Women riding alone- is that THAT unusual??

In article ,
"W.S. O'Neal" wrote:

The other day I was riding alone and came upon three guys , two at the
bottom of a forty foot steep drop and one at the top . As I rode by the one
at the top . He told me he had fallen. he was okay but a little shook up and
he hadn't even started down the hard part.The two at the bottom were yelling
she won't ride down that. Well unbeknownst to them I ride that drop all the
time, So down I came and they clapped and whistled like I had done something
great . as I rode away I could hear them starting to razz their friend at
the top. riding alone is good and can be good for your ego. That was a fun
day

Yeah, I've had days like that. I think men are often impressed by women
riding alone, not solely for cosmetic reasons. I went hill climbing the
other day- I went alone because I'm not that good at it and that way,
unlike a group situation I don't humiliate myself! You always see lots of
other folks suffering up and down the same hill, and mostly guys. They all
seem to be impressed at seeing a woman climbing there alone. ONce in a
while I'll see couples there, including one local pro and with some guy,
either her trainer or a boyfriend, I have no idea.

I've been lurking on this thread for a while and just felt like putting
in my $0.02 worth...

I used to commute daily by bike 25 miles each way between Denver and
Boulder, CO, back when I had the time and less commitments (i.e.,
kids). I have been in some situations where I blew out a tire, not just
the tube (NOW I usually carry a fold-up spare), or had an ungodly string
of flats that left me with a flat and without another spare or a patch
to be found. (It gets easy to get cavalier and forget to pick up more
patches or spares when you ride so frequently and deal with flats with a
high regularity.) Given the area, I always felt safe -- stranded
certainly, desperate maybe, but safe. I think THAT is the issue here,
more than the "can I fix a flat" aspect. Do you feel safe being alone
in the middle of nowhere, even just for the time it takes to change that
tube? I expect most men would answer that yes, the majority of women
might answer differently. Fortunately, most of us have cell phones
these days, so even the "stranded" situations aren't as risky as in days
past, but given societal changes, perhaps they are even worse. I don't
know.

Probably like many men, I used to find it hard to relate to a woman's
sense of vulnerability. Then I met a man, a prison psychiatrist, who
told me the story of working in a prison, where he was the target of
violation from a very large, very hardened criminal who had nothing to
loose. Think about it guys. His detailed story will make the neck
hairs of the burliest of men rise, but I won't recount the depiction
here, but I can now really admire a woman who bikes alone.

For the record, anyone who wants to ride with me is welcome. I don't
get to ride much these days, but when I go, I do enjoy company. Truth
is, I've rarely had any. I've never been in a club or on a team. I've
competed, but always as an independent. I've trained hard, but always
as an individual. I have enjoy riding alone, but have also enjoyed that
rare companionship on the roads. Have you ever cycled up behind
someone, passed them, then ended up racing with them for miles on end to
find they are a good match for your abilities? I have, and it was one
of the best, most memorable rides of my life!

Best wishes!
-Doug



Bob M wrote:


I can understand that. My problem is that I don't have very strong hands
and fixing a flat would take me ten hours, so I'd probably just call a
cab
and go home, especially if it's getting late.


Take another tube with you and use tire levers. It's really not hard at
all. Personally, I don't patch tubes unless I have to (two flats in one
ride). If you can't blow up the tire, buy a cartridge system to do it for
you. I recommend taking a class at a local bike shop.

Cabs? Not in rural Connecticut!




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Doug wrote in :
Fortunately, most of us have cell phones
these days, so even the "stranded" situations aren't as risky as in days
past, but given societal changes, perhaps they are even worse. I don't
know.

In most areas where I ride (recreationally), cell phones do not work. This is
in the hills around Silicon Valley, a somewhat technically aware community.

In article , Ken wrote:

Doug wrote in :
Fortunately, most of us have cell phones
these days, so even the "stranded" situations aren't as risky as in days
past, but given societal changes, perhaps they are even worse. I don't
know.

In most areas where I ride (recreationally), cell phones do not work.
This is
in the hills around Silicon Valley, a somewhat technically aware community.

Isn't that normal, that cell phones don't generally work in valleys and canyons?

