LarrySellerz

Hey guys, do you do treat an encounter with a female cyclist the same as you do a male? Normally when I come across someone riding at a similar pace, I am excited for someone to race/a drafting buddy/temporary companion. Do you treat women the same as men in this situation? Ive only came across a handful of women that have been riding the same pace as me, and from my small sample size they seem a little less eager than men to team up and work together, possibly because of creepy guys? Any women have stories of random guys trying to ride with them? I find myself a little bit hesitant to engage women in cat 6 shenanigans.

Polaris OBark

Yes. I say hello and I am on my way, or I get out of their way. If they want to have a conversation, I drope the hamer. If they can talk, they ain't pedaling hard enough.

Same thing for women, children, non-binary folk, etc.

If I want to have a conversation, I could always buy a phone.

rsbob 

Never assume a woman would like an unknown riding partner. The creepy stalker profile, even on a bike comes to mind. My wife hates it when guys quietly ride behind her because she feels threatened. The way I would do it would be to come along side and ask if they would mind company or not. If not, then realize they might feel threatened or whatever and either fade way back or stop or turn around or hammer past her.

returnoftheyeti

Women love it when strange guys come up behind them and keep pace. They also love it when you stalk them with Strava flybys, and like all their rides for the last 3 years. Make sure you compliment them on how good their Pearl Izumi bibs make them look.

downtube42

See Rule 71

Rolla

Something about this thread smells familiar. I predict that it will both go and end badly.

Kedosto

Are you seriously asking why a woman might not be thrilled with the opportunity to “team up” with a random guy? Or are you seeking validation for engaging in behavior you yourself recognize as “creepy?”

On the off chance I might want a riding partner, I’ll invite someone I know. Otherwise, I don’t engage in “Cat 6 Shenanigans.” And believe me when I tell you the number of women who enjoy being approached by random male strangers for shenanigans of any kind is virtually zero.

I’m struggling to think if I know any male riders who are excited at the opportunity to engage in cat 6 shenanigans with random strangers. Nope, none come to mind.

Koyote

I just opened bf to find a LarrySellerz thread titled "Riding with Women."

I'm off to bed now, and I'll bet this is at six pages by the time I'm having my morning coffee. It'll probably be locked down before lunch.

Ironfish653

If it’s an organized event, where everyone is on the same route, I may ask to join a group if we’ve been shadowing each other for a ways; but never approaching a solo rider, randomly encountered on the road. Goes for men or women.

Doing so is to impose yourself on to their ride, and that’s rude.

krakhaus 

I'm sure if you're riding shirtless, she will be totally impressed with your uber studlyness, and invite you back to her house.

jon c. 

Reminds me of the time I was invited to join a group of women who had stopped for minute at a rural road I often traverse. I managed to hold on to the last wheel for a couple of miles and before I had to throw in the towel.

I expect that was the intended outcome.

MarcusT

I suppose it's the same rule as for jogging, the gym, cross country skiing.

caloso

And what is the common factor in each of these interactions?

CrimsonEclipse

Is this one of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition?

indyfabz

You? Creepy? Nah.

Herzlos

I'll say hi to any other cyclist I'm passing, but unless they volunteer it I don't get too close or try and pace with them. Beyond it being a bit rude, it's likely to be quite uncomfortable for them.

As a 6ft/250lb guy I don't really want any random people tailing me either, but I'm happy to talk back to someone who's making conversation.

If even you think it's creepy, then it's fair to assume it's creepy. As with everything else; just don't approach and force interaction with random women (or people in general), if they are interested in talking to or letting you into their personal space, they'll let you know.

Kabuki12

In about fifty years of riding I have only once had a time when I had an actual conversation with a young woman while out on my bike . She came off a side street and started to chat and that lasted about a mile and I took off at a light and she turned right. This happened last year and she was about my daughter’s age and just excited about her new bike . I have had guys more than once talk for a while but most times it’s just “hey” and on our way. At my age , I am now used to being passed so these modern carbon bikes with younger riders are much faster than I am on my fifty year old steel bikes.

nomadmax 

The internet is the new CB radio.

livedarklions

I pass people or I don't, but I sure don't draft them unless invited. Guess what? No one invites me to draft them. I don't invite people to draft me. I will say hi, and if the person responds conversationally, I will talk with them for a while, but I would never just assume a solo rider is looking for a partner of any sort, and have found myself annoyed when other people have made that assumption about me. Gender isn't the issue here. Solo riders are usually solo because they want to be.

But yeah, women probably find you especially creepy when you do this stuff. Don't do it. Regardless of gender, it's only polite to give people the opportunity to say no if you do want to ride with them.

AlgarveCycling

There are quite a few women who race locally so they join us on Club rides etc from time to time. I trained with one of the Women's World Tour Pro's earlier this year, immensely strong and it was a privilege to see her in full flight up our steepest climbs - dropped me comfortably.

I don't care for random strangers to draft on my wheel or join me uninvited regardless of gender so don't do it to others which means any women I ride with is either pre-arranged or I know them. When I'm training I'm not socialising, anyone tries to get on my wheel gets dropped. Greeting one another when passing is normal here though.

GhostRider62

The only time I like to chat is during a brevet.

On a training ride, I hate when some random stranger gets on my wheel or wheels up and starts getting all chatty.

I can only think of once when a lady rode up and chatted with me on a bike. She was a pro from australia and was looking for hills. I rode her over to them. She used to wave to me and say hello when passing. One of her team mates stopped her car and offered to fix the tire on my recumbent (surely out of pity)

No, Larry. Let the girls alone.

LarrySellerz

I think a solid chunk of riders are happy to have another person to keep pace with/be a temporary buddy, if not have a bit of friendly competition. Once I met a girl when riding home and opened with “hi I’m injured, can I draft you?” We both got prs on some segments so we were pushing each other. I later ran into her and followed her to that group ride that I crashed on. Good times, she says hi and waves when we see each other so she is cool.

There are more women on the organized club ride that ive gone on than the renegade groups, maybe because its more social and has more hills? Plenty of them could keep up on the slower days but maybe they are intimidated

shelbyfv

Go for it Larry! Women love it when overweight half nekkid sweaty guys creep up on their six. Offer them a slug from the MD20/20 bidon and you'll be on your way. Don't limit yourself to women. This is a solid plan and you'll soon develop your own pack of riding friends. No need to force yourself into inhospitable elitist groups.

GhostRider62

I just remembered a young lady pulling up to me and chatting me up. It started at Seal Beach and ended south of the Marine Base just north side of San Diego. She was a triathaloner and very fast. The wind was behind us. The return solo was a *****. I had no idea how far we had ridden.

There was a very fast lady who rode with us on Wheelmen rides back in the 90's. She won a slew of national TT titles. I would never have interrupted her training to be her temporary buddy. Besides, she was faster. I think most serious cat 6 riders have limited time and are out for a leg and lung workout, not their jawbone.

LarrySellerz

I usually pull up on someone instead of creeping on their 6. I look better from the back