Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

Bike Gender Question

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

Bike Gender Question

Old 12-04-09, 11:48 AM
  #1  
Gear Hub fan
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 2,829

Bikes: Civia Hyland Rohloff, Swobo Dixon, Colnago, Univega

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Bike Gender Question

Is a bicycle referred to as male, female or neuter? By tradition Navy ships, and others, are always referred to as "SHE" regardless of the ships name even if it is named after a man. You could get your derrierre reamed out by a traditionalist if you ever referred to a ship as IT or HE.

I have never seen this discussed so lets have at it!
__________________
Gear Hubs Owned: Rohloff disc brake, SRAM iM9 disc brake, SRAM P5 freewheel, Sachs Torpedo 3 speed freewheel, NuVinci CVT, Shimano Alfine SG S-501, Sturmey Archer S5-2 Alloy. Other: 83 Colnago Super Record, Univega Via De Oro

Visit and join the Yahoo Geared Hub Bikes group for support and links.
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/Geared_hub_bikes/
tatfiend is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 01:21 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Montreal
Posts: 6,521

Bikes: Peugeot Hybrid, Minelli Hybrid

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
In French a bicycle is le vélo (masc) or la bicyclette (fem)
AndrewP is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 01:42 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Billy Bones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Shanghai, West Virginia
Posts: 524
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times in 4 Posts
I'll go this far. . .my Fuji SLM 1.0 is the SECOND best thing I ever had under me. Maybe that helps define gender well enough for most practical purposes.
Billy Bones is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 01:58 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Retro Grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225

Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 642 Times in 363 Posts
Originally Posted by Billy Bones
I'll go this far. . .my Fuji SLM 1.0 is the SECOND best thing I ever had under me. Maybe that helps define gender well enough for most practical purposes.
Wouldn't that require your telling us about your other perferences?
Retro Grouch is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 02:01 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Alberta,Canada.
Posts: 800
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by Billy Bones
I'll go this far. . .my Fuji SLM 1.0 is the SECOND best thing I ever had under me. Maybe that helps define gender well enough for most practical purposes.
What was first best?A different bike?
ddez is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 02:37 PM
  #6  
Cycle Year Round
 
CB HI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 13,644
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1316 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 59 Posts
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Wouldn't that require your telling us about your other perferences?
Especially considering that if any bicycle were considered male, it would be a mountain bike like the Fuji SLM 1.0!
CB HI is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 03:39 PM
  #7  
noooooooooooooooooooob!
 
adacas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Fresno, Ca.
Posts: 261

Bikes: Schwinn Fastback Sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I call my car Timmy (like Southpark Timmy cause its special). my mountain bikes were male as they got names like the BEAST or ORANGUTANG while my road bike is obviously female cause I like to call her Bessy. For me it depends on the nature of the vehicle. Is it aggressive in style and purpose or more nimble and elegant? hehe
adacas is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 04:10 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Yan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,835
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1804 Post(s)
Liked 563 Times in 390 Posts
My bicycle is a gender neutral inanimate object: "it".
Yan is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 04:28 PM
  #9  
Grillparzer
 
Grillparzer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 643

Bikes: Surly Cross Check

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
My bicycle is a gender neutral inanimate object: "it".
Usually preceded by a "G**DAMN..."
Grillparzer is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 05:07 PM
  #10  
Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i think a bikes gender depends entirely on the perception of the use of the bike by the rider, so could almost be described as neither, either or both, depending on situations and conditions
nonstopbikes is offline  
Old 12-04-09, 05:23 PM
  #11  
Grammar Cop
 
Condorita's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Papa Smurf's Lair
Posts: 1,543

Bikes: in my sig line

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Your bike will have to tell you what it is.
Condorita is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 01:08 AM
  #12  
Uber Goober
 
StephenH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dallas area, Texas
Posts: 11,758
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 190 Post(s)
Liked 41 Times in 32 Posts
Asking such questions is a sign you need to get out more. Otherwise, next tihing you know, you'll be buying flowers for your bike.
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
StephenH is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 03:49 AM
  #13  
noooooooooooooooooooob!
 
