# Male dominated...and the reason is?



## totallyfixed (16 Nov 2009)

I'm asking because Mrs TF is the only female fixed I know. Well not quite true, there is one other locally [triathlete] who has a fixed but never rides it. Cycling in general we know is male dominated but why is there almost a complete absence of ladies? Is it a confidence thing? 
I persuaded Mrs TF to give it a go on the road after she had ridden track a couple of times, after one ride on the road she was hooked. It will almost certainly get her stronger for next year's TT season and from a mental viewpoint it is building her confidence. 
Any other explanations?


----------



## Tim Bennet. (16 Nov 2009)

> Mrs TF is the only female fixed I know


Some people suggest that women are brighter than men.

This would support that claim; they reserve their fashion choices to frocks and shoes.


----------



## totallyfixed (16 Nov 2009)

Tim Bennet. said:


> Some people suggest that women are brighter than men.
> 
> This would support that claim; they reserve their fashion choices to frocks and shoes.



Ducking for cover....


----------



## Landslide (16 Nov 2009)

Outside of London, I probably know more female riders than fixed riders.
When I'm down in London, there's probably a higher percentage of women in the fixed scene than there are women in the general cycling scene. What's my point...? No idea!


----------



## addictfreak (16 Nov 2009)

I dont come across many female cyclists at all wether fixed, road, mtb etc. Which is a shame i think.


----------



## MacB (16 Nov 2009)

The female guide to fixed perfection:-

think about fixed, decide you need the options of gears and freewheel, dismiss as being too limiting and impractical


The male guide to achieving fixed perfection:-

you get curious about single speed and whether you're 'man enough', you dress this up as a desire for simplicity.

once you've looked into SS you realise that it lacks the macho connotations of fixed

you then buy into the 'human bike interface being sublime' idea of fixed

the bike will be minimal and needs to be steel to cope with your 'power'

it will have a front brake only and you will laughingly refer to how you have everlasting brake blocks as your powerful legs mean you don't need to use it

you will half kill yourself learning nonchalant trackstanding - no other type will do

the gear will be large but, despite almost killing you to get up an incline, will only ever be referred to as the 'easy' Winter training gear

while internally screaming 'look at me and tremble/worship before my raw power', outwardly you will, at all times, be casual about the whole thing

when descending you'll fail to recognise how silly you look with your legs spinning 90 to the dozen, you'll also lie about how much you use your brakes

you will learn to patronise users of 'gears' in many subtle ways, always to include, when reaching the top of a hill, 'that used to be so much easier with gears'

at all times you will MTFU, at no point do you mention your knees are about to explode and your face should never betray you via a grimace of pain

if injury, due to fixed riding, forces you off the bike, that injury will always be blamed on something else


simples


----------



## patheticshark (16 Nov 2009)

-the fixed gear scene is portrayed as very masculine, look at Knog's advertising
-there are less women riding than men generally
-there are especially less women riding in the age bracket that most fixed gear riders are in - women aged 16-26 are less likely to ride than any other age/gender group

however: there is not a complete absence of ladies. There are tons of female fixed riders in London, especially with Charge and their attempt at world domination... more singlespeed yeah, but those girls probably just like going fast down hills. And what about Vicky Pendleton/Lizzie Armitstead/Wendy Houvenaghel etc...

there may be a complete absence where you're looking from, but not where I am.


----------



## totallyfixed (16 Nov 2009)

The conclusion to date then is [aside from track riders] fixed/ss females only live in London and have thighs of steel


----------



## patheticshark (17 Nov 2009)

Because it's vaguely related, and because I made a new blog today and now I am shamelessly shoving it in everyone's faces, here is a blog post on teenage girls and riding bikes. Or not riding bikes.

http://40milesofhell.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/whats-stopping-teenage-girls-from-riding-bikes/


----------



## totallyfixed (17 Nov 2009)

patheticshark said:


> Because it's vaguely related, and because I made a new blog today and now I am shamelessly shoving it in everyone's faces, here is a blog post on teenage girls and riding bikes. Or not riding bikes.
> 
> http://40milesofhell.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/whats-stopping-teenage-girls-from-riding-bikes/



Good post. It's a topic of much debate in our house and I think we tend to agree with you. On another thread I've suggested that role models would have a very important part to play in getting girls cycling.
I personally think that Jo Rowsell and Sarah Storey would be ideal, but of course, and here's the sticking point, we need the media.


