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I have worked just about every position in the bike trade from distribution,mechanic,regional mechanic, shop manager to getting young offenders fresh from prison & getting them qualified as bike mechanics.

There are no barriers to anyone in the bike trade, people like Rachel Atherton earn more than alot of her male counterparts & arguably she garners more respect than her brothers for being a complete lunatic on a big rig.

Sadly some bellend had decided its too white & too male.

Putting one mental health problem ahead of others whilst relegating the male white working class again to the bottom of the pile puts the trade back years.

The mountains are calling & I must go.

Agree. Sadly a focus on a supposedly disadvantaged group - that has no interest in that industry does more damage than good. Understanding an activity and natural wastage is essential so that those enlisted to provide a service do over time reflect and understand those they serve. The fear is that in time cycle mechanics could only be female members of the LGBT community could put off many potential new cyclists. Tongue in cheek, I do wonder if the guidance for Olympic level lady cyclists that they do not shave down below - to avoid chafing - will remain available to novice cyclists.

We live in a strange world.

A school chum of mine built a bike based on a Jenson lightweight frame. I thought he should have gone for the Allin frame with it's fancy lugs. Work of art. Both frames were built in premises on Whitehorse Road. Gone now I expect.

On the topic of the OP, it's like so many occupations, there's nothing stopping women from building bikes if they choose to do it. Or being a car mechanic. Or flying fighter jets. Or even playing football come to that.

Unfortunately, these lefty, right on, LGBT, cancel culture oriented folk have got nothing better to do than make an issue over perceived problems that don't exist in the real world.

Whatever you do though, don't look up women's cycles on Google!

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

I think most people would accept that the Scandinavian countries are the most liberal in the west especially when it comes to equality. However when you look and their economies and ours on gender demographics there isn't much of a difference.

Simply put women don't want to be bin men or miners or work on oil rigs if they did then the Scandinavians would lead the way. Some roles are seem to suit one gender there should not be any barriers but other than that let them get on with it.

If a woman wants to join the SAS or be a fireman she needs to earn that right.

One more point

Someone walked into the place before me with a penny farthing, and left with it looking like something out of Mad Max. That's what the diversity crew gets you. Admittedly they only charged £50 and added 5 grand in value to the bike, but still.. What's wrong with the good ol days when they'd just pump up your tyres?

That was always her method of working, both in the workplace and between the sheets. Credit to her for being able to effortlessly translate her skillset. No course can teach what she knows and no stuffy ol'fella with arms can match her work rate. She will happily shoulder the burden of those thinking otherwise.