Would you say this is too girly for a guy?

[Ichneumon]

So, a boy/man has to sit behind on somebody's bicycle... there are basically 2 ways I know to do this: 1. With both legs on the same side. 2. With one leg on each side.

It has come to my attention that girls tend to go for option 1, while boys tend to go for option 2. My question is: Would it be weird for a boy to go for option 1 or a girl to go for option 2?

[Coidzor]

Yes and no, respectively.

Goes back to horses and how it's more acceptable for a woman to act like a man than it is for a man to act like a woman.

Hence why male to female transvestism is humorous due to exploiting that, whereas there is not much interest in female to male transvestism except occasionally as a fetish or simply to watch a good performer.

Edit: So, why do you ask?

[AsteriskAmp]

I don't find it girly (though I'm the guy with a pink haired pixie for an avatar).
I would certainly prefer method one, seems a lot safer.

[Ichneumon]

Yes and no, respectively.

Goes back to horses and how it's more acceptable for a woman to act like a man than it is for a man to act like a woman.

Hence why male to female transvestism is humorous due to exploiting that, whereas there is not much interest in female to male transvestism except occasionally as a fetish or simply to watch a good performer.

Edit: So, why do you ask?

I know a guy who does that and I thought it looked feminine and I was just curious if others agreed with me. The guy is a friend of mine and was thinking whether or not I should "warn" him about looking funny? Would you guys say it's really "not done" in the same maner as shaking your hips while walking in a female way is "not done"?

I wouldn't want to make a great deal out of it if others would not pay that much attention to it, but personally I'm not really that well at judging these social gender customs.

[Innis Cabal]

What is wrong exactly with looking feminine that you should say anything to him.

[Ichneumon]

What is wrong exactly with looking feminine that you should say anything to him.

People might make fun of him? Or worse?

[Innis Cabal]

It's the or worse that's really the only thing to worry about. I find the whole "Dissuade from being feminine for his benefit" line to be more worrying though.

[golentan]

People might make fun of him? Or worse?

Funny thing about peer pressure. Peer pressure because other people will bully you socially is indistinguishable from social bullying.

Don't do it if you're concerned.

[Ichneumon]

True that. I completely agree with you, but what if this "acting feminine" in this case isn't a "manifestation of how feminine someone wants to be", but is just a trivial preference of him that isn't at all connected to his idea of identity or who he "is"?

I value your advise though, and will not concern him with this. :smallsmile:

[Keld Denar]

I dunno, as big a fan as I am of people who defy gender roles or practice alternative lifestyles, I'm also a huge fan of people not offing themselves due to excessive, preventable bullying (lord knows we've had too much of that in the last couple months). If the difference between being teased by cruel teenagers and not being teased is sitting a different way on a bicycle, I think you should say something. Kids are cruel, often for no reason, and might see this as a reason to inflict harm on your friend, regardless of what he himself thinks about the situation.

My opinion, take it for whatever you value it as.

[Dr.Epic]

So long as you don't do anything else "girly", I don't see why it is.

[MonkeyBusiness]

My feeling on this issue is that as long as everyone riding the bicycle is wearing a helmet, it doesn't matter if they ride sidesaddle or astride. Safety is the issue here.

The same argument is often made about wearing helmets: it's not considered cool or masculine in some circles. But if you take a walk through the intensive care unit at a hospital and look at the people with head injuries, you won't see many people looking cool, let me tell you. But you might meet someone who can't remember how to write his own name, recognize his own mother, or walk in a straightline anymore due to a head injury that might easily have been avoided if he'd been "man" enough to laugh at other people's opinions and wear his stupid helmet. [/soapbox]

-Monkey

[Coidzor]

I know a guy who does that and I thought it looked feminine and I was just curious if others agreed with me. The guy is a friend of mine and was thinking whether or not I should "warn" him about looking funny? Would you guys say it's really "not done" in the same maner as shaking your hips while walking in a female way is "not done"?

Not quite that level, maybe one level below that.


I wouldn't want to make a great deal out of it if others would not pay that much attention to it, but personally I'm not really that well at judging these social gender customs.

