tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post8391114191256936148..comments2024-03-29T04:01:31.445-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Showing Off or Showing How? On Bicycle Blog ExhibitionismVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46720968540273973602011-01-23T20:15:37.938-05:002011-01-23T20:15:37.938-05:00I fail to see how this blog is any more exhibition...I fail to see how this blog is any more exhibitionist than say, a male in his 50s, having newly arrived to the world of classic cars, blogging about his Ferrari or Maserati purchases.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-75598004591150082462011-01-23T07:10:56.387-05:002011-01-23T07:10:56.387-05:00I detest this notion that I see all too often on t...I detest this notion that I see all too often on the web that if a woman is interested in fashion or style or 'looking cute' then she must be a bit vacuous and/or all about 'attracting guys'. As if, how can her tiny mind possibly be big enough to take in being cute/stylish AND be anything else, such as a lawyer, a mother, or an academic with opinions on a whole host of subjects which people might find informative or even inspiring.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12694245723276830057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-873487072345101532011-01-22T23:10:54.307-05:002011-01-22T23:10:54.307-05:00Upon further reflection, I would say your blog fee...Upon further reflection, I would say your blog feels like I'm reading something beautiful, but mostly substantive... whereas some blogs are clearly about looking cute and attracting guys (while riding a bike), and some are just about being sexy. There's a spot for all, I suppose.<br /><br />Vanity Fair vs. Glamour Magazine vs. Cosmo? :)snarkypuphttp://rideblog.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-24814279333787104532011-01-21T14:09:16.213-05:002011-01-21T14:09:16.213-05:00kfg: hey, I had three posts in December, and one s...kfg: hey, I had three posts in December, and one so far this month :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-39515134783563043592011-01-21T01:18:02.249-05:002011-01-21T01:18:02.249-05:00Your blog is the only "girl" bike blog I...Your blog is the only "girl" bike blog I read anymore because it's the only one with interesting text! But as a girl, I've never thought of the photos on any of these blogs as self-indulgent--it's just what we like to see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42166141951493023482011-01-20T21:36:46.685-05:002011-01-20T21:36:46.685-05:00Velouria - "these bikes have very short virtu...Velouria - "these bikes have very short virtual top tubes - the swept back bars tend to start hitting parts of the body"<br /><br />Interesting. It could be argued that that model is now the default bicycle, they're everywhere (although not always with Giant branding), but I've never ridden one. I might have to give it a go when the opportunity presents itself.<br /><br />Portlandize - "I should probably . . post at least once a week or something"<br /><br />Or at least once a month. :)<br /><br />I think I could make it work, but it might take some experimentation.<br /><br />"if it works, it could all get rather expensive." <br /><br />'Bought forty bucks for stuff of the same quality. It ain't Nitto.kfgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-9340339332833067302011-01-20T15:43:34.537-05:002011-01-20T15:43:34.537-05:00@Velouria: I would love to post more often, but I ...@Velouria: I would love to post more often, but I have to say, I'm just a sporadic writer. It's hard for me to just sit down and write something if it isn't something I've been thinking about or wrestling with or whatever. That being said, I should probably try to be a little more regular and post at least once a week or something :) <br /><br />I think part of the problem too, is that I've got my fingers into too many things - bikes, photography, music, cooking... I love doing all of those things, but doing them all means there isn't as much time as I might like for each individual one. <br /><br />Not to discourage you regarding the frequency of my Portlandize posts, but I've just come across an opportunity to play music with people again (I play cello), and I'm really excited about that. It's totally informal, but that's kind of good too.<br /><br />Actually, I probably will be doing two posts in the near future, as we just got a nice front rack for Patrina's DL-1, and I'm going to do a post on riding in the rain (since it doesn't snow here, really). I just need some daylight to take photos in first (ironically, darkness caused by rain clouds) :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-63763910590518481832011-01-20T15:32:17.639-05:002011-01-20T15:32:17.639-05:00Doohickie : ))
