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I couldn't care less if cyclists were male or female.
Just get out of the way.
On your right (I'm crashing/tumbling through!) 
I find the female cyclists are polite too unlike some of the chavs cyclists.
I have been MTbing for 17 years since I was 13, I got into it young as I was a tomboy and my brother started. I think a lot of the comments above are fairly true.
Women who get into it later in life tend to be more cautious about falling off and breaking body parts/looks etc. I've never cared what I look like on a bike as I'm not trying to impress/pull! I think a lot of women are definately put off by gung ho blokes wanting to rush around and do fat jumps. Me and some mates in Cardiff make an effort to entice new women out into MBing but on women only MTB rides as a starting point. relaxed, can get advice, we can talk about kit (puppies and hair products). They can ask more honest questions, get advice and not feel like blokes are critizing or intimidating.
What annoys me most is why some men are so pig headed sometimes? You ever catch a slow woman up they will make an effort to allow you to pass WHEN possible and I would never harass them. Men will refuse point blank as they don't want to be over taken by a women or they go past you on a descent at a very dodgy moment taking you out and then hey are crap and you end up overtaking! This was a classic that I was having an Afan yesterday!!! Men can be too pig headed to sometimes except that women are better than them. Hence women only groups tend to go out and have a lot more fun ... plus as bunnyhop mentioned there is always cake and tea at the end.
Again a lot of people get introduced through boyfriend/husband and getting/giving advice can turn into rows. You go out with mates you are more likely to take their advice when riding especially if it's a women who you have followed and realise are quite good a downhilling or techincal single track. I have a mate that's pants at downhilling, I can shout at her to get her weight off the saddle or she'll crash, when her boyfriend does they both end up sulking for hours!!
I think definately women only rides and bring back a women only forum. Shecycles was great and very well used with, here just frustrates me sometimes look at the typical first few post responses that you get!! I know some of it is meant in jest but with newbies coming along they may just be put off.
I know some of it is meant in jest but with newbies coming along they may just be put off.
to be frank if they're put off by a few mild ribald remarks being smashed into rocks, soaked in sweat and covered in filth isn't going to appeal either 🙁
some recent off colour remarks by female riders:
1) this is so good, all I need now is an orgasm
2) I make the same noises on a steep climb as when I'm having sex!
Trails graded for women is a bit patronizing IMO.
If there is something I don't like the look of riding then I won't - I like my teeth where they are and do not feel the urge to try to compete with more competent riders - both female and male - I know my limitations. Been out today with two blokes and we did see a number of ladies out riding - one lady did catch the eye of the guys when she started doing her stretching exercises in a low cut cropped top (rolls eyes!). WSD bikes and ladies clothing has come along in leaps and bounds to encourage ladies to ride.
Maybe the marketing of mountain biking in some of the magazines as adrenaline fueled sport with a macho undertone doesn't help.
Boys find competent biking girls sexy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but girls find boys who dance well sexy.
So the moral of this story is for more boys to take dancing classes and more girls to join MTB clubs. 🙂
At the end of the day it'll be up to the woman to start this hobby if she wishes to, same rule applies to any hobby for a man - you do it because you want to and because you can, unless of course you have pushy partners! 😆
I started biking because I was intrigued and overall have loved every minute of it.
Tailoring things to a woman defeats the object as I suspect most of us would want to be treated as equals.............same goes for the birds that play footy.
Bend it like [b]aleigh[/b] :o)
Well............I hate football so wouldn't be bending anything personally!
I don't get all this "male" sport millarky regarding mtb'ing.
I see rugby as a male sport and football(yes I know some women play them), but I view mtb'ing like skiing...a non gender-specific activity.
If women want to ride bikes then they will!
Been out today up at Keswick and saw as many women riding as men.
I do agree that a lot of the time if women want to ride they will, however he less confident amongst us (I'm not ashamed to say I'm not) just need a little encouragement away from the glaring eyes of machismo, and I'm not normally one for saying that. But I really want to encourage more women to MTB I see how much joy, how many friends I've met and awesome holidays I've had through MTbing and I want others to feel my love!
I don't think women specific trails will work (IMO) but rides, support, interne sites then yes, some women will not feel comfortable posting on here, like the recent bloke that asked for some women he could e-mail. His girlfriend has a personal question that she didn't want to post, loads of us answered and hopefully sorted out her problems!
FoxyChick
I don't get all this "male" sport millarky regarding mtb'ing.
I see rugby as a male sport and football(yes I know some women play them), but I view mtb'ing like skiing...a non gender-specific activity.
