Fixed Gear Male Dominance?

I was thinking today that it would appear that the whole fixed-gear 'scene' is very much male dominated. While i have seen quite a few female fixie riders around the streets of London, they are still very much in the minority. I'm trying to shed some light onto this, not with the intent to find an answer, but rather to promote a discussion.

I don't see riding fixed as a particularly macho thing, so what's going on?

Any different from cycling in general? It seems to me that blokes outnumber girls quite a bit in cycling, whatever the discipline. Check out Stockwell skate park for confirmation as it applies to the BMX scene or a mountain biking club.

I know quite a few girls who ride fixed, including my girlfriend, but would some seem not to be as excited about the "scene".

I think all forms of bicycle enthusiasm is dominated by men.

Look at road racing, mountain biking, track racing, etc.

I can name 5 women in my cycling club of 280+. On this forum there are two women, both lurking.

I don't really care one way or the other about how it breaks down, but I do find it extremely vulgar on places like bikeforums when a girl speaks and the thread derails into gibberish as a lot of the boys cream their shants and start drooling.

velocity boy I think all forms of bicycle enthusiasm is dominated by men....

...I do find it extremely vulgar on places like bikeforums when a girl speaks and the thread derails into gibberish as a lot of the boys cream their shants and start drooling....

sums it up perfectly!

maybe feminist extremists have sabotaged the BF server

velocity boy I think all forms of bicycle **enthusiasm **is dominated by men.

I think thats the key word. I reckon (obviously i cant prove it) that in terms of arses on bikes its fairly equal out on the road. But as a sub-cultural/hobbie/lifestyle thing cycling is much more for men than it is for women. So while there are equal numbers in popping down the road to get some milk on the bike, or even riding into work it is way more likely for men to splash out on bike 'stuff' than women.

Just from observation.

I do know gav is trying to convince my g/f to ride fixed tho ;)

rkn [quote]velocity boy I think all forms of bicycle **enthusiasm **is dominated by men.

I think thats the key word. [/quote]

I think with most hobbies the enthusiasum is mainly from men. Men tend to have more of an obsessive personalities. At a guess I would say more stalkers are men?

I dont think you have to be obsessive to have hobbies.... i think it just breaks down differently depending on what people are into and activities are gendered in different ways by different cultures.

Tell that to my ex...

OK I have a more sensitive issue to discuss...

• We all agree by now that this whole fixed-gear thing has become a TREND. Right?
  
• Trends get usually either started or picked up very quickly by the gay community. Right?
  
• And yet I have yet to see a gay male riding a fixed gear bike, or drooling over one.
  
  

I know that this issue has a good potential to degenerate into a classic internet flame war - but I wanted to point it out cause I've been thinking about it for a while now.

i'm sure there are a few.. how do you know someone is gay by looking at them?
ok so i haven't seen any limp wristed mincers, mincing on a fixed but it doesnt mean gay people don't ride them...

I knew it would ignite debate. You're right - my gaydar is obviously not foolproof...
I just work a lot with fashion peeps, many of whom are gay, and they show no interest in my bike whatsoever.

le car I've been thinking about it for a while now.

what turning gay????

.

I'm with glow - not sure you can really tell.... and do you really think trends get picked up by the gay community more than others?

rkn and do you really think trends get picked up by the gay community more than others?

Well considering the general lack of refinement and sophistication of the heterosexual community, I would tend to say yes.
Certainly it depends on what you call 'trends'. Football hooliganism, customised Citroen Saxos, Pitbull dogs, and Ultimate Fighting may not have come to the forefront of hipness

Men are better at sports in general. As for the whole queer thing, i can't really tell tbh. Are there any sports with a high homo presence?

RPM no wonder gays don't take up cycling, just look at those roadies in thier fluoro lycra and shaven legs..

camper than pantomime.

too obvious isn't it?

It already happened in the (early to mid?) 80s. My wife remembers our gay neighbour and his procession of lycra short wearing boyfriends, some of whom didn't own bikes. A club fashion trend based on co-opting the attire of the (then) newish phenomenon of London bicycle messengers.

There's a good short story about trends (by Robert Heinlein?), where a statistician produces and watches charts that show the ebb and flow of everything from the average length of women's skirts, to crop yields in Oklahoma - he can spot links and patterns, and can thus predict everything.

So the question is, what seemingly unrelated statistical phenomenon can be used to quantify the exponential growth in fixed gear culture...?

Answers on a postcard.

BringMeMyFix So the question is, what seemingly unrelated statistical phenomenon can be used to quantify the exponential growth in fixed gear culture...?

Reduction in civil liberties and a looming recession!

I think you're right, Scarlett. Revealing clothing can be seen to be kinda gay, especially around the middle of our bodies (crotch, arse). That's why some people wear their jeans halfway down their arse.

velocity boy [quote]BringMeMyFix So the question is, what seemingly unrelated statistical phenomenon can be used to quantify the exponential growth in fixed gear culture...?

Reduction in civil liberties and a looming recession![/quote]

Looks like fixed gear culture's set to keep on growing then...

laplusgourmande I think you're right, Scarlett. Revealing clothing can be seen to be kinda gay, especially around the middle of our bodies (crotch, arse). That's why some people wear their jeans halfway down their arse.

So you're suggesting the average builder/plumber is kinda gay.

I want to be there when you go to your local builders merchants and announce it to the assembled throng (but I'll be trackstanding by the exit)...

Way to dance around the issue. Long and short, bikes are gay and forums are all about the bromance.

Um... I'm a gay fixed gear rider, if it helps...

To be fair, though, I've yet to find another. Boo hoo...

You've ruined our generalisations!