Damsel in Distress....

Damsel in Distress..

Tuesday, 07 July 2009
Di Thomas
P.S. to a "lady's" perspective

I am told by Johann Rissik, that Estelle would not let him touch her bike! She had everything fully under control. Clearly her military background has served her well in this regard and I am filled with admiration, but I am guessing that I speak for most of the other ladies in this race - past & present - when I say that while I am no princess, I certainly have no objection to a knight in shining armour, especially if, in addition to effectively wielding his steely lance, he is also a whizz with a multi-tool!

While I have no qualms about passing him on the uphills, I would not dream of emasculating him by insisting on fixing my own bike! I am also not adverse to bartering coffee making & laundry duties for bike washing.

I can whip up a 5-course meal for 12 at a moments notice - no sweat, but ask me to replace a broken derailleur or turn it into a single speed and I break out into buckets of the salty stuff! I can manage the bare basics: plug a tyre, fit a tube, fix a chain, but when it comes to the more complex stuff, I am lost. I have always ridden on a prayer and so far it's worked for me. I have never had more than a punctured tyre on a major event and even then, good old Stan has worked his magic almost before I've registered the leak. I am not sure, though, how long my luck can hold.

Of course, I COULD make it my business to attend workshops , hone my skills and go out there fully confident of my abilities, but I just can't seem to muster up the enthusiasm to venture into this mainly-man's-world of mechanical mysteries, especially when there are so many Sir Lancelots out there carrying the fixit gene. Why else would it be so fascinating & effortless for you guys and so boring & alien to us ladies?

I realize I'm walking a thin line and I could easily find myself stranded with broken bike and not a knight in sight, but still, I'm prepared to take my chances...

P.P.S. Having said all of the above, I would quite understand if you told me to PO!

P.P.P.S. If any of the ladies alluded to in these musings feel that they have been maligned by being included in the ranks of the mechanically challenged, please feel free to set the record straight.