The majority of women don't like being cold wet and dirty. The majority of women don't like peeing in the bushes. The majority of women don't particularly like being covered in cuts and bruises. The majority of women aren't very mechanically minded. The majority of women aren't interested in tech or gadgetry. The majority of women don't like spending their free time digging in the woods. The majority of women think riding bikes in the mountains is silly/dangerous/pointless etc.
how do you know?
[i]The majority of women don't like being cold wet and dirty. The majority of women don't like peeing in the bushes. The majority of women don't particularly like being covered in cuts and bruises. The majority of women aren't very mechanically minded. The majority of women aren't interested in tech or gadgetry. The majority of women don't like spending their free time digging in the woods. The majority of women think riding bikes in the mountains is silly/dangerous/pointless etc. [/i]
Well thank god I'm not in the majority of women then!! 8)
Oh, and I don't much like peeing out and about...but hey... 😉
The majority of women don't like spending their free time digging in the woods
me either! I want to have fun and that sounds too much like work 🙁
aleigh
how do you know?
Ah.....you caught me out. I realise now that I was making sweeping generalisations based on impressions received from every female in my life as opposed to any serious statistical research.
Oh, and what's all this digging in the woods about? 😉
Oh, and what's all this digging in the woods about?
it's all they have in the sarf where there are no mountains 🙁
Ah, poor sarfunners!!! 😉
FoxyChick
Oh, and what's all this digging in the woods about?
Er, it's just something some men do so we can get away from the wives for a few hours.
Er, it's just something some men do so we can get away from the wives for a few hours.
I don't think it's fair gay men marry women as camouflage 🙁
[i]Er, it's just something some men do so we can get away from the wives for a few hours. [/i]
Urmm...digging in the woods/riding my bike?...hard choice that one! 😉
simonfbarnes
I don't think it's fair gay men marry women as camouflage
I know, it's shocking behaviour. Luckily very few engage in it.
Peeing outdoors is one of life's great pleasures. One just has to make sure one remembers the tissues (and disposes of them in an ecological manner of course).
There is/was a huge gap in the way shecycles and STW forums were used.
Here you can have banter, jokes and aggression all in the same thread.
At shecycles the girls all sort of knew each other (at least by association) and had polite discussions with questions being quicky and truthfully answered. Always a lot of ,Hi how are you, type posts, really happy vibe.
Over here a women can even end up with nasty comments if she posts up anything. This is all imo and then again I'm a sensitive so and so.
As for weeing in the woods/bushes/blade of grass on the moors, it's fine by me.
Yes, but jojo, I like riding in bibs which means everything has to come off!! 😳
FoxyChick
Yes, but jojo, I like riding in bibs which means everything has to come off!!
I approve of this type of thing.
There you go.... One of the reasons why a female might choose not to go on a ride arranged through here. The idea that if she popped behind a bush, someone might be trying to get an eyeful! Despite the fact that the lads you ride with will pee right next to you while you're having your sandwich. As long as they've got their back to you they think its fine!
More seriously - Chappy1 - there was a big discussion about a womens only forum on here, initiated by the STW towers lot. After Shecycles had shut down. A lot of that is repeated on here. Maybe you can search for that thread.
As an aside to SFB - you promote yourself as someone who encourages more women on rides but personally I would [b]NEVER[/b] go on one of your rides as you are not only open about your appreciation of women's behinds (as you say most men are probabaly looking anyway, but what I don't know I don't get embarrassed/angry about) but you then choose to share your comments and photos on a public forum, possibly encouraging men who weren't even on the ride to join in.
*waves to jennyh*
Hello!!! How you doing???
Hope to see you at some event or other this year! 🙂
*waves back* 🙂 Hi FC.
I'm running lots (another marathon !!), but hope to get back on the bike properly after May. Events?......... I'm waiting to see this years mud levels. That Selkirk Merida was the final straw!
jennyh: SFB has his critics on here but to be fair he never posts pictures without the riders consent (and has removed pics on request before), there's never anything other than good-natured banter on the Bogtrotters rides and there's no shortage of women in the club either!
I've only ever ridden with them a few times (usually too slow for me) but the times I've been out with them have always been great rides with friendly people.
Jenny...which marathon are you doing?
Just think of the abs!! 8)
as always an interesting range of opinions 🙂 Chappy1 - shecycles.net is back up and running, and although quiet is appreciated by those who use it. I'm happy to ask questions on ST, but am more likely to use Shecycles to arrange rides or to ask more detailed women-specific questions (for example on crank lengths for short women).
