talking about our vasectomies, constipation, beer, ever descending testicles and occasionally admiring the bums of passing ladies

See, we talk about that kind of thing on our rides. I like beer, I used to get constipated quite often, but I don’t any more for some reason. I plan to send GF off for a vasectomy at some point and I laugh at them looking at ladies. Why would you think that you couldn’t talk about things like that if there were girls on the ride?

I joke about Muddypuddle’s tight lycra all the time. Am I a chauvanist or just keeping spirits high on the tough climbs 😉

If a woman really wants to have a go at cycling then she will. I decided I wanted to give it a go, having seen my kids have such fun. My ex did not cycle. I did it cos I wanted to.

I can honestly say that I have not come across any chauvinistic riders and am always amazed at the welcoming and friendly attitude that exists. Mountain biking crosses all divides – class, sex, age. You like riding bikes and that’s all that matters.

I don’t wish to be patronised and have my hand held but I think it’s unreasonable when men try to get their other half interested and produce some heavy machinery for them to use. Is it any wonder they only manage one ride?

Women only rides can make a huge difference. The SheCycles rides at Swinley that I organised in the past were very well-received, they weren’t just for beginners either. It may be that some women aren’t competitive, some of us also have bad memories of sport at school. Technology advancements have made a huge difference, ie lighter bikes and forks, also clothing choice has certainly improved.

This forum is a great place to seek advice, people are always happy to pass on tips. As a woman I don’t feel terrified posting on here, you just have to accept that there will be banter. I just MTFU!!

mrsflash Why would you think that you couldn’t talk about things like that if there were girls on the ride?

I hate to resort to generalisations but…….generally speaking the majority of women I know, assuming they would want to ride with us (and I know that they don’t) would have a very limited tolerance for listening to us talk about our balls and our beers and our bullshit.

I guess you know a different kind of girl to the girls I know then. But please be a little more open minded about women on rides in future?

I feel that if I admit to being even slightly chauvinist I’ll just be flamed

and that would matter why ? I’m used to being flamed and it’s usually very funny :o)

would have a very limited tolerance for listening to us talk about our balls and our beers and our bullshit.

me too, it sounds like shite! Luckily there are other things to do on rides than listen to a load of boring blerks 🙂

mrsflash
I guess you know a different kind of girl to the girls I know then.

Oh I used to know some uber tom boys, I even dated a few. The majority settled down though.

mrsflash
But please be a little more open minded about women on rides in future?

No one I know operates a strict men only policy on rides, however it would be hard to include women on our rides without significantly altering what and how we ride. As someone else above rightly pointed out, ability rather than gender is an important factor in group rides.

Also, as I said before, bringing a woman on a ride with us would change the group dynamic. Sorry. I ride with my friends. We are a group of married guys in our late twenties and early thirties. Even if we did befriend a girl who had all the same interests as us, and rode at our level and actually enjoyed our company – I doubt our wives would appreciate knowing that we were going into the mountains all day with another woman 😐

I plan to send GF off for a vasectomy at some point

Is poor GingerFlash aware of his impending gelding?? 😯

(Mate, hide all the knives, scissors and sharp objects from her…)

See, now you’ve made me think you’re a bit of a tit again. I was right originally, you are a chauvinist.

I’m actually quite offended now. I’m not a tom boy, never have been. The pace or location of rides are not altered to “allow” for the women in the group. None of the girlfriends or wives of the blokes I ride with are remotely bothered about my attendance.

Don’t worry, it’s not imminent Fred. Well as long as he keeps behaving.

failed to read all of above but Mrs antigee (‘er indoors) was involved with a group in Leeds in the mid ’80’s called something like Women in the Outdoors – started off as basic skills with some payment to the course providers which i think were backed by the Workers Education people – anyhow aim was to give women the skills would need in the Hills and Climbing so could do their own thing rather than rely on what their male partners wanted to do and what their priorities where (belay bunnies and no you can’t read the map cos i can’t) – pleased to report that 20 oddd years on the ladies all meet up and talk about big routes they did years ago, get p1ssed and plan weeks away without their partners

Personally, I like riding bikes, and I like riding with others. I don’t really care if they are male, female, black, white, brown or purple. If I want to go for a fast blast, then I’d probbly go on my own, but tbh, I’m happy with a pootle, these days. Stopping to wait means you can admire the view, appreciate being outdoors. Trust me, when you live in the Smoke, any time spent in’t countryside is lovely, regardless of the pace. Nice to just amble along and just enjoy it, really.

As for bottoms; I won’t lie. I do find the female form beautiful, it’s in me nature. But I’d never want someone to feel uncomfortable, and you have to be mindful of certain boundaries and other people’s feelings. Some ladies are more comfortable with people they know making ‘suggestive’ comments than others; it is all about how well you know someone.

