Cycling Minister: "Even females could ride bikes!"

[jarlrmai]

It's conflating a symptom of the problem with the problem itself to further deflect blame away from the actual issue which they are refusing to solve.

People don't not cycle because of the "lycra mob" they may look at the "lycra mob" and think "if that's what it takes to cycle on these roads then it's not for me." But it's not actually the fault of those who are currently cycling, they are just doing what it takes to use a bike as transport.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I wore lycra today.....but only under my coat!

The minister manages to see an issue worth mentioning but in a typical government way, manages to get it wrong and miss the point.. Many of us sneer at cycle paths and prefer to ride with traffic but not everyone feels so confident...the question is how to allow the development of confidence on cycle paths etc before moving on to sharing the road confidently, assertively and competently.

I took a (ladies as it happens, but that is not as relevant as the "minister-who-has-never-heard-of-Victoria-Pendleton" suggests) single speed old school upright bike to work on Monday and I felt more nervous because of my lack of ability to do anything other than pootle. I was much happier today on my normal bike with the ability to cycle to the conditions, to speed up approaching a junction with traffic, claiming my space rather than wobbling in the edge or wobbling in the middle of the lane at an unsuitable speed - I say wobbling because the flex in the old steel frame was so noticeable especially with a high quill stem.

But that's not a middle-aged, overweight or feminine issue, which is where he manages to go so wrong in an attempt to be Cycling Minister for the Daily Mail Brigade.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Oh good, I had thought that, despite cycling growth in London, the lack of cycling growth in London was my fault.

It's your fault for Glasgow.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Ordinary clothing and shopping baskets is ok in flat places but climbing hills is best done in lycra with drop handlebars! In my opinion.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

From somewhere east of here, I reckon. Not that I am bitter.

Hmm, I live just outside of Manchester and we're supposed to be a rain haven as the air and clouds start their rise over the pennines. I may get caught in a shower very occasionally but getting properly rained on is a rare treat. I can't remember the last time I got my waterproof packaway out. I think I'll give Swansea a miss if it is so bad

Ordinary clothing and shopping baskets is ok in flat places but climbing hills is best done in lycra with drop handlebars! In my opinion.

& each to their own, my hills get done in whatever I'm wearing and on whichever bike I happen to be on when I decide to go for a tootle out towards the peak district.

My one pair of lycra long bibs are very much an underlayer for the few days a year when it is really sub zero and too cold for just the one pair of trousers

 

[Frood42]

I don't wear lycra, I do wear a red cycling jacket with reflective trim, and have a hump backpack cover with reflective trim, mainly due to the times I ride.

I do have a seperate "kit" for cycling, mainly due to the distance and the fact I sweat easily.
It consists of a running t-shirt, running fleece, mountain bike padded shorts, football socks and hiking trainers.

At this time of year I mainly see a lot of lycra, and men, but I would have to say that is more due to the weather and the areas I cycle around, the roads are mainly very fast ones. I do see women about, some in Lycra, some not. I have seen some sit up bikes, but most are touring, hybrid or road bikes (with some cheap mountain bikes chucked in). I only really see Bromptons when I head more into Central London (I ride mainly around Woodford, Leytonstone, Stratford and Ilford during the week).

I really don't see an issue with Lycra, although it can be quite amusing to see bright pink knickers showing through when the leggings have started to go see through

I would like to see more "normal" slow cyclists doing short journeys, but the roads are just not that inviting...
How many people would be tempted to ride a sit up and beg around the three lane Stratford Gyratory I wonder...

Even the new CS2 extension segregated cycle lane is not that inviting, as it starts and ends nowhere, and is a poorly planned half arsed attempt...
.

 

[lesley_x]

I've noticed this tbh. Very few people take me seriously when I talk about cycling. My brother in law is a fantastic cyclist and we ride together and he chats to me about bikes etc, but he has seen first hand how much I love it. However, even in certain bike shops, I don't get taken seriously and men will never talk to me about cycling. I think they imagine I ride side saddle to avoid snagging my skirt or something, when the truth is I'm normally caked in mud but I do tend to favour male pursuits as frustrating as that is for me. I play video games and ride my bike(s) and really don't give a crap about fashion or lip gloss.

I see very few women cycling as a form of transport. Most women are concerned with how they would look on a bike. Certainly that has been the response my work colleagues give me when I roll in on two wheels! What about your hair?! Lol.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The moans about the rain are a red herring. It rarely rains (the figure of 12 days a year springs to mind from somewhere).

Where?

I'm in Glasgow and I've had rain on 9 days so far this year and were only 16 days into it.


GC

 

[lesley_x]

Where?

I'm in Glasgow and I've had rain on 9 days so far this year and were only 16 days into it.


GC

Rain 9 days in Glasgow? You must be in a dry part! I'm pretty sure I've had 16 days, and frequent flooding

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Rain 9 days in Glasgow? You must be in a dry part! I'm pretty sure I've had 16 days, and frequent flooding

9 commuting days, which is every day from 6/1 to today!

GC

 

[lesley_x]

9 commuting days, which is every day from 6/1 to today!

GC

Ahhh makes more sense now :P

 

[snorri]

Rain at any time of day doesn't count in this case!
If you cycle to work between say 08.30 and 09.00, and again between 16.30 and 17.00, Monday to Friday, then the chance of being caught in rain on your commute is really quite low. Rain at any time during the remaining 163 hours of the week will not affect your commuting .

 

[Davidc]

I think the minister was expressing himself badly on an issue he doesn't really understand.

I believe that the reason we don't have more cyclists, male and female, is that most of the population of Britain is lazy and soft. Lazy to the extent that most don't do any significant exercise of any sort and just eat and get fat using a car for any trip grater than ten metres from their front door, soft to the extent that if it's raining or not 21 deg C they moan all day and won't go outside the door if it can be avoided.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Rain at any time of day doesn't count in this case!
If you cycle to work between say 08.30 and 09.00, and again between 16.30 and 17.00, Monday to Friday, then the chance of being caught in rain on your commute is really quite low. Rain at any time during the remaining 163 hours of the week will not affect your commuting .

Eh, Snorri, I work shifts

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I see very few women cycling as a form of transport. Most women are concerned with how they would look on a bike. Certainly that has been the response my work colleagues give me when I roll in on two wheels! What about your hair?! Lol.

What I get is "are you not scared of the traffic?" or "are you not freezing?"
Thank goodness glamor is not required in my line of work, not that it would stop me