Boy or Girl (or Other)?

[ChezCheese:)]

In some of Court's videos, he is surprised when women are buying electric bicycles. Are there really so few women riding ebikes? I mean, it's not like being able to pee standing up is a prerequisite for it. And the electric assist works for whoever is pumping the pedals. So let's just see how the gender balance is on this forum...

 

[AHicks]

I'm male, but at least half of my riding is done with my wife. So she's out there quite a bit as well.

I would think the sight of a woman e-bike rider would not be near as surprising as a woman riding a motorcycle, as they are way bigger and more powerful. They are going to definitely be looking for a bigger piece of your shorts if anything goes wrong in any case, yet I see women on those all the time!

Point being, I think there are fewer women on e-bikes only because they are slower figuring out how cool they are. Lack of marketing maybe? Once exposed, I think they are just as likely to be enthusiastic riders as anyone. There is no doubt my wife is!

 

[PatriciaK]

I can't remember how I first heard about ebikes a few months ago - definitely not through any marketing campaign, though. May have been an article in a newspaper, since I do a lot of reading...

Husband is a happy acoustic biker, but over the years as my knees (and sometimes asthma) became more prickly, I just stopped riding. I'm doing this ebike thing completely on my own; researching, test riding, comparing. Haven't committed to a particular ebike yet, but am getting close. As I've been talking to female friends about the bikes and the process, several of them have also become interested - I think as the word and the riders get out there, more and more women will join the ranks!

 

[Cowlitz]

Hah. My big, chainsaw wielding man friend had to get help to get his motorcycle off of him after tipping it over. I don't think that's an issue.

I own two ebikes and two regular bikes. I got the original ebike so's I could get to my super secret huckleberry patches up in the woods. Then my house sold and I moved to a town. A friend and I still drive up and unload our bikes and ride in the woods though. Ebikes are fun.

If you go on the RAD facebook page, there are quite a few women buying those. And, if the quality of my friend's bike is an indication, they will become quite knowledgeable in diagnosing and fixing problems. We've replaced a controller, switched the rear tire, and tried out our fixes four times now on the same stretch of road. We still have one more fix and another test.

In our area, there are very few bike riders, period. There are no bike lanes. There are few shoulders on roads. I ride around anyway--most of the drivers are courteous. Our local bike shop is open when the moon is full, the tide low, and the vibes just right (seldom).

I am not bothered by not having women reviewers. It's par for the course. We are used to having men make assumptions about us. We can ignore them and do what is right for us. As far as peeing standing up? Chezcheez is not very up to date on that one.

 

[AlanDB]

I haven't kept count, but I think I have seen more women than men on ebikes where I ride. Ebikes are still somewhat rare on our local trails, so I do tend to take notice when I cross paths with an ebike rider.

My wife (who now rides a etrike) almost always rides with me, but I am the only one who participates in the forum. I suspect there will be more of a gender bias in the forum than there is on the bike trail.

My wife was actually the first one to buy an ebike. She bought her Blix Aveny without telling me. I think she thought I would try to talk her out of it (which I probably would have ). After several months of observing how much more fun she was having on her Blix than I was on my conventional bike, I decided to buy my Gazelle Arroyo. Now I ask myself why we didn't do it sooner.

 

[Cowlitz]

I haven't kept count, but I think I have seen more women than men on ebikes where I ride. Ebikes are still somewhat rare on our local trails, so I do tend to take notice when I cross paths with an ebike rider.

My wife (who now rides a etrike) almost always rides with me, but I am the only one who participates in the forum. I suspect there will be more of a gender bias in the forum than there is on the bike trail.

My wife was actually the first one to buy an ebike. She bought her Blix Aveny without telling me. I think she thought I would try to talk her out of it (which I probably would have ). After several months of observing how much more fun she was having on her Blix than I was on my conventional bike, I decided to buy my Gazelle Arroyo. Now I ask myself why we didn't do it sooner.

