Cycling For Women - The Essential Guide
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Women's cycling is thriving with more women's races, more women being paid for cycling and generally more women are on bikes than ever before! But cycling for us ladies isn't always an easy ride so Manon talks to three cycling pros to get their advice and tips for getting into cycling as a woman 👩
0:00 - Intro
1:12 - Getting started
3:16 - Saddle health
4:36 - Cycling on your period
7:51 - Building confidence
9:31 - How to make it fun!
10:14 - Toilet stops
12:57 - Getting into racing
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Women - what would you like to to see more of in the world of cycling? 🤔
Men - anything you've learnt watching this that'll help you to encourage more women into the sport? 🚴
We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below! 💁♀
More videos like this! As a woman cyclist I often wonder if all the tips and advice given in your general videos, such as nutrition, equipment choice or training pertains to us....shrink it and pink it
More women in the challenge videos - always the male presenters (who are all great btw) doing the ‘cool’ stuff. Would love to see more of Manon (or other female presenters) doing videos like that as I feel like it would be more inspiring for us female cyclists to see what can be achieved
PLEASE bring on Dr. Stacy Sims! She’s truly amazing and her research has changed my performance (and day-to-day life) for the better!
If you could get Stacy Sims, Selene Yeager to discuss peri/menopause - how endurance cycling, interval training, and nutrition need to be adapted for women in peri/menopause - that would be amazing!!
Yes yes yes please!!
Thank you Manon for addressing women’s issues so openly. Menstruation and toileting are two of the biggest hurdles in women’s cycling, and we haven’t even go to Menopause yet!
We're really glad you found this video useful. Menopause is definitely something we should cover so I will pass that on to Manon! Thank you! Is there anything else you'd like to see from us in the future? 🤔
Those seats are a big problem. I know as a man my junk often gets beaten rather severely, and I can only imagine what's happening to girls down there.
@@gcn Thanks for replying. I’m interested in statistical differences in the performance between men and women. I cycle mainly with my husband. We started cycling together, we have cycled the same roads, miles, climbs, similar bikes etc, yet he has an inherent ability beyond mine. I suspect it’s down to gender. I’d be keen to see some figures though.
@@gcn awesome video, which I hope could be the first of a series of video focused solely on women and cycling. thank you for asking - a few topics come to mind (apologies if some of these have been covered in prior videos). 1) weight management. Undereating and body issues already affect women a lot and I wonder if the quest for higher w/kg puts extra pressure on women to lose weight, and be thin and under fuel, either at the professional level or for the average everyday rider. 2) bike fit. anything different for women vs. for men? 3) do pro women train similarly or differently from men's pro peleton? 4) do pro women get into the sport in a similar way? we often hear about pro male riders "grew up on bikes" and start really young. is that also true for women or do they take a different path?
@@FBrodlie I don't have the statistics, however, there's a lot of information online. And yes, gender is overwhelmingly important. Men evolved to be hunters and fighters, whereas women evolved for gestating, nursing and nurturing their offspring, along with gathering and preparing food. That's a little simplistic, but broadly the case. Also, men's bodies are more-or-less their own, whereas women's bodies are also for their offspring. Women naturally have more subcutaneous fat than men. Consequently, men tend to be bigger and stronger, even pound for pound. However, there's some evidence that women can outperform men in ultra-endurance events.
😄As a man, the list of what I know about women is significantly shorter than what I DO know, but I can say with certainty: Having a year-on-year increase of women’s representation in cycling has made the sport better for all of us.
100%! Hopefully this video helps any men like you have more of an understanding of the different challenges women cyclists face 🙌
Agreed. Also because single male riders are facing the challenge of being unable to find a partner other than dating apps. :D So more women in the sport will also cause less lonely male riders haha.
@@mateagoston8145 I'm not sure spinning the welcomed increase in women in any sport they choose as for the purposes of helping lonely men is the right messaging..... or even first thoughts of a male. Let's support women riders but not make assumptions of their reasons to be acyclist.
@@darrin2382 I am just saying that the phenomenon of a large number of lonely male riders is real, not talking about the possible reasons why I women might decide to pick up cycling. Reasons can be various.
"I'm a warrior bitch" is an all time GCN moment.
