Commuting - Why are female bike commuters so rare?

Maybe they're not, but I rarely see one. Is it a man-thing? Or do I just live in a totally car-centric universe, where men think driving is more macho and women don't want to destroy their makeup?

Maybe it's just your area? At least in the summer, I see about equal amounts of men and women out there going to and from work. On the other hand, our mayor does a lot to promote cycling in the warmer months, so there's a lot more visibility of just about every shape and size of riders, and of both sexes.

Koffee

Metro Atlanta is a car-centric universe. But yeah, I think that commuting requires such a significant time committment that already-pressed women can't acquiesce to. Ladies take more time in the mornings, its pretty generally true.

Don't know, but I have seen a lot of women riding around on scooters lately, so the desire for more efficient city transport is there.

There is also the impression that riding a bicycle in traffic requires a certain amount of bravado, which is true to a limited extent, and women tend to go in for that sort of thing less than men. Before I get flamed - I'm not saying this is good or bad, it's just an observation.

Ho where to begin! Most of my friends concur that bikes are not very well thought out + need constant maintenance. A flat tire is all that it takes to deter most. To get a realistic commuter bike, it would mean either...helplessly visit the LB$ shop 2X/month to fix this or that, or be practically a mechanic.

Most women don't want to be in public messy, dirty, or smelly. Toss in bad weather 6mo's/yr and that about cinches it.

It's alot of scrambling to not embarrass other people too. I share an office with a guy that doesn't know I bike. Pretty funny waiting for him to FINALLY leave the room so I can "hang laundry" under the desk....and if I forget...there's a stinky little reminder that drifts out of the backpack around noon! :D

Don't know, but I have seen a lot of women riding around on scooters lately, so the desire for more efficient city transport is there.

There is also the impression that riding a bicycle in traffic requires a certain amount of bravado, which is true to a limited extent, and women tend to go in for that sort of thing less than men. Before I get flamed - I'm not saying this is good or bad, it's just an observation.

Not just bravado in traffic, but I think they like the feeling of being locked inside and more safe.

I too have noticed that there are next to zero for female commuters up here.

I see a few in Olympia, perhaps 20%.

Well, judging from my female friends and -ex's to whom I've put this question:

(1) fear of traffic

(2) not wanting to get sweaty or messy

(3) dresses

(4) not wanting to be geeky

(5) fear of harassment

I have noted a general absence of female bike commuters as well...

I think we can extend the question beyond commuters and ask it about cycling in general. I find the percentage of female commuters in this area is about the same as the percentage of female cyclists in general, i.e. very small. Those that I do see tend not to do it for very long. I think the harassment seems to be a big factor here. Even I often question whether it's worth it sometimes, and I'm the most arrogant creature in the universe!

I remember one female commuter I used to meet occasionally. She was quite enjoying it up until schoolies' week last year. I rode with here on the Thursday evening of that particular week (which is more like a fortnight these days), she described the whole experience that week as "absolutely horrible". I haven't seen her since. I really think all those 45 year old "teenagers" yelling, flashing and doing God only knows what else put her and numerous other females off.

In the 6 months I have been comuting here in the North Bay Area(north of SF mind you), I have yet to see a single female bike commuter. Plenty of road biker women on the weekends on the Sonoma county roads...but no commuters.
Bummer too, it would be nice to run across a female commuter! What's up ladies?

I often see one female commuter in my town..That is about it..Why do we not see more female cyclists, period...? On a nice day on the most popular cycling areas, I would guess maybe 20 % of roadies are women..

I have a good friend that I have tried to encourage to commute by bike. I have gotten far, she has done a few trips already, but methinks we may have hit the wall now. She feels she should be wearing a helmet, but cannot, due to helmet hair. I cannot disagree, she will look different after commuting with helmet. From her point of view driving to work is better than doing her hair again at work. We apparently have very different idea of what "doing your hair" actually means. I have also been informed that changing hairstyle or going bald is NOT an option.

My only hope now is that she tries her commute out a couple of times and gets addicted. It has been known to happen...

--J

typos, sigh

I know a couple of women bicycle commuters. They do it for the exercise, just like me.