Personally, I can never ride in just lycra, as I just can’t stand being objectified and letched over by hordes of leering women…

mrsflash – Member
See, now you’ve made me think you’re a bit of a **** again. I was right originally, you are a chauvinist.

I’m actually quite offended now. I’m not a tom boy, never have been. The pace or location of rides are not altered to “allow” for the women in the group. None of the girlfriends or wives of the blokes I ride with are remotely bothered about my attendance.

Well, y’know I am well passed the stage where I need to worry about offending people on here. The tomboy comment wasn’t supposed to be derogatory. I don’t know you, I can only comment on my own experiences in life and in that time, the girls I’ve known who have shown an interest in outdoor sports have by their own admission been tomboys.

I was not implying that the wives of the men you ride with would be annoyed by your presence, I thought I was being pretty clear about the fact that our wives would be at least jealous of a female or females spending time with us. Especially when you consider that none of us make any secret about the fact that part of why we do it is to get away from them for a few hours (or to give them a few hours peace depending on which way you look at it)

I was also not implying that the pace or type of riding you indulge in is altered because of your presence – I was saying that for us to include women on our ride we would have to alter the way we ride.

Feel free to call me a chauvinist though, you’re probably right, I’m a bit foggy on the definition of it in 2009, for all I know it applies to me 100%. I prefer asshole though.

Chappy1 are you trying to make up a job for yourself? Is there some EU money on offer if you can prove this and try to convince more women to ride?

Is this another thread where IT guys demonstrate their manliness in complete disregard to the real world outside (again).

I doubt our wives would appreciate knowing that we were going into the mountains all day with another woman

I would only be married to someone I trusted, and who trusted me… in which case there would not be an issue.

Especially when you consider that none of us make any secret about the fact that part of why we do it is to get away from them for a few hours

it just gets worse doesn’t it ? 🙁

no part of my riding is to get away from anything, other than the rocks I’ve just visited :o)

Is this another thread where IT guys demonstrate their manliness in complete disregard to the real world outside (again).

What else is there on here??? 😆

God Simon, I wish I was in your perfect marriage. In fact I wish I was living your perfect ass photographing life. Please spare a thought for us common folk who may from time to time have some issues in their lives and for whom riding our bikes is a release from the pressure.

While your at it perhaps you could share with us the secrets of your perfect relationship wherein you never ever feel the need to spend time apart from your other half even if it’s just to spend a few hours with your mates?

MrGnar; you sound like a right bag of fun….

I like you too.

I wish I was in your perfect marriage

I’m not married, and the woman I love won’t have me due to religious differences.

wherein you never ever feel the need to spend time apart from your other half

IMO if this ever happens the relationship is already over 🙁 The ‘secret’ is to like the person…

I’ve just come back from a weekend in the hills with another woman. My climbing partner is a woman, we occasionally share a bunkhouse room or tent. My wife does not mind. Do you not talk to your partner and make them feel they are the most important person in your life?
Walks away shaking head sadly.

simonfbarnes

IMO if this ever happens the relationship is already over The ‘secret’ is to like the person…

Despite how waaaay off topic it may be veering I’ll reply. Personally I think that’s an unbelievably simplistic view of of a complex issue. There’s nothing unhealthy about spending time apart from your other half. There are as many different types of relationships as there are people.

Sandwich – Member
I’ve just come back from a weekend in the hills with another woman. My climbing partner is a woman, we occasionally share a bunkhouse room or tent. My wife does not mind. Do you not talk to your partner and make them feel they are the most important person in your life?
Walks away shaking head sadly.

Good for you. Personally I wouldnt spend a weekend away in a tent with another woman but that’s just me.

Personally I think that’s an unbelievably simplistic

you have described me exactly :o)

Personally I wouldnt spend a weekend away in a tent with another woman but that’s just me.

Why not? (honest question)

0xboy – Your nearly right there but there is no job. I ride and there are a few women in the area that would like to start to ride MTB and form a group. They can apply for funding under a community scheme for assistance and training but have to prove there is a wider need and gather peoples opinions etc. We have gathered local info but thought it might be interesting to put up a post.

I work in a female dominated place…30 women/1 man…

Are they looking to hire foxychick 😉
How was WE btw? Should I send you some of your favourite choccies 😉

More seriously I can really think a change of attitude would encourage more women to ride.

Until I came over to UK I never rode with a girl in France. It might be due to the peculiar topologie of were I live though.

