Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Freewheeling => Topic started by: citoyen on 08 July, 2021, 01:32:32 pm

Title: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 08 July, 2021, 01:32:32 pm
Press release from CUK today...

Cycling UK asks women to show their ‘bicycle face’

UK cycle charity turns a Victorian health scare on its head by calling on female cyclists to post pictures of their ‘bicycle face’ to encourage more women to take up cycling.

During the Victorian era, ‘bicycle face’ and other scare tactics were deployed to prevent women from cycling.

At the time women were viewed as weak and fragile but the bicycle craze sweeping the nation was challenging this notion. Women were suddenly able to travel independently, more practical fashions were evolving, and women were campaigning for the right to vote.

In response, 19th century doctors warned women that cycling was dangerous for women’s health. Cycling, they said, would give women a hunched back, wearied face and masculine features, ruining their chances of finding a husband. 

Luckily, the benefits of fresh air and exercise that the bicycle brought were soon recognised, and the myth of bicycle face and other health scares were exposed.

The struggle for equality has continued into the 21st century, with men still accounting for the majority of miles cycled in the UK.

Cycling UK’s annual Women’s Festival of cycling is taking place between 17 July and 1 August and is sponsored by British cycle manufacturer Raleigh. During the festival the charity is asking women to share photographs of their ‘real’ bicycle face on social media, and tag their friends, to demonstrate the fun and freedom cycling really brings.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK chief executive, said: “We want to celebrate the diversity of women who cycle and the broad range of cycling they do. Whether you’re a commuter, mountain biker, leisure cyclist or road cyclist, share a picture of yourself. If we’re ever to see gender parity in cycling, women need to see more women like them cycling.”

So, share your bicycle face photos and videos to celebrate the Women’s Festival of Cycling. #BeYouByBike #WFOC2021
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 08 July, 2021, 01:36:02 pm
I actually think this is one of CUK's better ideas, though I can't help thinking there's also something slightly weird about it that I can't quite put my finger on.
Title: Re: Laydeeez, show us yer bike face...
Post by: arabella on 08 July, 2021, 03:03:27 pm
I think what would encourage non-cyclists is pictures of "people like them" who happen to be riding bikes and doing "normal" stuff.   
Whereas the way it's worded I think they'll get a lot of pictures of people looking bright eyed and wearing a helmet and lycra.

Thought: people don't seem to 'fear' that they don't understand cars, nor worry about mechanicals.  Why is the same not true for cycles?  Would an advised maintenance/service/whatever schedule help (I think there is something like this for cars).

"Laydeez" ???
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 08 July, 2021, 03:09:44 pm
   
Whereas the way it's worded I think they'll get a lot of pictures of people looking bright eyed and wearing a helmet and lycra.

Yes, I think that's what it is that's making me uneasy about it.

Although, if you look at their PR pictures, they have managed to include some fairly normal looking women on bikes (and indeed trikes).
https://www.skyfish.com/p/cyclinguk/1941930


Quote
"Laydeez" ???

Sorry. It was meant to be ironic.  :-[

(I've now edited the thread title)
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 08 July, 2021, 03:16:31 pm
There's a video too - much better tonally than the press release:
https://youtu.be/kABL6I4EEOE
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 08 July, 2021, 03:21:57 pm
Those photos look like the kind of thing they try to put in Cycle magazine. Ordinary looking people on bikes and trikes doing normal sorts of things. They don't look like the kind of photos they tend to get to accompany readers' articles though. Nor, to be fair, most of the photos on here.

So who will respond to them? Will it be "cyclists": sporty young women in lycra? Or "CTC women": older women in woolly hats and sensible touring gear? Or random responses through social media?

(Obvious generalizations made)
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Kim on 08 July, 2021, 04:39:15 pm
Those photos look like the kind of thing they try to put in Cycle magazine. Ordinary looking people on bikes and trikes doing normal sorts of things.  They don't look like the kind of photos they tend to get to accompany readers' articles though. Nor, to be fair, most of the photos on here.

People don't tend to take photos and write articles about doing normal things, because normal things aren't interesting.  Stands to reason that cycling enthusiasts will tend to make the most noise about the things they find interesting, be it further, faster, muddier, heavier loaded, geekier, gorier, sillier, bodgier, going somewhere new, or a social event.

Just riding to the shops is normal and ordinary and not worthy of note for us unless it somehow qualifies for one of the above ("Aldi had a special offer on cement mixers, good thing I brought my long bungees..."); or something unrelated to the cycling happens that's worthy of note, but the cycling forms part of the wider context (this twitter post from last night (https://twitter.com/NomeDaBarbarian/status/1412560304441991169) springs to mind); or we're deliberately making noise about ordinary bike journeys for campaigning reasons.


