ticwanos

East Hill--PLEASE continue to post here. You have a valuable perspective that should be shared. Anyone that loves mixtes clearly has a good eye and good taste. Question: Does "Lanky Lass" actually refer to your Lancaster heritage, not necessarily any physical attributes?

crazyb

Most entertaining thread I have read in a long time. Hard to believe that people get so disturbed about things that have absolutely no bearing on the real world.

Trsnrtr

I've been reading groups since before the www, when usenet ruled the chatter through the internet. I assure you that this is not unusual at all. What amazes me is that 50+ ers take these things so seriously.

East Hill

Thank you ticwanos.

Yes, I will always be a Lanky lass. I am hardly a lanky lass.



Everyone here has gotten quite annoyed with me because it was felt I should have never mentioned that some--many--women do not feel comfortable posting in this forum.

If any of the posters who get so grumpy knew me better, they would know that I do have a sense of humour. I can't help it if the guidelines are so hard to follow .

I have been welcomed in the Classic & Vintage forum, my favourite home. I have never felt that I was not treated like a real person there. The people who post in C & V are serious in their love for their classic and vintage bikes, as am I. If any of the folks who frequent this forum got out and explored they would have discovered that I am all of five feet tall, and always looking for the smallest bike!

But part of growing the community is getting out and exploring other places, other forums, getting to meet new friends. There are far too many people here who wish I would go away, all because I challenged their perception of 'their' community. I wanted to expand my community. Apparently that is not a realistic goal.

East Hill

Here is the celebrated mixte thread, for anyone who cares to take a look:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=227038

I have four mixtes, along with other bikes. But I love mixtes.

I-Like-To-Bike

Don't feel too bad. I've had a few of the good ole boys of this forum dis me on this list and by PM for reasons nothing to do with gender. Basically for not falling into line with the moderator wannabe(s) approved 50 Plus cyclist profile of an older-but-wiser/wittier club cyclist or devoted training/fitness enthusiast.

BluesDawg

As one of the people who "got bent out of shape" I would like to make a peace offering.

Let's not make a big issue about who got angry about what and how that makes them superior or inferior in the way they think or react. Let's all just be aware that any of us, men, women, old, young, whatever can at times say things in forums that will be taken in unintended ways by people who read them. Let's try not to overreact when we see those things. Let's not make general statements about groups of people based on one or a few posts which may or may not represent most of the posters. Keep in mind that the way we interpret a post may not even be an accurate view of the person who posted it.

East Hill, welcome to the 50+ forum. We really are good folks with a healthy respect for anyone involved in bicycling. Most of us don't introduce ourselves to the forum by pointing out perceived character defects of the regular posters (just sayin'). I much prefer the way you welcome new people in the Introductions forum.
I like your Centurion mixte. Looks like a good bike with nice lugs. I'm sure it is fun to ride, you know, for a girl's bike I think I might look into fixing something like that up for my wife to ride.

I-Like-To-Bike

My daughter had a beautiful mixte that she rode in Germany for several years til she ran it into the side of a car and bent the front fork. Luckily with no injury to herself. It was German made (I forget the name but I think it was a Jaguar or some other kind of big feline) 27" wheels, lugged frame, Sachs Torpedo 3 speed with coaster, full fenders and upright riding position. I paid $10 for it used. I replaced it with this bike. Also German made, excellent woman's frame but with 622-47 (700c x 45) tires. Cost me new about 550DM (approx $325) in 1999 or 2000. Still works great and have yet to replace the OEM Nokian tires or anything else.

Big Paulie

ILTB...

Cool bike, cooler saddle!

Are there any long term durability issues with the mixte frame configuration...meaning, no top tube?

I-Like-To-Bike

My family never ran into any. But none of us go mtn biking or racing. But we have done long distance day trips without any durability or reliability problems.

In Germany most of the older male cyclists (think 50 Plus, everyday cyclists) and I saw plenty of them during the 10 years I lived there, ride about town on bikes with women's frames, presumably because of their own bodies durability considerations and the ease of mounting/dismounting in traffic.


Attached are the pictures of my wife's 1960 AMF Hercules with S-A AW 3 speed hub, and my other daughter's current bike, a German made Zero Seven with Sachs 7speed hub and coaster.