Hahaha! She was amazing, such enthusiasm 🙂
Got to be one of the best GCN videos for a while. Honest, relevant, specific and still fun to watch. Nice to see something about the ride experience not aimed at 25-40 year old blokes. Kudos to the team who made this one.
Thanks Simon - we'll feed back to the team that you're please to see more diverse content from us. Are there any other audiences you feel we miss?
@@gcn Thanks for asking. I don’t want to distract from the women riders in focus for this video. Happy to discuss via DM. Some examples could be practical advice for fit but older riders like me (lower gearing/cassettes, easier geometry, flexibility/stretching etc.) for example. Or riders with specific medical/clothing needs.
@@gcn I echo the happiness in seeing this video, though I'm one of those blokes.
Maybe a video on "how to ride with people at a very different fitness level"; another on riding with disabilities: e.g. hearing or visual, both "solo" and with a guide; and riding with bio mechanical disabilities (e.g. limb amputation).
As a female here's my way into cycling:
I started out on an e-bike - a city bike with a soft squishy saddle because that was the bike I was most comfortable with. That's where I realized, biking was fun. I could go on tours with my husband and enjoy trips over like 60 km.
4 years in, I found myself riding in the Alps with a city bike (not very safe). So I switched to an actual e-mountain bike. I chose the one which felt most comfortable sitting on (despite the hard saddle). With this bike I could go off-road. I usually plan tours with pretty photo stops in the mountains. Sometimes with trails but mostly tours to enjoy the scenery.
Next step was to get an indoor bike to work on my overall fitness. I enjoy it a lot.
With my overall fitness improving I was finally ready to get a road bike (after nearly 6 years on e-bikes). My goal for this year is to do 100 km in a day.
So my advice for all the women out there: chose a bike you are comfortable with and just enjoy what you are doing. Everything else will follow. It's a great way to spend your time!
As a man, I can say:
* I'd love to see more women cycling.
* This video was educational for sure - nice work!
* Maybe you should do a follow-on video: "what should men do to encourage and support more women riders?"
Sounds like a great idea, we will pass that onto the team 😊🙌
As a male and a long time ride leader, I am overjoyed that this video was made. I found it very insightful and a great resource that I can use and recommend to others, particularly the women in my groups.
Thank you and keep up the great work!
Love this women aimed content! Especially ‘taboo’ issues like saddle comfort, periods and going for a wee on a ride, which can ruin cycling if you suffer in silence. Best advice is ride with other women and talk about this stuff, it helps so so much. Who wants to talk about saddle shape to a male bike shop employee after all? 😂
Also as a health care professional I’d like to point out that it’s not just muscles that will adapt with training. Anatomical changes in the labia and saddle area for women can also adapt and make riding more comfortable with time and loading.
True! Things get tougher down there. And no negative impact to “sensitivity” as far as I can tell.
Thank you Manon and GCN for the encouragement! We need to normalize it as much as possible. 🙌
Couldn't agree more! Are there any other topics you'd like us it cover in future videos? 🤔
I was a late comer to mountain biking - starting in my mid-50s. I'm 61 now and absolutely loving mtb - especially hitting technical single track trails. On the one hand - mountain biking regularly through menopause was a real stress buster and mood stabilizer. On the other hand - er, um - and other parts of my anatomy... I found that I developed urinary track infections more often and easily. My biggest mistake was applying what was supposed to be an antibacterial gel to my shammy. Turns out that just acted as a conveyor belt for bacteria. The utis for the most part went away when I ditched the gel and also when I sat on a saddle fitter's indoor trainer. I peddled for two hours on a saddle that mapped my sit-bones to a computer monitor - enabling a very personal and customized saddle design and position. That helped incredibly. I feel the strength and endurance and confidence that comes with mountain biking really did help me through the roller coaster ride that is menopause. I do so genuinely wish that GCN would devote a few episodes, even one episode, addressing pre and post menopause challenges that can be eased and even greatly helped with cycling - whether on a road bike or a mountain bike.
Thanks to all who participated! I am a male working in a bike shop, from now on I have a TH-cam I can refer females to. Great work Manon and team.
