Quote Originally Posted by rapid cycler View Post
It was written with just a dash of humor—men are funny because they crash (because they're bigger risk takers)—but the takeaway lesson was, Hey, ladies, riding with your little female friends is fine when you want to gossip or can't take the pressure of keeping up with the menfolk, but when you want to improve your skills you're gonna have to enlist some testerone. [Expletives deleted]
Man, this attitude still cheeses me, and I haven't even been able to ride for almost a year!

Back when we had the money to spend, the bike stuff I could get that worked for me was never as good as what DH could get. When he bought carbon-soled shoes, and I needed new shoes, too, they didn't make a ladies shoe with a carbon sole. I spent just as much money on a shoe that was 2 notches lower than his. It took years of waiting before there was a full suspension bike small enough to fit me.

And don't get me started on the attitude about riding skills! Yikes! There's still a guy in my old home-town with a target on his head over that one. Some of the best riders I know are women (and I used to be nearly as good as some of them); and there are plenty of men who can get clocked by a chick any day of the week!

The part that sucks the most is that magazines perpetuate this ridiculous discrimination. Sure, I guess it could be argued that it's a reflection of the real world attitude; but it definitely is not a reflection of real women who love to ride.

Yes, DH got his, and since the subscription is in his name, no women's section.

Utter hooey.

~T~