I usually ride with friends, male and female, ranging from those who are slower than me to those who a far faster and more proficient! There are definately more guys than girls though. On the 'women-only' ride topic - I went to Morzine on a women-only downhill skills week and it was ace - a realyy good laugh whilst also being supportive when we all (repeatedly!) crashed. It was also fun to see the reactions we got in Morzine as a groups of women doing downhil mtb - we got strangers coming up to us all the time to ask who we were! I definately wouldn't have gone if it had been mixed as I think that it would have been predominantly male and the atmosphere would have been really different, and I suspect more 'macho' and less honest.
I also first learn to kayak as part of a women-only course (run by the council to encourage more women into kayaking). The guy who did the training said there was a massive difference in the way girls and guys learnt to paddle, and what sort of paddling the women won't to do in the future.
In both mtb'ing and paddling it's always been great to meet up with other girls as you get a chance to try other bikes, swap suggestions for kit, and generally have better trail snacks 🙂
but personally I would NEVER go on one of your rides
it's your choice - but many seem able to put up with me...
I always make it clear that any rider can have shots of themselves removed without having to give an explanation, and only 2 women have ever done this - one because she felt her bum looked too big in that and the other because she felt a shot 'had no artistic merit'. I don't see anything wrong in complimentary remarks about riders so long as they are not demeaning.
you promote yourself as someone who encourages more women on rides
I'm not promoting myself - it's just a matter of record - since I started running beginner rides the club has attracted far more women
Fair enough Crazy Legs - but from reading this forum that is my opinion, and it would stop me riding with Bogtrotters if I knew SFB was going to be on the ride.
FC - Edinburgh. Abs are good from biking too, just covered up a bit. The running does help get rid of that extra layer. Fewer cafe stops and a bad tummy after using those gels!
"possibly encouraging men who weren't even on the ride to join in"
and? 😀
[sorry if you feel harassed about this, but it's not pervy, it's just healthy blokes, see?]
Jenny...just remember you telling me about your abs after your Paris(?) marathon!! Happy training! 8)
and it would stop me riding with Bogtrotters if I knew SFB was going to be on the ride
I could offer to delete any shots including you ?
I think cycling can be very male dominated. Without sounding like a pr**k MTB can be very physical and i don't think that appeals to a lot of women the way it does men. That said I always see women out riding and racing all over the country. I think more could be done to make MTB appeal to women. Most magazines now are targeted at both sex's, so maybe its just a matter of time now as the sport grows ever in popularity.
Just spent a weekend with a married couple in Yorkshire. She's not too confident on technical stuff, her fitness is ok as hillwalking and climbing are the usual outdoor pursuits of this woman.
We spent some time working at aspects of technique on all three days, sessioning bits that caused wobbles and cries of alarm. By the end of todays ride we had a woman who wants to ride technical downhill and improve some more.
It helped that:-
a the routes were not too long 25km on Saturday was longest;
b we took our time and kept a look out for pieces of the trail to session that weren't too steep and repeated them until it was second nature;
c regular stops for food and drink and catching up.
It would seem that time and attention to deficiencies are part of the secret of success.
There's always a few women out riding at trail centres. If you want to research something even more useful how do we get more people from ethnic backgrounds involved. Far less represented in MTBing.
I must add that my idea of "hell" would to be on a ride with a large group of women only.
Well actually, riding in any kind of large group...
I work in a female dominated place...30 women/1 man...
I also hate going out to the pub etc. with a large group of women...
Mtb'ing is for me real quality time...either by myself or with a couple of friends.
Maybe I'm odd..but I couldn't give a monkey's!! 😉
SFB - I didn't know you allowed people to vet them. I only have the information I get from this forum, there may be many other women who feel the same, only having read this forum. That is my point, as the thread is about what might limit women biking.
FC - oh yes! I like to think that the abs are always there, it was just so satisfying to actually be able to see them! That is part of the motivation for training. You sound like you're doing well, solo rides now too?
i agree with a lot of the posts
my missus likes getting out in the country and the exercise benefits
but she finds other male bikers very intimidating
a big issue is that beginner bikes are heavy and without being sexist blokes are stronger than women my missus certainly finds hers a tank especilly if she has to lift it
even spending 500 on an wsd bike doesnt make things much lighter, especially if you want reliablity
without me badgering her she would never have got into it and finally convincing her to spend some decent cash
basically light framed and specced, not overbuilt bikes are not easy to find at the prices a woman starting out in mtb is happy to pay
Aye, well jenny, there's nothing like a new bike to get you motivated!! 8)
jennyh
The idea that if she popped behind a bush, someone might be trying to get an eyeful! Despite the fact that the lads you ride with will pee right next to you while you're having your sandwich. As long as they've got their back to you they think its fine!
The men are probably only peeing beside your sandwiches because they don't want to discriminate against you.