That's great to hear! It's important for women to get advice from other women who understand the issues we face 😊
Loved the video! Thank you for having an open conversation about these topics. Maybe a future video about bike fitting for women would be great. Especially about picking the right saddle: what is out there for women, what are things to consider, etc :).
Great video 👍
I really enjoy riding by myself. I love the freedom of just heading out into the countryside, and the mental space away from everyone else.
You can get a lot of confidence from knowing the Highway Code - what you're allowed and supposed to do, and it helps you understand the behaviour of other road users.
After a few hours cycling in the countryside I do find myself eyeing up gaps in the hedgerows to see if there's somewhere I can pop behind for a quick pee... men seem to be comfortable just stopping anywhere...
A few other things I've learnt:
1. My life was transformed when a friend pointed out that you don't have to wear a chamois. No more feeling like I was cycling wearing an uncomfortable sanitary towel. No more lower back pain from not rotating forwards on my hips, no more chaffing from chamois seams... Its hard to find cycling shorts without one though... and you need to avoid a midline seam... but last year I cycled 7000 miles chamois free. No pain, no chaffing, no worries.
2. Let your bush grow wild and free. Or certainly don't shave any time before a cycle. Those bristles can lead to a lot of discomfort and painful ingrowing hairs
3. Not only do you need a saddle with the right space for your giblets, but saddle width is important. Not all women need superwide saddles. These used to dig in under my bum and cause me pain. Turns out I needed superslim.
As with life, don't do what other people tell you you should do. Find what's right for you. And be open to this changing with time...
Ride your bike. Be happy. Be free.
Hey! Thank you so much for all your advice! There's a lot to figure out with cycling as a woman and often not many places to find the right information, hopefully we can change that! 😊
I actually started to use a menstrual cup because Manon already told about it in an older video that this is the best for cycling. And I love it! Even when Im not cycling.
Enjoyed this a lot.I wish event organisers for sportives / audax etc would list public toilets on route sheets. There are a number around in UK and it would be so useful to know where they are.
That's a great idea! 🙌
I was so hoping Dr. Stacy Sims was going to be mentioned during the part about the menstrual cycle. She studies active females/female athletes often with a focus on cycling. I’d LOVE to see her as a guest in GCN!
Thanks for the suggestion - we'll pass this on to the team
She was mentioned at 5:58
Thank you! I really like that women cycling gets more attention on the channel lately, featuring great and inspiring cyclist! Yes, cycling is cycling, but I think it's still important for women to have women role models in the video's. I know this specific video is mostly targeted torwards beginners. Would it maybe be possible to make a video specifically dedicated to relative energy deficiency in sports among women? It's something very serious and I think many, more advanced women cyclist struggle with, losing their menstrual cycle (pun intended). I speak from personal experience. Even training just 4x/week creates challenges.
Yes yes yes 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 LOVE this video and open conversation around women’s issues in cycling. And I absolutely went into fan girl mode when Stacy Sims was brought into the conversation as an important resource. The more we discuss this, the better it is for everyone. ❤
Thanks! Who would you want to see us chat to more?
@@gcn Stacy Sims, Selene Yeager!
@@gcn Selene Yeager has the Hit Play Not Pause podcast on menopause. Dr. Stacy Sims is the best on women's performace and training during menstruation cycles.
Yes please! Menopause, hormones and any slightly older or much older female cyclists. It's great to get the personal perspectives and the science - where it is today and where it's going.
Most saddles stay the same level of comfort/discomfort no matter how many miles you put on them. I got fed up with trying different saddles, did some research and plumped for a Brookes. Yes, it was uncomfy at first but after 500 miles it started to improve. It’s now like an easy chair.
Glad to see the sheer support of women within the cycling community. Although I am a male, I do support and encourage highlighting a smaller group within a hobby, or lifestyle and promoting them to make them better, and feel more fit in.
I love having women in the group. I think it makes for a kindler, gentler community. When I played golf, there were rarely any women, and it was just a bunch of drunken a-holes.
Bravo Manon and GCN for covering this topic
I cycle with a Breeze group, they have inspired me in so many ways, cycled 100km last year for charity, would never have done that without my friends from Breeze x
That sounds awesome - cycling with a supportive group of people (who often become friends) really does make getting out for a ride much more enjoyable! Are you planning any big rides this year?
