70%/30% split with a male majority.
However, discussions on our ride last week indicated that only the single female members actually look at (or take an interest) in our newsletters or club emails.
Figures that reflect that would be around a 92%/8% using website or email.
Obviously the ladies have more important things in life and leave the mundane stuff to us blokes.

I'm Human (just) does that count?

Patrick Taylor was saying theres a lack of "mature" lady cyclists who ride together,Patrick if you ride in Cheshire anything like regular you'll see at least three groups,one group of four ladies I can think of, two of which still wear headscarves, something I find quite endearing.

Eilithyia
(have I spelled that right from memory? No not a member of that group but we did meet at Christmas? Got you guessing now!

And yes, to the other post, I (not saying all females) have sometimes felt intimidated by strong views/opinions and perhaps the feeling that it's thought you don't know what you're talking about.

Well I'm a bloke I can say that at work there are about 6 ladies and 2 men cycling regularly, I'm the only one on here though, ther is another lady who reads the forum but does'nt cycle due to location from home. there are probably another 2 ladies and 2 men who cycle but infrequently. I certainly see more males than females out on bikes commuting. Sorry I know it's a little bit off thread, but thought the numbers might be interesting.

Malc

Anura wrote:Eilithyia
(have I spelled that right from memory? No not a member of that group but we did meet at Christmas? Got you guessing now!

And yes, to the other post, I (not saying all females) have sometimes felt intimidated by strong views/opinions and perhaps the feeling that it's thought you don't know what you're talking about.

Yes you have Christmas where? and when?

Tabley! With my Mum. Only don't mention to her about me posting on here because she thinks it's foolhardy putting personal type of things on the internet for all to see!!!!!!!!! & it was Manchester Ladies Assn.

Maybe I have more time to cycle and post as I've no kids? (I also commuted in London for years, partly because I worked shifts which didn't fit well with public transport.)

You see a similar profile with walkers- women disappear in their 30's, but come back later on. When the kids are small, it seems that in most cases it's still the ladies who do the short walks with the kids while the men still go out walking the big hills with their mates fairly regularly. I suspect it is worse in cycling, because as fewer women do it, then if you're not the type that likes to cycle alone as I do, it's a bit more lonely getting fit again if you come back to it when you're older. People wouldn't want to join a group unless they felt they could 'keep up'.

I notice that in families with kids, again on the whole and no disrespect to any of the fine men on here, men seem to feel more able to justify spending money on personal gear. I'm not saying men are to blame for this, just that it's what I observe- women in cheap boots and waterproofs caring a nasty, uncomfortable rucksack with all the food in, trying to keep up with blokes in state-of-the-art gear who have never had a break in their training carrying a top-notch rucksack with an expensive camera in it and GPS gear....

I can't complain, as I have the most expensive bike in the house, (two adult males included) and the camera gear is mine, ALL MINE...
I don't do the laundry or the washing-up either- I must be turning into a man.

reohn2 wrote:
Patrick if you ride in Cheshire anything like regular you'll see at least three groups,one group of four ladies I can think of, two of which still wear headscarves, something I find quite endearing.

Hey John, was this them

That's a turban on the right!

She forgot to take it off after her shower!

Anura wrote:Tabley! With my Mum. Only don't mention to her about me posting on here because she thinks it's foolhardy putting personal type of things on the internet for all to see!!!!!!!!! & it was Manchester Ladies Assn.

Aha, now I know who you are, I would say, say hello to your mum for me, but that would give the game away that you post info t'internet.

Neither my wife nor I fit easily into a standard man's or woman's role.

Right now I am at home with the kids while the wife is in the middle of 3 days working.
This forum is a useful way of stopping getting bored at a time when you can not set yourself down to concentrate properly on something because you have to be instantly on hand for "pee-pees" or doll's who need their buttons doing.

At other times I do get to be the one who can go off for a week's tour leaving the wife to hold the domestic fort. Most of my fellow parents at the "Ti a fi" (Nursery? in English) do not have this flexibility and are too stuck in their gender roles.
I am not sure if I would be so enthusiastic about cycling if ALL I ever got to do was the grind with the baby trailer to and from Ti a fi and shopping.

Flinders said "men seem to feel more able to justify spending money on personal gear. "
This is so true and I fully recognise your observation however it is very easy to justify in my case. I have done 27,000 miles on my bikes over 5,000 of which are towing the baby in the trailer. My wife on the other hand prefers to use the car. So at 8p/mile for the diesel alone that gives me £2,000 to play with. At 20p/mile (our car is VERY cheap) that gives me £5,000 to play with, loads of money

I was disturbed for 6 "emergencies" during this post

meic, you're just what I meant by the fine men on here!

I do notice that where manufacturers have lots of ladies' gear, they tend to have a lot less gear for women then men in the top ranges, and in the winter ranges. Don't other women ride in the winter? I think it's the best time (at least when there's no ice).

Doesn't affect me though as ladies' gear (and ladies' bikes) don't fit me. Barring shorts and saddles, I have to get Men's- e.g. ladies' gear assumes you have elegant, narrow shoulders. Mine are like an all-in wrestler's. If it's a ladies' top and I can get my shoulders in it, it will be an XL, and as I'm all of five feet tall and 9 and a half stone, it will also go down to my knees, I could take a large St Bernard in there with me, and the arms will drag on the floor. Men's Medium is usually about right.

Told you I was turning into a man.

(Must get that half stone off again though now the weather is getting cycling-friendly again)

eileithyia wrote:

Anura wrote:Tabley! With my Mum. Only don't mention to her about me posting on here because she thinks it's foolhardy putting personal type of things on the internet for all to see!!!!!!!!! & it was Manchester Ladies Assn.

Aha, now I know who you are, I would say, say hello to your mum for me, but that would give the game away that you post info t'internet.

Well, she knows I visit some sites but she can't understand what people talk about and putting anything vaguely personal is akin to asking for trouble. Probably thinks computers are a total waste of time too. She'd be completely baffled if she read some of the stuff on here! (and on other sites I visit occasionally too) Anyway hope you're keeping well and the weather is not troubling you too much. This posting has completely turned from the original posting (which seems to always happen on these sites!)

I'm still around, lurking for the most part.