• This topic has 50 replies, 29 voices, and was last updated 14 years ago by juan.
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  • Guardian today – We Need More Women Bikers article
  • simonralli2
    Free Member

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/06/cycling-women-fashion-topshop

    Written by a woman, in summary it seems to be saying if the clothes were nicer there would be more female cyclists, but designers are on the case.

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    😆

    “an alternative to the greasy fingernailed, Masonic, very macho environment you find in a traditional bike shop,”

    … and on STW!

    gingerflash
    Full Member

    Somehow, I doubt it’s a lack of fashionable “panniers, saddlebags and retro cycling caps” thats deterring women from taking up cycling.

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    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    Women I talk to seem to have been brainwashed into disliking physical effort, sweat and dirt. And cycling is still considered low-status in many quarters.

    ebygomm
    Free Member

    racks of fluorescent fabrics and wondered if it would ever be possible to buy cycling gear that wouldn’t make her look as if she had been attacked by a highlighter pen.

    Attacked by a highlighter pen = nice and visible on the roads

    But certainly among people I know, it’s not the lack of suitable clothing that puts them off, it’s the thought that they might get sweaty, mess up their hair, get dirty that puts them off.

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    This is not about cycling as most of us here would think of it, but cycling in a much more light, low level and every day sense. It’s about acceptance of cycling as a ‘normal activity’, rather than some perceived weird form of masochism practised by sociopathic, lycra clad freaks.

    If cycling can become viewed as normal, and even fashionable, by the clientele of mainstream stores like Top Shop (whether they decide to actually try it or not), then that’s only going to be good news. The fact that Top Shop have even decided to run with this is very positive.

    aP
    Free Member

    I think that for a lot of people cycling is seen as being something that only those who are:
    a) radical deep green,
    b) poor,
    c) banned from driving, or
    d) aggresive arrogants tossers
    do.
    There is far too much mention of the dangers apparently inherent in actually cycling and almost no mention of the actual ease of it.

    Actually I was talking to my optician last week who now cycles between St Johns Wood and Holborn and hadn’t realised how short a journey it was and actually how easy and pleasant it was.

    mrsflash
    Free Member

    I do find it hugely patronising that it is thought that women don’t cycle becuase of the clothes! cos clothes and make up are all women think about, right????

    (if it was about the lack of high heeled cycling shoes on the other hand….. 😉 )

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    i think it’s a culture thing, i was visiting friends at the weekend, and my swedish friend said “in sweden it’s normal, you cycle everywhere” briain as a whole no longers views cycling as a ‘normal’ method of transport. I think this may be (slowly) on the change

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    Actually I was talking to my optician last week who now cycles between St Johns Wood and Holborn and hadn’t realised how short a journey it was and actually how easy and pleasant it was.

    Great, isn’t it? I’m hearing a lot more of that sort of thing lately too.

    MrAgreeable
    Full Member

    It’s not true to say that fashion plays no part in getting people interested in cycling – look at the increase in people riding round on Crayola-coloured fixies in London.

    Personally I don’t like wearing special “cycling” clothes for everyday riding – it’s just not necessary for pootling to work or the pub – and dressing like a day-glo rave clown is all very well, but it won’t do you any good if you ride like a muppet, or automatically assume that all car drivers can see you.

    domino
    Full Member

    Clap trap – I don’t think many of the women I have encountered when out cycling look like they have been ‘attacked with a highlighter’. In fact I reckon some of us are pretty stylish and could probably write better ‘cycle fashion’ tips than some of these journos – Kate Spicer particularly winds me up when I see her Sunday Times ‘Cycle Girl’ articles.

    The reason most women don’t feel like cycling isn’t a fashion thing, its down to them not wanting to get hot and sweaty (wear the correct attire and you don’t have to), don’t want to get wet or dirty and the fact that it doesn’t really fit in with their lifesyle (they have other interests or commitments).

    hugorune
    Full Member

    I’ve bought my wife a bike, nice cycling gear, i will drag the children in a trailler while she pedals herself and… she still wouldn’t come out yesterday. Too cold apparently

    mrsflash
    Free Member

    The reason most women don’t feel like cycling isn’t a fashion thing, its down to them not wanting to get hot and sweaty (wear the correct attire and you don’t have to), don’t want to get wet or dirty and the fact that it doesn’t really fit in with their lifesyle (they have other interests or commitments).

    Yes!

    RichPenny
    Free Member

    aP, I can tick three things off your list, what’s the prize for all 4?

