Rural Roadie

My sister rides less than 8 miles to the Smithsonian, but only in dry weather and only in daylight.
So maybe one fourth of her comutes in a year are on a bike. Nice she is also a easy walk from a Metro station.

Up Dog

Well perhaps helmet hair is a concern to female comuters. But just think how sexy your ass is going to look after comuting for awhile. not to mention your calves, legs, tight tummy... Plus there is something very atractive about a women in spandex covered in sweat...

caloso

Noticed another female commuter this morning. She wasn't wearing a helmet either. And she was riding the wrong way on a very fast, very busy street. Smart.

slvoid

This woman at work, insists like she knows everything and that riding against traffic is the safest way to ride cause you can see them and they can see you better.
I gave up that argument pretty quick.

madpogue 

Invite her to try that with her car. Same logic, right?

claire

I don't really get this "fear factor". I don't drive, so driving to work wouldn't be an option for me. I think riding a bike is safer than walking or even taking the public transit, especially when it's late at night. You spend less time out than if you were walking, and you go faster, so bad guys can't catch you so easily! Mind you, I live in a pretty quiet part of Toronto, so safety is not too much of an issue for me. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

nathank

i disagree. i know a large number of female cyclists - both MTB and road. and of the friends i ride with on trails and road, a LARGE percentage of the male riders also bike commute. and VERY few of the females. My girlfriend is as serious a cyclist as i am - i just have more free time - but she rides over 5000km and 50,000 meters vertical per year - and races and all. but only occaisonally does she bike commute and for her the OPPORTUNITY to bike commute is unimportant (for me it affects where i live and what jobs i will take). she's not a "high maintenance" kind of girl although i have heard her complain that it messes up her hair (either with or without helmet) and she pretty much will not ride if the weather is not good. for anything important (meeting or whatever) she would not ride the bike --- whereas i will go to great lengths to get fresh clothes to change into or whatever.

So in sum: there are in general fewer women cyclists but it's not that much of a difference, but when it comes to COMMUTING there is a HUGE difference. i don't really know why... only real guess is that guys are more tolerant in the "sweaty, messed-up hair" whatever that people THINK is a problem but rarely is. and guys seem to be more tolerant in "bad weather" such as rain/snow where half of the time i actually ENJOY the hardship (snow riding can be fun!) but my girlfriend puts the bike in the cellar and rides the trainer all winter (talk about BORING) i'd rather face snow and rain than the boredom of the trainer for all but the shortest workouts (30 to 45 minutes i can handle)!

gahaya

I guess I'm coming to this thread a little late, but: I'm a woman commuter. On my way to work (mostly to midtown Manhattan, with site visits to Brooklyn and the Bronx) I see enough other women cyclists that it never occurred to me to wonder about our dearth! But even in NYC, male cyclists do outnumber women, partly because almost all bike messengers and food delivery guys are, well, guys. I think in the city the biggest deterrent is the macho-bravado-chutzpah you need to make your way through thick angry traffic and around swarms of oblivious pedestrians who reflexively charge the road whenever a car isn't about to run them over (and sometimes when one is!) A lot of women just can't be bothered, life is stressful enough without that sort of maneuvering.

I wouldn't have started if I weren't lucky enough to have a big part of my commute route on a lovely path that runs along the river; I was seduced by that first, then gradually learned how to ride in nasty traffic in order to complete my commute. Now I don't mind traffic, and even like the challenge of it, sorta. But a lot of people (of both sexes) don't see enough incentive to get that far with big city biking, and for the various gender-socialization reasons others have mentioned, women, in general, on average, tend to be more cautious about physical risks.

Anyway I would also agree that safety and harassment are concerns -- I adjust my route when I'm riding at night, and if it's really late I take my bike on the subway. And I understand why the hair/sweat thing may be a problem for some women, it's just not for me.

LittleBigMan

This is fascinating for me. Partly because of the difference in geographic locations and partly because of the difference in opinions, whether male or female.

As for me, I'm still the only bicycle commuter where I work in Atlanta, though I've seen many others over the years, both male and female (mostly male, as you would notice from my original post.)