@@gcn yes we are, no one wants to try for more fund raising this year so I am trying to put together a 60-70 mile ride for the summer to mark my 60th birthday this year :) Yes, Breeze ladies are the best x
It’s great Manon you’re getting the space to do these videos not just with the guys. As a man, I’ll take anything that helps me understand better. It’s about respect. As a rider, confidence is a common thing. A lesson I’ve never forgot is the 3 steps are first courage, second capability (trust your skills) and third commit (go for it). When it works you get confidence and go again.
This video is gold. Fresh, honest, open and informative. Way better than doing a 6000th video on how to climbs hills better.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this! I’m new to cycling again (took many years off) and oh man the saddle feels very different in my late 30’s compared to how it did in my early 20’s. I’m grateful my bike club has a great women’s presence and many female ride leaders.
1. Bring a change of clothes and get out of that chamois. UTI is very common in women who ride and wearing a chamois after not washing them is a big reason.
2. On the subject of saddles, don't be afraid to go more narrow. I've been riding 30yrs on road bikes and tried ever single "women love this saddle." It wasn't until I dropped down to a 140mm width that I could finally do 2-3hr rides.
Outstanding work with this one, Manon and co. Really well done and really important to talk about. Fantastic interviews!
Brilliant video. 🎉 also love the hoodie!
The saddle thing is a nightmare unless you’re a millionaire. The ‘bike shops will let you try’ thing seems to be a bit of a myth/exaggeration and when you buy online they’re often attached to a card by the dreaded zip tie so you can’t try and send back. Have been cycling daily for over six years and can’t find the right saddle. It’s the thing that makes me get off my bike rather than tiredness/pain in legs so that’s pretty annoying.
Anyway. Great video. Thanks Manon and everyone. :-)❤
Specialized really do let you try the saddles (as long as, if you dont get on with it, you plump for one of their others). I suffered for so many years, but since I found the right saddle for me, I don't even notice I'm sitting on it!
@@alicejwho thanks that’s great to know. I dream of this level of comfort!!
I’ve been riding and racing for over 40 years, and I thank you for voicing some of our common challenges! I would also suggest that women new to cycling take a lesson or clinic from a coach to learn proper form and pedaling technique, and to get a professional bike fit. As you say, the saddle shouldn’t hurt, nor should the rest of the riding experience!
Loved hearing what the pros do! Very relatable. Thanks!
This is just so good! Having taken up cycling in the last few years and having had to figure out alot of things myself I just love that these amazing women are willing to share their knowledge. Love love love!
It can be so difficult to find the information you need as a woman cyclist but let's hope things will change! Is there anything you figured out that you'd like us to share in a future video? We'd love to hear what you've learnt! 😊
Menstrual cycle and hormonal changes aren't just an issue to be fixed. There are also training benefits if you synchronize different training types to the different parts of the hormonal cycle. The hormones also protect from muscle tears. Being a woman isn't just a series of issues to be fixed, it's a strength.
Thanks Manon and gcn for making this video!
Saddle discomfort was my biggest issue when I got back into cykling recently. Along with a good pair of bib tights, the best tip I ever had was to experiment with tilting the saddle slightly forwards, did wonders for comfort. You want to be careful so you don't get to much weight on your hands, though. Also, a rubbery feel to the saddle makes it easier to keep the position than a slippery one (to state the obvious...)
Glad you were able to get your saddle sorted! It's one of the biggest elements of enjoying being out on the bike. Anything else you'd recommend to help people looking?
Tilting the saddle forward! That's a good idea. Will it work for men too?
@@jx14aby it's a topic we've discussed recently here: th-cam.com/video/BHH_jISUsjo/w-d-xo.html
@@jx14aby Yes it can work and there are saddles with drooping tips to achieve less pressure on sensitive bits. There are TT saddles without tips and a split in the middle. Alberto Contador used to ride Specialized Shiv TT bikes and constantly slipped forward on the saddle. Despite added rubber bands across the saddle. Lycra slides on saddles. I suffer from the same issue on my Shiv if I tilt the saddle down on the front.
Tilting the saddle slightly forward was a game-changer for me, too! Solid +1 on that tip.
