Irked by Design

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This irks me

Because no one is a "real" cyclist unless they race.

I'm still not quite able to elucidate why this annoys me so much. Perhaps it's simply my nature to denigrate that which I do not understand. Nah, that can't be it.

Git yer spandex, girls. Oh, I mean chicks. Chicas. Gals. Ladies.

You know you want to check it out.

This irks me too. Not really. I am actually amused. Maybe I would have been irked in return sometime ago, but I have bigger fish to fry these days. Perhaps being a mother has mellowed my response to this sort of thing. Being the curious cat that I am, I at least had to ask the question, "why so bothered?".

The answer was simple, that velochicks.com is supposed to encourage new women to enter the sport. With the race photo's and race emphasis, the site can be perceived as intimidating for newbie's. And, the website appears, at least to one, that if you don't race, you are not a "real" cyclist. OK. I'll buy that, but I'll dispel it too.

Biking is a good thing, no matter what form it takes. Yes, I used to race. I started out as a "cyclist" who rode for pleasure and commuted to work. I quickly fell in love with riding my mountain bike and got into racing as something fun to do. I traveled the country (and Canada) competing in NORBA national cross country and downhill race events. From there, I raced on the road, track and yes, cyclocross. Racing for me, was a way to push myself to the limits and see what kind of personal best I could accomplish.

When we traveled to races, we camped, we raced and we met some great people whom I still know today. (Yo, Team Brooklyn!) Racing afforded me this experience. Sure, I could have done group rides and fund raisers, and had the same experience. It is simply the road I took. Now, I still ride for fun and enjoy the sheer pleasure of being on my bike, and I am still a "cyclist".

My goal is to promote women's cycling in a way that highlights all aspects of women's cycling, from the beginner to professional. Seeing bike racers is intimidating. Yes, it's true. However, it is important to see that if this is your goal or dream, it's attainable. These women had to start somewhere. They were once "cyclists" too, of the non-competitive type. As they got stronger and faster, for whatever reason, decided to try racing.

Does this mean you're not a real cyclist if you don't race? Of course not. Hindsight and experience tell me it's easy to be reactionary to that which you don't know. If you know me, then you know my intentions. I have spent numerous amounts of my free time leading beginner rides for women, just for the sake of cycling. My commitment is to the sport, at all levels.

The second item that irked this writer is that some cycling websites objectify women. While I am no super left wing feminist, I am highly aware and in tune with women's issues. This is exactly why I started the velochicks website; to give women their full credit in the sport, not just the bike racer, but the casual rider as well.

Most cycling websites are dominated by men. Written by men, for men. Recently, several women specific websites have sprung up on the internet. While racing is their main focus, the sites are written by women, for women. Awesome. The world needs to see how accomplished, strong and amazing these female athletes are, on every level. That is the very reason I ask for your stories. They should be shared so that other women who may be entertaining the sport will perhaps be inspired.

Biking, on any level, is freedom. It's an empowering feeling to conquer a tough climb, technical single-track or even to complete your first long distance ride. If you are strictly a commuter, kudos for being green! You can ride your bike anytime, anywhere...and anyone can do it. So get on your bike and ride. No offense, we should be banning together and supporting our endeavors, not hindering them. We have bigger fish to fry!