What’s stopping women cycling?

[Inertia]

My wife rides on the road, but she goes to spinning classes twice a week, the girls she spins with do not ride on the road, they are just not interested in cycling, simple.

I get that that's is enough for you but there will be a reason why they don't cycle. You were told they they are just not interested and (I assume) didn't question why.

Same way when I used to go to the gym (before they kicked me out for being too good) and I often used the rowing machine yet had/have no interest in rowing. Simple means of exercising, nothing more.

Is there is a imbalance here though, lots of men cycle on roads and lots of women cycle in spin classes, apparently.

 

[Markymark]

I get that that's is enough for you but there will be a reason why they don't cycle. You were told they they are just not interested and (I assume) didn't question why.


Is there is a imbalance here though, lots of men cycle on roads and lots of women cycle in spin classes, apparently.

I have no idea. I also have no idea of the ratios of men/women using rowing machines and men/women rowing. All I can say form a sample of one is that I have no interest in rowing yet I used to like using the rowing machine for the fitness.

 

[Inertia]

I have no idea. I also have no idea of the ratios of men/women using rowing machines and men/women rowing. All I can say form a sample of one is that I have no interest in rowing yet I used to like using the rowing machine for the fitness.

I'm sure there are people that feel the same way about cycling. I'm not sure it tells us too much about why in cycling, more women feel that way than men.

 

[Maenchi]

Before this thread i'd never heard of 'spinning classes' ..

 

[derrick]

I get that that's is enough for you but there will be a reason why they don't cycle. You were told they they are just not interested and (I assume) didn't question it .

I see no reason to question it, it's there decision. people will ride if they want too, you can't force women to ride.
No different to me not wanting to climb mountains. i don't want to.

 

[Inertia]

I see no reason to question it, it's there decision. people will ride if they want too, you can't force women to ride.
No different to me not wanting to climb mountains. i don't want to.

You don't see a reason to question why there is such an imbalance?

 

[derrick]

You don't see a reason to question why there is such an imbalance?

No.

 

[derrick]

The idea that the only reason why more women don't cycle must be because they don't want to does demonstrate a startling lack of imagination, but it is interesting that people who hold that view seem to feel the need to say it over and over again. Almost as if they would prefer it if the subject didn't get discussed at all.

You would prefer we forced them to ride
People will ride when they feel they want to, as things change more people may ride, i don't own a crystal ball so can't tell you that for sure.

 

[Inertia]

No.

I guess that would be easier, not to care. One of the reason given was fear of sexual harrassment. I think thats worthy of our attention.

 

[derrick]

I guess that would be easier, not to care. One of the reason given was fear of sexual harrassment. I think thats worthy of our attention.

It's not a case of not caring, as said before as things change people may change, you need to talk to women who don't cycle. not people on here who do ride. I encourage a lot of people to ride women and men, if you knew me you would understand me better, Being a ride leader i see a lot of people come and go. last year we had more woman join our club than men, and most have stayed with the club, different clubs do different things, so some will stay some will go, i always talk to new riders after a ride, if the ride does not suit them, i point them in the direction of a club that might.

 

[vickster]

Riding a bike isn't only about club riding - that's a teeny tiny subset of cycling/cyclists. Most of the women on here don't ride with clubs (afaik), we ride to get from A-B, utility riding, commuting, for fitness, recreation and so on. Getting more women cycling doesn't simply mean to get them riding with clubs on a Sunday morning, but out and about day in day out, fitting it around work, family, other hobbies and activities

Personally, I can't think of anything of less interest to me than riding with a club, that level of rigour, having to follow others etc doesn't float my boat at all and I've never been one for any sort of group sport/activity (including spin classes)

 

[Inertia]

It's not a case of not caring, as said before as things change people may change, you need to talk to women who don't cycle. not people on here who do ride. I encourage a lot of people to ride women and men, if you knew me you would understand me better, Being a ride leader i see a lot of people come and go. last year we had more woman join our club than men, and most have stayed with the club, different clubs do different things, so some will stay some will go, i always talk to new riders after a ride, if the ride does not suit them, i point them in the direction of a club that might.

The reason I said it seemed like you didn't care was because you said you saw no reason to question why there was an imbalance.

Of course they may just not fancy it, but that could be apply to both sexes. Why should being a woman mean you are less likely to cycle? When there is a numerical imbalance like this, then you could draw the conclusion that it may be the related. If you reach that conclusion why wouldn't we question why that means you are less likely to fancy cycling?

They may well want to do it but be put off for a reason that we may actually be able to do something about.

As those people aren't who don't ride probably aren't here we can't question them, but we can ask people who do ride, or look at the evidence. They may well be aware of those obstacles or just put up with them. Who knows, we may even have some ideas ourselves. It may even make us think about our own behaviour and attitudes.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I hope this doesn't come across as a thread diversion but, while searching for a reasonably recent Transport for London analysis of people's reasons for not cycling, I first came across this one. http://content.tfl.gov.uk/analysis-of-cycling-potential-2016.pdf and found it informative.

Looking at the ages of potential cycling journeys there are, of course, gender differences but it might be more fruitful if we first posed the question as ''What's stopping people cycling?'' and looking at the original question as a secondary, more focused, question. The aim of TfL's report would seem to be turning potential cycling trips into actual cycling trips and much of their policy seems to be aimed at normalising cycling. It may well be that the proportion of women cycling is higher in London than elsewhere in the country. If this really is the case, then TfL are actually making progress. It strikes me that if cycling becomes a far more normal activity, overall road conduct will change for the better vis-à-vis awareness of bikes (indeed, this seems to be - imperfectly but noticeably - the case in London). And there are an enormous number of missed bike rides affecting both genders.

If you make cycling safer (and impressions of cycling safety) and more everyday practical, I'd be very surprised if the percentage difference did not decrease as the overall numbers increase.

 

[Glow worm]

I encourage a lot of people to ride women and men, if you knew me you would understand me better, Being a ride leader i see a lot of people

 

[derrick]

They may well want to do it but be put off for a reason that we may actually be able to do something about..

When you can control the idiot drivers out there, or the government starts taking cycling seriously. we might see a change.
There are many walks in life where there may be more of one gender or another, Do you really want a 50/50 split in everything, it ain't going to happen.
I would love to see everyone on a bike, again it will never happen, just except people will do what they are comfortable doing.