To be angry about the names of these bikes in Halfords?

[CalmConfident]

In Halfords this week getting essential car stuff...and had a look at the bikes. I was a bit taken aback to see these ladies bike names from the Apollo brand. Entice & Virtue. There was also Jewel.

AIBU ? If so, any suggestions who to shout to about it

The male equivalents were slant, phase and evade.

@ClutchingMyPearlsAppropriately

I don’t see this same level of nonchalance with everyday racism, homophobia or other battles for recognition and equality?

Oh but I do. Many people outraged at everyday sexism will be the same people who call others woke/ professionally offended/virtue signallers, etc for being outraged at everyday racism, homophobia, etc. It's people caring more about what affects them.

I think that's quite unlikely. As everyday sexism affects all women, are you saying the only people who care about racism and homophobia are men?

With you on everyday sexism OP

As an aside, I didn’t know Halfords was open. Off to check if they sell any non daft named bikes in my size..:

I got the entice bike for my 34th birthday on Monday, hadn't even noticed the name until you pointed it out .. doesn't bother me in the slightest there are much more important things in life to worry/stress about.

Just another reason to shop at independent bike stores

People do really look for things to be offended about it seems.

More important things going on in the world.

@Vona1a did the chain keep flying off? I went flying on several occasions, broke a tooth (unfortunately the adult version) and an arm the next week, standing up to pedal hard, straight over the handlebars. Bloody nightmare, that bike!

Yes every everyday sexism.

With you OP. Not angry just... Oh FGS.

entice. Bleurgh.

I couldn’t get worked up about it but what names would you give them OP?

It's pathetic this still goes on. A real let down to all the feminist wins we've had over the years. You see the same thing with clothing brands. Like "Curvissa" "Peacocks" "Pretty Little Thing" (eugh) whereas mens are more like "Boss" "Esquire" and "Burly".

Great question @TheRosesAreInBloom

Up thread it was suggested Ignore, Delete, Erase, Move On Good names for bikes [grin

Most bike brands seem to have general names for the bike model then just have a women / men’s version of it.

Maybe something positive - adventure, freedom, explore, epic, aspire.

I particularly love the men's ones. Evade all parenting responsibilities by practicing ones phase of cycling during tea, bed and bath time. Stereotypical but also accurate for many! YANBU OP but Apollo bikes are awful anyway so no one should buy them regardless of the names!

They're all rubbish names but nothing to be offended about. If you are that oversensitive I think you need more in your life to worry about.

@CalmConfident

In Halfords this week getting essential car stuff...and had a look at the bikes. I was a bit taken aback to see these ladies bike names from the Apollo brand. Entice & Virtue. There was also Jewel.

AIBU ? If so, any suggestions who to shout to about it

The male equivalents were slant, phase and evade.

You call them "ladies' bikes". I'm enough of an old school feminist to wince at that.

They're all bloody stupid names, but focus groups will have led the marketing geniuses that way, so I suppose we have to accept there's still a demand for gender stereotypes.

No such thing as a male bike, btw. They're inanimate objects.

I have asked HQ to change the “angry” in my OP to “exasperated” which is more accurate.

My use of “angry” seems to have elicited a number of interesting judgments and assumptions about my life, and what I think is important. I know this is the AIBU section, but still I have been a bit surprised by the name calling. We all have a lot happening in our lives, I assure you I have more going on than worrying about bike names despite this thread - I was genuinely curious what others thought. Now I know !

I am genuinely horrified by the number of posters who think the OP is unreasonable.

@Singinginshower me too

@Eckhart Do you think it's ok for boys clothes to have motorbikes and superheroes all over them, and girls clothes to have flowers and princesses? This is the same thing. Perhaps you can't see it because it's subtly different?

To be absolutely honest...I don't really care if boys tops have superheroes on and girls tops have princesses. Sorry, but I think clothes are just clothes. Bikes are just bikes. People seem to actively seek to find offence in everything these days.
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@CalmConfident I might be completely missing the point of your OP as I for one cannot see an issue with these names.
I think I would agree to disagree with you.
However, as for people name calling and generally insulting you- that's not on at all. You're allowed to express an opinion.

Entice - entice you to go for a ride
Virtue - feeling virtuous when you've been for ride.

It's the name of a BIKE get over it FGS

@Singinginshower It's not black and white though. The bike names are crass, agreed. But it's not clear from the OP whether the shop classifies the bikes as for men/women.

I personally see nothing wrong with offering a range of bike colours, designs, style, size, spec. The problem lies in trying to dictate who should like what.

There seems to be such a raging desire at the moment to make all people, all things, conform to a neutral stereotype. True equality lies in a free choice to choose according to one's personal style, not to be restricted because of one's sex or sexuality.

TLDR: would there be any objection if a man chose the Entice, or a woman the Phase? Is so, there lies the problem.

Halfords this week getting essential car stuff...and had a look at the bikes.

🤣🤣🤣 I couldn’t get past this sentence. So you felt the need to explain your ‘necessary’ Halfords journey in case the covid police judges you. but then you looked at the bikes.🤣🤣🤣

Some people have too much time on their hands. It's just a crap name, can't say I'd even notice the name tbf. It's a bit of a non issue I think.