I never see any women riding in the morning except around the university(students riding to school), but then I seldom see any other men cycling to work either.

I've only seen one female commuter in the last year and a half here. A few more road bikers on the weekends, as has been observed in other places, though in those cases they are 99% of the time riding with someone else/in a group, so it is undoubdtedly safer and they don't have to deal with all the runaround with changing when getting to work, leaving again, etc. It is hard to set up a commuting buddy in my experience. I have come across two other fellas in my general area/route but we have been unable to ever ride together to work due to schedules mostly. But also because one of the reasons I commute is so my shcedule can be my own. I don't want to have to be ready to ride at 8:30 am sharp everyday, sometimes I leave as late as 9:10, cause we have flex in-out times at the office and I can get there as late as 9:30. Maybe I am just more of a loner, but I've never seen any other commuters riding with partners either.

Well, judging from my female friends and -ex's to whom I've put this question:

(1) fear of traffic

(2) not wanting to get sweaty or messy

(3) dresses

(4) not wanting to be geeky

(5) fear of harassment

(6) ****

(7) robbery

I added that section because harassment is only a small portion of what we men do not have to face. I find now that I'm older, the teenagers leave me alone. Women on the other hand don't get a break.

At night, women have to be more careful where they walk. Men don't. I find riding a bike is actually safer than walking in a bad neighborhood because the crooks can't make a decision and by the time they do, you're long gone. But try telling that to a woman because they won't buy it. Maybe they're right.

I saw a lady riding this morning, but that's the first time I've seen her - or any woman - on my commute to work. But, I know a bunch of women riders through the bike project. They do all their own maintenence and everything, plus volunteer at the project so they work on bikes just about every day. Nifty. When I was in New York last week, I saw five or six girls pull up at Times Up (http://www.times-up.org/index.php) and enter as I was leaving. Seems the girl riders I've met are mostly bike activists of some sort, which I assume means they're commuters.

Ho where to begin! Most of my friends concur that bikes are not very well thought out + need constant maintenance. A flat tire is all that it takes to deter most. To get a realistic commuter bike, it would mean either...helplessly visit the LB$ shop 2X/month to fix this or that, or be practically a mechanic.


Man, I have no idea what kind of bike you're riding. I tune my bike up once and year and rarely have to touch it after that. In fact, besides putting air in the tires, I can't think of one thing I've had to do on my bike this year.

Bikes are very low maintenence. That's one of the things that makes them so appealing to people. It boggles the mind how people will deal with the constant upkeep of their car but freak out because they may get a flat tire twice a year.

I wish I had a bike like yours. Besides the occasional need that is not addressed in a springtime tuneup. Like my recent shift cables needing replaced, or a blown bottom bracket, or a snapped seat tube bolt (all example from me in the last year). There are loosed bolts occasionally, lubing and cleaning which are necessary when commuting everyday in any weather rain or shine summer or winter, a flat here or there, a popped spoke or two over time, checking and replacing batteries in head and rear lights, readjusting fenders that get out-of-line, etc. Its all the little stuff that can add up. I cannot honetly say that my bike has taken less maintenance and or repair work than my car over the last year. Cheaper work for sure in comparison, but not less.

I must have a good bike.

I always think that I should commute. But, it's a very short ride, so no real exercise benefit, and it crosses a very tricky highway access that I've never figured out a safe way to cross, and then goes through an office park that is extremely bike-unfriendly - high speed, narrow, twisting road with limited visibility. Overall, too much traffic and fumes to be fun. And then, getting to work sweaty with helmet-hair. I'll admit that I always want to, but it just doesn't seem wise.

(6) ****

(7) robbery

I added that section because harassment is only a small portion of what we men do not have to face.

You obviously don't live in my town!

From her point of view driving to work is better than doing her hair again at work.

I can't imagine she'd find my argument convincing, but here goes anyway:
Don't make your hair look nice before you ride just do it up nice after.

I see plenty of good looking women in NYC commuting by bike.

