Advice to female cyclists

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nickyboy

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Location
You want hills? We got hills
Wise words indeed, particularly the bit about the bloomers

The changing face of cycling - advice for the female rider of 1895
_98654320_gettyimages-3292698.jpg
Image copyrightHULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
  • Don't boast of your long rides
  • Don't cultivate a "bicycle face"
  • Don't refuse assistance up a hill
  • Don't use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys
  • Don't go out after dark without a male escort
  • Don't scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers
  • Don't appear in public until you have learned to ride well
  • Don't appear to be up on "records" and "record smashing." That is sporty
Source: New York World 1895

For the record, I am happy to accept assistance uphill on a non-gender specific basis
 
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Heltor Chasca

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Location
Near Bristol, Bath & Mendips in Somerset
No changes then :whistle:
 
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U

User10119

Guest
There's a family legend of ours about the time that John, the chap who my maternal grandparents informally adopted when his parents kicked him out in his teens, came home from university (so I guess somewhere in the early 60s?) with a somewhat randomly acquired tandem. He tried to persuade them all to take a turn on it. My aunt wouldn't stoke, because she couldn't bear the thought of not being in control. My mum couldn't even get on because she was that bad laughing. So my Granny (the one who later in life could still high-kick as high as her head at 60, and played badminton - to win - against chaps 20 years her junior until she was knocking on 70 until the caring responsibilities for my then-nearly-90 year old granddad got a bit too demanding) famously
flung a leg over the bike, cried "let's give it a go!" and disappeared off with him round the streets of Blyth, only returning two hours later
Click to expand...
She was a cracking old bird, my Granny.
 
C

Crackle

..
My dear chap, surely we're talking about ladies here, not women. I doubt entirely that the women of the workhouse could afford such contraptions.

A fellow must really question if these things are sensible for women of child bearing age, wot.
 
jefmcg

jefmcg

Guru
Location
The dark heart of the former British Empire
nickyboy said:
Wise words indeed, particularly the bit about the bloomers

The changing face of cycling - advice for the female rider of 1895
View attachment 413910 Image copyrightHULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
  • Don't boast of your long rides
  • Don't cultivate a "bicycle face"
  • Don't refuse assistance up a hill
  • Don't use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys
  • Don't go out after dark without a male escort
  • Don't scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers
  • Don't appear in public until you have learned to ride well
  • Don't appear to be up on "records" and "record smashing." That is sporty
Source: New York World 1895

For the record, I am happy to accept assistance uphill on a non-gender specific basis
Click to expand...
That's a serious truncated list. It doesn't even include the admonishment against cross dressing, or indeed - being a fright. This is the version I have seen

  1. Don’t be a fright.
  2. Don’t faint on the road.
  3. Don’t wear a man’s cap.
  4. Don’t wear tight garters.
  5. Don’t forget your toolbag
  6. Don’t attempt a “century.”
  7. Don’t coast. It is dangerous.
  8. Don’t boast of your long rides.
  9. Don’t criticize people’s “legs.”
  10. Don’t wear loud hued leggings.
  11. Don’t cultivate a “bicycle face.”
  12. Don’t refuse assistance up a hill.
  13. Don’t wear clothes that don’t fit.
  14. Don’t neglect a “light’s out” cry.
  15. Don’t wear jewelry while on a tour.
  16. Don’t race. Leave that to the scorchers.
  17. Don’t wear laced boots. They are tiresome.
  18. Don’t imagine everybody is looking at you.
  19. Don’t go to church in your bicycle costume.
  20. Don’t wear a garden party hat with bloomers.
  21. Don’t contest the right of way with cable cars.
  22. Don’t chew gum. Exercise your jaws in private.
  23. Don’t wear white kid gloves. Silk is the thing.
  24. Don’t ask, “What do you think of my bloomers?”
  25. Don’t use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys.
  26. Don’t go out after dark without a male escort.
  27. Don’t go without a needle, thread and thimble.
  28. Don’t try to have every article of your attire “match.”
  29. Don’t let your golden hair be hanging down your back.
  30. Don’t allow dear little Fido to accompany you
  31. Don’t scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers.
  32. Don’t discuss bloomers with every man you know.
  33. Don’t appear in public until you have learned to ride well.
  34. Don’t overdo things. Let cycling be a recreation, not a labor.
  35. Don’t ignore the laws of the road because you are a woman.
  36. Don’t try to ride in your brother’s clothes “to see how it feels.”
  37. Don’t scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.
  38. Don’t cultivate everything that is up to date because yon ride a wheel.
  39. Don’t emulate your brother’s attitude if he rides parallel with the ground.
  40. Don’t undertake a long ride if you are not confident of performing it easily.
  41. Don’t appear to be up on “records” and “record smashing.” That is sporty.
 