East Hill

Thank you, BluesDawg.

I wasn't really new to posting on the forum, that's one of the things that bothered me. I had posted at least twelve times in this forum.

What I really was trying to get at is what you said so well:

Sometimes there are unexpected consequences as a result of an action. I did expect that I would get quite a bit of stick, but the question asked was something I could not ignore.

I am not trying to be politically correct in any way, but simply saying that there are many, many women members of BF who have NEVER posted anywhere. I have tried to encourage new members to explore the various communities here at BF. I really enjoy being here at BF, and I want everyone else to enjoy the spirit of sharing which can develop in a thriving community. It makes me sad to know that there are members who would like to contribute in a meaningful way, but are afraid to do so, suspecting that by virtue of their sex, they will not be welcomed as heartily as they would be if they were of the opposite sex.

Er, yes, as is witnessed by this:

As ticwanos noticed, I'm from Lancashire. That's what we're called there. The delicious irony is that the person who wrote that was clueless.



Sorry, every time I see that line I break out laughing, until I eventually dissolve into a helpless mass of tears of laughter .

Back to more entertaining stuff. If you all want to consider mixtes as girl's bikes, well all right then, but you'll never know what you're missing. I have seen mixtes both with drop handlebars, and set up so that they have a more upright ride. They do have a bit more flex than an equivalent man's bike, but they certainly don't have that bad tendency to hurt either male or female tender bits if you have to get off the bike in a hurry. As someone who's five feet tall, a mixte frame also allows me to ride a bike which is actually a larger size than I would normally be able to ride.

Mixtes can be found on Craigslist from time to time, and a big advantage of a mixte is that they have a tendency to be found in much better shape than the equivalent man's bike--they just didn't get abused the same way. If anyone is interested in learning more about mixtes, we would love to answer questions at the Classic & Vintage forum.

East Hill

Carusoswi

I'd like to know just what has happened that is causing this reaction. I visit the forum almost everyday. I cannot say that I've noticed anything unusual about it.

Caruso

ticwanos

Both my wife and daughter ride mixtes, sleek vintage lugged steel. Oh yes.

I-Like-To-Bike

Describing bikes without the top bar as women or girls bike frames is the industry standard and has been for the last umpteen years. Its got nothing to do with anything else. As I pointed out in a previous post in Germany most older men ride women's frame bikes. When they go shopping you can be sure they don't have any problem asking for a Frauen Fahrrad because they know what they want and don't let the name scare 'em off.

Below is the first URL brought up on Google for Frauen Fahrrad (there are a zillion more)
https://www.profirad.de/cinelli-bootl...91a3efb87a9ca4

Coyote!

Tempest in a toilet bowl. Let's move on.

spry

I,ve likely been "dissed"by both sides of the spectrum,but that is the way life is in cyber-land,I dont give it much emotional thought.
No group controls the geezer forum,its main lifeforce seems to feed on 50% mechanics,50% creative middle-age humor.
You last several posts have stated complaints against other posters and their topics of the day.Not the best way to develope friends at the party.Most likely,you,ve pulled the Sunday funnies out of their paper,and created ill feelings.

I-Like-To-Bike

You are probably quite correct about the "friends at the party" not liking anyone sucking out their "lifeforce" of Hey-look-at-me attention grabbing and insider jokes. Witness the "take my marbles elsewhere" posturing when challenged on their act.

I think your 50% estimate is rather low for the "creative middle-age humor" as you describe the insider Off Topic jesting and merrymaking among the handful of "friends at the party." Certainly more than 50% effective in assuring that not much else gets posted regularly that might rouse their scorn and jesting.

CrossChain

Before getting our thongs in a knot (apologies to thong wearers of either gender), let's remember that people, not being eggs-in-a-carton, tend to group up, bunch up, pair off, etc. according to some personal bond or attraction. Its called being friends rather than being co-habitators. Separates us from being ants, honeybees, sardines, etc. Having shared illnesses, injuries, sore butts, achievements, family difficulties, problems, etc. over, for some us, a few years.......we sort of get familiar, look for one another to say pleasantly predictable things, and don't expect agreement. Such people probably actually are sincerely concerned about Gary's (did you know his mother didn't call him D.G.) knee.

