Something missing? [Female ACC members]

[Dombo]

Your white shorts don't help

[LeeS]

You would probably have to set up a seperate womens ACC in much the same way gyms and swimming clubs do to entice women out on their bikes because at the moment all there is to show for a Saturday morning ride is testosterone and snot.At least that is the image and I am sure it is off putting for your average novice rider. To test the ground some flyers out to Croydon College and the local paper or contact the CTC for local members.

[Amy]

Why the sudden interest, Sean? This is one of them perennial topics that pops its head up from time to time.

As for the image of the Saturday club run as testosterone and snot, that's because the main people who post about their rides are the faster riders for some reason. It does rather distort the image of the club when we do actually have a range of groups with a very wide range of riders, from the eyeballs out kind to those who like to take in the views and take it easy. The groups riding to set speeds is great for anyone, male or female, to work their way up in speed.

The problem is the wide range of ability within female riding - the faster ones will go to the racing clubs, the slower ones will be more likely to go with the CTC or a group like the Pollards Hill lot. There's not many racing women to go around and the slower ones don't really think of joining a racing club - it's just the wrong image to attract them. Even in the CTC sections the majority of riders are men. I should know, I started riding with my local CTC section with my father as a child and rode with them until a few years ago when I joined the Addies and got too fast for them

There's also the idea that cycling on the roads is dangerous, so many women are put off by that.

Being in any cycling club is like being in any male-dominated area (work or play). I only joined the ACC because I saw something in a mag about how they had over 40 riders on their club run - I thought I might be in with a chance
Actually, Lee, I can cope with the testosterone, it's the estrogen I can't

[Toks]

I think myself and Marco made lots of attempt to persuade women to join our lovely club. At one point In spring 2009 had threads running on 4 different cycle forums enticing women to come and ride with the 'biggest and friendliiest club in the South East'. I managed to get Stephanie and Neelam to join up. Neelam promises she will be back and Steph is desperate to ride on Saturday's but work makes it difficult. What happened to that woman who left redhill to ride with us this summer a few times? It's a little disappointing to hear Paragon have more members than us. I reckon a more flattering kit change would bring in a few more women and men (and no i don't mean pink!)

[Dombo]

[quote="LeeS"]... at the moment all there is to show for a Saturday morning ride is testosterone and snot..

[Amy]

You know, I like the club kit. I think it's quite flattering and distinctive

[Dombo]

I see their first year membership is free and after that £25 a year.

Could also be a demographic thing in that their meeting point/catchment area is closer to town - the further out you go populations and memberships seem to get older with family commitments. Look at SWRC; their members seem older than ours on average. Might be talking out my bottom of course.

[Dombo]

So, if we meet outside 151 Club on King's Road at 3 am on a Sunday we should be able to sign up some decent totty.

[Snoop Doug]

I hesitate to suggest this but.....

Maybe, just maybe, we could work out a quietish route to the caff and do an alt ride to encourage newer people, male and female. I know that once you've done it a few times the CR is like water off a ducks etc, but for a lot of newcomers, there is a risk that certain points on the current route may put them off.

Before I take a rocket for this my disclaimer follows:

This is not a health and safety announcement. This is in no way a criticism of the club, the club run, anyone who does or does not go on the club run, anyone who does or does not think there may be trouble ahead, and anyone who does or does not believe in aliens. Or anyone else...

I prefer a quiet(er) life on the bike at the mo (and I'm looking to be a bit more regular out and about in 2010) so I would be happy to get involved and try to develop this further.

Cheers - Snoop

[Rob Q]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]I hesitate to suggest this but.....

Maybe, just maybe, we could work out a quietish route to the caff and do an alt ride to encourage newer people, male and female. I know that once you've done it a few times the CR is like water off a ducks etc, but for a lot of newcomers, there is a risk that certain points on the current route may put them off.

[Elliot M]

Re womens page on website - original plan was to have one of the VCs on the clubrun page being female, and linking to testimonial page as do the others.

Would that cover it?

If so, Amy would you be OK with it being you?

[BTW some good points here, but the title of the thread doesn't help you find it. Will edit]

[Amy]

As the token female VC, I suppose so... It'd better make me look slimmer than the last photo Monty took a photo all the VCs a couple of years' ago and I thought they were going on the forum on our details. What happened to them?

I suppose it could mention how I joined the ACC back in whenever and used the groups to work my way up to the 19s but still enjoy the type of riding I did before as well

Snoop, I did come up with a quieter alternative but as it starts by going up Farthing Downs and then has a couple more drags before a flat run to the cafe via Salfords - return route back out to Leigh and then reverse of club run route. It's on the routes forum.

PS I've just looked at the photos of the VCs already on the website - omg, those would frighten anybody

[Mike I]

[quote="Amy"]As the token female VC ...

[Roy Green]

[quote="Amy"]As the token female VC, I suppose so... It'd better make me look slimmer than the last photo Monty took a photo all the VCs a couple of years' ago and I thought they were going on the forum on our details. What happened to them?
PS I've just looked at the photos of the VCs already on the website - omg, those would frighten anybody

[CaroleH]

Hi

Firstly I'm missing cos I'm STILL BLOODY FAT!!!!!!!!!

However, last year as Womans spokes person on the committee, I sent out something on the forum asking our female riders what they would like to see in the club. This is whether it was women specific coaching, a woman's specific racing calendar etc!!!! I got diddly squat in the feedback except pink kit (we love you Chloe ).

I am quite happy to answer e-mails from women. I am quite happy to set up women stuff. I still don't know if I'm still woman spokes person thingee on the committee cos nobody bothered to answer me (although I presume I am cos still getting committee e-mails of sorts). But like I say I'm quite happy to do stuff, but I need some idea of what people want etc. Once this BLOODY BABY GETS OUT I will be out on the club runs, I intend to do loads of TTs and I'll be racing at Palace etc and doing Cyclo x and sportives!!!!! So I will be out and about.

Right, rant number 2 over, I'm now off to eat a hot curry, swished down with a pint of Caster Oil, with a Rasberry Tea to follow. I'll then go and turn a my mattress followed by sex and nipple stimulation. And if that doesn't get the baby out then I don't know what will.

Carole H