LFGSS Ladies Rides

I'd be keen but I'm working on Saturday =(

ah shame. think i might do the st mary cray ride, riding out.

I'm in scouseland this weekend otherwise I'd have been in!

sure this video must have done the rounds by now but it's short (under ten mins) and the last two minutes really sum up a lot of my feels about riding with other rad ladies:

http://www.itchy-themovement.com/fixed-on-fixed/

ITCHY was born out of our love of fixed gear track bikes, nature and culture.
Also from a grim evidence of male hegemony in the bicycle world which makes
it difficult for girls to have visibility and acquire social value as cyclists
despite there having been some very great female representatives of the sport.
Besides generating multimedia knowledge ITCHY want to create a global team with
a focus on women who ride in fixed gear. With the intention of organizing local
events and also on a larger more ambitious scale to once a year organize a mass
meeting somewhere in the world to ride a long route together and have lots of fun!
Although we have a specific focus on female fixed gear cyclists we also welcome
all female cycling enthusiasts even if you ride with gears, singlespeed, BMX etc.
Virginia and Melissa (sanso) x

i run the risk of sounding like a soppy git but all the women i've met in london through riding fixed have been vivacious, intelligent, super cool and genuinely really nice people. videos like this remind me of why i love organising fun things to do and ride bikes and why i'm so happy when i meet other women who love it too.

i know the video's been around for a bit but i wanted to centralise discussion of organising something regular and fun/motivational, both to progress our own skills and bike handling and city riding, and also to encourage more women to cycle. nothing mega, and nothing onerous, just whatever people want to do, like the ladies have been doing with the "DO ALL THE THINGS" initiative; i've benefited so much already for our rad excursions! @mands mentioned a regular ride she was interested in?

i'm also not forcing anyone to join in if you think it's lame, haha. whatever you're comfortable with - i just want to ride moar bikes and enjoy the friendship that comes out of it!

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/11937294/incontext/

hahahaha

i don't retract my post though, i'm hardly bothered by someone's opinion on some admittedly pretty cheesy comments in a video or their "post-ironic" thoughts on fixed gear and the people who ride it and enjoy it (as if it's homologous!). i genuinely really enjoy organising fun little things and i also don't expect bros to understand what it's like to be a female rider in this city. i'm also DEFINITELY not trying to speak for other female riders, just for myself. like i said at the end, if people think it's lame, whatever! newsflash: people disagreeing on forum and talking shit about dissenting opinions, oh no :'(

also just to reiterate,

Although we have a specific focus on female fixed gear cyclists we also welcome
all female cycling enthusiasts even if you ride with gears, singlespeed, BMX etc.

fixed gear gets a lot of trolling if it's seen as insubstantial but personally i feel that if taken in the manner of a balanced diet (ie, a bit of everything) it can be super beneficial, i've learnt a lot about what i like and want to work on. without forum ladies i would never have tried cx or track or bmx, or look into longer rides, have people to ask about saddles and women specific clothing. i'm happy to support that and i worked hard to get more women involved at the last track day when there was only sam and jess - we ended up with a good field. learning more about riding fixed gear is part of that equation (for me, at least), and if a slightly corny video highlights some key issues i'm cool with that

^This is why Nhatt and I started the Ladies forum.

<3

I'm afraid I am sometimes guilty of the 'post ironic' rhetoric on fixeh too.. but I genuinely love riding and the people I've met through riding.. I also have tried to teach myself to track stand with my other foot in my neighbour's driveway and manual a bmx with some 10 year olds in the past week which would have been so much more fun in a group .. so yes, I'd be in for regular rides/ skill share/ whatever ~

I agree, on a wider basis than just about women. If people are new to something, let them say what they think, even if it may be a bit clichéd. The thing that comes across is that they're enjoying it a lot and it's all very positive.

So much all of this ... learning new things, building confidence and learning to trust your judgment are all massive parts of the cycling experience. Having been quite a fearful child, little things like teaching myself to ride no-handed in my 30s has been ridiculously satisfying. Now if someone could teach me to track stand, my life would be complete.

Anyway, I came round here to say I may well be bailing next Sunday - I'm racing the following weekend and based on this morning's outing, I think need to plough up and down a river some more. Sorry all.

='(
doesn't it get too cold to row?!

Nah, all the long distance races are over the winter. My plan (in general terms) is to try and get out on my bike for a proper ride at least a couple of times a month - but this weekend isn't happening.

In more exciting news, I have bought @pootsmanuva 's track bike - so see you out on the track, before too long.

ooh! that's great! been saying I need to get myself to Saturday accreditation for months now.. hopefully before december...

Too cold to row... if the river froze over Katy would hack open a channel and row that. Hard as nails.

Says the person who cycled across Germany in November. I think we're all pretty nails in this bit of the forum.

little things like teaching myself to ride no-handed in my 30s has been ridiculously satisfying. Now if someone could teach me to track stand, my life would be complete.

^this in tonnes.

Last night I cycled through nth lon, got a bit chilly so I look-mum-no-hands-it to do up my jacket. Deeply satisfying! I then wobbled and got back on the bars ;)

I was thinking of doing regular weekly womens city rides, taking in the route of the circle line as it's just something to peg it to. Hopefully encouraging more women to come and take part and also gain confidence with City riding. Would anyone else be up for it?
Thinking Mon or Tue.
Start & Finish at Kings Cross, but would do pick-ups on any Circle line stop.

My own selfish reasons for this is to make me get on the bike after work, as I don't have a commute these days.
If no one joins me then oh well, I'll do it on my own, like most of the city riding we all do. It would just be nice to have some company, then maybe go for a drink afterwards.

Here's another video, of an awesome woman on a bike doing some crazy ass things!
http://dangerousminds.net/comments/awesome_woman_performs_bike_tricks_20_years_before_bmx_flatland_style_1965

Monday or Tuesday works for me .. I'm in Liverpool St those days which is on the Circle line

In for Monday or Tuesday. I work till 6:45-ish right in the middle of the central line so could join anywhere.
And to add to the cheesy note, London would probably feel a lot less like home if it wasn't for bikes and people who ride them. Cheers to that, and to you all.

Another vote for Monday and Tuesday city rides here.

This thread <3

Especial props to @lucyh for sticking to your guns and not being cowed by the cool kids ; )

tuesdays i have yoga (smh, etc) so i'll cast my vote for mondays or weds/thursdays but if tuesday works for more people go for it! will catch up with you

Anyone up for a ride tonight? Could go for a fixed ride around central, make the route up as we go. Or.. Fixed or geared Regents Park laps, not as fun but I want the miles.