Thank you for breaking some of the taboos on these topics. It was really good to see an open discussion of the topic. My partner has struggled with many of the topics from learning the basics to riding at the "wrong" time of the month. Good job Manon. Lots of credit to you and Ashley.
What a brilliant video, Manon! Thank you for putting this together.
Really enjoyed this video! Thanks to Manon, Ashleigh and co. for discussing these topics. It would be really great to see more content like this. I love all the content GCN puts out but it's lovely to have some content that covers issues I can relate to as a female cyclist. Please do more of this going forward! 😊
Glad you enjoyed the video! We'll pass on your comment to Manon 😊 What would you like to see us talk about next? 🤔
Yes to everything in this video! I wish I would have had this advice when I started several years ago! Menstrual cups are a game changer, and if anyone reads this comment they can take some getting used to, so keep trying and don’t give up and you’ll be glad for it in the end! I also loved when she said to find a good chamois and buy 10 because that’s my motto for all my cycling clothes lol. One thing they didn’t mention that my fellow male cycling buddies told me about it anti-chafe cream. When I started using Chamois Butt’r it changed my life, I also wish I would have know about that years ago!
Thank you! I’ve been riding with guys on Zwift and I’ve apparently been missing out on all this great info
Fabulous, great content. I started riding in my fifties and didn’t have to contend with periods, many of my co-riders still had issues with cramping and would miss any a ride. I liked the content about dealing with bibshorts. I just bought two different styles one with magnetic buttons and one that has a upper mesh halter style. Hope they’re easy to work! Great show!
Period pains are no joke 😅 glad to hear you enjoyed the video! Is there anything else you'd like us to cover for women in future videos? 🤔
Thank you Manon for a great video. The one thing I would add as a recreational cyclist is to have clothing suppliers be size inclusive. As a tall, plus sized woman, kit, let alone fun kit, is very difficult to find.
Thanks for the pointers - we'll add this to any further/future videos we do :)
I haven’t tried their stuff yet but Fat Lad at the Back have inclusive sizes and fun colours, might be worth a shout.
Excellent video. Thanks Manon and the rest! Lovely to see the lake at Banyoles - I used to live nearby!
Well done! Thank you!
Thank you for the video!
awesome video!!!!
We will pass this onto Manon, thank you! 🙌
Some great advice, which can also apply equally to us blokes. Being respectful, enjoying yourself, finding a saddle that works for you.
I love this video! I just started with riding the MTB and I enjoyed the local trails. This video gave me the extra push to just go for it!
This! 👆 We love to hear it 🙌 Go get muddy... it's very fun!
Thanks Manon 👍
Great idea & video!
Great video. Would love to see videos of how to ride and train for pre and post menopausal ladies. I'm just post menopause, really feeling I want to develop better as a rider but cannot recover as well from training schemes as younger riders
This sounds like a really great suggestion that we will definitely pass onto the team! Thank you 🙌
This. I'm an experienced rider, but I had several years off due to health issues. It's not my first time coming back from a break, but man it sure is a lot different at 51 vs 45
Thank you so much ladies for actually addressing the menstrual cycle as I find this so difficult to deal with when you are wearing skin tight clothing and it is that difficult time of the month… it is a real issue that is never discussed so thank you 🤗☺️😊👌🏻
Glad you found this video useful to you! It's not always easy to discuss topics such as periods but they are a part of so many of our lives so we must normalise the conversation! 🙌 Is there anything else you'd like us to cover in future videos? 🤔
I've also found with cramps/ bloating that having bib shorts is much more comfortable on my tummy!
I've also found with cramps/ bloating that having bib shorts vs shorts that stop at my waist is much more comfortable on my tummy!
Thankyou, Excellent video
THANKS FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!
Brilliant, thank you GCN and Manon! about time some of these things were covered more widely and kudos to GCN for stepping up to the mark! I'd love to see more about womens bike fit, saddle choice etc etc!
Further to the discussion about menstruation, the menstrual cups are a great invention, not just for the environment, but I find that they help with the pain (though have no idea why) - and most importantly it gets round the potential for wearing pants under your shorts....