Most of the time I downshift once to quiet my rear freewheel and I can quietly stalk them for miles and miles through city traffic before they catch on and pepper spray me; which is when the spray in the eyes with water bottle comes in handy.

I see plenty of good looking women in NYC commuting by bike.

Most of the time I downshift once to quiet my rear freewheel and I can quietly stalk them for miles and miles through city traffic before they catch on and pepper spray me; which is when the spray in the eyes with water bottle comes in handy.

...and we wonder why they are so rare! j/k.

I think it has a lot to do with the society/enviroment we live in. Most of females where I work, are all done up looking their best when they motor into work every morning. Same with the guys. There are the few of us (guys that is) who roll in have a shower and look none the worse. Where I work the facilities exist that make it in my mind really easy to leave the car at home. Hell if we had a laundry room, I would just leave my clothes for work here too! I think that if the proper facilities exist women might be prompted to ride a bicycle.

Then there is the safety aspect of it. It gets dark eary in the spring and fall months usually around 6 pm. Personally I don't blame some women for being scared about riding on the streets in the evening. Too many friggin' arse holes and crack pots out-there. I can just imagine the catcalls and other remarks that could made on a commute home by anyone of them. Heck, I remember last year watching a guy and all his machismo try to pick up a female roadie on a ride home as we were stopped at a light. I was right behind her while buddy asked for her phone number, and told she "looked good" and all that jazz. And yes, she was fit and quite attractive. She did her best to ignore him and rolled away when the light turned green. Quite pathetic really. I passed her a little while later said hello and went about my business.

I am in no way speaking for the numerous female cyclists out there. Just my POV. If you commute then that's awesome. You've got my support. If you ride but don't commute I'm still on your side.

Word!

Man, I have no idea what kind of bike you're riding. I tune my bike up once and year and rarely have to touch it after that. In fact, besides putting air in the tires, I can't think of one thing I've had to do on my bike this year.

Bikes are very low maintenence. That's one of the things that makes them so appealing to people. It boggles the mind how people will deal with the constant upkeep of their car but freak out because they may get a flat tire twice a year.


Hear hear!

I dinker with my bike 24/7, in fact, I have to keep three bikes around so that I have enough mantinence to do on them. I LOVE working on bikes...I love fixing anything...it's like a mania almost. Most of the time I wind up fixing what's not broken and then I mess it up and have to fix it again...which suits me fine...

But how much of it do I really NEED to do?

Hardly anything.

You obviously don't live in my town!

Alright... So men on bikes do get robbed but how many do you know have gotten raped? This is a very big issue with women especially those who live in large cities.

Where I live, there's no way I could travel across town without going through the inner city. In fact, I like riding through the slums and poor sections of towns (with an older bike of course) because it's certainly more interesting than doing the same loop in the park week after week! For the life of me, I've never been assaulted or robbed or even come close!

We also forget the image problem that comes with utility cycling. Someone posted on his list, "Not wanting to be geeky" as a reason women don't want to commute. It's more like not wanting to look poor! The utility cyclist is considered too broke to afford motor transport or public transportation. Helmet hair can always be fixed but looking poor in front of your neighborhood is unacceptable.

When I moved into my new neighborhood, the mechanics across the street used to think I was too broke to afford a car. It took a while, but now they've accepted my bicycle commuting as "normal" and no longer stare at me in pity. Even my neighbors used to think the same way. Quite frankly. I could care less.

Most women don't want to be in public messy, dirty, or smelly.


I'm a woman commuter.

I love to get as sweaty as possible. I know I've worked hard then. I think you just have to be kinda sporty to want to bike to work is all. I'm all tomboy, always have been. I know I'll never see the clean Upper East Side girls on a bike, which is fine with me. They'll just get in the way :)

I just bring a change of clothes, rinse off my face. No biggie.

Could it be linked to the other job many women have? Family work?

In Montréal, between 35 and 50% of the commuters I see are women, but the number and percentage decrease when the weather turns sour. However, I live in the urban environment where commutes are fairly short and it generally takes less time to travel by bike than by any other means (including car).

However, I hear of few bike commuters going from downtown to Laval, the South shore, the West Island... IOW, to places where the commute would be 15-30 km long and might take as much time, or maybe a bit more, than by car.