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    I do find it hugely patronising that it is thought that women don’t cycle becuase of the clothes! cos clothes and make up are all women think about, right????

    I don’t think that’s really what the article is saying – it does start from the viewpoint of a female cyclist lamenting the lack of stylish gear available after all, not a women who won’t ride for those reasons.

    The important point is that women who probably wouldn’t even think of cycling anywhere usually, might be encouraged to give it a go because there’s some nice gear they can buy that is made for that purpose. You can’t deny that a bit of a retail opportunity can be a great motivator to get out there and do something. That’s not just a female thing either; just take a look at all the “Wot bike bling should I buy next?” threads around here. And how many guys got into biking because they liked all the expensive gadgetry involved? It’s just about selling a concept.

    juan
    Free Member

    too be honest from the link in the article I can’t see the gear being different than any other stuff sold in clothes shop for girls

    domino
    Full Member

    I think thats part of the problem though trailbreak martin, chicken and egg and all that. No point setting out new retail opportunities aimed at women if there aren’t enough of them taking up cycling in the first place.

    RudeBoy
    Free Member

    I do find it hugely patronising that it is thought that women don’t cycle becuase of the clothes! cos clothes and make up are all women think about, right????

    There there love; shoon’t you be in the kitchen or something? 😉

    I think fashion is important, actually, and not just for women. I use my bike to get around on, and I don’t want to be going to the pub looking really ‘cycley’. I definitely think there’s a call for less ‘sporty’ cycle gear. Rapha is definitely filling a niche; some of their gear is both practical and quite stylish. Too bloody spensive for most people though.

    When I worked in bike shops, one of the biggest complaints about cycle gear, from women, was that it looked awful. Now bearing in mind, you may have a 30-40 minute journey to work, and you need to consider sweatiness and your appearance, speshly if you lack facilities to change at work. This goes for men as well. A lot of the stuff available does look quite sporty. Cut specifically for cycling. Fair enough, but there’s definitely a gap in the market for functional yet a bit less sporty cycling stuff.

    And some ladies I know, what cycle, feel that lycra and clingy stuff is just not for them. There’s often not a great deal, between sporty lycra stuff, and casual ‘baggy’ gear. A vast chasm, in fact. Good on Top Shop for thinking in a positive manner about this issue.

    Mind, things have moved on a long way from the days of fluoro lycra…

    MrAgreeable
    Full Member

    There’s no single magic thing that going to encourage more people to take up cycling. Fashion is a lot more frivolous than improvements to infrastructure, secure storage or finance schemes to help people buy bikes. But it’s all going to help, is it not?

    GNARGNAR
    Free Member

    Well that strikes me as bullshit. Go to Italy and you’ll see 20x the number of female cyclists in clothes ranging from practical cycling gear to very smart dress wear. They don’t seem to have any issue with not having the right clothes and they are if anything, far more fashion conscious than us on the whole.

    As others above have said it’s combination of laziness and the perception that cycling is a lower form of transport. Most women I know would baulk at the idea of walking a mile. They need to be lifted and laid wherever they go.

    BillMC
    Full Member

    I was lucky enough this weekend to be riding with half a dozen sassy, stylish and very fit women. I wish these journos would do a bit of serious research and present some real-life role models and that might encourage more people to get on their bikes.

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    I think there is def a need for less ‘sporty’ cycling gear as Rudeboy says. But lot of ‘womens’ designs seem to go the other way, and plaster huge vomit inducing pink flowers all over it in an effort to make it more appealing.

    However, by far the single biggest problem is traffic.

    We’ve sorted the bike
    We’ve sorted the kit

    She still won’t ride it, becuase she is petrified of the traffic. Not without reason either. I pretty much have to be there to hold her hand whenever we go ride, otherwise she would never use it.

    The idea of her riding to work on a mixture of quiet roads and traffic-free shortcuts, on her own, is currently, completely unattractive to her.

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    No point setting out new retail opportunities aimed at women if there aren’t enough of them taking up cycling in the first place.

    Clearly there’s not going to be huge influx of committed female cycling enthusiasts as a result of this, but I don’t think that’s the point. Top Shop will be stocking this stuff as flag, to show they’re with the whole ‘cycling zeitgeist’ thing, and to get some free publicity in articles like the one above! And that’s OK, because in doing so, they’re furthering the notion they’re buying into; that cycling is somehow ‘zeigeisty’.

    I’m coming at this as someone who is interested in seeing cycling grow in the broadest sense, not just a particular specialisation like mountain biking or whatever my personal preference might be. And from that perspective, I see developments like this as quite encouraging. Not the answer to everything, but another step forward along the way.

