Easily confused

On occasion when there’s a conversation going on about “bikes” I usually assume the two wheel self pedaling kind. However, there’s another interpretation which is motorcycles or bikes. Biker Chicks, Biker Babes or Babes on Bikes are usually the motorcycle kind and they wear leather halter tops, have tattoos, and don’t take any nonsense no how. Although from my brief brush with the motor crowd, there’s also a division between the chicks who ride their own bike and those that are afixed to the back of a bike as decor. I think cycling chicks are similar in their sass and resolve. Most of the women I know who are serious cyclists, cycle enthusiasts, or otherwise enamored with bicycles are strong, independent, self sufficient, cool chicks. They push the speed, can change their own tire when its flat, perform all sorts of maintenance, pace a group ride and look pretty cool while doing it all. I would consider myself almost there in terms of being all of the above. I can change my own tire, perform simple maintenance (I did spend the time and money on the Park Tool School), not so adept at leading a pace group but I’m learning, and I’ve gotten much faster than I was when I started biking. So, while the machine may be different, and the wardrobe is more spandex than leather, there are some similarities between the groups. I think we could get a group together and wind up with a great mix of cool chicks.

At least one photo of Chicks on Bikes. The photos at the header is from the 2007 St. Paul Crit, part of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The one below is from the 2004 T-Mobile International race.