Is cycling turning me into a woman?

[Mac66]

As a road cyclist I am sure that I have picked up habits which are stereotypically viewed as female, those being:-

1. I do shave my legs and yes I do stop at a reasonable point - no mankini line worries here. Yet

2. I fancy myself to be a bit of a climber. ( This is pure self-delusion with no basis in fact. ) Consequently I do watch my weight regularly.

3. Any kit has to match the bike, in much the same way that a woman is generally thought of as worrying about colour coordination

4. Any bike accessories must coordinate with the bike but luckily the little black numbers seem to go with anything

5. Once a week I spend a fair portion of my time staring at the backsides of men.

6. If the weather conditions are harsh, I moisturise my face post ride. How much longer until I can't use the weather/riding as an excuse?!

7. If I had head hair, I am sure I would worry about helmet hair - One for Fnaar.

I'm confused.

 

[Theseus]

As a commuter I don't think that I have picked up habits which are stereotypically viewed as female:-

1. I don't shave my legs, just my beard unless is is cold when I allow it to grow to keep the ice off my face.

2. I climb hills that are in the way. I do not go out of my way to find them although if I can find a flatter route I will take it so long as it doesn't add too much mileage. Consequently I eat what I want, but keep a weather eye on the waistline.

3. Any kit has to come from Lidl and will be in whatever colour they have. My bikes are whatever colour they were when saved from the skip.

4. Any bike accessories will be stolen, so best not to bother.

5. About once a week I spend some of my time fixing punctures and fettling the bike ready for the next week of hard use.

6. If the weather conditions are harsh, I ride anyway. I just put on more clothing and carry a change for the commute back in plastic bags in the panniers.

7. I don't worry about helmet hair, I don't use a helmet.

I'm content.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I brought my bikes to be ridden, I wont do anything else with them unless I have to.
I wont buy accessories unless they are absolutely necessary and they will be brought to do a job not to be coordinated with the bike
I ride fixed for commuting and running about, it helps keep the maintenance down
I fit puncture resistant tyres to all bikes, means more time to ride and less time fixing flats.
Like Touche I don't shave my legs, but I will trim my beard if the misses gives me grieve about how long its getting
Like Touche I will climb hills if they get in the way, but I'm not interested in how fast I can climb them.
If the weather is bad and I need to ride I will, I have the bad weather clothing if I need it.
I don't wear a helmet, haven't done for the forty years I've been riding.

I am enjoying my cycling, and may I do so for many years to come.

 

[Shaun]

Cracking first post ... lol ... never looked at it like that before

 

[rich p]

Cracking first post ... lol ... never looked at it like that before

First????

I was told that I had a feminine side by a female acquaintance

She said I was a ......

 

[philipbh]

As a road cyclist I am sure that I have picked up habits which are stereotypically viewed as female, those being:-

1. I do shave my legs and yes I do stop at a reasonable point - no mankini line worries here. Yet

2. I fancy myself to be a bit of a climber. ( This is pure self-delusion with no basis in fact. ) Consequently I do watch my weight regularly.

3. Any kit has to match the bike, in much the same way that a woman is generally thought of as worrying about colour coordination

4. Any bike accessories must coordinate with the bike but luckily the little black numbers seem to go with anything

5. Once a week I spend a fair portion of my time staring at the backsides of men.

6. If the weather conditions are harsh, I moisturise my face post ride. How much longer until I can't use the weather/riding as an excuse?!

7. If I had head hair, I am sure I would worry about helmet hair - One for Fnaar.

I'm confused.

Does your eyewwear match your shoes?

 

[numbnuts]

1. Three times a week I shave my legs and don’t no when to stop until I get to my neck

2. I put moisturising cream on my legs as I get dry skin

3. I wear a skirt Kilt

4. I like my shorts to be shorts and not down to the knees

Other than the above I think I’m a male

 

[Kirstie]

It may not have turned you into a woman but is sure as h*ll has turned you into a sexist...or maybe you were one already.


Actually, thinking about it, it's likely to have been the latter.


