Quote Originally Posted by jessmarimba View Post
I enjoy that TE is a bike-related place where my boyfriend isn't involved. It allows me to be me, rather than me to be a cyclist with ~20 years less experience who has issues riding at altitude, a fear of riding downhill, and no concept of bike repair. I can speak freely and not worry about it.
This is my situation. DBF doesn't "get" that I have that fear of riding downhill, that I haven't been riding for years and my bike control skills are such that I'd rather dismount and walk around an obstacle that I'm not sure I can clear on the bike.
I'll add to the chorus that it's a literate, supportive community where I can ask questions about nearly anything (bike-related or not) and get answers or at least commiseration.

I'm on another forum (a knitting forum!) that by its nature is mostly women. And while it is also a supportive and friendly group, I just don't have that much in common with most of its members. The conversation that isn't knitting-related largely revolves around the members' offspring. I'm not interested! I'm not a girly girl, and most of my real-life friends are men. It's a different outlook here, I guess.