Ladies - I want your cycling shorts.

[mudsticks]

The daisy shorts are unbranded (I got them from my LBS 8 years ago) and marked 'designed by Polaris'.

Ta,

I could always embroider flowers onto plain shorts anyhow I guess.

They sound pretty 🌻🌻🌻

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I've just Googled them.
All I could see were lycra shorts or unpadded shorts.
They might be good, but won't fit the bill here.

 

[Reynard]

I'm not.
I daren't.
I won't.
I'm too young to die.

It helps stop the fabric rubbing against things it shouldn't - nature's natural anti-chafe and all that.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

It helps stop the fabric rubbing against things it shouldn't - nature's natural anti-chafe and all that.

Ah. I see. I'm still not going to suggest it.
I mentioned chamois cream earlier and only just ducked in time

We are talking about my wife. She is not in any way shape or form a cyclist.
She rides a bike purely for fitness, cardio vascular exercise, muscle toning and to get out of the house and away from me. She enjoys it but has no understanding of the details of riding a bike (or trike in her case).
She never even checks tyre pressures - that's my job - so you can see what I'm up against.

 

[mudsticks]

Ah. I see. I'm still not going to suggest it.
I mentioned chamois cream earlier and only just ducked in time

We are talking about my wife. She is not in any way shape or form a cyclist.
She rides a bike purely for fitness, cardio vascular exercise, muscle toning and to get out of the house and away from me. She enjoys it but has no understanding of the details of riding a bike (or trike in her case).
She never even checks tyre pressures - that's my job - so you can see what I'm up against.

Well she's certainly a tricyclist ..

If all those reasons aren't enough to make you a cyclist - ie the pushing of pedals round to achieve forward motion whilst experiencing enjoyment and healthful exercise..

Then what does it take ??

Shoot, I'm starting to wonder if I'm even a 'proper' cyclist ..??

I mainly do it for those reasons..

What am I missing 🤔

 

[Reynard]

Ah. I see. I'm still not going to suggest it.
I mentioned chamois cream earlier and only just ducked in time

We are talking about my wife. She is not in any way shape or form a cyclist.
She rides a bike purely for fitness, cardio vascular exercise, muscle toning and to get out of the house and away from me. She enjoys it but has no understanding of the details of riding a bike (or trike in her case).
She never even checks tyre pressures - that's my job - so you can see what I'm up against.

Well, chamois cream smacks too much of nappy rash cream - not surprised the tub was sent wanging back towards you with some degree of, erm, alacrity!

Although I guess some of us have fewer hang ups about discussing "down there" than most.

 

[Blue Hills]

I'm told you can buy them in M&S so you'd better be careful

On a long country ride with an lcc group i once had a woman ride in front of me wearing a pink thong. She was a ctc member tho don't think the ctc shop as was sold thongs.

 

[mudsticks]

Well, chamois cream smacks too much of nappy rash cream - not surprised the tub was sent wanging back towards you with some degree of, erm, alacrity!

Although I guess some of us have fewer hang ups about discussing "down there" than most.

It's complicated isn't it?

Its all very well for us more strong minded sorts to say 'stuff and nonsense' to people less willing to discuss this stuff .

But the truth of it is that many women are made to feel uncomfortable, at the schoolboy leering, unsympathetic comments, or even harassment they get when talking about their bodies.

Add in to that, centuries of messaging that says
"Nice girls don't talk about / think about / or even educate themselves about their own anatomy"

If they do, they're in some way bringing trouble on themselves, or being 'unladylike'.

I've had a lot of women in my yoga classes who have pretty much 'disassociated themselves from their bodies altogether, for a variety of reasons.

We work on that.

But its all leads to not really feeling 'at home' in their own bodies - which is a shame.

Like I say, it's easier for us 'robust' sorts..

Sadly, not everyone is at that level of confidence yet ..

Just telling these women to 'get over themselves' doesn't help ime.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

truth of it is that many women are made to feel uncomfortable, at the schoolboy leering, unsympathetic comments, or even harassment they get when talking about their bodies.

Indeed. Some of the comments really are pathetic.
I spent some time on the Singletrack forum when I was riding mtb. It was embarrassing reading the macho man comments about women and their bodies. And the discussions usually turned to sex and became almost obscene.
Sad thing is nobody batted an eyelid.
I left.