DROP THE STEREOTYPES

 

[NormanD]

Oooops Kirstie is on the warpath   I'm off to the bomb shelter 

 

[potsy]

It may not have turned you into a woman but is sure as h*ll has turned you into a sexist...or maybe you were one already.


Actually, thinking about it, it's likely to have been the latter.


DROP THE STEREOTYPES

Pipe down Kirstie,have you not got any ironing to do

Apology in advance.

 

[Ravenbait]

As a road cyclist I am sure that I have picked up habits which are stereotypically viewed as female, those being:-

1. I do shave my legs and yes I do stop at a reasonable point - no mankini line worries here. Yet

2. I fancy myself to be a bit of a climber. ( This is pure self-delusion with no basis in fact. ) Consequently I do watch my weight regularly.

As a girl of the female persuasion I find myself worrying about mankini lines all the time . And how regularly? Once a day? Once a week? How does that work for you? Do you stand on the scales and scrutinise the figures or is there some more entertaining method?

3. Any kit has to match the bike, in much the same way that a woman is generally thought of as worrying about colour coordination

4. Any bike accessories must coordinate with the bike but luckily the little black numbers seem to go with anything

I don't recall Chanel doing a little black dress for cycling, although I expect this Castelli outfit would look FABulous on you, darling.

5. Once a week I spend a fair portion of my time staring at the backsides of men.

Only once a week? You're just not trying. I find randomly interspersing my male backside perusal with admiration of female rears breaks the monotony somewhat. All those hairy cheeks can get a bit tedious. You should try it.

6. If the weather conditions are harsh, I moisturise my face post ride. How much longer until I can't use the weather/riding as an excuse?!

You don't need an excuse, sweetie. Just go ahead. Try moisturising before and after. Because you're worth it!

Oh and as for the helmet hair, try not wearing a helmet. I'm one of these women types and I find that works for me.

Sam

 

[fossyant]

I'll openly admit to 3 and 4 - kit has to match bike (even commuting - always have red tops to match bike) and accessories must co-ordinate..... e.g. blue bottle cage on blue bike, blue tyres on blue bike, red tyres on red/green bike....

Shaving legs should only be done if you race, otherwise you are a ponce. Mosturiser....crikey...... propper girl !!!!

 

[Shaun]

It may not have turned you into a woman but is sure as h*ll has turned you into a sexist...or maybe you were one already.

Actually, thinking about it, it's likely to have been the latter.

DROP THE STEREOTYPES

Really? I saw it as more of a self-depricating fun post aimed at making the OP seem/look silly, as opposed to having a go a women in general.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Keith Oates]

So long a you call your bike by a girls name you can consider that you're still a man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ravenbait]

Really? I saw it as more of a self-depricating fun post aimed at making the OP seem/look silly, as opposed to having a go a women in general.

Cheers,
Shaun

Without wanting to turn a Cafe thread into a P&L thread, or to give the appearance of being a neo-Nazi Feminist type with no sense of humour who thinks history should be "herstory" and who spells women as "wombyn", the unthinking propagation of unhelpful female stereotypes is sexist, especially when done in such a manner as to suggest that the poster is somehow lessened by the experience. It's like saying that men are incapable of looking after children or operating a washing machine, or that they are hairy and smell and have poor personal hygiene; and that if a woman is becoming more like a man she is becoming a worse parent with off-putting grooming habits. It's the same as claiming that a man's idea of a perfect romantic gesture is offering to dry the dishes or that he sees nothing wrong with saying "Fancy a cup of tea love? I'll have three sugars in mine, ta."

You say that this is self-deprecating. Why? Why should comparison with women be in any way deprecating? The very fact that you are treating this as a self-deprecating joke just demonstrates how sexist and unreasonable it is. For this to be a self-deprecating joke it would have to sit on the assumption that the women to whom the OP is comparing himself are inherently inferior, and that, in and of itself, is offensive.

That I can see the lack of malicious intent behind it and be light-hearted in my response is an acknowledgement only of my capacity to see that he didn't mean anything by it, not that I agree that it is anything other than sexist and offensive. While I am not going to say that the OP shouldn't have made the joke, I maintain my right to point out that such statements are idiotic.

Sam