Glad you liked the video! It's great the menstrual cup is being normalised more now. I remember when it was a new thing and too scary to try but with more open discussions surrounding periods the more comfortable we get at giving these sorts of things a try! 🙌
There are some companies making bib shorts with a zipper in the lower back or a quick release... game changer for me, so easy for "technical stops" as they call it.
Great video!!! We need to keep talking about this so more women who want to try the sport are less scared of it!
Sounds genius! Glad you liked the video! 🙌
Thank you for making the video
Thank you for this. I wish you had made this sooner. I wound up buying a saddle from someone I regret buying from.
THANK YOU MANON &gcn! Amazing, frank honest open video! Thanks too to Ashleigh &the gang who chimed in. I am sharing this with all my cycling friends who are women! Great no holds barred discussion! Periods, peeing the lot. Resources: Saddles: Molly Hurford's Saddle Sore (started as book for women now has chapters for men. Periods: Diva Cup. My partner used it in the 90's. Amazing product. Kit: too many companies do not make good kit for plus size women and they get excluded from the get go. Marley Blonsky of All Bodies On Bikes has great resources. Podcast: Hit Play, Not Pause. Hosted by Selene Yeager. Amazing podcast all around staying competitive throughout Menopause. This video will definitely help women, so thanks for that, but as you point out it's instructive for men too (especially on a mixed gender group ride!) WELL DONE! 3 thumbs up!
Thanks for sharing the video Geoffrey - encourage them to subscribe to the channel, and let us know what they'd like to see more of!
Geoffrey great advice. Just listening to the podcast. Never ever had thought that this topic would hit me that hard. Not only as a person, but also as an athlete. The generation of my mum was not very open on the topic and scientific knowledge at that time was not as accessible as today. So please GCN keep it coming. But I cannot point out enough how included I feel by GCN as an female athlete.
Love it! We need more of this. 🎉🎉
Love this video. Such inspiration for female riders to overcome all the challenges!!! Great work GCN!
So glad you liked the video! Is this something you'd like to see more of in the future of our channel? 🤔
What a brilliant video. Thank Manon and GCN
Such a timely video - hopefully many women will find these suggestions useful as we approach spring and the weather becomes more inviting for getting outdoors on a bike! The women in the video offer many useful suggestions for hesitant cyclists. I especially encourage hesitant cyclists to ride with someone more experienced or find a local group to ride with. Your local bike shop can be a great resource. They may offer group rides for women who are beginners or who want to increase their mileage along with free bike adjustments (checking tire pressure, adjusting shifting, checking for proper fit) to ensure you have a good ride with the group. Riding is fun!! You can do it!!
Thank you for your advice! 🙌 Hopefully we can encourage more women to give cycling a go! 😊
Kudos Manon, this was needed for general understanding.
Thanks for doing this gcn. A public service
I really appreciated this video as a woman but it also made me realise that I rarely or have never seen GCN make videos where Black people or Asians people are featured. And not specifically because of our colour but because we're also part of the cycling community. We cycle too but we are so underrepresented in the media. I find it sad that it's also the same with GCN. We're kinda invisible.
100% agreed 🙏
God please stop....race,race,race.....There are many very "talented" black and Asian riders. Christ you'd think you're from the ridiculous B.S.that goes on over here in the states.
This is such an awesome and useful ad important video. Manon you are a rockstar! Thanks for the period honesty! I have wondered what to do on my period and will definitely try the cup!
Glad you liked the video! 🙌 Is there anything you'd like us to cover in a future video? 🤔
@@gcn How about a video on any differences in how women should train Vs men like can we improve faster by strengthening certain muscle groups? More day in the life of women pros. It would be cool to see Manon go on a womens beginner club ride and talk to the people on it about how they first started cycling in a group/how fit they were when they first started and how they improved their fitness to keep up because one of the biggest fears is what if i'm not fast enough/fit enough to keep up on a group ride but honestly love all the content!
looking for a saddle is like looking for a spouse - comfortable, reliable, supportive. i hope more societies will be acceptable to cyclists/bikers in general and women cyclists in particular. outdoors should be a safe space for everyone specially for women and children. a city or town accepting to cyclists is a progressive, strong society.
also, all hail to our dragon queen -- MANON!
Really great video. Well done.
More of this please!!
