Monthly Archives: October 2021

Pregnant women and bicycles

Using a bike is a good habit that more and more women practice every day. This positive and objective issue can become controversial as it comes to pregnant women. Although I am not the best person to talk about it since I am a man, I have read about it. Women opinions on this subject are as valuable as scarce, or at least not so widely known as they should be.

Bikeactivist women opt for continuing pedaling while pregnant in most cases. It is only rejected when their doctors or midwifes discourage them because of high risk pregnancy. In this case, mother love puts on top the baby health. On the other hand, brave women do not mind prejudices from antiquated people and decide to live their lives as they want. Some argue that a pregnant women who is riding can suffer a drop, similarly as when she walks on the street or drives a car. Hopefully, time will make forget this bogus argument.

A pregnant woman can tire more than a non-pregnant woman specially in the last stage of pregnancy while riding a bike due to the extra weight she burdens. It is not rocket science. But what many women and almost every man do not know is that pedaling when pregnant is a good way to practice moderate exercise as well as protecting both, mum and baby health, for most women.

Some pregnant women face opposition to those who criticize them for using bikes. Just fuck them. Women are free to do whatever they want.

Finally, here you have five tips in case you want to ride a bike while pregnant:

  • Talk to your gynecologist

  • Use an appropriate bicycle

  • Prioritize your security (and your baby’s)

  • Listen to your body

  • Plan your route

Dervla Murphy

Dervla Murphy is one of the best cycle tourists examples. This Irish octogenarian woman used his bicycle to travel the world in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. As a result, she wrote two dozens books explaining her stories with suggestive titles such as Full Tilt: Ireland to India in bicycle, or Wheels within wheels. She learnt riding a bike at the age of seven when a neighbour offered teaching her. From the very first moment she knew that she wanted to go to great lengths, as long as possible, though she could not buy her first bicycle until she was eighteen due to the fact that she spent her childhood in the Second World War.

Firstly, she rode on Ireland. Secondly, she crossed the English Channel and enjoyed cycling on Germany, France and Spain. The next trip was more ambitious. She pedaled for 7,216 kilometers (4,483 miles) from her native Lasmore to New Delhi. Few knew her plans, although one of her friends recommended her to pick a gun. She did it, but sold the gun in Afghanistan for ten dollars. Dervla still enjoys his memories about this country thanks to the beautiful outdoors she traveled along, the local cuisine and the Afghans’ hospitality. Most people offered her their own food and home because of the lack of hotels at that time. This adventurer used signs to communicate the more practical things with local people. Indeed, you can use sings to report non-complex issues. Avoid using it with subjects like politics.

As it comes to the current world, she thinks consumer society has converted us in idiots, including riders. On the other hand, Dervla affirms you just need a bicycle, strong legs and a saddlebag to start your bike touring journey.

Even if she did not feel problems for being a woman as she claimed, she celebrates the feminism movement and affirms today’s world is a better world for women.

Magpies and bikers

Surprisingly, an Australian piece of news appeared in 2019 indicating that a man died because of a magpie attack. This shocking issue made me ask myself whether or not this incident was usual. It freaked me out reading that 4,000 attacks from magpies took place in Australia in 2019, 70% of which had cyclists as victims. These impressive figures provoked the creation of the dedicated web Magpie alert to record attacks and advise people:

  • If a magpie swoops while you are cycling, it will probably stop swooping if you get off your bike and walk.

  • How to cable tie your cycling helmet

They say injuries tend to occur when cyclists fall off their bikes during a magpie attack. Better, keep calm instead of flailing since it may come across as aggressive behavior and provoke the birds further.

Moreover, these birds are a protected native species in Australia, so it is illegal to kill them or take their eggs or chicks. Indeed, residents are urged to stay away from trees where magpies are known to breed.

Going a step further from the famous Hitchcock movie, it seems like the birds swoop when they perceive an unknown threat by an intruder. Furthermore, magpies are smart enough to recognize people as well as their habits and will not swoop anyone they have come to know and trust. Raven acts similarly. For example, Istanbul inhabitants suffered raven attacks in 2014 probably due to the fact that a crow was run over by a car.