Why do I see fewer women cycling than men?

[OakLeaf]

Although I really have no experience with most of it (no children, commuted in heavy traffic through my teens and early 20s and had no car, so couldn't afford to be afraid), what everyone else has said rings true intellectually to me, except for the thing about size being a disadvantage.

I can't TELL you how many men behind me in a paceline have grumbled about my size! And vice versa, it's super easy for 5'3" me to tuck in and hang on with a much stronger group. They don't even mind so much if I only take token pulls, since I'm basically not doing anyone any good at the point anyhow.

As far as hills, that extra 20-30# of body weight that a man has to drag up a hill costs him WAY more than the extra 2-3# if the woman can't afford a bike as snazzy as his. BTDT, with men who can completely dust me on the flats.

[jyyanks]

For me, it has everything to do with lack of time. I work full time with a 2 hour commute which leaves me no time to cycle during the week. During the weekends, the kids have activities and quite frankly, i feel guilty spending time away from them since I'm not around as much during the week so weekends are primarily devoted to family. I get about an hour or two each day during the weekend but thats not enough time to go on an extended group ride (which typically lasts longer and does not work with my schedule). Therefore, I end up riding alone on the bike trail a lot. When my kids are older, I hope I could devote more time to cycling and join more group rides but unfortunately, that isn't possible now.

[ivorygorgon]

My club is dominated by FAST men. When I talk to the guys about their wives, the inevitable reason their wives don't ride is that they are afraid to ride on the road.

[Eden]

I'm like Oak - I grew up riding on the road. I started cycle touring with my parents when I was about 10 or 11 I think - I was in middle school. I was riding all over by myself in city traffic by the time I was 14. I didn't even have a driver's license until I was 25. I don't have kids.

None of the worries other people have expressed have ever really affected me, I guess. I suppose a lot of it has to do with how I was raised. My parents were always quite active and I was allowed, perhaps even pushed to do things that other girls never were. Other kids thought I was weird, but I don't think that ever really bothered me. It certainly didn't change my behavior - nor has the fact that now other adults often think I'm weird bother me or change my behavior.

[Crankin]

Come to think of it, I rode all over, on the road starting at age 10, until I got my license. It wasn't city riding, but a very hilly, densely populated suburb. I rode at night, too. There are certain places I won't ride, but I started out right on the road.

[Reesha]

I'm like Oak - I grew up riding on the road. I started cycle touring with my parents when I was about 10 or 11 I think - I was in middle school. I was riding all over by myself in city traffic by the time I was 14. I didn't even have a driver's license until I was 25. I don't have kids.

None of the worries other people have expressed have ever really affected me, I guess. I suppose a lot of it has to do with how I was raised. My parents were always quite active and I was allowed, perhaps even pushed to do things that other girls never were. Other kids thought I was weird, but I don't think that ever really bothered me. It certainly didn't change my behavior - nor has the fact that now other adults often think I'm weird bother me or change my behavior.

This is pretty much me in a nutshell. I rode my bike everywhere as a kid for transportation... didn't get my license til my 20s and by then was fully adapted to road riding. Now I'm nearly 30, no kids yet... just a full time teaching job, domesticated DBF (who is afraid to ride on the roads go figure!), a dog, a cat, and some chickens. I'm not afraid to let my lawn go if it means I can have more time on the bike

[FlyingScot]

The biggest thing that makes me think twice about going for a ride is the safety factor. I, by necessity, ride alone 99% of the time. My two choices for riding (path vs road) each have pretty significant issues. The bike path nearest me is very secluded in some parts, runs through subsidized housing (think large groups of bored, disaffected and often angry young men rolling around on undersized bikes but not going anywhere), has easy access by other vehicles (service drives that aren't blocked off), increasing numbers of homeless men and so far has had two murder victims found on it. In addition my community is not bike-friendly. We have had multiple accidents most of them ending with a dead cyclist. It seems that drivers are actually aiming for us so the roads aren't a great option either. You'd never know that I live in a rather up-scale part of town.
The second thing is my personal discouragement whem I'm being passed by what appear to be 80 year old men on BSO's. Seriously, am I THAT slow!