However I am not too bothered about who I ride with to be honest. But i am not a huge fan of the mens only (actually I am not a huge fan of bloke full stops, as they always end up speaking about fast cars, football or women). When I use to do night riding, it was bloke only ride, but we usually did not talk to much outside of biking topics, just ride crash and banter about past crashes. On the longer rides with “less local people” I tend not to talk much (it’s not like some very loud poster on here would let space for any other one to speak though 😉 ) but when I do I do it to men and women. I try not to give advice unless asked for whether it’s for men or women. I try to be courteous to anyone, always have a nice word for the one at the end of a group (unless it’s said poster, as he wouldn’t hear it anyway). I try to be helpful as possible to anyone, men or women and give a hand in riding, felting bikes and so and so. As for flirting during rides I can’t really see any women being interested in a boyish featured rider covered in crap (only time I spoke to a girl during a race was to ask where did she got her pink bike not very appealing). So i usually have flirty chat as I know I won’t push thing further. Mind you I know from experience men aren’t bothered by the covered in crap bit.

On the other hand I can perfectly understand someone want to ride with it’s own gender only. May they be men or women. We as human being are very influenced by our surrounding. While in UK, I lost the habit to do SFBism. Now that I am back to France and my co-worker speaks about women a lot I have start looking at women in the train a bit more and sadly talk about it :(. It’s the same in rides, it is naive to believe, men or women do not behave differently in mix gender environment as they do in men/women only groups.
Depending on the wo/men it’s a good thing to get into a gender specific environment to let the pressure goes…

Just my 2p…

I was saying that for us to include women on our ride we would have to alter the way we ride.

but how do you know, if you’ve never ridden with any women?

Will someone tell him the analogy about being in the hole, you know, digging, shovels, all that kind of stuff. It’s all getting very predictable.

Will someone tell him the analogy about being in the hole, you know, digging, shovels, all that kind of stuff. It’s all getting very predictable.

Sorry 🙁

I don’t agree with much of what Gnar has to say, but I do recognise the issue about being out and about with “other women”. My spouse is a technophobe, so the principle of chatting to random women online and then going out riding with them is a bit of a leap of faith. Thankfully(?) I have a bit of history of going walking/climbing/camping with other women over the years. I’ve also been out in groups of mostly guys/one woman and I can’t say I’ve really noticed any difference in behaviour.

Sorry

Not you juan.

I don’t agree with much of what Gnar has to say, but I do recognise the issue about being out and about with “other women”

Likewise, I’m sure my wife does trust me (I’ve given her no reason not to after 20 years together), but that wouldn’t stop her getting a bit on edge if I told her I was off into the hills for a few days with a lady (bith doing an activity that she has absolutely no interest in). The next step would be for her to ask for a picture of the lady and if said lady turned out to be attractive, I’d start having my motives questioned. This is only natural as far as I’m concerned and to be honest I’d avoid the situation.

Careful there samuri, according to the “I’ve got a perfect relationship” types, your marriage may well be over already.

Gnar’s been a bit too outspoken for my tastes recently, but I feel there is something in what he says here.

My GF is insecure about me socialising with females in any context. A female friend sometimes joins us riding and the GF gets unhappy about it. I generally avoid having female friends because of this.

And whilst the females on here seem robust, most I know need to be tip-toed around and maybe why blokes prefer bloke-only company sometimes.

Another way of looking at it: Perhaps all-male cycling groups as a hunting group. And if females join the group, they join as hunters.

Riding with ladies definitly cahnges the dynamics of the ride, and they seem to act as a sponge to soak up all the testosterone that otherwise characterises men-only rides.
If/when I ride with women, they tend (not always) to ride slower, and so we either take much longer or don’t go so far. If/when we do, I always ride at the back, always make sure that I’m last and always avoid giving the ‘you’re holding us up’ impression. Come to think of it, I do this if I’m out with anyone slower or less experienced than me.

While in UK, I lost the habit to do SFBism.

I’m not sure what that is. I don’t flirt with women on rides as they’re usually spoken for or not to my taste, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying looking :o)

People ride for different reasons,

As part of the University club (a few years back) girls were a regular fixture (1:4ish), no problems at all, they were the main points (for funding) contributor for the season, even hormonal students didn’t letch/take photos, I assume that is reserved for sleazy, irritating 50 something’s?

Access to road riding is easy, some of the larger local clubs have a ‘leave nobody behind’ policy, it’s a pain if you want to go quickly but then there are other clubs/groups who fit the bill. These clubs generally do not contain women and as such language/competition is prevalent, and TBH can be intimidating for anyone.

I assume that is reserved for sleazy, irritating 50 something’s?

have we met ?? I hotly deny allegations of bribery or embezzlement…