portlandize - From my pov, you are...Doohickie : ))<br /><br />portlandize - From my pov, you are definitely unique among the male blogs. Portlandize is neither technical, nor gung-ho advocacy, nor does it leave the weird taste in my mouth that Copenhagen Cycle Chic does. It is just a human sort of blog from a male perspective, and that attracts me as a reader. My one complain: please post more often : )Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-74755626473346605342011-01-20T15:22:05.851-05:002011-01-20T15:22:05.851-05:00Yeah, you definitely show off. Sorry, but that...Yeah, you definitely show off. Sorry, but that's way I see it. I've been thinking about saying something about it for some time, but never figured out the right way to broach the subject.<br /><br />Having said that, you can't argue with the results. You have a lot of readers and you put out quality content. From that standpoint I really can't argue with your approach. <br /><br />There, now I've gotten it off my chest and can enjoy the blog. Post on, Veloria!Doohickiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06088639153697449691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-72463965771568379622011-01-20T15:08:56.374-05:002011-01-20T15:08:56.374-05:00@neighbortease: thanks for the compliment, I'm...@neighbortease: thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you like it :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-83836171848851179882011-01-20T14:33:09.704-05:002011-01-20T14:33:09.704-05:00@Velouria, that's what put me off, too -- the ...@Velouria, that's what put me off, too -- the assumption that you (and your commenters, because a blog is a very collaborative thing, really) are by some extension somehow more tolerable because of an absence of "girly" whatever that means made me shudder. It's not pleasant to be the Wise Guide to something someone looks down on. Like, are you supposed to be flattered? <br /><br />@Portlandize -- what you say makes sense to me, especially since your blog is focused on transport and you are in a city. It's a great blog, btw.neighbourteasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17571138655370581828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-2771965577998001462011-01-20T12:08:13.905-05:002011-01-20T12:08:13.905-05:00Dottie's comment brought up something for me t...Dottie's comment brought up something for me that I hadn't really consciously thought of before - I think as a male bike-blogger, and person involved in sort of bikey things sometimes, I feel a little bit of an outsider, as I don't know much about bicycles technically, and I really don't feel any need or desire to know anything but the very basics of the bikes I actually own. It inevitably happens when I'm with other people interested in bikes, that the discussion turns to the fine points of sealed bottom brackets vs. cup and spindle or why people don't use quill stems or something, and honestly, though sometimes I understand the very general premise of the conversation, I really have no idea what they're talking about. For instance, I know what a quill stem is, but I couldn't tell you what other types there are.<br /><br />I guess by now in life, I should be used to occupying space that is more typically associated with women (that happens a lot to me), but I actually relate much more strongly to the female bike bloggers who are posting their experiences, advice and such than really technically focused informational bike blogs, and I would much rather get involved in a discussion about how best to actually ride a bike than the advantages of some material or type of component over another.<br /><br />It's not to say that there is anything wrong with technically focused blogs, they are important as well, because we need people who are interested in fixing and building our bikes, if we want to be the kind of people who just take the bike to the shop if something goes wrong, but I think people get too stuck on a very mathematical and technical definition of "useful information" - and forget that even the development of a relationship to some extent is the giving of useful information, even if there is nothing technical exchanged at all.<br /><br />I feel like there are more thoughts in my head with regard to all this, but they haven't settled down enough for me to grab onto them yet, so I'll stop here :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-75298290012525117252011-01-20T11:39:58.147-05:002011-01-20T11:39:58.147-05:00I'm a guy who keeps a bike blog too and I enjo...I'm a guy who keeps a bike blog too and I enjoy reading your blog. I link to your blog on mine because I feel your voice is important and may help inspire some of the 5 or so people who read mine a day. <br /><br />One of the things I really enjoy on your blog is the photography. The old wisdom that one must dress a certain way to be a "serious" cyclist is going away. <br /><br />I imagine (hope really) that seeing a professional, attractive woman riding in her street clothes would help others expand their view of what it means to be a cyclist, maybe even to the point where they can now envision themselves riding their bikes.Sean Herringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07969361789357343228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-80287681695359697612011-01-20T09:33:32.149-05:002011-01-20T09:33:32.149-05:00I think your 2nd paragraph sums up nicely why I am...I think your 2nd paragraph sums up nicely why I am offended by the criticism, despite (or especially because of) its not being aimed at me. It made me feel as if somehow I had been vying for approval of a male audience by making sure to add what they considered "real content" to my posts. It felt a bit like being told "I usually don't like jews/blacks/gays, but don't worry - you're okay". No thanks to that kind of "approval".Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-3959488469341215332011-01-20T09:03:15.082-05:002011-01-20T09:03:15.082-05:00Extraordinarily well-written and thoughtful post, ...Extraordinarily well-written and thoughtful post, as usual. Knowing that I'll always find sharp and intelligent discussions here, along with beautifully presented images, is the reason Lovely Bicycle is my favorite blog. <br /><br />Because you consistently display some of the best woman-and-bike photos and the reader does not take issue with your blog, I find his focus on posting pictures a red herring, used to shame women for not being sufficiently modest to his liking, while distracting from his real issue, which is disdain for anything he perceives as feminine, i.e. girly. Photos are fine, as long as they're accompanied by discussions of bike build and other suitably intellectual bike topics that interest a male reader. Stepping outside that box to connect with a community of women on a wide variety of daily topics is not tolerated and means that a woman - no, "girl" - "doesn't know much about bikes." <br /><br />There's a word for that: sexism. There's another word not far behind: misogyny. The goal is to silence women. I am not interested in listening to such critics. If I worried about what every random man thought, I'd be frozen in fear and never accomplish anything. I only hope that such criticism does not silence other women, especially all of the new female bike bloggers. Their voices are too valuable.Dottiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03984050970208363927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-67349015301391959532011-01-20T05:02:38.347-05:002011-01-20T05:02:38.347-05:00kfg/ Erin - I've ridden a bike like the one E...kfg/ Erin - I've ridden a bike like the one Erin shows, and I don't think swept back bars would work well on it. The reason being, that these bikes have very short virtual top tubes - the swept back bars tend to start hitting parts of the body. So if she does replace the bars, she would also need to replace the stem (with a much longer one) - and we don't know how that might change the bike's handling. Even if it works, it could all get rather expensive. <br /><br />Patience - I have to admit that I kind of like it that readers often send me their thoughts without censoring themselves. I agree that the concept of "girly blogs" is offensive. But it's also good to know what people out there really think.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-26199444338816814892011-01-19T23:16:40.571-05:002011-01-19T23:16:40.571-05:00I will echo your earlier commenters by saying: rea...I will echo your earlier commenters by saying: really well written! I cannot tell you how wonderful I think your bike is, and how helpful you have been to me as my cycling-life has grown and changed. I love that you write the blog from a woman's perspective, and I find the scripting of "girly bike blog" a little hilarious (albeit offensive, too)....are you supposed to have a gender-free blog? ;-) Thanks and keep it up!!!!Patience Meliora Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03897974563208566336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-15101578025107205152011-01-19T19:23:53.075-05:002011-01-19T19:23:53.075-05:00"it isn't adjusted right for me, and I do..."it isn't adjusted right for me, and I don't know if it can be."<br /><br />Step 1: Get rid of those damned hybrid bars and fit a swept back style. North Roads, Wald Touring, French city bike, whatever so long as it isn't a mountain bikey type thingamajig.<br /><br />Try scavenging a variety of chromed steel bars from cheap old bikes until you find something you like.<br /><br />I think you'll find it makes all the difference in the world.kfgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-84089770032653096872011-01-19T12:39:02.645-05:002011-01-19T12:39:02.645-05:00Velouria - since you asked, I have this bike
http...Velouria - since you asked, I have this bike<br /><br />http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/cypress.ex.w/940/24704/<br /><br />There are a lot of thing I like about it. It is nicely upright, not to heavy, has nice shifting, I don't have to worry about the chain falling off, etc...<br /><br />It is a hugely adjustable bike, but it isn't adjusted right for me, and I don't know if it can be. I have tried twiddling every possible adjustment and I can't find the right combination.<br /><br />If you ever do a post on how to adjust the seat height and tilt and whatever the forward or backwardness is called and handle bar angle and all of those things to fit a person, I would appreciate it.<br /><br />I haven't replaced it, but I'm considering it...Erin Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051288210007789595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-69847649874864129232011-01-19T01:44:15.824-05:002011-01-19T01:44:15.824-05:00It really just strikes me as a silly question to b...It really just strikes me as a silly question to begin with. Different blogs serve different purposes. My own is completely self-serving. I was going for rides, which I enjoyed, but my family was DONE hearing about them. I like to write, and cycling interests me right now. I didn't want to mimic what you do, much as I love it, and I'm no Dottie et al. So I write modestly funny little ride stories, and I throw a few pics in as I go. I have no desire to be in every picture (I'm no Oprah), but I try to make the photos a fun part of the narrative. Folks seem to like the blog, though it's still new. I enjoy writing it. Win-win.