Where are the women?

[iceratt]

I look at bike riding in all seasons to be gender neutral, but there are certainly more men than women riding in summer, and it's almost exclusively men in winnter. Why is that?

Is it that we are more reckless, macho, adventurous, or what? Can any women help me understand the difference? Or will the men have to ponder this mystery on our own?

[outashape]

We usually have about 30 people on a typical club ride in the summer. In the winter the size drops to about 10-12 people. It is usually 5-6 men and 5-6 women, although often we have more women. It helps that we are a touring club. Our (weekend) average in the summer is 18-20 mph and 60-80 miles in length and in the winter we are currently riding about 16-18 mph for only 30-50 miles.

[flbikerman]

It might have something to do with it being cold. :p

[Jean Beetham Smith]

I don't post to this forum much anymore because I have my kit down pretty well. In the winter most riders on diamond frames look pretty genderless if they don't have a beard. Make no mistake, we are out there, it ain't no big thing.

[iceratt]

It would only be a big thing if you weren't out there. Possibly I was incorrect in my assumption that most of the layered, masked, blobs hunched over handle bars that I see, are men. The few winter cyclists that I know, with one exception, are men. Clearly, I hang with the wrong croud.

[Zub Zub]

Because its cold and wet and yukky

[MtnBikerChk]

I don't post to this forum much anymore because I have my kit down pretty well. In the winter most riders on diamond frames look pretty genderless if they don't have a beard. Make no mistake, we are out there, it ain't no big thing.


lol!

January to April I'm tied to my desk and I'm too tired to ride on Sunday (my only day off).

what can ya do - gotta work to pay for my toys!

[spexy]

I look at bike riding in all seasons to be gender neutral, but there are certainly more men than women riding in summer, and it's almost exclusively men in winnter. Why is that?

Is it that we are more reckless, macho, adventurous, or what? Can any women help me understand the difference? Or will the men have to ponder this mystery on our own?

We're out there but in fewer numbers for sure. I was out on the cedar lake trail with my MTB yesterday braving the ice 'n such. I was the only woman riding. Saw a handleful of men. Mostly men and women were just walking the trail. I think people assume that snow and ice are going to be treacherous on a bike but I haven't had any falls or anything.

You can tell by the percentages on this forum that men are more of the hard core bike set than women. It may be non-PC to say, but I think women GENERALLY just aren't as 'reckless, macho or adventurous' as you've put it. That has changed ALOT in the past few decades but there is still a difference in the sexes.

Anyway we ARE out there and growing in number.

[Shannon-UT]

Isn't a person allowed to participate in other sports? I switch and do the cross country skiing thing when there's snow on the ground. Usually the XC skiers get all pissed when someone has ridden a bike over their nice tracks. XC trails are just biking/hiking trails covered with snow. My bike gets broken down and cleaned this time too.

I've already got all the right set up for XC skiing and don't have to spend one more cent. I know I don't have the right set up for winter biking, and would probably need to invest in some specialty items. Plus biking on snowy, icy trails cut out of a 45 degree mountain side doesn't sound safe to me.

But cold isn't my issue, obviously since I XC ski. So if I had money to get all set up, and a decent place to ride where I wouldn't be yelled at or fall off a mountain side due to trail conditions, I'd probably bike too.