*shrug* I'm sure if he has any male friends he's been called on it already.

Edit: so if nothing else he'll have an answer for why he does it despite knowing it strikes people as odd enough to comment on/give him flak.


My feeling on this issue is that as long as everyone riding the bicycle is wearing a helmet, it doesn't matter if they ride sidesaddle or astride. Safety is the issue here.

The same argument is often made about wearing helmets: it's not considered cool or masculine in some circles. But if you take a walk through the intensive care unit at a hospital and look at the people with head injuries, you won't see many people looking cool, let me tell you. But you might meet someone who can't remember how to write his own name, recognize his own mother, or walk in a straightline anymore due to a head injury that might easily have been avoided if he'd been "man" enough to laugh at other people's opinions and wear his stupid helmet. [/soapbox]

-Monkey

Sidesaddle has been demonstrated to be inferior for riding on a horse for purposes of balance and staying on as well as controlling the thing, as far as I've been able to penetrate the matter, though I can only assume that the balance issues are translated to some extent to the bicycle. And it does seem less safe, especially for riding on a bicycle behind someone else, which is already unsafe.

If safety is the issue then 1. he shouldn't be sitting behind someone on the same bicycle in the first place and 2. he shouldn't be unevenly distributing his weight and producing a wider, unbalanced profile.

[snoopy13a]

I honestly don't care how people ride a bike, it is none of my business. But if you are interested in what some people think#:

1) Simply riding on the back of a bicycle is "girly" (this isn't confined to children, look up what many motocycle clubs call the backseat on a bike*).

2) Riding "side-saddle" is even more "girly" as the practice originated from discrimatory views that women should not ride astride a horse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidesaddle

# These views are unenlightened but are still held nonetheless.

*Wikipedia mentions it in the entry for the official term for the backseat of a motocycle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillion

[ZeroNumerous]

I'd be more concerned about how unsafe riding side-saddle is compared to riding astride than any potential bullying.

[tcrudisi]

So, a boy/man has to sit behind on somebody's bicycle... there are basically 2 ways I know to do this: 1. With both legs on the same side. 2. With one leg on each side.

It has come to my attention that girls tend to go for option 1, while boys tend to go for option 2. My question is: Would it be weird for a boy to go for option 1 or a girl to go for option 2?

When I was in the Netherlands, I saw a few guys riding with both legs on the same side. While I was riding with friends, I would do the same thing. Then again, the Dutch ride around on bicycles a lot, so I guess after a while they do everything with it.

I don't consider it to be very girly.

[Salbazier]

It is unusual... but, I would not think someone girly for doing that.

Well, some people have odd habit. I notice when I sit on the floor I sometimes assumes position that is more like what girl will use :smallconfused: sometimes I feel its more comfortable.

[Zevox]

It's the or worse that's really the only thing to worry about. I find the whole "Dissuade from being feminine for his benefit" line to be more worrying though.
This. I for one wouldn't presume to tell anyone how to act when it comes to something as minor and pointless as this. That's as bad as scoffing at him the way you're worrying about others doing yourself.

Zevox

[KenderWizard]

I'd be more concerned about how unsafe riding side-saddle is compared to riding astride than any potential bullying.

I second this. But if he's wearing a helmet and holding on properly and they're not racing or skidding around corners, etc etc, I'd say just leave him be, and if someone says anything about it, shrug it off and say "Probably more comfortable that way, leave him alone, would you?" or whatever. Otherwise, I'd say leave him be yourself.

[Morph Bark]

When I was in the Netherlands, I saw a few guys riding with both legs on the same side. While I was riding with friends, I would do the same thing. Then again, the Dutch ride around on bicycles a lot, so I guess after a while they do everything with it.

I don't consider it to be very girly.

Living in the country myself, I can confirm this. Both are done by both genders. Besides, with both legs on one side, it's easier to hop off once you've reached your destination without forcing the one riding the bicycle to stop.

[Coidzor]

Living in the country myself, I can confirm this. Both are done by both genders. Besides, with both legs on one side, it's easier to hop off once you've reached your destination without forcing the one riding the bicycle to stop.

