Some interesting comments in there :
"My thinking is that there’s still a massive reluctance amongst a lot of girls to get mucky and sweaty doing risky sports."
"I wonder if that perceived wisdom (it’s muddy / dangerous, girls don’t like muddy dangerous things) is what perpetuates the “boys club” mentality though – assuming that girls won’t like it anyway and then putting playboy centrefolds up on the walls of the proverbial club-house."
If you look at the enormous number of women who participate in equestrianism, that would suggest that when it comes down to it, women aren't as a whole, reluctant to get mucky and sweaty and as far as risk goes, equestrianism is potentially far more dangerous. The fall just at a standstill is further to start with. They jump over great big gnarly solid things risking their life to a self driving 500kg bike. Your bike doesn't randomly kick you if you charged it 5 minutes too late. Or break your whole body if it falls on you. If you accidentally put one of your wheels on your foot, it doesn't break all the bones.
From what I remember of childhood, it was manly boys who would go out and play with their friends on bikes. Girls, I guess because of historical social norms ? would rather play dolls.
Strangely, I'm sure there's plenty of men as they got older, switched to playing with life sized dolls.
All I can say is thank god we're not mrogyng on here. It would be pretty scary to have pictures of
@Gary bent over a bike he's working on, greased up and only wearing his winter under kilt g-string.
Now the ladies ... they might like that ...