As for foul weather cycling, could it be that many are afraid to freeze? Or to find the proper clothes? Or get dirty? (ans. get good fenders) Or are too mechanically challenged/misinformed to know what equipment could help iron out the bugs?

P.S. I know because the fastest ways to leave work and hit daycare before it closes at 6:00 p.m. is by bike, and the second fastest is by foot.

I'm a woman commuter.

I love to get as sweaty as possible. I know I've worked hard then. ...

uh ... you are sooo hot. :D

I see a woman on my commute. She has only missed something like 3 days in the last two years and that includes sub 0 degrees (f)/ice/snow/rain/95 degrees w/85% humidity. Our local club tracks commuter miles and she is at about 2,500 for the year and was leading the club, but I think I’ll go ahead of her this month. Having talked to her while riding she has inspired me to do more as well as given me many tips on equipment, technique and maintenance.

Based on my extensive research on the subject (polling group size = 1), it's the hair. This is Mrs. Caloso's only objection and it's a deal breaker. I suggested she get a Vespa (still much cheaper than a car to drive and park, plus a high coolness factor) but because she'd have to wear a helmet for that too, no dice either.

I must have a good bike.

your not the only one, I must have missed the store that sells the bikes from hell i've only gotten 5 flats in the last 2 years! No other maitenance.

I'm with coney on this one! :D

(1) fear of traffic
Pffft, ride like a car, get treated like a car (okay, so I'm an eternal optimist)

(2) not wanting to get sweaty or messy
Yes, but ... getting sweaty and messy is fun! (my mother despaired too)

(3) dresses
The last time I wore a dress was for my own wedding and that took serious persuasion. I got a degree in computing so's I wouldn't have to wear dresses at work. :)

(4) not wanting to be geeky
Too late. I'm a geek.

(5) fear of harassment
Pffft, big deal. Can ignore it quite cheerfully.

Hair? Nahhhh, had it chopped short so it's not all floppin' in my face when I take my helmet off ... have shower facilities at work ... quick shower, comb through the hair, I'm good to go.

I'm also lucky enough to live in a quiet area with decent roads and wide shoulders on the highway so the commute couldn't be smoother. I take the usual precautions (carry a cellphone and ID, stay in nicer areas after dark, stay alert) but I don't spend too much time worrying about ****, robbery, or murder.

I guess it's different here in SF, CA.
Plenty of women riders/commuters/messengers everywhere.
B.I.T.D. (back-in-the-day), my wife-to-be was throwing down serious miles around town, not to mention fun rides on the weekends. She'd put her righteous brunette hair in a pony tail and accessorize her bike and body with style.
Knee and foot problems and the need to carry large things changed all that. We don't live too far from her work now, so her drive is pretty short.
El Cabron

My female coworkers seem to agree that they have issues surrounding:
Helmet hair
Sweat and odor
Wrinkled clothes
After telling them that I deal with the same things I got the response, "...well you're a guy." As all guys know, that really means "Save your breath ...you will never convince me to do that!"

Man, I have no idea what kind of bike you're riding. I tune my bike up once and year and rarely have to touch it after that. In fact, besides putting air in the tires, I can't think of one thing I've had to do on my bike this year.

Bikes are very low maintenence. That's one of the things that makes them so appealing to people. It boggles the mind how people will deal with the constant upkeep of their car but freak out because they may get a flat tire twice a year.


They probably have cheap bikes and do no preventative maintenance. Then after a couple of years, when the bike starts to fall apart, people wonder why they're constantly having problems with their bikes.

Koffee

grumble grumble.

The amount of harassment from people on foot, in trains and in cars make daily commuting very challenging.

My girl friend and I have been commuting all summer and stupid behaviour from men and women on the road can be so draining.

We want to be less dependant on motorized vehicles or carfree.

Haircare is not a factor.

My commute is 40 miles w/o a train (30 odd using it, but the hours ar restricted w/bikes), I'm not sure how long my friend's distance is, but it is shorter.

