Free womens bike maintenance workshop

[Sandra6]

The assumption is that women won't understand the way bike mechanics is taught to men and in reality could turn out to be really patronising, the truth is that being female is not a disability or equivalent to being fat.

That is most certainly not the assumption I'll be making, and the way we plan to deliver the course will be far from patronizing.

I think it's great. It's going to be filled with local women, new to biking who live near each other. I would be quite surprised if dozens of little pootle and cake groups didn't spring out of this mix. It's hard to meet other female cyclists at the same level as you. As there seem to be only 6 places at each site, you have to only have women or there wouldn't be the critical mass to make it happen.

@Sandra6 let us know if that happens in your group.

Well spotted!! That's exactly the intention breeze have, and several of the groups will have a breeze representative in attendance to encourage just that.

Great idea. Well played Halfords, about time they got in touch with riders needs after the fooking awful mess they made if last years advertising campaign...sorry, couldn't resist the dig...its a great idea.

They should do a kids version too.

We already do a kid's club, and school visits and we get the scouts in too.
We've had a fantastic response to kids events, so I'm hoping this will go down just as well.

 

[ayceejay]

New
ayceejay said: ↑
The assumption is that women won't understand the way bike mechanics is taught to men and in reality could turn out to be really patronising, the truth is that being female is not a disability or equivalent to being fat.
That is most certainly not the assumption I'll be making, and the way we plan to deliver the course will be far from patronizing.
Good for you Sandra

 

[mjr]

I think it's great. It's going to be filled with local women, new to biking who live near each other. I would be quite surprised if dozens of little pootle and cake groups didn't spring out of this mix.

Yeah, because of course women want pootle and cake groups and men don't

Well spotted!! That's exactly the intention breeze have, and several of the groups will have a breeze representative in attendance to encourage just that.

So you'll be trying to make sure the pootle and cake group will be Breeze groups and thereby ensure men don't get that choice where it doesn't already exist?

Meanwhile, women who want to race will still have to jump into the existing clubs that British Cycling say aren't welcoming (in order to justify Breeze under the Equalities Act). I do find this whole approach absurd (setting up new sexist-by-rule groups while leaving their existing sexist-by-practice groups unchanged) and unhelpful to other marginalised groups. Although I'm not sure why I'm bothering to write this yet again because trying to explain this to the believers running them is very

 

[Sandra6]

@User I haven't got the schedule beyond July, but I imagine they'll be on in the summer.
They're a great confidence booster and the kids love the hands on experience, I'm hoping the ladies will too

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Guys, the Breeze folks (supported by BC and their money) came to Glasgow to try to set up shop. I did the training, it was offered to our already established Belles on Bikes group (supported by the less affluent CTC).
I choose not to be an active Breeze leader, as I did not like very much their take over attitude (we have a million pounds to invest in Scotland, you know?), nor their ride leading style (a bit regimental for our quite sedate rides), not their rules about helmets, absolutely no men on rides (we allow men if the group does not mind).
As a leader you're not allowed to fix mechanicals even if you can, for insurance reasons, there is also a heap of paperwork before and after the ride.
One leader, who belongs to a local road cycling club, was, and is, very keen to get a Breeze group together that aims at racing: fast road rides with lots of hills.
Afaik, she has not had any takers, while the Belles have 800 members in the Glasgow area only.
Halfords, BC and Breeze want a share of the women's cycling market, hence this initiative.
Why not?
I did all my training in mixed classes. Basic mechanics I'm ok, so no problem.
Bike skills (cornering, filtering, sprinting) I'm not so good, this really showed on the course when I was the only woman on it. I mean, the guys were doing wheelies, riding no handed, showing off for the instructor.
It put me off a wee bit, felt like I'm a numpty on a bike.
Of course, riding with other women I'm just like many, a timid rider, confident but not overly so.
I can totally relate to the concept of women only bike mechanic classes, even though a mixed class does not put me off attending.

 

[Sandra6]

Well, did anyone go??
We had five bookings,but one last minute cancellation and a no show left me and my buddy with just three ladies.
On the whole it seemed to go well. I found the official format a little patronising so we abandoned the script, gauged the level of the participants and paused for fizz halfway.
Lots of sensible questions and sharing of cycling stories, polite laughter at my appalling humour, and away they went, smiles on faces and freebies in hand.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Sorry @Sandra6 I did not go to my local one, the learning on offer was a bit basic for me did get an email with what was to be covered.
Great if you are a complete beginner, though

 

[jefmcg]

If you have a maximum of 6 for a free course, it's likely you will only get 3. In fact, you did well to only have 2 no shows.

i'm a little sad the format was patronising - despite it's many problems, I find that Halfords is one shop where I don't encounter sexism. When I act like I know what I am doing, they believe me.

@Sandra6 - did you make any potential riding buddies?

 

[NorthernDave]

Mrs ND would have loved to have attended having just bought a new bike, but we had a prior engagement on the evening in question.
Fingers crossed that the offer will be repeated.

 

[Sandra6]

P

If you have a maximum of 6 for a free course, it's likely you will only get 3. In fact, you did well to only have 2 no shows.

i'm a little sad the format was patronising - despite it's many problems, I find that Halfords is one shop where I don't encounter sexism. When I act like I know what I am doing, they believe me.

@Sandra6 - did you make any potential riding buddies?

We had 10 spaces to fill, but it's the same story with the kids clubs.
No new buddies, I already knew one person and this was part of my scheme to get her back on a bike :-) One of the others is bringing a guide group in for a workshop though.
On a slighht tangent, a customer has persuaded me to help her out with a cycling birthday party for her son!!

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Without wishing to tar all Halford staff with the same brush....I have seen 2 bicycles leave our local branch with the forks on back to front and numerous other assembly issues, so rather than offer free lessons to females I think they should focus on training their own staff.