NationStates Jolt Archive

I've noticed that cyclists are by vast majority, male. Why.

We have better things to do..like NOT wear spandex.

I've noticed that cyclists are by vast majority, male. Why.
Bad balance.

Seriously.

We have better things to do..like NOT wear spandex.
What is this spandex you speak of?

It's part of their evil and cunning plan.

*nods sagely*

Bad balance.

Seriously.
How so? I thought they tend to have better balance than men (then again, that is when on foot).

Do mean in a city? In that case I put the answer down to male stupidity rather than female timidity. I have seen one to many mashed up cyclists in city streets. And one very lucky bastard who escaped going under a bus. His bicyle on the other hand was completely trashed. His bicyle wasn't so lucky, the main part of the frame was bent into a right angle.

Women are afraid of cycling? This is the first I've heard of it. So I should be afraid of my bike then? *eyes bike suspiciously*

What is this spandex you speak of?

Here http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.randsinrepose.com/assets/tb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2003/04/29/spandex.html&h=362&w=243&sz=64&hl=en&start=6&tbnid=E-FQQbliuOxBLM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=78&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspandex%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DG

Well, I can understand why some women would be afraid to go cycling in some cities. I am dutch, so I do everything by bike (Yes, the prejudice is true, I have two), but for people who are not taught how to ride a bike before being able to walk... some cities may appear scary

So when I want to break up with a girl I should guve her a bike... That is a good plan!

Women are afraid of cycling? This is the first I've heard of it. So I should be afraid of my bike then? *eyes bike suspiciously*
Not all. There are some visionaries among you. Like you.

Do mean in a city? In that case I put the answer down to male stupidity rather than female timidity. I have seen one to many mashed up cyclists in city streets. And one very lucky bastard who escaped going under a bus. His bicyle on the other hand was completely trashed. His bicyle wasn't so lucky, the main part of the frame was bent into a right angle.
Sorry, I don't see how men are stopping women from cycling. This is just bad cycling you're seeing. Not the fault of bikes themselves.

I personally have never witnessed a bike accident, nor have I been in one. Despite daily city cycling.

You know I've noticed the same thing about aviation. There are alot of male pilots, but very few female pilots.

Here http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.randsinrepose.com/assets/tb.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.randsinrepose.com/archives/2003/04/29/spandex.html&h=362&w=243&sz=64&hl=en&start=6&tbnid=E-FQQbliuOxBLM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=78&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspandex%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DG
Only racers wear that stuff when they cycle.

Only racers wear that stuff when they cycle.

Oh no! There are many recreational cyclists around here that wear them.

You know I've noticed the same thing about aviation. There are alot of male pilots, but very few female pilots.

That may be, and don't take this the wrong way.. Because a lot of civilian pilots were once military pilots. And, at least in the United States, women have only recently been let into the [Military] cockpit. None of those one's have really had a chance to retire to civilian life yet? Just a complete conjecture.

I've noticed that cyclists are by vast majority, male. Why.

Common sense. A car goes fast and weighs a whole lot more than the bike and I combined. The law says that since a bike is a wheeled vehicle, it has to be going in the same direction as traffic so I can't see what's behind me until it's on top of me. Lots of reasons, but basically, I don't want to end up as road pizza.

By the way, bicyclists are really annoying. They don't stay in the bike lanes, they take up the whole road, acting like they own it - actually acting resentfully when a car comes up and forces them to move back to where they belong. Roads are for cars, sidewalks are for pedestrians and bike lanes are for bicylcists - if you want to chat with your cycling friends, do it at a coffee shop, not on the road!

I bike fairly regularly and almost never wear bike pants. Usually I just wear street clothes and occasionally biking gloves.The only times I've worn bike pants were on long trips where I bike for miles upon miles, and on those I feel it's usually more comfortable to wear jeans or shorts over them.

As far as driving on the road goes, I usually use the roads because the sidewalks in my area start and stop randomly. Then again, I do most of my biking in the neighborhoods, and in my state (possibly most), bikes are allowed on roads with speed limits under 50 mph. Biking on a 50 mph road is, of course, absurd. I'd much prefer a bike path, as long as large groups of people aren't walking on them.

Well, I'm not a female, but I havn't biked much since I got hit by a car when going around my city. Was completely my right of way, and he wouldn't have hit me if he hadn't sped up in the intersection that I was going through.

I did for a bit after that, but then stopped. I don't know why I stopped, tho.

Perhaps women prefer public transit more often. :cool:

We have better things to do..like NOT wear spandex.
Yes, why waste your time cycling when you could be doing valuable things like waiting for a bus or waiting in a traffic jam. :rolleyes:

Lots of reasons, but basically, I don't want to end up as road pizza.
Basically, you're afraid. And it's not even a rational fear. In the past eight years in my country, about 3,600 people have died in car accidents. In the US, about 60,000 people die in car accidents every year.

I and many of my friends cycle and have never suffered an accident. I've seen more car accidents than bike accidents.

By the way, bicyclists are really annoying. They don't stay in the bike lanes, they take up the whole road, acting like they own it - actually acting resentfully when a car comes up and forces them to move back to where they belong.
So because you think cyclists are really annoying, you dismiss the idea of yourself cycling? Are you afraid that if you cycle, you will become annoying? Funny how you generalise about bicycles based on the actions of the few cyclists you notice, yet you don't generalise about cars based on the actions of asshole/incompetent drivers.

Your position has nothing to do with common sense whatsoever.

