Right! Oh well, let's make the best of it. The question was about women (or 'ladies', but we'll let that go) buying bikes, which I don't think anyone else has mentioned since. So there wasn't an OP that said something like 'post a pic of a cyclist you'd like to fark, to show other men what a ramrod-straight bird biffer you are', then?
Female Cyclists
- Thread starter Slow But Determined
- Start date
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srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
I don't know about you, but I've never been asked by any kind of retailer at point of sale whether I'm male or female - or indeed anything else. And unlike the cars mentioned by the OP there's no mandatory registration of bikes. So I suspect the answer to the only bit of the OP that posed an implicit question is "no-one knows".
mudsticks
Obviously an Aubergine
Guilty as charged m'lud...
I'd like other crimes taken into consideration at the same time tho..
Yes - I've only ever bought one complete bike in person from a retailer, and I wasn't aware of anyone making a note of my sex. Most other bits of bike I've bought online, where they can't tell. It's also obvious that bike ownership and bike use are not the same thing. There's clearly been an upsurge in bikes and bike kit, especially at the sportier and more expensive end, aimed at a female market, but that's another thing again. I avoid bike stuff that claims to be designed for women like the plague.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I’m not sure if I’m being relevant to your posts , but when I have been in a bike shop with the Fragrant MrsP where she has started the enquires, the assistant always addresses the answers to me. I make a point of telling them to talk to MrsP. That does annoy me.
Indeed. It's a thing.
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
Though a lot less than it used to be in my experience. Specialized in Harrogate are particularly good at not doing that - I tend to find it more of a thing in smaller shops and with older shop workers.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I met a Dutch lady years back who taught such women to cycle to promote their integration into the Dutch society
Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
Slightly off topic but relevant I think.
I used to cycle all the time with both children when they were younger and both eldest son and younger daughter always enjoyed it.
Son now 15 still loves cycling and is decent MTBer and getting into being a Lycra clad lout like his old man.
My wife cycles too but is slightly more a fair weather cyclist but not knocking her for that.
But daughter has totally stopped since she started high school. Don’t know if it’s because it’s not cool to ride bikes or too hang out with your auld man or what. She’s still fit and and active but bikes are a total no no.
Son didn’t lose interest at all. Maybe just my kids or has anyone else had the same?
I used to cycle all the time with both children when they were younger and both eldest son and younger daughter always enjoyed it.
Son now 15 still loves cycling and is decent MTBer and getting into being a Lycra clad lout like his old man.
My wife cycles too but is slightly more a fair weather cyclist but not knocking her for that.
But daughter has totally stopped since she started high school. Don’t know if it’s because it’s not cool to ride bikes or too hang out with your auld man or what. She’s still fit and and active but bikes are a total no no.
Son didn’t lose interest at all. Maybe just my kids or has anyone else had the same?
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
Ask her?
Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
I hadn’t thought of that!!
Of course I have - I don’t like bikes. Why - I just don’t.
My wife has too with the same response.
Julia9054
Guru
- Location
- Knaresborough
Teenagers can be irritatingly uncommunicative!
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Definition of a woman's bike as described by most of the trade - "The smallest frame we've got and it's pink".
- Location
- Glasgow
Nay, I found it's the kind of shop.
LBS let's call him 1, youngish chaps owners and workers, sponsor a local track racer, focus on fast fast, bling, carbon, downhill Mbiking, blah blah.
They are good mechanics though, and stock a good range of bikes.
Those ones never listen to me: by now they should know I commute, still "are you riding today" almost had me in fits of laughter! Like, I'm a weekend racer or something!
When I said my brakes don't work, they did not believe me.
I asked to buy a pedal spanner, they looked at me like, "she's a weird old woman"
Lbs let's call them 2, are a family business, selling bikes suitable for any kind of riding, focusing on families.
They listened to what I wanted, they got the bike in the right size for me, went back to get stuff changed/added no probs no charge, shame they only stock Merida, I don't like the brand.
LBS 3, an old fashioned bike shop long closed now, was my nearest, run by a man in his '60s, he kept wanting to dissuade me from buying stuff.
Don't buy this it's too expensive, don't buy that you don't need it.
But I want it, bless!
The bike he sold me 7 years ago when I started commuting is still going strong, it's my ice bike/trailer bike now, a sturdy commuter with rack and mudguard.
Evans in town: ha!
The 20 something boy wanted to sell me a totally unsuitable high geared bike, because "my girlfriend has one and she loves it"
Young man, can you not see I'm of Granny age, I need all the gears I can get?
And I said shopping, commuting ... not racing!
Cycle republic, on the other hand, a branch in town frequented mainly by commuters, listened to what I wanted, procured it, was not fazed at all by a woman into utilitarian cycling.
Ime, it's not the age of the bike mechanics or sales people, it's the kind of clientele they want to attract.
