"Birds on bikes" ?

[Spinney]

I got an apologetic email from them, saying sorry for any offense and they'd changed the name.

Bit of poor planning and thinking initially, but actually impressive how fast they reacted to criticism.

 

[BrianEvesham]

I didn't get a reply but think they reacted very quickly.
It seems that the 40 miler is open to all beginners now (might be wrong though).

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I didn't get a reply but think they reacted very quickly.
It seems that the 40 miler is open to all beginners now (might be wrong though).

Apparently so. At first they simply removed the title and the 40 miler page details still referred specifically to women. It's now been reworked to remove the gender references. Which is strange because I didn't think people were objecting to women only rides, simply the title.

 

[Shaun]

Props where it's due - good on them for listening and changing it.

 

[robgul]

Being local to this ride we were rather surprised at the name when we saw the promo e-mails ......

Rob
... volunteer organiser of the MacRide Events :
Shakespeare SPRING 100 on 6 April 2014
MacRide Tour on 3-4 May 2014
Dynamic 100 on 13 July 2014
Shakespeare AUTUMN 100 on 14 September 2014
MacRide (this year is the 10th!) on Sunday 14 September 2014

 

[totallyfixed]

Safety-approved cycling helmets are compulsory. We recommend cycle helmets complying with ANSI Z90/4 or SNELL standards. Any rider not wearing a helmet whilst participating in the event will be excluded.

My Dutch friends would not be impressed and neither am I. See the Chris Boardman thread.

 

[Spinney]

Apparently so. At first they simply removed the title and the 40 miler page details still referred specifically to women. It's now been reworked to remove the gender references. Which is strange because I didn't think people were objecting to women only rides, simply the title.

I emailed them again. They still want it to be women only, but they are trying to think up a non-offensive name for it that makes this clear - and have just removed all gender references in the meantime.
They'd probably welcome (sensible!) suggestions - if I think of anything, I'll put it on their facebook page.

 

[Spinney]

Safety-approved cycling helmets are compulsory. We recommend cycle helmets complying with ANSI Z90/4 or SNELL standards. Any rider not wearing a helmet whilst participating in the event will be excluded.

My Dutch friends would not be impressed and neither am I. See the Chris Boardman thread.

It's probably something to do with their insurance, not them personally.
And as a moderator - please don't derail this thread into a helmet discussion. There's a separate forum for that...

 

[ScotiaLass]

I just had an email from them, apologising, and saying they have changed the name now.

 

[ScotiaLass]

i think because they refered to women as 'birds', am i odd because i didn't take any offence ? better than being called tarts with wheels !!

My husband suggested something far more offensive, ending in .... on cycles

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I emailed them again. They still want it to be women only, but they are trying to think up a non-offensive name for it that makes this clear - and have just removed all gender references in the meantime.
They'd probably welcome (sensible!) suggestions - if I think of anything, I'll put it on their facebook page.

Ah, ok. But...if they still want to keep this as a women only ride, they should put something to that effect up on their site. Just in case any men or mixed groups put their names down in the interim.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

What's the problem? If they want it to be for women, call it the Forty Mile Women's Ride. The other two distances have serious, uncatchy descriptive titles, but this one needs a cutesy one to attract the girlies? Give us a frigging break.

Exactly, it's so easy!

 

[coffeejo]

What's the problem? If they want it to be for women, call it the Forty Mile Women's Ride. The other two distances have serious, uncatchy descriptive titles, but this one needs a cutesy one to attract the girlies? Give us a frigging break.

This.

 

[totallyfixed]

[QUOTE 2937197, member: 9609"]I see, the clue was in the title - I don't see it as a derogatory term, sounds a bit outdated (70s 80s), a bit naff, may be a down-south sort of term, could imagine people in Eastenders using it.



hmmm, men are generally stronger than women, hence most sports being split. It is the only advantage men have over women but they are generally bigger and stronger, men seem much more predisposed to developing muscle than women, I'm guessing pound for pound female muscle tissue is capable of the same strength as male muscle, but not sure, is there biological differences between the two muscle tissue?[/quote]

Sorry, I can't discuss that here .

 

[slowmotion]

Stronger needs a finer definition, and stronger doesn't always translate as 'better'. There are some situations in which the different natural power-to-weight ratio of women is a distinct advantage.

I'm guessing but acrobatics might be one.