I fail to see how encouraging the practice of jumping off of moving bicycles is that much of a plus with how much can go wrong with that with loose clothing. Just seems to compound hazard upon hazard. :smallconfused:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

You could be ok side-saddle. Just have on some manly shades or a thick smoking pipe and be reading the newspaper.

Then you should look vaguely bad-ass, or at least nonchalant in a masculine fashion. You're saying, 'I'm on a bike sideways and catching up on events.'

[rakkoon]

Both options are acceptable, it depends on whether he was wearing a pink dress or a black leather jacket at the time. If he was wearing casual clothes I don't see the harm in his masculinity.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

You can always go for option number one while holding a running chainsaw. That's sure to eliminate comments about it being "girly," and allow for the alternate commentary about insanity. :smallbiggrin:

[Coidzor]

Or if he's unlucky emasculate himself literally and figuratively. :smalleek:

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

You could be ok side-saddle. Just have on some manly shades or a thick smoking pipe and be reading the newspaper.

Then you should look vaguely bad-ass, or at least nonchalant in a masculine fashion. You're saying, 'I'm on a bike sideways and catching up on events.'

If that's not a good enough reason to ride sidesaddle, I don't know what is.

[Winter_Wolf]

I would just like to say that in a sane world, all men would ride side saddle.

Living in China, pretty much every passenger will ride side saddle, male or female. They also get on and off the bicycle while it is moving, which is actually easier and arguably safer. Collisions with other objects (and they WILL happen in China) tend to be bad, but at least the passenger can get off before or at least be ejected in relative safety. 'Course if you get hit by a car it doesn't really matter how you were on the bicycle.

Edit: I just thought of this, because I've seen it and it looks about as stupid as it sounds: the reverse saddle for the passenger sitting on the back of the bike. No good has ever come of this technique, unless you're the type to laugh at others doing faceplants, rolls, or cracking their tailbones on the ground. :smallamused:

[leakingpen]

I think if I rode sidesaddle I would unbalance the bike a bit. But thats me.

[Zen Monkey]

If riding in the back is feminine, and
If riding sidesaddle is feminine, then
Riding sidesaddle in the back is extra feminine, either double feminine or feminine squared.

(There is no wraparound, where high values of feminine become very masculine, nor is it a double negative where applying twice gets you a positive)

Therefore, riding in such a way to only qualify for the first effeminite is less feminine than qualifying for both.

[Sipex]

If riding in the back is feminine, and
If riding sidesaddle is feminine, then
Riding sidesaddle in the back is extra feminine, either double feminine or feminine squared.

(There is no wraparound, where high values of feminine become very masculine, nor is it a double negative where applying twice gets you a positive)

Therefore, riding in such a way to only qualify for the first effeminite is less feminine than qualifying for both.

Depends, are both feminine benefits from the same source? If so they may not stack.

Also, that gentleman comment was amazing.

[ForzaFiori]

If riding in the back is feminine, and
If riding sidesaddle is feminine, then
Riding sidesaddle in the back is extra feminine, either double feminine or feminine squared.

(There is no wraparound, where high values of feminine become very masculine, nor is it a double negative where applying twice gets you a positive)

Therefore, riding in such a way to only qualify for the first effeminite is less feminine than qualifying for both.

At least in most of America, this tends to hold true. Riding on the back of a bicycle would probably warrant some teasing (after a certain age. A kid who's dad rides them into school, or two kids sharing a bike is different). I personally have never seen someone ride side-saddle on a bike, but it sounds like a bad idea to me. Less stability, you'd off balance the bike, and it seems like it'd be hard to stay on.

If the person riding side saddle is doing it somewhere it is considered unmanly though, it's likely that he's already been told by someone that it's feminine to ride that way. However, if your curious as to why, just ask. If you do something strange, you should be ok with explaining why. It bothers me that so many people get pissed if you ask them why they do something. I personally am always looking for the best way to do something. If I see a new way, I wanna know what made you choose that way to see if I should try it. If you ask your friend about it with knowledge as your goal rather than changing what he does, it should work ok.

[Thorcrest]

My feeling on this issue is that as long as everyone riding the bicycle is wearing a helmet, it doesn't matter if they ride sidesaddle or astride. Safety is the issue here.