    🙂

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    One of the most cringe-worthy cycling articles I’ve ever read.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    They seem to manage ok in other countries without cycling specific clothing.
    http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    Well that strikes me as bullshit. Go to Italy and you’ll see 20x the number of female cyclists in clothes ranging from practical to very smart. They don’t seem to have any issue with not having the right clothes and they are if anything, far more fashion conscious than us on the whole.

    That’s because cycling is engrained in the national culture in Italy. We’ve got a long way to go before we can say that.

    gavinski
    Free Member

    the article in question is on page 2 of G2 – the space usually reserved for some tongue in cheek article – don’t be so quick to think it’s all that serious.

    Incidentally, did you see the comparison of cycle bags in the guardian last week? – might have been a misprint but the Rapha bag was actually the cheapest one they reviewed

    RudeBoy
    Free Member

    Go to Italy and you’ll see 20x the number of female cyclists in clothes ranging from practical to very smart. They don’t seem to have any issue with not having the right clothes and they are if anything, far more fashion conscious than us on the whole.

    That’s undoubtedly true, but Italy has a far greater acceptance of cycling as part of it’s culture. Are the same clothes available to Italian women available here? I know Prada do cycling gear, and I’d imagine there are probbly several Italian firms making stuff for their market.

    Until quite recently, there hazzunt been the demand for women’s cycling gear in the UK. And as for the functional stuff, well, a lot of it eveloved from other outdoorsy stuff, a lot of which is **** gopping.

    Safety, image and practicality are all issues though.

    And it don’t rain as much in Italy…

    juan
    Free Member

    I think there is def a need for less ‘sporty’ cycling gear as Rudeboy says.

    You mean like normal clothes then… I very much doubt there is a shortage of style/colour/shape of various item of clothing for both men and women.

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    the article in question is on page 2 of G2 – the space usually reserved for some tongue in cheek article – don’t be so quick to think it’s all that serious.

    Oh, the article’s just lightweight filler, it’s the idea of TS stocking clothes designed for cycling that caught my eye. I reckon if you’d taken that idea to their board even three years ago, you’d have been laughed out of the room!

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    I very much doubt there is a shortage of style/colour/shape of various item of clothing for both men and women.

    i *need* shiny purple wellies for cycling to work in, size 12. where from? 😀

    HoratioHufnagel
    Free Member

    I agree with the traffic thing. Girls at work give it as their number one reason for not cycling. Blokes are a lot more confident on the road i think. Saw a girl get shouted at by a taxi in london a few weeks back and she was in tears.

    The getting dirty and sweaty thing also applies though. My girlfriend was about to book a taxi to go to a friends house that was 3 miles away. She wouldn’t cycle as she’d “just got dressed up”. i didn’t understand as i was just in jeans and shirt. apparently.

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    Have you been in a women’s clothing shop juan? Its isn’t as easy as mating a top to some shorts …

    … oh and chamois short liners are a godsend.

    kelvin
    Full Member

    Many women don’t cycle on the roads because they view it as unsafe. They’re right as well you now. It’s damn dodgy out there during commuting hours.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    This is very good news, well done Top Shop.

    It is conspicuous that the picture of the bizarre Duffy accompanying the article appears to show her wearing normal clothes, and I suspect the same is true of every photograph of Agnes Deyn in existence.

    🙂

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    I agree the traffic issue is by far one of the biggest barriers, but in a small way (and I do just mean a small way) things like this help. Anything that contributes to getting more people on bikes or even just presenting a more positive image of them, leads to greater awareness and acceptance of cycling and that makes the roads safer places for cyclists to be (and they’re not nearly as dangerous as they’re cracked up to be anyway).

    That’s why selling trendy pastel cycling caps to girlies in Top Shop is a good thing and compulsory helmet use in law is a bad thing.

    (Worm anyone? I appear to have opened a can :wink:)

    trailbreak-martin
    Free Member

    It is conspicuous that the picture of the bizarre Duffy accompanying the article appears to show her wearing normal clothes, and I suspect the same is true of every photograph of Agnes Deyn in existence.

    Not sure I’ve ever seen a photo of Agyness? Deyn wearing what I’d describe as ‘normal’ clothes, but I take your point.

    dave360
    Full Member

    Let the flood gates open: http://www.amy-fleuriot.com/site/node/20

    RudeBoy
    Free Member

    Have you been in a women’s clothing shop juan?

    Oh dear. I fear this thread is about to take a very worrying turn……. 😯

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 51 total)

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