Growing up I regularly used to read mountain bike magazines and lust over the seriously expensive bikes that took off in the UK during the late 90s. One image which I also spent more than my fair share of time eyeing up (bear in mind I was a teenager) was that of an agony aunt nurse who gave tips on improving your health and becoming a fitter rider. Now obviously they didn't cast a fifty-something male doctor with a gut and receding hair, they went for a busty brunette in a low cut top with cleavage that'd make Hugh Hefner spill his bourbon. I can't find the original picture but it wasn't a million miles from this.
Fast forward ten or so years and it seems hard to find a cycle blog these days without some gratuitous "girls on bikes" type post with loads of women hanging their tightly clad bodies over a fixed gear bike. Granted these are slightly more tasteful on the whole (in some cases maybe not) but they do continue to reinforce the stereotype that cycling is a male sport.
Now I like any other red blooded male LOVE these shots - don't get me wrong, I'm not going to get up on my high horse and criticise them. The mix of pretty girls and custom bikes is incredibly intoxicating to all but the most puritan male. That said, it would be enough to put me off cycling if it were the other way round and I couldn't open a magazine without seeing some chisel jawed guy spreading his legs over the latest custom bike; in short there needs to be a re balance towards tasteful shots away from what looks more like a Loaded cover shoot.
So here beginith my attempt to move away from "Hot Bikes, Hotter Girls!!!" type blogs, towards "Cool Bikes, Cooler Girls". Let me know what you think (and yeah, I know that name sucks ass). Similarly if you have any cool pictures (featuring either males or females), send them in to me. No self portraits please gents.
