What’s stopping women cycling?

[Markymark]

Same here... i simply don't do sport.

However i feel that cycling in the UK is generally perceived as sport rather than transport, otherwise so many conversations i have about cycling wouldn't become a willy waving contest about how far or how fast i go. Plus, when i'm out and about riding the country lanes in my casual clothes on my old MTB, I'm in a definite minority amongst the all other cyclists i see.

In London for a huge number it's a commute that many ride as a sport. I don't see a 50:50 split of male female but it's not far off. What I do see though is a disproportionate number of white people compared to London's diversity, but that's a whole other thread ready get locked!!

 

[FishFright]

Sorry to ask afterwards, but could you estimate the relative frequency of those reasons?

I didn't set a multiple choice exam only collected some opinions. Having said that I'd say uninterested was the main reason given with being put off by men for various reasons a close second. For those women who exercise regularly i picked up that doing whatever they did with a majority other women as opposed to the oddment or partner in a largely male group.

The main thing I got on a personal level was it was nice for them to be asked to provide their own answers and not pick their favourites from a list made by men. One of my friends who rides much more often than me is angered by how men ask her where her partner is when the ride alongside .

A quick read though this , and many similar threads, reveals a common theme of men discussing the issues amongst themselves instead of asking the people affected.

As an aside a very close friend of my is post transition and she could provide an interesting dual perspective but we've not had that conversation yet.

 

[jay clock]

I am cycling across America shortly with a man and a woman. She can change her own sodding tyres and I will certainly rope her in to help me too! And the bloke is 72 this year! And I have got Parkinsons....

 

[Markymark]

You do need to be careful here. One of the things that you need to consider is the time of day that you are observing. There is a disproportionate number of black people doing cleaning jobs at unsocial hours who may be riding their bikes at times you don't see.

Yet when I get the tube at the same sort of times doing a similar journey the mix is much more what is expect in London.

 

[mjr]

One of my friends who rides much more often than me is angered by how men ask her where her partner is when the ride alongside .

A quick read though this , and many similar threads, reveals a common theme of men discussing the issues amongst themselves instead of asking the people affected.

Yes, that's part of what made your earlier post interesting.

I'm not understanding the anger though. That happens to me on group rides when my wife isn't there, as she usually rides with them too. Did she mean men who don't know her partner ask after him? That'd be odd and annoying and often creepy.

 

[Julia9054]

I've been asking the women in my life about why more them don't cycle. In no particular order

1. They don't want to, not interested.
2. Perceived to be too expensive due to the silly money I spend
3. Prefer to exercise with the friends inside ,gym etc
4. Current/ex partner who is a cyclist with a really nice bike(s) but bought them a BSO which they hated so put them off.
5. Men going on about how dangerous the roads are on which they battle traffic and each other (too macho)

Do the same I'd be interested if these were common reasons. And I mean do it and not post about what you think their answers would be instead.

Ask the men in your life who don't cycle the same question. It would be interesting to know if their answers are different.

 

[FishFright]

Ask the men in your life who don't cycle the same question. It would be interesting to know if their answers are different.

Oh they can't wait to tell me that. Note I could be equally bad at pestering them to ride !

 

[User10119]

One of my friends who rides much more often than me is angered by how men ask her where her partner is when the ride alongside .

Daft Q - do you know if she meant other men on the same organised ride as her, or other men out for a ride who she encounters on her separate ride?

 

[FishFright]

[QUOTE 5126558, member: 10119"]Daft Q - do you know if she meant other men on the same organised ride as her, or other men out for a ride who she encounters on her separate ride?[/QUOTE]

Often enough to be boring I expect

 

[User10119]

Often enough to be boring I expect

I don't understand that answer... But maybe I didn't ask the right question (last night's Arena adventure followed by not enough sleep, and that sleep not good sleep, then a bonkers busy day is paying me back with a pre-migraine which means ALL tEH wORdZ stOP worKiNg.)

 

[theclaud]

One of my friends who rides much more often than me is angered by how men ask her where her partner is when the ride alongside

Years of enduring this kind of question oblige me to conclude, with great sadness, that most people (and not just men) find it difficult, and even threatening, when they cannot 'account for' a woman in terms of her relationship to a man.

 

[swansonj]

Years of enduring this kind of question oblige me to conclude, with great sadness, that most people (and not just men) find it difficult, and even threatening, when they cannot 'account for' a woman in terms of her relationship to a man.

"I now pronounce you man and wife"

'Tis deeply engrained.

 

[Andrew_P]

I am a little ashamed to say having read on here some experiences whilst on a bike and Googled it harassment is far more widespread than I thought although the tooting and catcalls that I have experienced with my daughter on the bike but not whilst walking probably should have told me different.... I hope the not getting it whilst walking is as much to do with it being clear how old they are and less to do with the mode of transport but not completely sure of that, as it doesn't seem to stop the letches on foot doing it in a non verbal way.

On a side note I came across 101 self-gratification artists on my Google search and not the ones you plant (oops thought it was Daffodils!), only the Google map still exists originally a blog by a Guardian reporter about harassment on a bike. I came across quite sad story quoting the blog from a ex-feminist (whatever that may mean her words) that seemed to go quiet after she was taken to court for harassing activists across a wide spectrum when I searched I came across Twitter posts saying she was missing from 2015 and couldn't find any confirmation she was ever found :-(

 

[airborneal]

The trouble with that argument is that it has been used against women whenever they are underrepresented in almost any sphere of life. Perhaps they just don't want to be executives, stand for parliament, live alone, vote, wear trousers, run marathons, get mortgages in their own name, on and on and on. It's just fobbing us off, and it's a bit lame.

What argument ! I think your trying to turn this into something it isn't.

 

[kingrollo]

I've just started going to spin classes - 70% women - can we start a thread of whats stopping men going to spin classes ? -
Yoga Im very often the only guy - its just how it is -
in the club I am in a female is probably the best cyclist in the group i ride with

I don't get why its an issue - if you are female and want to ride a bike, just do it - if theere aren't many females its probably that they choose to do something else or just might not like cycling.