What's stopping teenage girls from riding bikes?

deptfordmarmoset

There's an interesting but slightly bewildering cacophony of comments below this Guardian article http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/g ... comment-51

Since more women seem to post on the commuting thread than elsewhere on this site, I thought this might be the best place to ask for women's viewpoints about this (specifically women's viewpoints but not exclusively). So, any insights as to why there are so few girls on the road? And what efforts did you have to make to get into cycling mode? And what would it take to even out the balance in this country?

(As a dad of a 31 year-old daughter, I'm only just now in with half a chance of getting her out on a bike, and this has much more to do with a sporty female friend of hers than with me. Between 14 and now, it was simply no go. )

NGale

I would say it's simple really. Peer pressure, for teenage girls riding a bike dosen't look cool

I was a teenager who didn't care about looking cool (but then I was a geek at school) so I always used to ride the 5 miles to school and back each day.

fossyant

Easy.....

It's not cool......... peer pressure....

So many teenagers are sooooo into image....really...my niece will 'occasionally' ride a bike....but only when at their 'static caravan' - certainly not at home.

1664

I live near 3 large schools including a girls and boys grammar and encounter loads of teenage girls on bikes..more so than boys

i would say 40% of commuter traffic is female, teenage or otherwise where i live

Coriander

I think the Helmet Hair thread sums up why many teenage girls don't cycle - it's hard to look good and cycle!

deptfordmarmoset

Coriander wrote:

I think the Helmet Hair thread sums up why many teenage girls don't cycle - it's hard to look good and cycle!

Aargh! I didn't see the Helmet Hair thread, I blame my dodgy internet connection. But in itself, windswept is not bad; it just doesn't look the same as it did when you were sitting in front of the bedroom mirror. But women in other countries seem to manage it, so perhaps it's down to how people conceive of ''looking good'' here...?

lost_in_thought

Those who have said 'it's all about image' are spot on. It seems that teenage girls are obsessed with image and celebrity and the WAG culture - the best way to get them cycling would be to pay Cheryl Cole a few hundred grand to ride a bike.

And it's perfectly possible to look good and cycle. You need the right bike, and a bit of thought and preparation, but I've cycled to black tie evenings before and nobody's been any the wiser. Had it rained I'd have struggled though, I grant you.

deptfordmarmoset

1664 wrote:

I live near 3 large schools including a girls and boys grammar and encounter loads of teenage girls on bikes..more so than boys

i would say 40% of commuter traffic is female, teenage or otherwise where i live

I think you're probably in an exceptional part of the UK - unfortunately that really doesn't seem to be typical. Perhaps there is an extremely competent ''cycling advocacy'' person behind that. I cycled past a local girls' school yesterday (in London) and, although the infrastructure seemed to be there - sheds and stands - there were precisely zero bikes attached to the stands.

suzyb

NGale wrote:

I would say it's simple really. Peer pressure, for teenage girls riding a bike dosen't look cool

I was a teenager who didn't care about looking cool (but then I was a geek at school) so I always used to ride the 5 miles to school and back each day.

I rode my bike to school one day. Then walked it home after the tyres were let down. That was when the bike was secured to the rack in the supposedly off limits teachers car park.

So I'd add fear of vandalism / lack of secure bike storage facilities to that list.

always_tyred

They ARE bikes?

No?

I'll get my coat.

ride_whenever

Look at oxford, plenty of women on bikes. Generally you find the sporty ones ride bikes. Those who don't do other sports wont.

il_principe

Coriander wrote:

I think the Helmet Hair thread sums up why many teenage girls don't cycle - it's hard to look good and cycle!

Don't wear a helmet then...

always_tyred

Il Principe wrote:

Coriander wrote:

I think the Helmet Hair thread sums up why many teenage girls don't cycle - it's hard to look good and cycle!

Don't wear a helmet then...

I hereby challenge Cori's hypothesis.


Okay, what she's up to at precisely that moment is rather hard, but I still think her appearance would be perfectly tolerable if she put the front wheel on the ground.

deptfordmarmoset

lost_in_thought wrote:

Those who have said 'it's all about image' are spot on. It seems that teenage girls are obsessed with image and celebrity and the WAG culture - the best way to get them cycling would be to pay Cheryl Cole a few hundred grand to ride a bike.

And it's perfectly possible to look good and cycle. You need the right bike, and a bit of thought and preparation, but I've cycled to black tie evenings before and nobody's been any the wiser. Had it rained I'd have struggled though, I grant you.

