It's just how we roll - Regular Ladies Rides

What's that you say? They already exist? Well fancy that...

which is a good example of why women's rides are problematic from the off, because all women are different, and stuff like this (women = slow) makes me want to cry.

I said managable, not slow. :)

I personally see women’s rides as giving women some space…. space to ride with other women (as a majority, not a minority which is so often the case), to organize rides, to lead rides and to learn to lead rides….. Offers to help are great and all that but if there is no space, then there are no opportunities to fill it.....

This is exactly the sort of thing I'd wanted to achieve with reviving the ladies rides. As other have said it's been a chance for 1st timers to have a go at group riding which can be intimidating as it is. Also hoped others would lead and plan rides, which has happened, all in a majority female space.

so just like all the rides in the Rides section then?
.

Yes but ladies rides are different - they are way more sociable, we stick together, people don't ride like twats. With the notable exception of one or 2 main forum rides I've been on, the group has splintered and broken up really early and people charge off ahead, with some people seem to think it's a race. People ride carelessly too. Hell, even on the Udon Run where I was supposed to be leading people hared off and the group splintered and there was some shocking riding later in the day.

Forum rides are ace, but so are the ladies ones. I really want to see them going from strength to strength and people not get bogged down in politics.

Where we going on 17th ladies?

Gutted I can't do 31st so those that go will have to make it up to me somehow :-)*

*Flawed logic, but that's how I roll.

this

So....................... No cake anytime soon?

I quite like this one but as I'm away this weekend I don't have time for a reccy...http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Sevenoaks_Circular-Cycle-Route-960.html

Any other ideas?

The only thing I can offer atm in terms of leading (as I really can't reccy anything new before the 17th) could be a city ride with a few challenging hills (30 miles with a pub lunch?) but I guess as we all ride in the city 5 days a week this is not really exciting...i know.

Soooo I just had a little sample of the fluffybanuffynut sarnie and....it's AWESOME! I'll make a few to share!

life was so much better when discussing **crunchy peanut butter, banana and marshmallow spread sandwich **for a ride, or home made cookies.. i still live in hope though

#sadface

as a newbie, once I've been on a few more rides and built some more fitness up, I'm keen as to step up to lead and organise some. exciting! i hope!
lola, i think that sounds delightful

@poots: didn't mean that the ladies rides would be like the main forum rides - all things you said i agree with... just that there is a general acceptance that whoever sets up the ride gets to define it. Doesn't always work out. Have been on a couple of rides with frustrated ride organisers, but the theory is accepted.

life was so much better when discussing **crunchy peanut butter, banana and marshmallow spread sandwich **for a ride, or home made cookies.. i still live in hope though

#sadface

Me too Al! Me too...*

*this makes me hungry!

@lola: wasn't there some talk of richmond park expedition? On phone so can't easily find it, might be misremembering... But it would be a decent distance to get out there from central, plus a few laps. Doesn't really need reccying...

Oh yeah you are absolutely right! So if nobody will offer anything more exciting lets do RP! Perfect!

The only thing I can offer atm in terms of leading (as I really can't reccy anything new before the 17th) could be a city ride with a few challenging hills (30 miles with a pub lunch?) but I guess as we all ride in the city 5 days a week this is not really exciting...i know.

I can't make the 17th, but I mapped this route a while ago of south london hills and parks
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5330303
just a suggestion =)

RP on 17th sounds good to me. I'll need lots of encouragement/tow-rope/promises of beer to make it round the initial lap - lol.

If you do RP, I should be able to make the 17th.

Personally, I feel that the issue of men on ladies' rides will always be an issue - because of the name as much as anything else. "Issue" is not a euph for "problem" it just means a thing that raises thoughts and questions. I think it's actually healthy to thrash out what we feel constitutes ladies' rides and I think it's also quite okay for different rides to have different "definitions".

Communication is key. I don't think anyone should be afraid to say anything - whether to give an opinion of any shade, to offer advice, help, disagreement or whatever. So long as the conversation continues a consensus will be reached. It's obvious there will always be differing views, we're all individuals, after all.

^this.

I personally see women’s rides as giving women some space…. space to ride with other women (as a majority, not a minority which is so often the case), to organize rides, to lead rides and to learn to lead rides….. Offers to help are great and all that but if there is no space, then there are no opportunities to fill it.

I think this is the most important part of "ladies" rides. I would never lead a main forum ride yet, as but am totally willing to lead more ladies rides. (I think it also helps that most of our rides max out about 15 people too!)

The main issue I have with guys coming on ladies rides is the assumption it seems to be that they are they to "help" us. I find this idea somewhat patronizing and I feel this undermines the notion that ladies can organize and lead rides on their own.

That said, I can see the other side which says why does it matter what gender the person offering help is? But it does, when there is such a massive gender ratio imbalance on the forum and in cycling in general.

which is a good example of why women's rides are problematic from the off, because all women are different, and stuff like this (women = slow) makes me want to cry.

