Women’s Specific Cycling Design, Flowers Not Appreciated 16
Women’s Specific Design, you know flowers and pastels plastered all over equipment designed for us. You’re into it right? Didn’t think so.
Yesterday I decided to spend my lunch break at the local bike shop testing a few different road models. I’ve been in the market for a new bike a decided to ask the shop what they would recommend for long commuting/short touring. They pointed me in the direction of the female specific frames. It’s not the first time I’ve seen these things with their unique geometry. I’m glad companies have started to take note on the differences in our size, but it’s the design that makes me vomit. Yesterday I rocked the Specialized Dolce around midtown, a purple bike with flowers. I’m 25 years old. Take a look.
Specialized Dolce: In case your lady spirit wasn't already satisfied by the pastel color scheme, check out the flowers on the tubes and fork.
Trek 7200 WSD: Purple flowers are a go.
Alright I admit my tastes are unique (I do enjoy Men’s Pocky after all) but the ladies and gentlemen on twitter had much to say regarding the female design issue with 17+ replies in one day!
@JohnFriedrich It’s often embarrassing to show a pink bike laden with flowers to an educated woman who earns 3x what I do.
@ihateangellamke girly bikes are why I’ve always owned men’s bikes. That and being tall/long-limbed.
That’s right manufacturers, we don’t appreciate the flowers. Please take note. I’d actually like to know how a female specific design comes to fruition. Is there a focus group? Are there female designers? Who is designing this ugly crap? Misaligned cycling designs for women speak a thousand words about a woman’s place in the cycling industry. Don’t even get me started on the apparel industry…
Team Estrogen: Because I rock all pink too
That last bike looks like it was pulled from the local Toys’r'us.
All this talk of flower decals and whatever else, it should be left up to the owners to customize their bikes and to not have their bikes pre-customized.
I purchased the women’s specific Cannondale Synapse 2 years ago over the Specialized Ruby because the Ruby had some stupid pink girly design while the Synapse was gender neutral.
Sadly, even the women in the cycling industry are subjecting us to this: http://store.sheilamoon.com/index.php
I completely agree!! NO flowers and NO pink, PLEASE. I was looking for a hybrid bike earlier this year and went with the solid black “Specialized Globe Carmel II” over the Trek 7200 specifically because of those damn Trek flowers! Also, the Specialized had a much better price.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=38425&eid=208
The idea behind creating women-specific frames and components makes sense: let’s face it: we’re smaller, slighter and sexier. But for the love of god, don’t bathe me in pink or flowers or butterflies. I’ll save those for my tramp stamp.
Ugh, that Trek bike is all “I’m riding my bike to a tiki hut and don’t want to ruin my plastic grass skirt.” Corny!
I know. It’s quite unfortunate. I am choosing not to purchase a woman’s specific frame because I can’t stand the paint job. If we put our dollars to it, maybe the companies will take notice.
Ha. Your woman’s specific frame is quite neutral with its paint job. I like.
[...] can provide a long-term solution for an obese individual. Other fun stuff from around the network: Brooklyn by Bike protests the girlification of women’s bikes (stop the flowers!); Cyclelicious has the news that [...]
[...] fun stuff from around the network: Brooklyn by Bike protests the girlification of women’s bikes (stop the flowers!); Cyclelicious has the news that [...]
I used to wear gender-neutral cycling gear. Then I started to notice the little and teen girls who ride. They wear pink and purple, often adding ‘bling’. I now wear lots of pink myself (haven’t tried any bling yet) no matter which bike I ride. The girls now ‘see’ me – a woman on a fast bike. Maybe they’ll keep riding, too.
I like your perspective on empowerment. I personally never liked the pink bikes even when I was a teen so I know this also an issue. But for those who do, great for them!
[...] On the Brooklyn By Bike blog – “Women’s Specific Cycling Design, Flowers Not Appreciated” [...]
Interesting..I thought I was the only only that took a dim view of pink stuff and jerseys with girly flowers….The stuff makes me gag as well! It’s disresepectful on the part of the manufacturers and designers to even try to flog such silly looking gear on us! I say NO to any foo foo loot! Out of desperation, I have made a few decent jerseys but suitable fabric in nice tasteful colors is hard to come by. Shame on the gulty ones for even thinking we would be willing to pony up out hard earned dollars to look like a clown with a bike!
Wow, I would have thought that more women would have enjoyed a feminine looking bike. I am a very successful professional woman who loves my blue bike adorned with flowers
DIfferent styles for different folks! I’d just like to see more diversity out there:)
I have that Specialized Dolce, but last year’s model, which was charcoal gray with a white seat and bar tape. The little swirly flowers are on there just like that one, but man that bike fits me PERFECT. A women’s specific bike does make a difference I think. But I can live without the flowers too, (they are pretty subtle tho)