Yup, rain is always a problem On the other hand, heat and sweat isn't a problem unless you're trying to break a PB - and it's got to be better anyway than cramming in elbow-to-nostril on a stuffy tube train. You're getting fresh air all the way. But luckily a couple of people have already addressed that on that thread.

So, roll models....I appreciate the WAGs on wheels idea. (Though anyone called Cole would have to be carbon and very high maintenance, of course). And it's probably best to catch the next role model-to-be than the existing one - a question of attracting the youngest potential riders, I suppose.

deptfordmarmoset

-null- wrote:

NGale wrote:

I would say it's simple really. Peer pressure, for teenage girls riding a bike dosen't look cool

I was a teenager who didn't care about looking cool (but then I was a geek at school) so I always used to ride the 5 miles to school and back each day.

I rode my bike to school one day. Then walked it home after the tyres were let down. That was when the bike was secured to the rack in the supposedly off limits teachers car park.

So I'd add fear of vandalism / lack of secure bike storage facilities to that list.

Any idea who did that? Was it a wind up? And how long before you felt happy about simple A-to-B riding anywhere again?

AndyManc

What's stopping teenage girls from riding bikes?



Me, pinching their saddles .... for......... ermmmm scientific research :oops:







BTW , that was a joke ...... *waits for the knock on the front door* :?


.

sagalout

Coriander wrote:

I think the Helmet Hair thread sums up why many teenage girls don't cycle - it's hard to look good and cycle!

As a father of a teenage girl I agree with you - but only in this country it seems. I went to Bruges last year and sat in in the main square having breakfast whilst watching most people cycling to work, and the young women looked fantastic without even looking like they were trying! Its the same in most european countries - effortless style rather than hours sat with the GHD's in a morning!

Its a culture thing unfortunately

nicklouse

sagalout
Same here in Sweden, How they sort the Helmet hair or even if they suffer i dont know, but they do wear helmets.

suzyb

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

-null- wrote:

NGale wrote:

I would say it's simple really. Peer pressure, for teenage girls riding a bike dosen't look cool

I was a teenager who didn't care about looking cool (but then I was a geek at school) so I always used to ride the 5 miles to school and back each day.

I rode my bike to school one day. Then walked it home after the tyres were let down. That was when the bike was secured to the rack in the supposedly off limits teachers car park.

So I'd add fear of vandalism / lack of secure bike storage facilities to that list.

Any idea who did that? Was it a wind up? And how long before you felt happy about simple A-to-B riding anywhere again?

Could have been anyone. The car park was supposedly off limits but that was where the smokers hung out and no teachers or janitors ever checked it.

It was just a case of my bike being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It never put me off cycling but I never cycled to school after that.

gtvlusso

Very very tight little jeans...... :roll:

*hopes wife is not watching as I type!*

*awaiting knock at door* :shock:

snailracer

Two possible answers to the original question:
1. They're too stupid.
2. They're too sensible.

Cafewanda

Couldn't get one of my nieces to ride past the age of 10, even when I offered to wobble with her. She, of course, found it hilarious when I first learnt to ride and laughed at my many crashes and falls off the bike

I agree with Ngale. Teen girls don't find cycling cool (or whatever the 'correct' word is today).

DepfordM, tell your daughter there's an old biddy on here (me) who learnt to ride at the age of 42. That might inspire her...... just don't tell her it then took me almost 3 years to get on the road :shock:

bradford

Too busy having babys! :roll:

The Rookie

My Daughter rides to school and to her part time job and other places such as the latest BF's house.

!6, but tomboyish and sporty, she loves to ride, however insists her mountain bike stays as a mountain bike for 'cool' and won't go to road tyres (not worried, the Sri Lankan tyres she are on have a shore hardness akin to Diamond so they aren't wearing very fast!)

But yes for many its not the 'cool' thing to do, more trendy cycling role models required.

Simon

deptfordmarmoset

Cafewanda wrote:

Couldn't get one of my nieces to ride past the age of 10, even when I offered to wobble with her. She, of course, found it hilarious when I first learnt to ride and laughed at my many crashes and falls off the bike

I agree with Ngale. Teen girls don't find cycling cool (or whatever the 'correct' word is today).