I bought an Arroyo three weeks ago. My old mountain bike felt so nice and responsive compared to my Rad mini. Then I got the Arroyo and the mountain bike now feels heavy and clunky. I did not want to get off the Arroyo on the test ride. It is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden--even the seat!

 

[AlanDB]

I just turned over 900 miles on my Arroyo. I love it more every time I ride it. I am really enjoying the Nyon upgrade I put on it this summer.

 

[Deacon Blues]

In some of Court's videos, he is surprised when women are buying electric bicycles. Are there really so few women riding ebikes? I mean, it's not like being able to pee standing up is a prerequisite for it. And the electric assist works for whoever is pumping the pedals. So let's just see how the gender balance is on this forum...

Men ride ebikes.....women ride ebikes. Get over it.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

"Get over" what? Geez. I'M not saying women don't or shouldn't - - I'm a woman ebiker myself. I was just surprised by Court's surprise at women buying/riding ebikes and I just want to see if it is really so unusual. I see women riding them all the time - - although I simply notice "Ooh, there's an ebike! What kind is that?..." I had a regular (Vespa type) scooter and participated in an online scooter forum and was surprised myself that there were very few women on it. Same with a Toyota van forum. Is it reflecting lower ownership, or simply that men are more likely to participate in online forums about mechanical things? Or is it a misconception in the first place?

 

[Deacon Blues]

Can you give me a link to the video where Court says that he's surprised that women are buying and riding ebikes? I'd like to watch it.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

I can't right now because I have to run, and also because I have seen SO many of the review videos . Certainly one instance was in one of the ebike fests in southern California (not the most recent one, but last year's).

 

[PDoz]

one instance was in one of the ebike fests in southern California (not the most recent one, but last year's).

Ah, that makes more sense - around the time ebike mum joined ? Just a casual observation, but it felt like she changed a bit of the vibe here to be much more inclusive - not just gender inclusive, but also encouraging open discussions about disability and the human benefits from ebikes ( rather than the technical aspects) . Now I'll just try and dig myself out of this hole shaped remarkably like a misogynistic technophiles coffin .....

Ps this was her thread earlier this year https://electricbikereview.com/foru...see-more-women-ebikers-ladies-thoughts.27026/

 

[Cowlitz]

I rather enjoy this forum because it isn't to mannish. I did get my hackles raised over a thread where it was considered to be degrading to have to buy a "girl's bike" which is what they were calling a step through. I was hoping we were beyond it being an insult to be a girl. And no, I won't look it up. It is on this forum somewhere...

 

[Deacon Blues]

Historically, a bike without a center bar was called a "girl's bike". At one time a man wouldn't be caught dead on a "girl's bike", but times have changed. Personally, I don't care what type or style of bike men or women ride, as long as they're riding.

 

[AlanDB]

Historically, a bike without a center bar was called a "girl's bike". At one time a man wouldn't be caught dead on a "girl's bike", but times have changed. Personally, I don't care what type or style of bike men or women ride, as long as they're riding.

I think that convention goes back to the day when women and girls wore mostly dresses and skirts instead of slacks, shorts and jeans. I ride a step thru and get an occasional tease about riding a "girls bike". Doesn't bother me. At my age I am more interested in the ease and safety of mounting and dismounting the step-thru bike.

 

[Cowlitz]

Historically, a bike without a center bar was called a "girl's bike". At one time a man wouldn't be caught dead on a "girl's bike", but times have changed. Personally, I don't care what type or style of bike men or women ride, as long as they're riding.

Yes, I know that. My sister and I had girl bikes. We also had to wear dresses and skirts to school. The thing I am pointing out is there was a man complaining that he did not want to have to ride a girl's bike.

It goes along with men telling their sons not to scream like a little girl, and other derogatory references to girls. I know some great little girls and I don't want them to have to deal with all the crap that is out there at this time. They have great parents who support that.

 

[Manu]

MEn, hour 19 to 24 change to Alien gender,jajaaj

 

[PatriciaK]

Men ride ebikes.....women ride ebikes. Get over it.

I don't see what the big deal is about being curious about how many women are riding ebikes - if you're not interested, don't follow the thread .