I'm glad many others at my workplace have adopted different physical fitness pursuits since I started bicycle commuting (though I can't say for sure if I was their main influence,) but I remain the sole bicycle commuter after almost a decade.

From my conversations with people around here, what I hear most is, "It's too dangerous," or, "You wouldn't get me to ride one of those things in traffic," etc.

gahaya

About that general barrier to commuting -- I've only been doing this for about 6 months (I used to commute, but in much smaller cities - Oakland, Providence - and that was over a decade ago!) so it's really fresh in my mind that commuter riding in traffic demands a whole set of skills and habits that other riding might not. I guess roadies have to deal with cars, too, but that seems different from city riding (I've never been a roadie so I don't know but that's my guess). Before I started this year, I was scared of NYC traffic. About five years ago I was telling someone about a cycling friend who had nearly gotten killed by a bus -- his bike skid under the wheels and was wrecked but he wasn't too hurt -- and I distinctly remember saying, "you have to be insane to ride a bike in this city".

I'm not saying I'm _not_ insane, but after I started riding, I realized that I essentially just needed a training period in order to learn how to ride securely and confidently in rush-hour traffic. It helped to read other cyclists' comments on websites and boards like this, but mostly I learned just by doing it, day after day. Over time I figured out the _real_ rules of the road, and how one can get around this city safely, calmly, and without too much hassle.

I think that people who ride bikes in other situations might have a bad experience the first few times they try to ride in heavy traffic and decide that it feels too dangerous and scary, so forget it. I don't blame them, since I was recently like that, and that's also where the on-average-more-cautious-female thing kicks in -- "Risk my neck for that? No,thanks." But they may not realize that it'll get so much better once they get used to it and they go through that necessary period of learning. And of course, car drivers who don't ride only see how vulnerable cyclists look in traffic, exposed to the air with no metal around them. At least I assume that's what drivers think -- I haven't had a car in 12 years, and, speaking of geographical differences, I don't know many New Yorkers who drive.

Okay, now I'm going to go knock on wood so I don't end up under a cabbie's front tire tomorrow morning.

GradStudent

I'm a female commuter and I never realized there weren't that many of us! The first week of commuting was hairy, I'll admit -- the traffic took a little getting used to. But now that I've been doing it a few months I don't even notice it. Driving in is now more stressful to me than cycling in!

mtessmer

I don't get it, I've been commuting year around for the last 23 years, 3 months, 4000-6000 miles a year and have had none of these problems. 1 or 2 flats a year maybe and my bike gets pretty groty but it keeps on bookin'.

vrkelley

So Mt,
Share your magic. What sortof tires do you have on this bike?

slvoid

I have several thousand miles on a pair of specialized hemisphere ex's and I can honestly tell you, last week I spent about 15 minutes and picked out about 40-50 glass shards the size of tic tacs out of my tires; some penetrating almost 1/4" into it. There's a 1" cut that goes right through the center thread, extending to the sidewall that's patched with duct tape and a plastic wrapper that has about 1000 miles on it so far at the max rated psi. And I ride through an industrial park. Never had a flat on my commute, have had flats just tooling around on weekends though. *Knock on wood*

tacomee

Most of the USA bike commuters I know who do so buy choice are male, collage educated and politically liberal. Of course not every commuter fits this description, but I'd guess way over 50% of us have at least two of these traits in common. (I didn't graduate from collage, so I still have 2 out of three)

Most big commuting meccas are built around university towns and/or high tech industries like computer software. Seattle, the Bay Area, Ann Arbor, Boulder Colo.... all big ride to work towns.

I would call the the White Male Geek Cyclists Club a bad thing, (me being a member and all) but I would like to see more color and female riders out there.

Lufty

Hell yeah! I ran into a female cyclist the other day, and man...my GF later that afternoon "would like to get a bike too" w00t!

Cro_Moly_Body

I see plenty of ladies on bicycles in San Diego.

Frodocious

Hi, I'm a newly registered woman here (I will post an introduction soon) and have only just started cycling to work. I am trying to do this at least twice a week. I have had my bike for around 1 year now and the reasons that I have only just started using it to commute are as follows.