Oh no! There are many recreational cyclists around here that wear them.
I mainly use the bike as a method of transport, not recreation. You don't wear spandex when you're getting from A to B.

If more people cycled there would be less traffic jams, less pollution and more convenience.

Bad balance.

Seriously.

True, I can't ride a bike at all. I've tried many many times since the age of about 7 and not once have I succeeded. Sucks to be me, I feel like a retard.

I bike to school and regularly beat my friends who are driven there because they are stuck in traffic. I wear a helmet, which gives me some consolation when I am about to be plowed over in a crosswalk by an angry guy blabbing on his cell phone and driving a large SUV. Not a single girl rides a bike to my high school of 1200 kids. My guess is that it would mess up their hair/makeup/outfit.

i wonder if any of you have ever seen cyclists in the netherlands or CHina, where women cycle as often as men. and where its seen abnormal if you dont cycle?

I've noticed that cyclists are by vast majority, male. Why.

because biking in the city is really dangerous....at least in my city it is. sure we have a sidewalk, but its two inchs away from roaring traffic. you hit a rock on the sidewalk, you fall right into the traffic and your head is gone.

thats why women don't like cycling.

Not a single girl rides a bike to my high school of 1200 kids. My guess is that it would mess up their hair/makeup/outfit.

No offence whatsoever, but where the hell do you live? 0_o At my school (in The Netherlands), and in an area of at least 50 km from my house, about 60% of the people cycling are women. But in summer, I can understand why girls prefer not to cycle... Skirts are less hot, but you wouldn't want to cycle in a miniskirt... ^^; ...though too many girls do that anyway >.>"

because biking in the city is really dangerous....at least in my city it is. sure we have a sidewalk, but its two inchs away from roaring traffic. you hit a rock on the sidewalk, you fall right into the traffic and your head is gone.

thats why women don't like cycling.
Men are just as vulnerable to that as women are. Cycling is not really dangerous, unless if incidents like this are common.

Did you ever think about how many car accidents there are, and how dangerous driving is?

Men are just as vulnerable to that as women are. Cycling is not really dangerous, unless if incidents like this are common.

Did you ever think about how many car accidents there are, and how dangerous driving is?

yeah men are just as vulnerable to an accident as women are, but more men are willing to take the risk riding.

and sure driving is dangerous and there are many car accidents. The difference is it is a lot safer to be in a car-car accident rather than a car-bike accident. Kinda like how people say its a lot more dangerous to ride motocycles,

yeah men are just as vulnerable to an accident as women are, but more men are willing to take the risk riding.

and sure driving is dangerous and there are many car accidents. The difference is it is a lot safer to be in a car-car accident rather than a car-bike accident. Kinda like how people say its a lot more dangerous to ride motocycles,
But car-bike accidents are so much fewer than car-car accidents. Hell, many more pedestrians are injured or killed each year by cars than cyclists are.

Yes, why waste your time cycling when you could be doing valuable things like waiting for a bus or waiting in a traffic jam. :rolleyes:


Basically, you're afraid. And it's not even a rational fear. In the past eight years in my country, about 3,600 people have died in car accidents. In the US, about 60,000 people die in car accidents every year.

I and many of my friends cycle and have never suffered an accident. I've seen more car accidents than bike accidents.


So because you think cyclists are really annoying, you dismiss the idea of yourself cycling? Are you afraid that if you cycle, you will become annoying? Funny how you generalise about bicycles based on the actions of the few cyclists you notice, yet you don't generalise about cars based on the actions of asshole/incompetent drivers.

Your position has nothing to do with common sense whatsoever.


I mainly use the bike as a method of transport, not recreation. You don't wear spandex when you're getting from A to B.

I realize that in most European and Asian countries bicycles are the preferred means of transportation, especially for getting around locally. In the U.S. they aren't, cars outnumber bicycles by a substantial number and cyclists are virtually invisible to most drivers; bike lanes, a really silly invention, don't provide enough room for a bicyclist to ride safely and are frequently at cross-purposes with turning lanes - it really is unsafe to ride in the States, particularly places like Southern California with high population densities. Until cycling becomes more popular (and the rise in gas prices may give that impetus) and the powers-that-be start accomodating it, it won't be a safe means of transportation.

The annoying behavior of cyclists has nothing to do with my decision about bicycling on public streets, it was a sidebar. I can comment on that particular behavior without in any way detracting from my feelings (and previous comments) about asshole drivers of cars, SUVS and semi trucks (especially SUVs and semis).

True, I can't ride a bike at all. I've tried many many times since the age of about 7 and not once have I succeeded. Sucks to be me, I feel like a retard.


Tee hee :p If it's any consolation, I can't ride a bike either :D

No offence whatsoever, but where the hell do you live? 0_o At my school (in The Netherlands), and in an area of at least 50 km from my house, about 60% of the people cycling are women. But in summer, I can understand why girls prefer not to cycle... Skirts are less hot, but you wouldn't want to cycle in a miniskirt... ^^; ...though too many girls do that anyway >.>"

I live in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC. No girls bike to school, but not many boys do either. People are extremely lazy and anti-bike here, and they think I am unusual for riding 2 km to my school and occassionally 5 or 6km to some nearby stores. Generally poor people and kids bike, and stop when they get a car, with a few rare exceptions.

Uhn... I love cycling. I go cycling all the time. In fact, whenever I go to the grocery store, I go on my bicycle. I... what?