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Don'ts for women


Loving this old bicycle on display at MOTAT in Auckland. The signs in front of and on it say this - be prepared to be amused:

"don't be a fright,

don't faint on the road

don't wear a man's cap

don't wear tight garters

don't forget your toolbag

don't attempt a century (?)

don't coast - it is dangerous

don't criticize peoples legs

don't boast of your long rides"

and...

Photo from Nelson Provincial Museum

"Step through bikes first arrived on the sene in the 1880s. With no top tube a women could ride while wearing a dress. This triumph model is likely from the early 20th century".

Oh how times have changed...

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and The Weekend Roundup.

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Comments

Billy Blue Eyes said…
I remember women riding bikes like that when I was a kid.
29 January 2022 at 07:54
Bill said…
My sisters had bikes like that back in the 60s.
29 January 2022 at 08:10
local alien said…
Don't they still make bikes like that? So much easier to get on.
Love all the advice
29 January 2022 at 15:26
Andy said…
There's a lot of history in that bike. I always did wonder why a woman's bike did not have a cross bar. Finally after all of these years I finally know why.
ۜ\(סּںסּَ` )/ۜ
29 January 2022 at 23:06
Klara said…
;-), this made me laugh.
29 January 2022 at 23:18
Iris Flavia said…
It must´ve been tough! A tool kit would be no use for me. Two left hands.
Times sure have changed. I have a boy´s bike from the hardware store (the girl´s version was of more weight, crazy!).
30 January 2022 at 00:23
gz said…
A century? Probably 100 miles
30 January 2022 at 00:56
Tom said…
...thankfully those DON'TS are in the trash bin of history!
30 January 2022 at 02:51
magiceye said…
The best transport ever!
30 January 2022 at 03:20
Graham Edwards said…
Those were the days (says he who can remember the days of heavy old bikes).
30 January 2022 at 03:54
Sharon said…
I love this but now I want to know what a "century" is.
30 January 2022 at 05:58
Yogi♪♪♪ said…
Oh yes have changed immensely. I finally got an new bike early last year. I was having trouble dismounting from the bike I had. The salesman suggested a "step through" model and I tried it and loved it. He said lots of "older gentlemen" ride them. So this older gentlemen is loving his girls bike.
30 January 2022 at 08:25
James said…
Very cool old bike!
30 January 2022 at 11:38
Tigger's Mum said…
F's still got a bike like that (among the various she owns) - for going shopping and riding round 'Art Trails' and poncing about with her trendy arty friends (in UK). Trendy arty types here don't ride bikes. The don'ts are abit preachy aren't they. I wonder if they were written by a woman ....
30 January 2022 at 19:26
Jim said…
Nice rules for women of the day but wouldn't fly today. We had bikes similar to this one, in the 1970's, the Mrs. and me. I gave them for junk in early 2000's.
..
31 January 2022 at 10:16
Margaret Birding For Pleasure said…
I really do not know why there was a cross bar on bikes anyway. Woman do not have them and the bike works perfectly! Love the old photo. Have a lovely week ahead
31 January 2022 at 16:56
Sallie (FullTime-Life) said…
Too cute -- I will try to remember those rules (LOL). (Outdated even for someone of my advanced age!).... I imagine a century meant a 100-mile (KM?) ride. but maybe it meant don't try to live 100 years. That last is actually one of my goals. ;>)
4 February 2022 at 10:22
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