I always think of this Steven Wright joke. "I have a friend named Eric.He
works as a radio DJ. When you're in a car with him and you drive through a
tunnel you can't hear what he says."

wrote in part:

Probably like many men, I used to find it hard to relate to a woman's
sense of vulnerability. Then I met a man, a prison psychiatrist, who
told me the story of working in a prison, where he was the target of
violation from a very large, very hardened criminal who had nothing to
loose. Think about it guys. His detailed story will make the neck
hairs of the burliest of men rise, but I won't recount the depiction
here, but I can now really admire a woman who bikes alone.

Meaning no disrespect to anyone, you're comparing apples and oranges. Your
psychologist friend was working in a *prison*. Prisons tend to be populated by
bad people to a much greater degree than do even the worst of neighborhoods. A
modicum of caution is one thing. Paranoia is another. Let's not make heroism a
prerequisite for solo rides.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

(Hunrobe) wrote in message ...


wrote in part:

Probably like many men, I used to find it hard to relate to a woman's
sense of vulnerability. Then I met a man, a prison psychiatrist, who
told me the story of working in a prison, where he was the target of
violation from a very large, very hardened criminal who had nothing to
loose. Think about it guys. His detailed story will make the neck
hairs of the burliest of men rise, but I won't recount the depiction
here, but I can now really admire a woman who bikes alone.

Meaning no disrespect to anyone, you're comparing apples and oranges. Your
psychologist friend was working in a *prison*. Prisons tend to be populated by
bad people to a much greater degree than do even the worst of neighborhoods. A
modicum of caution is one thing. Paranoia is another. Let's not make heroism a
prerequisite for solo rides.

....but I never mind when non-cyclists think I'm a hero for riding a
bicycle on my own!

-Luigi

"M. Barbee" wrote in message
...

"Marlene Blanshay" wrote in message
...
Mind you, there is always the anxieties, like "What's that creak?" or
"what's that noise", or having an accident and being alone, and I'm not
exactly Miss Mechanic. But I go anyways and cross my fingers that
nothing
goes wrong. Is it like that everywhere, that women riding alone is
considered be some sort of daring feat?

I live in the DC area and I also see plenty of women commuting and some
taking recreational rides alone on these summer afternoons. But in both
situations there's a lot of other people out. I don't necessarily see it
as
a daring feat, but unfortunately there are some bad guys out there who
will
try to take advantage of women. There have been a few attacks on women
along multiuse trails in this area, but it was usually on women running
and
I see more women running on the trails alone than riding bikes alone. One
in particular involved a guy on a bike riding up behind a woman running
and
grabbing her butt and making a quick get away on his bike. I hope they
caught that guy.

And I hope she got her butt back!

In article , Per Elmsäter wrote:

Why would you need strong hands to fix a flat?

Well, y'know, "unless you're carrying a wrench..." :-)

Seriously, some tires, especially those with folding beads and high
pressure rating can take a good deal of wrestling to get seated on the
rim. It's much easier if you have large hands and a string grip.

--

-John )

In article ,
wrote:

In article , Marlene Blanshay wrote:

I see women riding alone, but is it really that unusual? I can't believe
women in their adult years can't consider going on a ride alone. I go
alone because I hardly know any women riders, and the ones I do know are
great athletes who make me feel, well inadequate to say the least. I like
going in groups but I'm not going to miss a nice day, that's for sure.

Mind you, there is always the anxieties, like "What's that creak?" or
"what's that noise", or having an accident and being alone, and I'm not
exactly Miss Mechanic. But I go anyways and cross my fingers that nothing
goes wrong. Is it like that everywhere, that women riding alone is
considered be some sort of daring feat?

My wife doesn't like riding alone either, but for her the concern is
"who's that weirdo and what is he going to do?" rather than mechanical
concerns.

I don't worry about that- most of the time I'm on a bike, what weirdo can
catch me?

If I lived my life like that, I'd probably never go out on a date!

In article ,
wrote:

In article , Per Elmsäter wrote:

Why would you need strong hands to fix a flat?

Well, y'know, "unless you're carrying a wrench..." :-)

Seriously, some tires, especially those with folding beads and high
pressure rating can take a good deal of wrestling to get seated on the
rim. It's much easier if you have large hands and a string grip.

I've gotten better. I've been practicing taking off cyclo cross tires,
once you can do those it seems easier. Actually taking them off is easier
than putting them on sometimes.