----------



## trio25 (18 Nov 2009)

It's probably the same ratio overall, but if there are less female cyclists to begin with then it leads to less fixed cyclists?


----------



## totallyfixed (18 Nov 2009)

trio25 said:


> It's probably the same ratio overall, but if there are less female cyclists to begin with then it leads to less fixed cyclists?



I don't think so, I'm a club cyclist and a member of CTC, in fact my last club had about 250 members out of which maybe 30 were female but none rode fixed. London aside I've never met one. I'm just curious as to why - from a female point of view.


----------



## trio25 (18 Nov 2009)

How many of the men rode fixed?

There are a few about, I work with a girl who rides fixed, only one of the boys does so its even there.


----------



## robin IX (25 Nov 2009)

I think it just depends where you are. I know e few girls who ride predominantly on fixed.
Though generally round here (norwich) there are plenty of girls riding in general, but I think that's due to the university.


----------



## Baggy (25 Nov 2009)

My main reason for not riding fixed is that it's darned hilly round these parts. The second is that I just don't fancy it.

I do know one fixed rider of the lady persuasion who lives in Scotland, and knew several more when I lived in London.


----------



## totallyfixed (26 Nov 2009)

Baggy said:


> I just don't fancy it.



As the saying goes, you never know until you try. For most it's a revelation even in fairly hilly areas. My considerably better half was very nervous about trying fixed, can't get her off it now.


----------



## GrahamG (26 Nov 2009)

Women less likely to be fashion victims?


----------



## arallsopp (26 Nov 2009)

GrahamG said:


> Women less likely to be fashion victims?



Yeah... Cos we blokes own _so_ many pairs of shoes....

Nah. Girls are just too sensible to get caught up in it. Or too busy shopping. Did I say that? Goodness.


----------



## totallyfixed (26 Nov 2009)

GrahamG said:


> Women less likely to be fashion victims?



Blimey, if it's a fashion it never caught on here, er does that mean you are saying that fixed riders on here are doing it to be fashionable?


----------



## patheticshark (26 Nov 2009)

lots.of.girls.ride.fixed.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5CNtIPd7IQ


----------



## patheticshark (26 Nov 2009)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clefty/3670650513/sizes/m/in/set-72157620713536630/


----------



## patheticshark (26 Nov 2009)

http://www.pedalconsumption.com/files/juliet_elliot_barspin_n_tights.jpg

http://www.candycranks.com/


----------



## patheticshark (26 Nov 2009)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclodelic/3377938744/in/set-72157615780058010/


----------



## patheticshark (26 Nov 2009)




----------



## totallyfixed (27 Nov 2009)

Some great looking bikes there PS, crap riding though. As usual red lights totally ignored in London, it's a different planet to the one most of us occupy [apologies to Mancurians if they have similiar experiences]. Sure it looks trendy and the soundtrack adds to the flavour but I bet it pissed more than a few drivers off which aint going to further the cause of cyclists everywhere.


----------



## fossyant (27 Nov 2009)

Loads of Fixed riders in Manc land..... , but we do have a number of hard core ladies - I believe - I'm not part of the fixed scene up here...... my bike is too much like a road bike (looks like one and has guards)........ I'd be laughed at, until I scalped them.... 

No 'do a skid' here......tyres cost too much (£35 each) and .............I can't do them  .........I blame that on good tyres  and a lack of BMX skills...........


----------



## robin IX (28 Nov 2009)

fossyant said:


> No 'do a skid' here......tyres cost too much (£35 each) and .............I can't do them  .........I blame that on good tyres  and a lack of BMX skills...........



I argree on the cost of tyres front, I have 44/17 to even out the wear.
As to the BMX skills, unweighting the back wheel is just a general bike handling skill I thought.


----------