If you've ever ridden with a group, you know how a bond kind of develops over the miles of mutual support. Think of BF50Plus as one of those inevitable riding groups that form. We're just separated by several more bike lengths than happens in nonvirtual groups (say,Berts, how many bike lengths is it back to Israel?) We're the guys/girls (!) who show up for the ride more Saturdays than others, rain or shine, and have a lot to talk about. We tune in on Will Dehne's daily log as he cycles across the country. We swap or contribute parts through the mail. Etc.

The nice thing is, you and anyone else can be a "member" of this hardly exclusive or high-toned bunch if you want. Just show up, be pleasant, share some of yourself, take a pull at the front of a conversation once in a while...and share some virtual Clif bars. No conformity required. No big deal.

If someone prefers to be the gadfly, loner, isolate....than that's THEIR choice.

greywolf

I have noticed the forum changing but everything evolves as differant personalities join in ,its still a place I like to visit, though I dont participate as much as I used to.A lot of the other foums seem to have a higher "pissing contest" content in them which I find a bit boring after a while !
Keep up the good work Denver

megaman

True, but at first on any of these forums I posted very little. I felt that anything I said couldn't be as good as someone who'd been posting for a while cause surely he had a lot more experience than me. I don't have a witty style, or dynamic forum personality.

Dnvr, and any other members thinking of leaving; I hope you stay. I too would miss your posts and knowledge.

Also, being a forum moderator has to be a very thankless job.

Well, to all the BF moderators out there. Thank You! for the job you do. I know it's not expressed very often, but you are one of the reasons I think, that BF keeps growing.

biffstephens

Its not that hard to have a forum...I have a few online......are you just looking for a place?

cyclezen

"Everyone?"
Think you're painting with too broad a brush.

We can all get put off by what we perceive as some sortta 'opposition' within this forum or any other. How we deal with that is our option. From what I'm reading, I'm guessin you can handle it.
As for women posting, it would be a plus to hear more from that general direction. BUT, whether that happens is about the same as holding your breath til most of the lurkers find something they want to contribute on.
50+ is only a predominantly manly place cause thats who does most of the scribblin. No reason why it can't go both ways, or all ways.
Whether there's a feeling of the forum 'changing' for better or worse, there'll prolly always be interested eyes in readin what most anyone has to write.
For my ticket, 50+ is diff from the other forums. Yes its about bikes, but its mostly about people. Bike ridin people. I know there are some here who;d prefer only the Cliff's Notes and "letz make sure it about bikes". For me, I like the treatise, and ramblin is fine. Fact is I get more out of a good 'spill your guts' than constant tweak-age about this CF, that Mixte, 'why are they called clipless?", etc.
For me its about people, ridin people. but then I;m a strange boid.
So, do feel welcome, about the same for any of us here. Its not about senority here, 50+ will change and reshape as new posters move in and others move out.
Anyway, here's hopin we get many more new posters/riders and many more women riders.

CheeseLouise

I have been welcomed here and in many other forums. I never have been treated poorly. I am a woman. I am not offended by any of the posts. I don't feel put off by any of the posters here. After all...this is just a forum on the internet that is open to the public. There will always be a diverse group in the 50+ forum or any public forum.

Love this place Love the posters

Hugs!

Linda

matagi

Ok, this has me intrigued ..... How many women over 50 do you know who cycle? Of those, how many are actually interested in spending their time on the internet? And finally, how many women over 50 do you know belong to BF and would therefore be even remotely interested in posting on this forum?

You seem to be making a number of sweeping statements regarding women's participation on BF, which i for one am beginning to resent, because they in no way represent me or my views. If you wish to say that YOU are afraid to post on one of the subforums because you feel you will not be welcome, then that is fine, but please do not presume to speak for all of us. The only reason I don't post on a forum is because I have no interest in the subject matter, I have never been concerned about whether or not I will be made welcome and to be honest, except for one occasion on Road Cycling, I have not been made to feel unwelcome anywhere I have posted on BF.

East Hill

You obviously don't get the same PMs that I do, matagi .

East Hill

BluesDawg

East Hill,
Please do tell us why more women don't post here? If it is because of anything I can control, which is pretty much limited to what I post on thes forums, I'd be willing to consider it. I like having women around. I don't know of anyone here who wants women or anyone else to feel excluded. So what do you think we can do about it?