<br /><br />On the other hand, BikeSnob bores me to tears. I don't have any desire to read as someone complains cynically about everything. I have friends who LOVE that blog, though. I find Dottie's blog a bit too basic for my tastes. I already know how to dress when it's cold. But I suppose others don't, so I don't begrudge her handing out advice. In the end, if I don't want to read a blog, then I don't read it. No skin off my nose. The internet is a very big place.<br /><br />I don't usually post this here in my responses, but it seems topical: http://rideblog.wordpress.com/<br /><br />I love Lovely Bicycle! If it weren't for this blog, I wouldn't be riding what I ride, or writing what I'm writing. So write on. Girly blog, my butt. I know girly blogs, Veloria, and you're no girly blog. Some people just need to fuss about things that don't need fussing over.snarkypuphttp://rideblog.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46307887419288919482011-01-19T00:05:11.318-05:002011-01-19T00:05:11.318-05:00To me, it seems like another one of those cases, w...To me, it seems like another one of those cases, where something is discounted or seen as "lesser" because it's something women do. Yes, there are a lot of blogs of women discovering bikes, women who ride loop-frames, women who like clothes. <br /><br />When I first started biking I wanted to tell everyone about it--I had discovered this amazing thing! And now that I hope to get more seriously into touring, I wanted to start writing a blog. I have a livejournal that I use as a, well, journal; but so many of the entries became about nothing but bicycles, and things I did on my bicycle, and there was maybe three of my friends who really read those entries! So I started a blog. <br /><br />Mine doesn't have any kind of emphasis the way this one does, and that's fine. I think the growth of women blogging about bicycles--whether they're racing, or carrying kids and groceries, or showing off the fashionable outfits they ride in, or better yet all of the above, is just fantastic! In most American cities, men still far outnumber women in the bike lane, so anything that encourages ladies to get on two wheels is a good thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-4399610663022844912011-01-18T22:22:24.469-05:002011-01-18T22:22:24.469-05:00living your life out loud allows others to begin t...living your life out loud allows others to begin to do the same. thank you, velouria.gl.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-11889316360465231262011-01-18T21:23:38.357-05:002011-01-18T21:23:38.357-05:00Er, write on! Feminism and the other liberationis...Er, write on! Feminism and the other liberationist critiques of modernity have pretty much done in its myth/cult of objectivity. The obituary hasn't been read by everyone yet, though. For my part, I want to hear from a <em>subject.</em> Thanks, Velouria.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-65460294024160273102011-01-18T21:18:51.677-05:002011-01-18T21:18:51.677-05:00Deborah - I would say that it isn't possible t...Deborah - I would say that it isn't possible to separate or disentangle the two. A picture does not have to be intentionally "trying" to teach or show how to do something; our brains simulate what the person in the picture is doing regardless of intent, because it is an automatic process. So I guess my point is that even blogs with the explicit agenda of self-promotion and exhibitionism, can be greatly useful to viewers - more useful than blogs with "nobler" causes that do not offer the same degree of the author's personal involvement.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-79223068403362546512011-01-18T20:59:00.828-05:002011-01-18T20:59:00.828-05:00The more I think about this, the more I can't ...The more I think about this, the more I can't help feeling that two different issues are being confused. One is the use of illustrative photographs as a visual teaching tool ("showing how"). The other is the use of photography as a medium for self-expression and self-affirmation -- perhaps even self-promotion, depending on the aspirations of the blogger. Others may see this as "showing off." (At the least it is fair to say that the blogger herself, rather than "today's lesson," is both subject and object of this second kind of photograph.) Nothing inherently wrong with this, but "showing how, to the best of your ability" and "showing yourself to the best advantage" are simply two different agendas. If you are not drawn to the latter style of photograph, it doesn't (necessarily) mean you are "missing the point" of using photos to teach, which is what it seemed as though Velouria's post was suggesting. Did I read it incorrectly? By the way, I genuinely appreciate the photography and written detail on this particular blog.Deborahnoreply@blogger.com