adacas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Fresno, Ca.
Posts: 261

Bikes: Schwinn Fastback Sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
another question is "Can a bike be a hermaphrodite?"
adacas is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 05:29 AM
  #14  
The Professor
 
akohekohe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire
Posts: 899

Bikes: Alex Moulton Double Pylon, Surly Big Dummy, Alex Moulton GT, AZUB TiFly

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by AndrewP
In French a bicycle is le vélo (masc) or la bicyclette (fem)
Swedish: velociped or cykel. Both masculine although modern Swedish has combined the masculine and feminine into a single combined gender form.
akohekohe is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 10:09 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
BlazingPedals's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Middle of da Mitten
Posts: 12,473

Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1511 Post(s)
Liked 732 Times in 453 Posts
In English, machines are usually given feminine pronouns. But rules are made to be broken; so if you want to give yours a masculine name, go for it. Then you can stand back, look at your bike, and say "Dang! That Bob - she's a beauty!" lol
BlazingPedals is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 12:34 PM
  #16  
Conquer Cancer rider
 
Boudicca's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 6,039

Bikes: Fun bike, city bike, Bike Friday, Brompton (also fun bikes)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have one male bike (Gandalf) and two female ones (Cea and Ami). It's just the way it is.
__________________
Zero gallons to the mile
Boudicca is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 06:08 PM
  #17  
Cycle Year Round
 
CB HI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Honolulu, HI
Posts: 13,644
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1316 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 59 Posts
Whoa, 16 post and no one has linked to the guy arrested for having a lewd relationship with his bike. What ever happened in that case?
CB HI is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 06:23 PM
  #18  
long time visiter
 
Alfster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: in the Northern Tundra
Posts: 654

Bikes: 2005 Trek 6700 disc 2007 Orbea Onix 2009 Raleigh One Way

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
As soon as my bike lets me know, I'll let you know.
Alfster is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 07:08 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 83
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
when I'm wiping road grime off the downtube, I'd like to think it's a she
jrich179 is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 08:15 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: by the football hall of fame
Posts: 850
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
you have to turn it over and look.
Mr Danw is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 09:44 PM
  #21  
No I'm Not a Pirate!
 
Bionicycle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The middle of somewhere in Indiana
Posts: 696
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
By all accounts of the French Language… Mine is neither, or both depending on how you look at it, being a Mixte. (A English corruption of the French word meaning Mixed or Unisex) Personally though I have never found any kind of genitals on any of my bike frames, so it is kind of left up to the imagination of the owner, I think.

This thread is not at all what I figured it to be… I thought it would be about the absolutely absurd, and antiquated depiction of Diamond frames being Men’s only, and Step Through Frames being Women’s only bikes.

I had never given any thought before as to whether my bikes personality was masculine, or effeminate. I think looking at it though it looks masculine even being a low step frame Mixte.
Bionicycle is offline  
Old 12-05-09, 10:16 PM
  #22  
Bianchi Goddess
 
Bianchigirll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 29,682

Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.

Mentioned: 190 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2896 Post(s)
Liked 2,784 Times in 1,441 Posts
of course a bikes gender is femminine. they enjoy being cleaned, buffed and pampered, they respond well when you spend money on them. they are amlost always out enjoying the beautiful weather and sunshine on saturdays and sundays and not at home swilling beer and watching the 'big game' LOL

I saw JFK once she was quite the ship.
__________________
One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"

Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
Bianchigirll is offline  
Old 12-06-09, 02:52 PM
  #23  
Senior Member
 
Billy Bones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Shanghai, West Virginia
Posts: 524
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Wouldn't that require your telling us about your other perferences?
Nice try, 'Retro. I'll let ambiguity reign.
Billy Bones is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RWBlue01
General Cycling Discussion
45
02-21-14 04:19 PM
AZORCH
Classic & Vintage
51
07-24-11 02:06 PM
johnny99
Road Cycling
42
04-16-11 06:11 AM
Obeast
Classic & Vintage
54
03-30-11 10:56 PM
cb400bill
Classic & Vintage
17
08-30-10 09:47 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.