Why the hate for ladies' bikes?

[Waterland]

I'm sick of threads and comments where people say "it's just a ladies' bike, it's not worth anything" or "part out that completely original ladies' bike, those parts can go to a boy's bike." What does everyone have against the ladies' bikes? Some of the coolest Prewar bikes in existence are ladies' bikes: Elgin Skylark, Ladies' Huffman Big Tank, Ladies' Mercury Pacemaker, Ladies' Shelby Airflo, prewar ladies Columbias, and countless others. The ladies' bikes for me just seem to have much nicer lines and look so much cooler than the boy's counterparts. My bike collection consists mostly of ladies' bikes, mainly because I can find them more easily and they're cheaper since nobody wants them.

Is it just that this hobby is full of misogynistic a-holes who feel it would be a threat to their masculinity to be seen in possession of or, god forbid, riding a ladies' bike? If you dislike ladies' bikes, I'd love to know the reasoning behind it.

 

[JChapoton]

no not at all. Ladies bikes are commonplace as ladies never went to war and their bikes weren't scrapped for the war machine like the men's bikes. exception to the rule is pre-1933 ladies bikes that can fetch just as much as their male counterparts for the simple reason of more men's bikes being produced before 1933.

 

[Rustafari]

I have to admit, I mostly like the boys bikes. But I do have a '41 The World lady's bike (basically a Schwinn Hollywood). It is a sweet bike and is one of the nicest riding bikes I have. I got it for my wife and she loves it but I ride it all the time too. One thing about the girls bikes is that they are usually in a little better shape. I guess girls are not quite as hard on them as boys are. And no, I would never part it out. It is way too cool!

 

[Boris]

There's plenty of ladies bikes in plenty of guys collections for many of the same reasons they are in your collection. If the point of this thread is, why are so many of these ladies bikes being destroyed to serve as parts donors for mens bikes? I agree, it's a shame.

 

[charnleybob]

I only have one girl's bike.

 

[fat tire trader]

1. Waterland rides a girl's bike!
2. Boys rode their bikes.
3. Boys destroyed their bikes.
4. Girls barely rode their bikes.
5. Girls never destroyed their bikes.
6. There are not that many girls that collect bikes.

As a result there are a lot more good condition girls bikes left and the demand for girls bikes is smaller than the supply.

 

[Old Man Wolf]

No Hating Ladies Bikes Here!!!

There's No Hating Ladies Bikes in THIS House!!!

Between my Mrs's and 2 Daughters...
I spend more time looking for Ladies bikes and parts for them
then I do mens bikes or parts!!!

I have also found though that it's easier to find Ladies bikes
in nicer shape for lower price tags than Mens versions of the
same bikes!!!
(... and my wallet appreciates that!!!)

Also - Before you ask...
... I have No Shame at all trying out one of the Ladies bikes -
- Especially after I've been working on or restored one!!!

Talk Soon!
Blessings!
Will,

 

[Waterland]

I only have one girl's bike.

Wow! That's a great looking ladies' bike! 1937 Roadmaster?

1. Waterland rides a girl's bike!
2. Boys rode their bikes.
3. Boys destroyed their bikes.
4. Girls barely rode their bikes.
5. Girls never destroyed their bikes.
6. There are not that many girls that collect bikes.

Who says that girls hardly ever rode their bikes? If girls never rode bikes, there wouldn't have been a market for girl's bikes to begin with. Also, I disagree with the statement that girl's bikes are generally in better condition than boy's bikes. Every ladies' bike I've picked up has damaged fenders, or bent fork, has been spray painted over, has wrong or missing parts or any combination of that.
Also, what does the fact that there are more male collectors than female collectors have to do with anything? The statement that not many girls collect bikes seems to imply that girls only collect girl's bikes and that if more girls were collecting, there would be more demand for girl's bikes.

 

[1959firearrow]

The prize of my collection is a girls bike! My grandmothers 1940 Hawthorne. I don't really think there is a hate for them so much as the supply far outstrips the demand. I don't like seeing nice ones parted but it happens life goes on. Boys liked to mess with bikes swapping parts and whatnot and I have to say we were way harder on our bikes also. So naturally the girls bike donates the parts to a boys bike. That's just the way it is.

 

[Buster1]

I love ladies bikes!!