Presumably the idea is that it will encourage people to who otherwise wouldn't to advertise their normal bike journeys, and they'll be able to cherry-pick the more 'normal-looking'[1] ones from the social media firehose of sporty young women and the CTC wooly hat brigade.  But more importantly, it's making people talk about the Women's Festival of Cycling.  Including us.


[1] For values of 'normal' that should be but aren't.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 08 July, 2021, 05:03:57 pm
normal things aren't interesting. 
The lack of interest in the mundane is one of the reasons why modern life is rubbish.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: arabella on 09 July, 2021, 09:56:10 am
this is what we need in the pics (from another thread):
A long time ago in Hackney I saw a young lady riding in London rush hour traffic with a slice of toast and blackcurrant jam. At the time I was intrigued to how she had mounted and started riding with one hand busy.

Yesterday I saw a young lady riding while holding, and drinking from, a cup of coffee, again in London rush hour traffic.
answer: you straddle the bike first and push off from already being seated (btdtgtts, when in enough of a hurry).  Easier on a SUAB than drops.



Quote
Quote
"Laydeez" ???
Sorry. It was meant to be ironic.  :-[
Ah, failed to spot, soz.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 July, 2021, 10:36:20 am
this is what we need in the pics (from another thread):
A long time ago in Hackney I saw a young lady riding in London rush hour traffic with a slice of toast and blackcurrant jam. At the time I was intrigued to how she had mounted and started riding with one hand busy.

Yesterday I saw a young lady riding while holding, and drinking from, a cup of coffee, again in London rush hour traffic.
answer: you straddle the bike first and push off from already being seated (btdtgtts, when in enough of a hurry).  Easier on a SUAB than drops.

Is that not how everyone starts off when riding?

Straddle bike, right foot on the pedal. One hand on the handle bar, other hand holding coffee, food, cake, shopping, cat, push down with right foot, lift left foot to pedal, ride.

When you see the Dutch riding around with shopping in their hand, phone in the other, it's kinda amazing to watch.

J
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 July, 2021, 10:47:03 am
No. No, it is not.

Some of us start with the left foot on the pedal :D
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 July, 2021, 10:50:41 am
No. No, it is not.

Some of us start with the left foot on the pedal :D

Sinister weirdo :p

J
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 09 July, 2021, 10:58:09 am
I've never tried riding the bike while holding a cat. That sounds like a fun challenge. One that the women of yacf need to embrace - and send the pics in to CUK.

Mounting the bike one-handed while holding a coffee isn't all that hard, just takes a little practice. The trick is to not start too slowly - you need to push off with confidence and momentum so the bike stays upright more or less of its own accord (something to do with the gyroscopic effect?)
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 July, 2021, 11:08:12 am
I've never tried riding the bike while holding a cat. That sounds like a fun challenge. One that the women of yacf need to embrace - and send the pics in to CUK.

https://twitter.com/quixoticgeek/status/1413439607572631553

Quote
Mounting the bike one-handed while holding a coffee isn't all that hard, just takes a little practice. The trick is to not start too slowly - you need to push off with confidence and momentum so the bike stays upright more or less of its own accord (something to do with the gyroscopic effect?)

Yep, or just be in a low enough gear that pushing the pedal gets you going well...

J
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 09 July, 2021, 11:14:03 am
I've never tried riding the bike while holding a cat. That sounds like a fun challenge. One that the women of yacf need to embrace - and send the pics in to CUK.

https://twitter.com/quixoticgeek/status/1413439607572631553

 :thumbsup:

Looking forward to this!  ;D
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 09 July, 2021, 11:15:41 am
I did see someone recently cycling with a cat in one of those special backpacks with a window, but I don't think that counts.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Kim on 09 July, 2021, 11:18:07 am
I did see someone recently cycling with a cat in one of those special backpacks with a window, but I don't think that counts.

Yeah.  Cat on the rear rack doesn't qualify, either.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 July, 2021, 11:19:40 am
I did see someone recently cycling with a cat in one of those special backpacks with a window, but I don't think that counts.

https://amzn.to/3wrFzPS

Yeah.  Cat on the rear rack doesn't qualify, either.

(click to show/hide)

You have a YACF hammer?

J
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 09 July, 2021, 11:26:05 am
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=40429.0
plus
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=93499.0
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 July, 2021, 11:35:01 am
I've never tried riding the bike while holding a cat. That sounds like a fun challenge. One that the women of yacf need to embrace - and send the pics in to CUK.

https://twitter.com/quixoticgeek/status/1413439607572631553

 :thumbsup:

Looking forward to this!  ;D

https://twitter.com/reggitsti/status/1413445180850593796
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 09 July, 2021, 11:43:17 am
I was told a couple of weeks ago about a woman in her late 60s who is cycling LEJOG on a Brompton with a small dog in a basket. Alas, I don't know how to contact her to get her photo for this. 