DepfordM, tell your daughter there's an old biddy on here (me) who learnt to ride at the age of 42. That might inspire her...... just don't tell her it then took me almost 3 years to get on the road :shock:

''Cool'' or ''British cool?'' It doesn't seem to be a problem in other European countries. Admittedly these other countries might have better infrastructures for cycling but that doesn't seem to have anything to do with being cool.

Cafewanda, I think in my daughter's case, the most likely tipping point might be a close friend of hers who cycles (amongst a number of other sports). There was some talk of them doing a London to Southend charity ride next year - she's fine about doing those charity challenges - she's done charity runs and I even have a pic of her abseiling off a large office block dressed as Superwoman. Madness! But at least it shows she's not worried about looking....er...unusual or attracting attention or getting into physical activities. So here's hoping.

I'm sure it also helps that there are people like you on the road. Good on you.

will3

Riding a bike is liable do develop muscle.
This does not go with the stick insect image.

cee

is it really just a cycling thing though or is there a more general issue where teenage girls in the uk do not generally participate in sports in comparison to their euopean counterparts?

I remember at school PhysEd classes, that there were always some girls who would not take part. Now I appreciate that at that time in a ladies life, things happen which do not happen to boys.....and may be a reason for missing the odd lesson, but there were several girls in my class who had 'that' excuse every week....twice a week....

I always suspected it was more of an image thing....

maybe if a healthy body was cool, more very self concsious teenagers would take part in sport.

looking good in the clothing department is not a female specific issue....us blokes have to wear suits and polished shoes etc....there are ways to manage this....

long hair i have no clue about....presumably some of the commuters here (both male and female) have long hair.....how do you manage? *edit...just seen the helmet hair thread.....seems you mainly just suffer it!

always_tyred

will3 wrote:

Riding a bike is liable do develop muscle.
This does not go with the stick insect image.

Yes, look at that bradley wiggins guy, for example.

Its not this. Spin classes are vastly and disproportionately popular just now.

iloveyousew

I used to cycle to school, mainly cos I lived about 3 miles away but I also loved cycling. None of my friends did though, and eventually it become more important to be seen arriving with the right people and catching up on gossip than racing the boys out the front

Also, 'girls' bikes are rubbish, most bike companies don't seem to understand that not all girls like bright pink and flowers.

DonDaddyD

Role models and the constant sexualisation and cheapening of credible female athletes in a particular sport, in this case cycling, I feel is great for men to objectify the women but also off putting to women. Behold the Assos advert. - Why is there wind blowing her hair upwards?

Personally, any time I see professional female cyclist they are usually objectified and made into sexual objects. Very often the only ones to get any real publicity are blessed with perfect slender bodies, picture perfect eyes, shapely thighs and a model trained pout/smile. If you doubt this why hasn't Nicole Cooke been knighted for her contributions to cycling as well as her very many personal awards and medals won through her many years of cycling? And no, its not the same for men, yes Beckham is well known but not as respected as someone like Ronaldinho who is pig ugly but once bloody brilliant or Lionel Messi.

While the pretty women on bikes are nice for me to look at and certainly, I'd go to a track day, I can't see this as inspiring young impressionable girls who are concious about there ever developing bodies.

This is also compounded on by the marketing of clothes and other female specifc cycling accesories. Many of which are clearly created for women, designed and marketed by men to women. Top Shop released a cycle fashion range for girls who want to cycle. Pink, purple, fluffy and encrusted with stones. A fashion range for men is credible Rapha or Castelli kit.

We've all seen the Assos ladies bib advert (above) do I need to say more? If I was a 14-16yr old girl and self concious how would that encourage me to cycle at any level other than down to the corner shop in a pair of jeans and only if I absolutely had to?

Where is the equality? I wanna be like Alberto Contador, I buy some Castelli or team kit and look the business and despite my gut and the fact that I'm overweight I'm suddenly taken seriously. A young girl buys a similar kit wanting to follow her favourite cyclist's footsteps and suddenly she's seen as something far closer to Pamela Anderson in the baywatch costume.

Cheapened and sexualised because of my would be/could be passions, I wouldn't want to cycle either.

chugger

Spot on DDD. I believe the average size of today's woman is 16 so you are correct, sexualising women on bikes / adverts will have an adverse effect. We need the media to get on board and highlight riders like Nicole Cooke, Sarah Storey and Jo Rowsell. If you don't know who these women are, blame the media, but google them anyway [other web browsers are available]. They are / should be an inspiration to all women, but not I might add to those who think riding a bike is a fashion statement.