Quote Originally Posted by bluerider View Post
I agree, men just aren't as "warm and fuzzy" ie nurturing like we women are. I shouldn't take it personally and just keep at it. I have earned my stripes by doing pulls when needed and once in a while go on an attack with the crew in the front. So I DO BELONG there and your words have confirmed that 100%.
Even my husband complains my team (an all women's team) is so much better organized, more supportive and much better at developing riders than the men's teams are. For the lower level guys its pretty much a dog eat dog kind of mentality. The women however are much more willing to hold workshops, work as a team even as 4's, mentor each other, etc. Guys just aren't used to doing that. There's really only one guy on my husbands team who is willing to put effort into the lower cat guys and this is treatment from teammates.

On the other hand we have a very large racing community around here, and a pretty well respected women's racing community. Most of the guy racers seem really nice to me - like they realize that while I may be able to hang on at their fast pace, I may not be able to take pulls and they don't get bent out of shape if I pull right off to the back. In return I try to be sure I don't mess with the pace or break up the paceline. The guys that don't give me the time of day I assume treat everyone like that. Club/rec riders on the other hand can be a different story - must prove manliness - must crush little girl racer....... I can't give them all a hard time though. I was at a race that did not have enough women to give us our own start. I quickly found myself in a group of unnattached guys. They were sweet and really wanted to help me (they had a crazy notion that I might be in the lead for the women - I wish - it may have been wishful thinking on their part too, that they weren't being beaten by women), but they didn't know how to paceline properly so they were being a bit of a hinderance at times too.

Give the guys some time. If you keep riding with them and prove you are serious they give you more respect.