People at work (men and women) think I'm doing some amazing thing, yet they work out regularly in a gym.

My total commute is +/- 3 hours of my day. Many women have children or partners/houses to take care of and I'm thinking they have litle excess time.

Do male cyclists generally have someone to take care of them while they spend lots o hours on the bike?

Some of this is social...IMHO, there seems to be a greater tolerance men who arrive less than picture-perfect. ie., chain ring shaped grease stain on the leg...grease under the nails, matted wet head etc.

Also...ideally, I'd love a bike that could go...say 2K between inflation, repairs, flats or whatever AND be a fast bike.

The problem with longer commutes and riding on bike is harrasment/danger. I can commute, as MANY do around here, because we have so many bike commuters in Davis. All ages of school kids, and adults. But I've still been warned not to bike by myself out of town onto the country roads, although I see single guys do it all the time. Darn. It's hard to find another gal to just take off and ride 20 - 30 miles at my 'slower' pace. I have to settle for a couple of club rides a month, or stay around town!

I am a female and try to commute. I was stopped recently for a traffic violation in my automobile. I struck up a conversation with the officer and asked him about the safey factor in his area (one of the cities I commute through). HE SUGGESTED I CARRY A CONCEALED WEAPON. Today I stopped and spoke with a Wayne County Sherrif who was sitting in the parkway (Hines park a 17 mile parkway with no lighting and mature trees which block out moon light.) I must note here that I pulled up behind him and parked my car and walked up to the window of his car. He was looking at a girlie magazine. It was hard for me not to laugh when I was going to ask him about the safety factor of women in the park at night. He tried to unobtrusively put the magazine under other paperwork on the passenger seat. He told me the parkway had no lighting and was not road safe and many car drivers complained about the no lighting factor. Although there is not supposed to be any parking in the Park at night, I usually see cars parked when I drive through at night. He said all the drunks use Hines, because of the wide shoulders (good for cycling) and because they don't want to be on a main road. He said there are a lot drunks sleeping it off in the park, and although the park doesn't encourage them, they would rather have the drunks sleeping than driving. So.....safety is a big factor for me. I wear a mustache and try to use as many mannerisms that I think men use when I commute, so my safety factor isn't a female thing, as much as drunk drivers. This must be a local thing. I live in an upscale neighborhood, but cycle through several "iffy" neighborhoods.

In addition time is a factor, who does the cooking and cleaning and laundry and yard work in your household??? Who buys the shower, wedding & birthday gifts for family? Who gets stuck doing all the required "family" obligations in your family????

You wear a mustache?

Do male cyclists generally have someone to take care of them while they spend lots o hours on the bike?

No, and that seems to be why I spend so much time on the bike.

No, and that seems to be why I spend so much time on the bike.And Chris..What if you had some sweetie making you lobster and steak and passion fruit pudding at home each night...WOuld you cut you ride short? . Or woulld you need that person to fix herself atop your tandem and stop by the beach for fish and chips ; and let the dusting go by the wayside.?

My commute with a combination of walking and metro is about five minutes shorter than my bike ride. Problem is that I don't get to read the paper on the metro and have to fit it in elsewhere or not at all. There always seems to be more housework and kid care to do -- so its a daily balancing of priorities for both my sweetie and I (kids first, of course).

[QUOTE=Sparrow]I'm with coney on this one! :D

(3) dresses
The last time I wore a dress was for my own wedding and that took serious persuasion. I got a degree in computing so's I wouldn't have to wear dresses at work. :)
QUOTE]

I only remember one time seeing a young girl in her early 20's last year going to the bike rack in a mini skirt. YUP... A MINI SKIRT!

She unlocked her bike, step through the frame and just rode away! It was a beautiful sight. I wished I had a camera to post.

P.S. I believed she had the seat post slightly lower and the nose of the saddle was fairly down.

You wear a mustache?

You found that strange too? Boy.... I thought riding in New York City was rough but I've Michigan must be like the wild, wild west!

Seriously..... I think New York City has more murders and rapes than 99% of all cities and I've never seen a woman riding a bicycle with a mustache!

Huhh?


You wear a mustache?