In India it was very common to see people riding around with toddlers cradled in one arm. But not cats or dog. Nor coffee. Why would you drink one while riding? Get off the bike and drink it at the coffee stand while chatting to the coffeewallah and your friends! I suspect the desire to drink and ride or drink and drive is partly down to the excessive size of Western coffees.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: citoyen on 09 July, 2021, 12:01:42 pm
I've never tried riding the bike while holding a cat. That sounds like a fun challenge. One that the women of yacf need to embrace - and send the pics in to CUK.

https://twitter.com/quixoticgeek/status/1413439607572631553

 :thumbsup:

Looking forward to this!  ;D

https://twitter.com/reggitsti/status/1413445180850593796

Spoilsport.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: ravenbait on 09 July, 2021, 12:04:04 pm
There's an older woman who rides around these parts on an old tourer, faded and baggy hi-viz panniers draped over the rack, accompanied by a border collie who trots alongside in matching hi-viz. I was walking our floofbeast the other day as she pootled past. "Wish I could train her to do that," I said, indicating my husky.

"Well, she's a sheepdog," said the woman. "They're very trainable."

I suspect the campaign is targeting all the women who say1 their reasons for not cycling are to do with their hair, or getting sweaty, or some other cosmetic/aesthetic reason. "Look at these other women having a great time, and do they really look as bad as you fear? Or do they look healthy and happy?"

I'm not convinced this is as much of a barrier as it used to be, as women are starting to push back against conservative social pressure to be highly groomed and conventional2.

Sam
1. I've always considered this to be more of an excuse than a genuine reason, even if those professing this to be a barrier seem to believe it's valid. It always seemed to be more their preference to look like a barbie.
2. Although I generally only do a full conventional performance of being a "normal" woman if I'm presenting at conferences, I have stopped wearing the eye that looks like an eye for work. It's my face, after all, and there's nothing about prosthetics having to look realistic in our dress code.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Kim on 09 July, 2021, 12:08:38 pm
1. I've always considered this to be more of an excuse than a genuine reason, even if those professing this to be a barrier seem to believe it's valid. It always seemed to be more their preference to look like a barbie.

Agree.  But the problem is that we're the ones who don't give a crap, which makes us fundamentally unqualified to have opinions on such things.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 09 July, 2021, 12:11:49 pm
I was going to say in response to the same sentence that if someone believes their reason it's valid, that makes it valid for them. Especially if it's something as subjective and superficial as appearance. "Helmet hair" only exists because you believe it does and because you believe it's important, and that makes it important to you.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: ravenbait on 09 July, 2021, 12:14:55 pm
And this is why I have never berated any woman offering that reason. Fortunately, we do not yet have thought police.

Sam
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Peter on 09 July, 2021, 12:54:57 pm
Remove that post IMMEDIATELY!
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: ravenbait on 09 July, 2021, 01:35:52 pm
Also, of course, because it's not women's fault society and their employers have inculcated them with the expectation they look like they've stepped from a Vogue advert.

Sam
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: grams on 09 July, 2021, 01:38:26 pm
I was told a couple of weeks ago about a woman in her late 60s who is cycling LEJOG on a Brompton with a small dog in a basket. Alas, I don't know how to contact her to get her photo for this. 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009415449783

(her posts are public, but you need to be logged in)
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: L CC on 09 July, 2021, 01:41:25 pm
If I'm riding my bike somewhere where helmet hair may be an issue (it definitely is a thing if you're climbing 280m in 14km to get to work where there are no showers), I take the radical approach of... [don't tell my mum] ...

not wearing a helmet.

Anyways, as ever, I'm not the target audience.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 July, 2021, 06:06:28 pm
No. No, it is not.

Some of us start with the left foot on the pedal :D

Sinister weirdo :p

J

It gets worse.  Sometimes I've been known to start with both feet on the pedals and a hand on the ground…
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: Kim on 09 July, 2021, 06:36:32 pm
Alas, I lack the ape-factor required for that trick.  Or a sufficiently-reclined bike, I suppose, but I like to have a vague idea of what I'm crashing into.

Anyway, put me down as an ambi-footrous weirdo.

ETA: Barakta points out that she starts off with both feet on the pedals and *no* hands on the ground.
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: rafletcher on 09 July, 2021, 06:38:31 pm
No. No, it is not.

Some of us start with the left foot on the pedal :D

Sinister weirdo :p

J

That makes 2 of us.  :demon:
Title: Re: Women, show us yer bike face...
Post by: ian on 09 July, 2021, 09:53:50 pm
I have most definitely cycled with a beer in one hand. I'm not crazy though, it was a plastic glass, and I'd drunk enough not to spill it, which is important when you're cycling all way from Embankment to Bermondsey (which is thirsty work, so go prepared).

I've also cycled down Brick Lane at 4am while eating a bagel.