❤️
As a petite woman (1.55 m), my issue is finding a bike small enough for me. I also have the same issue when on holiday trying to rent a bike. My own bike has narrow handlebars, with smaller drop and the levers adjusted so I can get my hands around them.
Thanks Manon and Ashleigh M-P for properly talking periods and peeing 👏and putting many minds at rest.
Great vid Manon!
The toilet is my biggest problem. During the pre- and the menstrual periods I generally stay off the bike, because everything is foggy, I can't focus my attention and coordinate my movements well; I also have trouble keeping my balance. As for the toilet, I never go too far from home so that I can be back in about 3 -4 hours. Thank you for this much needed video.
I know what you mean, my best day was when I found on my local 3-4 hour ride, a lovely church with a porta loo open to all cyclists and walkers for a voluntary donation, so much easier than crouching in the bushes :)
@@238949 A truly Christian deed 🙂
Don't know how it is where's you're from but here there's almost always a toilet at every church. And there's lots off them here in Denmark. Plus there's app that show where's the nearest toilet are 🙂
@@raunefare Romanian Orthodox churches don't have toilets. Only the great monasteries, for pilgrims and tourists.
@@alinapopescu872 most churches on the countryside here does. Plus fresh drinking water
But almost everyone pays church taxes here to so it's the least they could do xD
Harriet is so cute! I watched all the videos she's in and I love seeing her smile :)
Great work Manon!!
Fantastic! Know a couple of women who’ve expressed interest and reservations about cycling. Will be sharing this with them.
🤞it gets them into the sport
Great video. There's some excellent cycle shorts and cycle leggings available & make loo stops so easy. Got a pair of bibs but never wear them as they're a complete pain!
We ladies need more small frame bikes!!! many brands only have XS or XXS frames (45, 44, 42) in entry level models - what sense does that make? I WANT to spend my hard earned money on a top bike! But they do not fit me :-(
I have that issue as well, I’m only like 5’7”. I have a Surly, they make 36-58 frames but they’re all a pretty low quality steel. No carbon or Ti or anything fancy like that. The bigger companies need to start putting more effort into designing small bikes instead of just shrinking down bigger bikes and calling it good.
Im 163 and have quite short legs so need an 48 frame to be comfortable. Canyon for example does an even smaller frame size than that. And they also adapt wheel size and the rest of the components to smaller body’s, so 27,5 wheels and narrow handlebars (:
Forgot to add: crank length was a problem for me, so I switched to 155 rotor cranks, now if I’m in a really aero position I’m not hitting my knees into my stomach anymore :)
Added bonus: they are way lighter than the shimano ultegra cranks my bike came with
Do you get toe overlap on these smaller bike frames? I know sometimes they spec them with 650b wheels to keep the wheels more in proportion with the the reduced frame size.
@@a1white I ride 650b Wheels. I still get a bit of toe overlap, but not in any way comparable to the toe overlap with 28" Wheels. with the 27.5" I only notice it when im trying to weave really really slowly through barriers or something really tight and you get used to it. I just know how to move my feet to avoid that. at normal speeds it doesnt affect anything :)
And that's only one reason to like the 650B wheels. also im just lower to the ground, so that the bike handles like its geometry intended and im not sitting way too high up on a, relative to the hight, quite short frame. Like this I can get a quick and responsive bike without it feeling out of balance :)
Thank you for this. As a trans man, I frequently experience the problems that women cyclists face (such as saddle comfort, hormones and suitable toilet stops), all whilst the people around me are seeing me as a man. It was very helpful hearing tips that are also relevant to me.
Thanks Manon!
Pearl Izumi (only brand I know, but chime in if there are others!) makes bibs that you can pull around your hips for pee stops. They're my favorite for long rides!
Well, finally, acknowledging women at GCNYea!!
We have a much more challenging time dealing with issues than guys.
Thank you GCN!!
I loved this video! I was looking for more content relating to women & was very pleased to find this. I am a junior racer and I would really like to see a video about going pro as a female cyclist possibly??
Saddle is such an issue for me. I am a commuter, by the way, not a sport road cyclist. The few times I have tried to get advice in bike stores, which always have male employees only, they will either say: "I don't know what would be best for someone like you" (great business strategy......).
Or they vaguely try to help, while they seem to be thinking "teehee vulvas, teehee women's butts".