OP
OP
nickyboy

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Location
You want hills? We got hills
jefmcg said:
That's a serious truncated list. It doesn't even include the admonishment against cross dressing, or indeed - being a fright. This is the version I have seen




    • Don’t be a fright.
    • Don’t faint on the road.
    • Don’t wear a man’s cap.
    • Don’t wear tight garters.
    • Don’t forget your toolbag
    • Don’t attempt a “century.”
    • Don’t coast. It is dangerous.
    • Don’t boast of your long rides.
    • Don’t criticize people’s “legs.”
    • Don’t wear loud hued leggings.
    • Don’t cultivate a “bicycle face.”
    • Don’t refuse assistance up a hill.
    • Don’t wear clothes that don’t fit.
    • Don’t neglect a “light’s out” cry.
    • Don’t wear jewelry while on a tour.
    • Don’t race. Leave that to the scorchers.
    • Don’t wear laced boots. They are tiresome.
    • Don’t imagine everybody is looking at you.
    • Don’t go to church in your bicycle costume.
    • Don’t wear a garden party hat with bloomers.
    • Don’t contest the right of way with cable cars.
    • Don’t chew gum. Exercise your jaws in private.
    • Don’t wear white kid gloves. Silk is the thing.
    • Don’t ask, “What do you think of my bloomers?”
    • Don’t use bicycle slang. Leave that to the boys.
    • Don’t go out after dark without a male escort.
    • Don’t go without a needle, thread and thimble.
    • Don’t try to have every article of your attire “match.”
    • Don’t let your golden hair be hanging down your back.
    • Don’t allow dear little Fido to accompany you
    • Don’t scratch a match on the seat of your bloomers.
    • Don’t discuss bloomers with every man you know.
    • Don’t appear in public until you have learned to ride well.
    • Don’t overdo things. Let cycling be a recreation, not a labor.
    • Don’t ignore the laws of the road because you are a woman.
    • Don’t try to ride in your brother’s clothes “to see how it feels.”
    • Don’t scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.
    • Don’t cultivate everything that is up to date because yon ride a wheel.
    • Don’t emulate your brother’s attitude if he rides parallel with the ground.
    • Don’t undertake a long ride if you are not confident of performing it easily.
    • Don’t appear to be up on “records” and “record smashing.” That is sporty.
Click to expand...
It seems a bit Bloomer obsessive to me. In any case, how would one strike a match on them? Emery paper inserts?
 
stephec

stephec

Legendary Member
Location
Bolton
Crackle said:
My dear chap, surely we're talking about ladies here, not women. I doubt entirely that the women of the workhouse could afford such contraptions.

A fellow must really question if these things are sensible for women of child bearing age, wot.
Click to expand...
Whilst discussing this with the chaps in my club they did mention that it was known to bring on bouts of hysteria in ladies of a certain age.
 
E

Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
This reminds me of an old lady who was a neighbour of my Gran's back in the 40's and 50's. She wore an orthopedic boot with a metal brace on the bottom. They lived in a dip in the landscape so this lady used to cycle down one side of the hill really fast so she wouldn't have to pedal on the way up the other side. There was a slight curve in the road so she used to put her boot down and sparks used to fly off! I'm sure this story wasn't exaggerated at all...
 
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