My Sibling bought this bike then almost immediately posted it for sale for fear it was not representational of their gender or would be mocked for standing out. obviously anxiety but thoughts?

I'd ride it. Send it this way..

I assume your daughter doesn't want to ride a boy's bike.

For what it's worth, I have no problem riding my wife's bike and have even given thought of buying a 'female' bike because it's easier to walk through than to raise your leg over the rear wheel (with full bike bags).

Many females want a step thru frame but most female riders I see ride a bike like the one pictured. It's not a male only bike. Most bikes are unisex these days. Tell your sibling to keep it and ride the heck out of it.

What gender?

That's a nice bicycle. Merida is a good quality brand.

There are guys who ride pink bikes. There are world champion men who proudly display the rainbow jersey in big events and aren't gay. My wife loves blue and has several bikes with blue all over them.

Also, look at this recent thread. While it doesn't deal with gender, it does deal with concerns about appearance and what people might think. Take note of the comments that people are more likely to be concerned with their own world, than what others look like, and other than to say "what a neat looking colour" on that Merida, they'd probably be more interested in the disc brakes and tyres.

And finally, if the bike fits your sibling, and is comfortable and does what s/he wants, colour is the last thing on the list that should be of concern, gender issues or not.

You could always take a hack saw to the top tube and spray paint the bike a more gender appropriate color.

Or your sibling could simply ride the bike.

I can't tell which "gender" bike that is supposed to be. Looks gender neutral to me.

Everyone rides the same kind of bikes on all the rides I go on. I'm not sure if your sibling is male or female. Can't tell from the bike.

Road racing bikes either fit or they don't. Gender isn't an issue.

This is the OP's first post. I'm thinking this is a troll thread.

Bikes are bikes. If the bike fits, then ride it!

Considering that the sibling is the one whom has to ride and feel comfortable on the bike, whatever the perception. Let them sell it and do as they wish towards the aesthetics of a new one.

Nothing about that bike seems gender specific to me...the best I could come up with is the sibling is a man who thinks the name "Merida" sounds like a girl name or decided the top tube is too curvy and therefore resembling of the female form.

Personally, I'd probably buy a pink/yellow bike with "princess express" written on the top tube if it meant I could save $50 over an similar bike in more manly earth tones.

Shoot, there are arrow-straight guys who would gladly ride a bike with a Hello Kitty seat and Disney Princess skewers - AND PAY HUNDREDS MORE FOR THE PRIVILEGE - if it could save them 10 grams over their current components...

Tell thon to HTFU

I am female and ride a mountain bike that is supposed to be a mans type frame. But it fits me beautifully, is the most comfortable bike I've been on and I ride it proudly! Tell them to put gender appropriate colored components on the bike if it bothers them that badly. Or go to an automotive store and buy some pin stripping tape and trim it out in the color(s) they want. Personally, I like the bike pictured. If it fit me, I would ride it!

Legacy

Emma Pooley's bike

Emma Pooley's Cervelo - Artivelo - English

Why so sad? Somebody is going to get a good deal on a nice bike and your sibling of whatever gender can then get a bike that he/she would be more likely to ride. However if just trolling, carry on.

Male? Female?

Lots of women ride bikes with a straight top tube. No sense in reserving the "racing bikes" just for men.

Some men ride Mixte bikes, and prefer them.

The biggest benefit for a step through/Mixte is if one chooses to ride with a dress or skirt (or kilt). If one is riding with pants or shorts, then the straight top tube bike should be just fine.

In many cases, women are a little bit more flexible than men, so they shouldn't have any problem getting on and off.

+1! I absolutely agree!!

Best regards

I don't like the bike's brand name, "Merida". It's too similar to the word "poop" in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, etc. (A well-placed splash of mud over the letter "i" would make it obvious.) Call it shallow, but for me the name of the bike would not have me consider it as a purchase. Aside from the bike's name, the color and styling look good to me, and the bike does not appear to be overly gender-specific.

If you find yourself going down the wrong road, the sooner you can turn yourself around, the sooner you can get back onto the right track.

Your sibling has "buyers remorse". Whether or not you or I agree with their reasoning, they're probably not going to want to ride that bicycle very much. The sooner they come to grips with that reality the better off they are going to be.

+1. By using "sibling" instead of "brother" or "sister" and "their" instead of "his" or "her" the OP appears to have intentionally tried to hide gender to create confusion. In addition, there is nothing that stands out about the bike.


Troll-spotting 101. It's usually not that difficult if you take a few seconds to really think about the phrasing of a post, especially when it is a first post. Question: Why would any serious poster start a thread involving gender-appropriateness and not include any gender information? Answer: To goad people into responding precisely the way nearly all of you responded.

Merida is one of the Huge Taiwan factories that made bikes for a lot of other brand name companies for a Long time,
before adding the dealer and distributor networks to sell their own named bikes
in addition to the ones they make, under contract, for Specialized, etc.

Giant is another one... Huge from contract manufacturing first, then adding their own brand to the Market.

Wonder how the residents of Merida, Mexico (the capital of Yucutan) and Merida, Spain (the capital of Extremadura), among other Meridas, feel about the name.