This cropped up in the "get home after a breakdown" thread, and several people correctly said it was a diversion of a quite useful and interesting thread. So, for anyone interested in discussing this in its own right:
The term "granny gear" is deeply embedded in cycling, is used by most people with no malign intent, but is nonetheless derogatory and sexist.
The paradigm behind it is that cycling is a macho activity; real cyclists ought to be macho enough to cope without low gears; and not subscribing to that macho culture, or simply prefering easier gears, is distinctively female (and, the imagery conveys, old, feeble females at that).
Low gears make cycling easier and more enjoyable. It cannot be anything other than sexist to link a desire for cycling to be easy and enjoyable with women.
It is damaging not just because all prejudice always diminishes all of us, but because the whole sports-derived macho culture of cycling - of which selling ordinary people bikes with unsuitably high gears is part - puts off more people discovering and embracing our wonderful mode of travel, to the detriment of them, us, and the whole of society.
Discuss (if you wish).