So I just have the not too good, but also not too bad saddle that came with my bike.
Thank you for this video, so much good information! I am fairly new to cycling an was on my region's Air Force Cycling Team last year as the only female so I had no one to talk to about certain things. Like whether or not I should be in pain during rides/have numbness from my saddle. Probably need to experiment a little more to find the right fit.
I had similar issues. I made two investments that greatly improved my comfort and therefore performance - and safety. I researched and chose a female geometry specific bike (mine's a Specialized Rumor - 2017) and I searched high and low for and found a bike shop with a specialist who uses an indoor trainer bike fitted with a saddle that mapped my sit-bones to a monitor. I pedaled for two hours and that data - the way I pedal, my anatomy and so on resulted in a very specific saddle design recommendation and saddle style. I've been much happier since. Good luck. : )
A Peeez tube and empty 1pt milk bottle (with some tissues for mopping up) are standard equipment in my bike pack
love it❤
5:30 if the Pill isn't working for you, keep in mind there are MANY "pills", all with different levels of estrogen and progesterone. Just like a saddle or shammy that doesn't fit, you may need to try a few before you find one that works!
Another + for the mental cup is that you don't have a string hanging down where all the pressure is on the saddle. That string can cause some chaffing :(
Thanks Manon and GCN. I'm a dude and this reminded me of Si's video on testicular cancer, Conner and the weight loss video and Neil Donahue (GMBN) and Si on mental health.
Whoa, I really enjoyed this video.
Thanks Manon and Ashleigh for speaking frankly about periods, saddle comfort and all the other inconvenient things about being a woman cycling. It often seems like a very male sport, so chapeau for a fab video helping us girls ! Jx
Glad you hear your found this video inclusive! We want everyone to feel welcome to cycling as it is certainly something women can do and enjoy 🙌 Is there anything else you'd like to see us cover in a future video? 🤔
@@gcn Well, my biggest barrier has been finding a comfy saddle. I feel like you need some variously sized and of different ages non pro ladies to try out different saddle types with, and explain the different types. I've already bought two different expensive saddles, neither of which are comfy (and I do get you need to give them a bit of time to get used to them). I feel someone should invent a saddle testing facility for the general public! Like a sofa showroom 🤣
I wish there were female shop assistants to talk to when shopping for a comfy saddle. Having to explain how my weight is distributed on what's down there to someone who has different bits gets a bit awkward..
Would love to see Manon and other women in more of the videos… the dudes are great but more diversity across the board would be excellent.
We will definitely take this feedback on board! Have you seen our video with Harriet? 👉 th-cam.com/video/d5qqt2zrNo4/w-d-xo.html she's a rising star in our GCN team!
I've always thought GCN were very pragmatic and down-to-earth, desptite the size and reach of the channel. This video really emphasizes that.
Thanks - we try to cater to all if we can - whether you're just starting out on a bike, or planning an epic challenge!
This is great
Thank you Manon for such an awesome video. It would be great if GCN did more women’s specific content!
We definitely plan to! 🙌
Great video Manon and GCN, very few channels address the subject you have addressed.
Thanks Donna - what would you like to see Manon address next?
@@gcn Menopause and older women cyclist would be a topic I would be intrested in. Also I notice that everyone you feature is so slim, even your beginner cyclist are of average build. If you look at some other TH-cam videos for example Leonardmlee who is over weigh but still doing great rides, or Wheelers At Large. I know cycling is a slim persons sport but overweight people can also cycle.
In the UK British Cycling Breeze rides are a great way to get into cycling with trained voluntary ride leaders, it is a great place to learn and to ask questions. One thing I have see many beginner female cyclists struggle with is the concept of no underwear under the shorts.
Great video! Thanks for that! And thanks for sharing that even in the Peloton there are women that strip down for „safety reasons“ and fear of wetness, as I do. That makes me feel much better during my toilet routine on a ride! :-)
This was such a good video! Another tip from me is also to find someone to teach you basic mechanical skills including dealing with a flat tyre. Helps give you confidence to know you can sort yourself out on the road! Ride on Ladies 💕
Thanks Sophie - good advice for anyone starting out - we've all had our maintenance 'fails' over the years!