Anyone who takes on gender issues these days is cruising for a lawsuit. But the
Great Balkini pedals where others fear to tread. His theory is, not only that
women are naturally better recreational riders, but that they have the opportunity
to kickstart a renaissance on wheels.
About the Great Balkini
At the elite level all riders are dialed into perfecting their technique, At
this level, as the stronger of the species, men rule. But in the recreational
world the opposite is true. Women riders are more suited to the bicycle, mentally
and physically, than male riders.
The bike is the great equalizer. Science tells us it’s the most efficient device
known in converting human energy into motion. Science also dictates moving through
the air is 70-90% of the resistance felt when pedaling. Reducing drag to its minimum,
the world bicycle speed record on flat land by a single rider is 81 mph; that’s
on something that looks like a two-wheeled caterpillar. FYI,that critter has a
theoretical top speed of 90 mph. A tandem bicycle of similar design went 61mph,
also a world record. The only possible conclusion is weight and aerodynamics are
a virtual mountain range to big riders and a slippery slope for the small.
Women as the smaller of our species take these built-in advantages to another
level. Being stronger than men is not their genetic calling. Most don’t have a
psychological hint, let alone a complex that tells them that raw strength rules.
They do not pound the pedals or grind big gears, but intuitively work with the
bike and ride more smoothly right from go. For the few women who do not come by
that motion naturally -- once told – find that once is enough.
It is technique more than strength that opens the world to great recreational
riding. Women quickly allow the bike to do what it does best. Less weight more
than makes up for less strength as the aforementioned tandem record proved.
Check it out sometime. After a long charity or group ride, take a look as riders
peel themselves off their bikes. Give everyone a couple of minutes and the women
look fresh enough to have just come from a party, while most of the men still
look cooked. Cycling is flat out easier for small people, especially those of
the feminine persuasion.
It does not take a Harvard imprimatur to know that women are different in lots
of ways. It is evident on a bike where less weight, improved aerodynamics and
greater endurance create the ideal tryfecta. It is just basic math that these
factors combine into the successful riding equation — looking good on a bike.
In many sports form is a matter of individual preference, and awkward, yet effective
styles abound. Baseball sluggers hit home runs from all sorts of weird stances,
but in cycling there is only one right way -- and form dictates how well you ride.
Upper body movement is clearly not the way to propel a bike; that is what the
pedals are for. "Horsing" the bike is an acceleration technique used by sprinters,
but for the rest of us, it is extraneous movement. It is an action men revert
to when all else fails. Women, apparently, don’t think like that. Women intuitively
know that good form is its own reward, and without the burden of too much raw
strength, their path to the better way becomes quickly clear. By not overpowering
the bike, they sit lighter, pedal more easily and conserve a lot of energy. On
a bike, the only real need for upper body strength is to hold on. The rest is
overkill.
Women are also dialed-in to the form-fitting stretch gear that disciplined cycling
demands. It is no surprise that women appear far more comfortable wearing Lycra
than men. The best a Lycra-clad guy can look in public is strange, while most
look ridiculous, some freaky. No guy wearing tights and in his right mind walks
into a local tavern after a ride unless accompanied by a small army of similarly-dressed
compatriots. As a result, too many men make do on the bike with more presentable
looking, and less effective gear that simply gets in their way.
With health concerns rising and gasoline prices soaring, you might expect an
American renaissance in cycling. That is clearly not going to happen unless women
take the lead. This essay includes my fervent hope that they will – and a little
push of confidence in that direction.
Copyright (c) 2005 by David Balkin. All rights reserved.