I am not super fast, but I'm not super slow either, and I'd like to get faster, but I hate being left in the dust (which had happened on a few main forum rides). I think having women's rides is really helpful in this respect in that slower riders can gain confidence and speed in an atmosphere that isn't intimidating.

So assuming that because it's a "ladies" ride, it will be slow isn't on. There is a wide range of abilities so as long as we manage it so everyone has a good ride I think we're doing well. Generally every ride I've been on has managed to make it work (to my knowledge!)

This is exactly the sort of thing I'd wanted to achieve with reviving the ladies rides. As other have said it's been a chance for 1st timers to have a go at group riding which can be intimidating as it is. Also hoped others would lead and plan rides, which has happened, all in a majority female space.

Forum rides are ace, but so are the ladies ones. I really want to see them going from strength to strength and people not get bogged down in politics.

^this

Unfortunately I can't make the 17th (out of town) and not sure about the 31st as I'm doing the London Classic the next day, but I am totally up for leading rides after that....mostly I just want to get back on my bike more often!

I think I can make RP on the 17th too. As I spend my weekends in West London, it would be super handy......

The forum doesn't function without a list!!

17th March somewhere (RP the high favourite)

1.Lolabelle
2.debbieEast
3.Cafewanda (prob have to turn back at pub stop as have family 'date' that evening)

1. KRZ - most likely
   
2. Clefty
   
3. Tapsnbath
   

can i please make a suggestion, i organise plenty of rides, all genders, abilities and experiences.

if you want to lead a ride but need practise. start with a smallish group if you can, or share the burden of leadership. keeping everyone happy gets harder the more riders you have esp on busy routes, and arranging rendezvous.. and splits at the end.

just for the record when i have joined a ride i usually sweep up at the back, ensuring no one is dropped. and only lead if others are unsure of getting back into town, or have asked me to pick up the pace (not that i'm very fast btw)

over time you should all share the work at the front.. but the key must always be to go and have a nice time, as safely as possible.. okay so what if everyone is different. people look to you for leadership and guidance..

best of luck for the 17th, i'll be swanning around the yorkshire dales with general lucifer and tilover.. if anyone else is north of manchester then give me a tinkle..

al x

I like guys on the ladies rides, my first ride of any length ever was a ladies ride because it was advertised as 'no man left behind' (pun intended) and Ben and Poots were the main people to ensure that I wasn't left behind, even though I was super slow. I really enjoyed myself and it meant I was very happy to think about other forum rides now that I'd got my foot in the door. I liked that there was a guy on the ladies ride because it meant that I didn't think I could only be involved in ladies rides, which sounds a bit daft but it was really encouraging for me.
I agree that if it were men organising and leading it every single time unsolicited then it might as well not be ladies rides. However, I would personally have welcomed Dan leading the ride (if I could even go on it still) as initially there was no one who seemed willing to lead, I'm glad that anyone stepped in to run it, happily many people have which is always nice as it's a bit of a rarity.
I think men on ladies rides is a good thing and am happy to have more than one man on them for once, as long as some kind of ladies majority is kept.
Cheers for the advice Al, sounds pretty sound. Arf, though it really does.
Well that's my two cents badly formulated and everything. Now to add myself to a list.

17th March somewhere (RP the high favourite)

1.Lolabelle
2.debbieEast
3.Cafewanda (prob have to turn back at pub stop as have family 'date' that evening)

1. KRZ - most likely
   
2. Clefty
   
3. Tapsnbath
   
4. Iknowhowtoblether.
   Laps are boring though! However, I haven't been to RP so I am talking out my arse.
   

Seeing as March 31st is the first day of my easter holidays I think I'm entitled to the day off work to fiiiiiiinally do a ladies ride!!! And to Cambridge too, awesome!

Filling in stonehenge's blank spot as long as that doesn't mean I'm now leading it...

31st March Cambridge

1. scoot
   
2. BianchiMasher (co-leader rest of the route)
   
3. avellana (TBC)
   
4. Lolabelle
   
5. debbieEast
   
6. Sally
   
7. hoefla
   
8. bothwell
   
9. tapsnbath
   
10. blowfish
    
11. Kat
    
12. KRZ
    

Oh yeah, I'm out of this one, due to surfeit of cobbles the next day.

31st March Cambridge

1. scoot
   
2. BianchiMasher (co-leader rest of the route)
   
3. avellana (TBC)
   
4. Lolabelle
   
5. debbieEast
   
6. Sally
   
7. hoefla
   
8. 
   
9. tapsnbath
   
10. blowfish
    
11. Kat
    
12. KRZ
    

There used to be a girls mtb club nearby , were a really good group of all abilities but a few guys started joining in ad it was a more social kind of ride for them until the girls were almost outnumbered and didnt have a say in their own ride. most guys took the hint and the ones that stayed were nit exactly the sort you want hanging around you. i think the club nanaged another year then they all fell out over pettty politics :( dont let that happen to you guys

^^ Won't happen.

I hope.