The same argument is often made about wearing helmets: it's not considered cool or masculine in some circles. But if you take a walk through the intensive care unit at a hospital and look at the people with head injuries, you won't see many people looking cool, let me tell you. But you might meet someone who can't remember how to write his own name, recognize his own mother, or walk in a straightline anymore due to a head injury that might easily have been avoided if he'd been "man" enough to laugh at other people's opinions and wear his stupid helmet. [/soapbox]

-Monkey


I second this. But if he's wearing a helmet and holding on properly and they're not racing or skidding around corners, etc etc, I'd say just leave him be, and if someone says anything about it, shrug it off and say "Probably more comfortable that way, leave him alone, would you?" or whatever. Otherwise, I'd say leave him be yourself.

You guys might be surprised to learn that while there are less injuries in total from people wearing helmets while riding bicycles, there are mor injuries per rider. (http://www.cycle-helmets.com/hpja_2005_1_robinson.pdf)

And to get back on topic: Sit however you like, really it shouldn't matter what other people think unless your friend finds that the image he displays is incredibly important, in which case he is well aware of it. Either way, let him ride in a manner more comfortable for him... and I guess wear a helmet... it can help, even though the fact that everyone wears them makes it more dangerous to bike! Just read the article

[Morph Bark]

I fail to see how encouraging the practice of jumping off of moving bicycles is that much of a plus with how much can go wrong with that with loose clothing. Just seems to compound hazard upon hazard. :smallconfused:

Anyone wearing rather loose lower-body clothing shouldn't be riding a bicycle anyway, considering the chances of that happening while you're sitting on the bike (or riding it yourself) are much greater than when you were to jump off of it. :smalltongue:

It's not so much a practice that is encouraged (or that I am encouraging it), it is just something that happens a lot (and in fact, most of the time the person on the back needs to go somewhere specific, the location is the same as the person riding the bicycle, so s/he would usually stop before letting the person on the back get off).

[Coidzor]

Anyone wearing rather loose lower-body clothing shouldn't be riding a bicycle anyway, considering the chances of that happening while you're sitting on the bike (or riding it yourself) are much greater than when you were to jump off of it. :smalltongue:

Bluejeans come in varieties that are loose enough to cause problems in such a scenario without also seeming loose enough to be unreasonable for bike riding. So the threshold is not all that low.


It's not so much a practice that is encouraged (or that I am encouraging it), it is just something that happens a lot (and in fact, most of the time the person on the back needs to go somewhere specific, the location is the same as the person riding the bicycle, so s/he would usually stop before letting the person on the back get off).

Your post seemed to both approve of and encourage others to take up the practice. So I apologize for misinterpreting.

[Trog]

The manliest option would be to ride on the handlebars instead. You get a ride but you're all "look at me if we stop suddenly I'll go flying and I'm hanging on for dear life" while the person pedaling is all "whoa I can barely steer with him on here good thing I have manly muscles to steer and could be a jerk and at any moment fulfill your fondest wishes to see me slam on the brakes and send my rider flying which will make me lol."

...

really, why would you choose any other way? :smallamused:

(Yes, this is how I always rode when sharing a bike.)

[AsteriskAmp]

The manliest option would be to ride on the handlebars instead. You get a ride but you're all "look at me if we stop suddenly I'll go flying and I'm hanging on for dear life" while the person pedaling is all "whoa I can barely steer with him on here good thing I have manly muscles to steer and could be a jerk and at any moment fulfill your fondest wishes to see me slam on the brakes and send my rider flying which will make me lol."

...

really, why would you choose any other way? :smallamused:

(Yes, this is how I always rode when sharing a bike.)

Because it's freaking deadly and not useful if wearing a skirt... Long Story.

[Nosferocktu]

This is why pegs are a god-send. You just have to make sure you're tires are good and stand up. I ride BMX bikes just because of the occasional "hey dude, you going to the store?" I'll be like, "yeah, hop on." I always carry an extra helmet strapped to the seat. Getting hit by a car and landing on my helmet made me a believer in them.