 

[mudsticks]

Indeed. Some of the comments really are pathetic.
I spent some time on the Singletrack forum when I was riding mtb. It was embarrassing reading the macho man comments about women and their bodies. And the discussions usually turned to sex and became almost obscene.
Sad thing is nobody batted an eyelid.
I left.

Yup I was on there for a bit

I can see why there were not so many women.

We either have to 'tough it out' and pretend we don't care --

Or worse still join in, be 'one of the lads'

Or we just absent ourselves.
If you say anything contrary, you're shot down for being all 'pious' or uptight or whatever.

Its neither .

Its just showing some respect for other peoples feelings..

There are a lot of people who have had really bad experiences at the hands of men like that.

Why would they want to hang around with them, even online ??

I just wish more guys would say something , cos those sorts sure as hell aren't listening to 'wimmin' like me.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I just wish more guys would say something , cos those sorts sure as hell aren't listening to 'wimmin' like me.

It's a waste of time. Guys who complain about inappropriate comments towards women, especially in the mtb world, are just seen as softies. they are not popular.
Funny thing is....Mr Macho mtber will call all women any name under the sun, but you make a single comment about his woman and he's quite likely to flatten you.
It's just sheer uncontrolled testosterone. And it's all wrong.

 

[Reynard]

It's complicated isn't it?

Its all very well for us more strong minded sorts to say 'stuff and nonsense' to people less willing to discuss this stuff .

But the truth of it is that many women are made to feel uncomfortable, at the schoolboy leering, unsympathetic comments, or even harassment they get when talking about their bodies.

Add in to that, centuries of messaging that says
"Nice girls don't talk about / think about / or even educate themselves about their own anatomy"

If they do, they're in some way bringing trouble on themselves, or being 'unladylike'.

I've had a lot of women in my yoga classes who have pretty much 'disassociated themselves from their bodies altogether, for a variety of reasons.

We work on that.

But its all leads to not really feeling 'at home' in their own bodies - which is a shame.

Like I say, it's easier for us 'robust' sorts..

Sadly, not everyone is at that level of confidence yet ..

Just telling these women to 'get over themselves' doesn't help ime.

You've got it surrounded @mudsticks - couldn't have put it better myself.

It's the whole suffer-in-silence thing, isn't it? Mind, I went to an all-girls school, and even though the teachers did try, there was still that squelching embarrassment whenever any sort of bodily functions or anatomy was discussed. And a lot of teasing and bullying. I got overheard talking to a friend about PMS, and I then had to put up with crap for weeks after.

When you've got a culture like that, it's just easier to keep quiet. And if you keep quiet, it just leads to problems.

Am really lucky that I can talk about these things with some close friends (one of whom is male) as well as my mum. I've got no hang ups about my body - there's nothing to be embarrassed about, after all - and I guess I would find it difficult to put myself in the shoes of someone who can't talk about these things as easily as I do.

 

[mudsticks]

It's a waste of time. Guys who complain about inappropriate comments towards women, especially in the mtb world, are just seen as softies. they are not popular.
Funny thing is....Mr Macho mtber will call all women any name under the sun, but you make a single comment about his woman and he's quite likely to flatten you.
It's just sheer uncontrolled testosterone. And it's all wrong.

Well who cares about being popular with @rhols like that?


But yeah i know what you mean - one rule for 'my women'

While all the 'others' are 'fair game' - talk about cognitive dissonance..

I think there are some better role models emerging now - but progress is rarely linear.

 

[Cirrus]

Whilst I can't vouch for the women's wear I do use these www.runderwear.co.uk both for running and cycling if I'm not using padded shorts etc, I find them very comfortable.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

A mate of mine was a masseur type guy in his retirement. He became closely involved with British Cycling, and through that he got to know some of the long distance guys.
There was an attempt at the mixed tandem LeJog record, and he was asked and agreed to be soigneur/masseur/support person. All was fine until somewhere in Scotland when the lady part of the team began to have problems "down there". Chafe etc., all the usual long distance complaints.
She asked him to treat those regions with his various potions and creams and dropped her pants for him. He did the job and they carried on - and got the record.
Funny thing is...several of us and our wives were out together one night and this story came out in conversation. All 4 guys just shrugged their shoulders with the view that the treatment was all part and parcel of long distance stuff. The women all went berserk. His wife still holds it against him more than 20 years later!!!