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Wed 7 Oct 2009, 11:42 am UTC

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British women prefer men who cycle

By Matthew Cole

A survey commissioned by the UK Cycle Show has found that British women prefer men who enjoy cycling as a hobby over football fans, rugby lovers, fishermen and golfers.

When rating ‘typical male sporting pursuits’ in relation to attractiveness of prospective partners, cycling topped the list with 36 percent ahead of football (17 percent) and rugby (14 percent).

But it’s not the thought of tight fitting Lycra that gets the ladies hot and bothered over men on two wheels, as the survey found that only seven percent of the respondents found cycling kit attractive.

That’s still not bad compared to the meagre one percent who found fishing attire attractive (presumably welly boots, trousers and a jumper).

A man in rugby kit (30 percent) and gents in tennis whites (25 percent) topped the list.

Surprisingly, 44 percent of those questioned chose a bike ride as their activity of choice when attending that all-important first date with a prospective partner.

But that may be down to the narrow list of options, which didn’t include more conventional choices like a trip to a restaurant, bar or the cinema.

An afternoon shopping was the second most popular answer with 29 percent, while bowling only got a paltry two percent.

We’re not sure how many women we know would like to get hot and sweaty on a first date ride.

What are your thoughts on all this? Have you bagged a lady as a result of cycling? Do you like a man on two wheels? Let us know in the comments box below.

The London Cycle Show takes place at Earls Court this week (9-11 October). For more information, go to www.cycleshow.co.uk.

You can follow BikeRadar on Twitter at twitter.com/bikeradar.

User Comments

There are 39 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 30 of 39 comments

  • Must change my name to Trek 29er

  • What?

    Cycling rating highly at a cycle show!

    Who would have thought it?

  • indeed, davisee, sounds very guided

  • It's clearly the smooth-on-smooth under the sheets, even though most women say they hate it! ;)

  • The result doesn't surprise me. I'm sure if a similar survey was carried out at a rugby

    matach by some rugby orgainsation, the results would show that women prefered

    guys who played rugby to those that played football or played golf.

    Also, it wouldn't surprise me if the people who commissioned the survey at the UK Cycle Showgot the result they wanted.

  • The survey wasn't conducted *at* the show - it's not until Friday.

  • It's funny I was just treaching Yr 7 Hostory the meaning of bias!

  • sorry History. Doh

  • sorry, treaching lol

  • I do hope Year 7 has a good English Teacher!

    I am not surprised by this. Most Men who list "football" as one of their sports refer to the hours spent drinking at stadiums and in front of the telly.

  • Hmm... My GF (soon to be ex...) loves cycling, and would rather go cycling than have a shopping trip - unless the weather is REALLY foul...

    And a good female friend is also REALLY into cycling, gym, everything really. So yeah, theres 2 girls who I know who like / love cycling. And sporting, arduous pursuits in general.

    Not sure how this would pan out if the questionnare had more suggestions, and a box for 'other' suggestions...

    Sure be good to find out!

  • My wife has a friend, Delphine, who has resisted a bit but tonight she'll finally date a guy just because he cycles - and is my friend!

    go for it Delph!!!

  • Brilliant research, must be working for labour.

  • My good lady rides a bike and she rides it well.................so I'm chuffed !

    We also prefer a good ride to doing the usual stuff like pubs and eating out....

  • I could have loads of Quagmire esq fun here but I'm going to give it a miss ;)

  • After I met my wife, apparently the first thing that I told my friends about her was that "She has more bikes than me!" Indeed, she had four at the time, while I had just three. I know that the fact that she was a cyclist got me interested quickly, I think that it was the same for her. Only one of those seven bikes is still in our stable, and we now have three single bikes each plus a tandem (which was easily the best cycling investment we've made).

  • My girlfriend liked cyclists before she met me - and still does I think - but doesn't understand the five bikes in the bedroom, despite it being the biggest room in the house. To be fair, she also likes music, but doesn't like the speakers in the living room.

    She likes the shaved pins, but doesn't like when mine are smoother than hers, so sometimes feels pressured by it.

  • Why are the only women I see riding ugly though?

  • that 36% would be more towards mtb or roadie?

  • Keni

    You must be going on the wrong rides. That's not my experience!

  • Met my wife while we were both (independently) riding Lands End to John O'Groats. Literally on the A9!

  • Giggity, Giggity, Giggity, Giggity, Giggity, Giggity, Giggity Goooooooooo!

  • its all about the potential holidays-france being a big one

  • My G/F knows i am a Campagnolo Man and Colnago

    Only Downside is that she Fancies - Ivan Basso,Thor Hushvod,Tom Boonen, Alberto Contador.

    She wants to See the Tour in the Alps

    I said i would take her "Up the Alps" and got a slap in the Face - what did i say :)

  • a bird with 4 bikes??? wow! im getting the horn! everyone at work thinks im nuts when they were reeling off there fantasy senario's mine was a woman flying past me covered in mud on a santa cruz, turning round & winking at me through her amber oakley's, god im sad.

  • I was a keen cyclist before I met my now fiance, but when I met him we began cycling together, He used to do a bit of cycling, but got more into it when we started doing it together. Then in Nov'08 we decided to do John O'Groats to Lands End, raising money for Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Nurses. It was always a 'thing to do before I die' for me and luckily he was up for it. So on the 04/08/09, after 7 hard months of training with each other, we set off from JOG. And on the 17/08/09, our mission was complete. It made our relationship stronger, we got to know even more about each other, as well as ourselves, and was the single best experience of our lives. What makes it even better is the fact that he proposed on our first stop in Scotland. I must admit though girls, we haven't cycled together since we finished, and I do miss not seeing him in the lycra! He looks GOOD!!

  • The results would have been a lot different if polled in the US of A. Haha...it's sad...

  • Yeah but you first have to check whether your prospective Beau or Belle uses Campag or Shimano as the two just do not mix and will lead to no end of arguments if you do.

  • Happy Anniversary too honey. xx

  • Don't know about this one, my now wife thought I was going to leave her for a "fitter woman" when I took her MTBing coz she couldn't keep up and fell off in the mud. She loves it now though!

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