Women's Cycling

[Andrew G]

Marco's bought a new little black book, and it's empty at the moment.

[Stu Merckx Man]

[quote]and in smiths when they are buying CW

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

LOL

Marco does have a serious point though that we should support.

[sid_day]

Is it worth doing a small piece for the ACC website which explains in detail what new cyclists should expect? (sorry if this is already there).

Maybe some quotes from new riders describing their experience in their own words.
e.g. what they would like to have known before they first came out.

I might try to pursuade my girlfriend to come along to a J4F ride.

She will take a little pursuading and will want to know exactly what to expect.

CW last week had a good two pager on finding yr local club.

[sid_day]

Is it worth making this a sticky?

[sid_day]

Do we have any local shops on board who

We know have good stock of womens clothing?
Are keen to target the female customers
Have good understanding of bike fit/ergonomics for women?

[-Adam-]

Well...

You know some say Acc is very sexist, personally I think thats an unfounded allegation! lol

[Michelle]

Thought a woman ought to make a showing...

I am doing various training things with John Leitch - I can certainly chat to any females who don't have a club and would like to go out riding. You don't just have to take them from fresh, especially as if you want to complement the womens race side it may take a couple of years to train people up.

If you are serious about it, perhaps you want to think about poaching from other clubs. Find out what women like about that club, what works for them as a group, and do that at the A.

However we girls are not (generally) as competitive as you boys, so not everything needs to be geared towards racing and other events.

I am up at Hillingdon this Sunday (euww - rain) so can try my hand there. I suppose it means I have to be nice - not nice enough to lose any races though.

I may know someone who might want to come out on Saturday morning occasionally. There's not too many women in my other club though that I could poach.

[Andrew G]

Don't know if it was tongue in cheek Michelle but I don't think we want to go the poaching route as it doesn't give a good reputation with other clubs.

If you're doing the John Leitch things then it would be great if you could fly the flag to those without clubs or looking for something different to what they currently get. I'm not doing them this year, but I did last year and there was a few ladies there who were grouped together for the training. Most of them were new to cycling and didn't have experience of riding in groups at the start so would be perfect to receive Marco's personal touch . If I remember correctly there were a few who ran or did some triathlons and wanted to improve their cycling.

If you do mention it to anyone and they'd rather not give their contact details to a strange man (sorry Marco ) then Tamar is also the womens cycling point of contact.

[Michelle]

Point taken Marco regarding poaching, but there is no harm poaching ideas from other clubs re womens cycling. Or perhaps there is not much going on out there so we will have to make it all up as we go along.

But I can still try and recruit people when I am out and about.

Oh har har about keeping up with me. Perhaps I can aspire to keep up with you after another few months training!

I take it you went to the Xmas do last night, as you posted the previous at some unGodly hour.

Hope it was a good night. I went the the gym instead.

[Toks]

Sounds a bit cheesy i know Marco but why don't you have a WOMEN'S DAY. Aim it at women cyclists across the spectrum , newbies, and experienced riders a like. Hit cycling forums, make up some flyers for Butler's and other bike shops, I'll even lurk in Richmond park and give out flyers to ladies if you want.

Pick a day, for example, 1st of Feb, make sure you've got all the VC's on their best behaviour and take them out for on a club run. Get Michelle, Tamar and Maria to be out on that day. I promise you the Addiscombe effect will do the rest and you'll get them coming back no probs!

[Michelle]

Listen guys, re the picture, you are just gonna have to stop all that stuff if you want to get the women in. What do you think is going to happen? Are you hoping for either a) a lap dance round a seat tube or b) really pi**ing people off and thereby put them off.

And don't let Marco near anybody, especially if he is as scary as Stu's Mum says.

No comments about bags under eyes either.

Leave the porn in the toilet, don't put in on the website!

[Toks]

[quote="Michelle"]Listen guys, re the picture, you are just gonna have to stop all that stuff if you want to get the women in. What do you think is going to happen? Are you hoping for either a) a lap dance round a seat tube or b) really pi**ing people off and thereby put them off.

[Michelle]

So it has! Nice one!

[Maria David]

I have given my 2p worth on this subject in the past. My full views would be an even longer note than this one.
One or 2 things I will say, from what I have read is :

the best people to to decide how/when/what to communicate to women riders would be people who are closely involved with women riders or women riders themselves - we are the ones on the ground who see what is going on around and know how things work/what motivate riders.

Women riders shouldn't be talked about like a special case - if the resources within a club are good they will work with all types/gender of rider.
In fact the litmus test for if there is a good system in the club in the first place is the retention rate of the women riders. With cycling being a male dominated sport, any guy can find his place within any club - he's not gonna have a constant problem of a shortage of similar ability club-mates.

I don't believe there is a fundamental problem of attracting women riders. We have had numerous riders pass through Addiscombe (and of various levels). They are just riding somewhere else now.

If you look at the BC website/observe what's going in women's racing you will find that people move club for various reasons. Most of the time women are not poached. If there is a good structure being offered people will move towards that. It's not a matter of poaching anyone.

And why is women's cycling automatically linked to the Just4Fun group ??

All the ideas mentioned sound good, but someone has to have thought it through properly after doing the correct research, and people have to be on hand to support and sustain whatever systems are put in place. Hannah Reynolds, Jayne Toyne and I have all done this role in the past, and the lack of continued support and serious commitment meant the gains were not sustainable. Bear that in mind when you come up with your ideas.

My half p worth !

Maria