London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

I was taking the 52cm touring bike that I've borrowed from a forumeanger (for the missus) to the LBS as the seatpost were those imperial allen bolt.

Once I managed to get it down to her exact height, it just drawn to me how vulnerable women who's under 5'5 feel when riding on a bicycle several sized too small for me (and oddly a perfect TT length).

To us bloke, traffic feel fine, we're pretty tall to able to see ahead of us, even on a time trial bike, we can still see what's happening, but for the women, they're severely restricted.

Any though?

We're not all pretty tall Ed. I'm neither, though I did look better when I was younger.

Average height of UK bloke is 5'9, and the ladies is 5'4 (2002).

Sexist.

"Get down low and go go go, ladies" says renowned feminist and scholar Edward, Duke of Scoble.

I know one thing Ed; I would never use the word 'ladies'. It may be what was chosen on here for the womens' forum but I suspect it would go down less well out there.

Point taken.

Time to bring in the Mergatron.

At 5'7 am I too short for cycle training?

If people drive in such a way that the height of a rider they encounter is an issue, they're probably not doing it right.

Not suggesting a merge. But how we talk to trainees is important and I, personally, would not choose 'ladies' as my word when talking about, or to, female trainees.

How would you address a group of adult female trainees, Will?

What exactly is wrong with "ladies"? I'm confused.

I certainly wouldn't say "Hello ladies". I'd either sound like someone from the 50s or some sad leering Lothario. If there were two groups, men and women, I would refer to them as men and women, not ladies and gents. If I was talking to a female trainee, as I have quite a bit, about who comes for training, I would say "They are mostly women". Saying "they are mostly ladies" would sound absurd.

how about velochicks?

I don't understand what this thread is about?

Come on Will, admit it. You say "Hellooo Ladies.." with a little wink, and when you are in your working class mood it's "awrite girls" in your best cockney.

If you read the OP, neither does Ed.

Edwardo started about women seeming vulnerable on small bikes,
then everyone else piled in with a debate about merits of us calling cycle trainees laydees
we need you Vee vee

Let the universe tell you what it is about VeeVee, let the universe tell you.

it's ok for children though. I mean boys?

Ed rather recklessly failed to identify between women of average height and men of less than average height.

I am not liking male riders at the moment so this thread is perfect for my venting :)

I'm not tall enough to be a man, Ed said so.

Keep your venting clean there Mademoiselle. No need for any French.

Lady Mademoiselle to you.

Ok.

I think it would sound like something from a male Wonderbra ad.

I didn't know there were male and female ads these days.

There are. For short, they're also called 'mads' or 'fads'.

Ed. You're talking a whole heap of bollocks.

So there.

Quit with the short jokes.

I can't win. The rest of the time, I get complaints when I'm too long-winded.

I like your long posts. I cut them out and glue them to the soles of my shoes to gain height.

Oh i was referring to Hippy whom I dearingly called "mergatron" due to his obsessive nature to change the title rather than merge the topic.

discussing with other cycle trainer about trainee's height being part of their confident, i.e. would like to know whether it'll play a huge roles in Cycle Training.

Now here's your chance to contact Kylie Minogue.

Recumbants for girlies, ah that's the point your trying to make, small bikes for small women, that's why they have problems in traffic. My missus is 5'3" and i'm 6'2" i'm allways loseing her in traffic but she keeps finding me, what must a bloke do !!!!!!

I'm so glad this isn't in the ladies forum..

As someone shorter than Jenny J, I can say I don't feel vulnerable on the road. I don't think about my (lack of) size, I just ride in as visible a way as possible. And as long as I'm wearing glasses or contacts I have no problem with seeing far ahead either :-).

precisely what I want to hear, do you find the traffic feel intimating at first due to the sheer size or?

idiotical question I realise, but it be helpful for me to try and understand how it feel from a different preceptive.

It's unfortunate that Ed talked about women rather than everyone of a certain height because it helped to reinforce a (wrong) idea that women are more vulnerable on the road than men.
I think, Ed, the answer is no, height is not something that crops up as a problem. Different people feel vulnerable or afraid for all sorts of reasons and their perception of risk is often at odds with reality which is something a cycle trainer has to be aware of and deal with. In my fairly limited experience simply learning how to use gears will transform a lot of riders' experience of cycling and their ability to handle their bike and with that comes increased confidence which makes them then more amenable to thinking about road positioning and being more assertive.

I'm trying to work out how tall one would need to be to not feel intimidated by a truck...

Help me out here guys...

I feel more vulnerable on my road bike (ex road bike) than on the Brompton, probably due to riding position (I'm higher up on the road bike).

I feel invulnerbale on the tandem.

Which is (or feels like it is) as big as a truck.

Yeah!

Interesting jenny j. Out of curiosity are you on the front or back of the tandem? As a side question did it take a to to get accustomed to the tandem? Building one up myself and any tips would be good.

I personally feel less vulnerable on a manoeuvrable bike, but if I'm on a bike loaded up so I can't turn as quickly brake as fast e.t.c I defiantly feel more vulnerable. I guess it's a case of me thinking that if something does go wrong it's harder for me to use my mad skillzz to get out of the way.

ftfy :-)

I feel vulnerable and intimidated by women on bikes.

Have you considered woman training?

Will came and rescue me from the murky depth that is the LFGSS, ta!h