(1) fear of traffic - a little, I don't really like riding in heavy traffic, but I have found a route that takes me along back streets so I can avoid the busiest roads.

(2) not wanting to get sweaty or messy - well I'm not a 'girlie girl' and I work at a university so can dress however I want, but I don't like spending all day sweaty, so I keep a supply of baby wipes in the office and have a quick 'wash' when I get into work. If I really wanted to I could go to the Sports Centre to have a shower but I can't be bothered. 'Helmet hair' is a slight problem but I have short hair so I can generally do something with it.

(3) dresses - don't wear them! Anyway I take a change of clothes with me.

(4) not wanting to be geeky - this is a slight consideration but most of the people in my group cycle to work (at least for part of their route) so I have been actively encouraged to do so! (Out of the 3 other people in my group, 2 of them are female).

(5) fear of harassment - definitely a consideration, I've had a few comments made.

(6) ****, (7) robbery - again, something that has been at the back of my mind.

The other reasons are, that I have to get the train for part of my route and it is a pain to try to get the bike in the lifts and I don't like taking it up escalators and, finally, I thought it would take me longer to get into work, in fact it takes about the same time (sometimes less, if I time the trains correctly) when I add in waiting time for buses etc (as long as I make sure I have all my stuff sorted and packed the night before)!

erraticrider

Cool, Frodocious, what I've discovered is that commuting gets easier as you do it. I think it has something to do with vision or imagination -- we are so trained to view transportation through some form of motor that it takes us a while to see the options on bicycle. But, once you start doing it, it becomes more and more normal and you may even find additional ways of saving time, or just come to enjoy the time on bike more.

Frodocious

I work in environmental research, so I feel guilty every time I use the car! There are days when I have to drive to work - if I have an early meeting, or if I am staying late for an evening out, or for one of the clubs or courses I do. Unfortunately as I have to get the train in, it is too much hassle to take the bike on when it is morning rush hour (and it costs more) and if I am staying late I risk missing the last train home (which would mean 60 odd mile cycle home). I'm lucky in that I have fairly flexible working hours and, as I mentioned previously, I am encouraged by my boss to cycle to work so he doesn't mind if it means I get in slightly later! When I cycle in I work later anyway so as to miss the evening rush hour.

I really enjoy cycling and my aim is to build up to a longer route, both going in and coming home. I have a selection of stations I can get on at on the way in to work, and off at on the way home.

PaulH

I think it may be geographical. Here in the Washington, DC area, there are almost certainly more male than female commuters, but the ratio is not huge. Some days, I see more women than men.

Paul

Frodocious

I see quite a few female commuters around campus, but away from campus and the university area, I can't remember ever seeing any!

East Coast Mojo

Well, I'm female and I don't commute to work. But I don't care about getting sweaty or helmet head or having to bring baby wipes to wash with or change of clothes. In fact, where I work all of these things are highly regarded. I manage a bike shop.

However, I live 30 miles from work and when I get done with a 30 miler the last thing I want to do is work. I want a beer and some ribs or a nice steak and kick back and relax. Maybe a shower after the food has settled a bit...

I have considered a line of custom jerseys that say on the back "yell if you would like to see my 9mm"

Merryish

I'm with you, East Coast. My commute's just 6 miles, but at the end of it I just want to chill out and smile at the world. People at work come up to me all wired and yammering at about an 8, when I'm at about a 4. Possibly a 3!

I don't know why there aren't more female commuters, but when I don't have to fight for showers at the bikestation, I'm kind of glad there aren't. I see guys hanging around waiting to get into their locker room, while I just breeze on by.

I can say that before I started commuting by bike, I didn't do it because I didn't think I could; I thought I was too out of shape, I wouldn't manage even the tiny inclines on the bike path. And I thought even if I could make it, it would take so long that it wouldn't be worth it. (Man, was I ever wrong about that. I get to work way faster on a bike than I ever did on a bus!)

I still worry about the end of daylight savings, when I'll be riding the path in the dark. I'm not even sure it's lighted. And harrassment is a fairly legit concern, I think. I'll give it a try, though, and see how it goes.

East Coast Mojo

He he he... kinda makes up for having to wait in line to use the bathroom at concerts and stuff, huh?