Cherry Blossom picture by Conner395 on Flickr
I will admit to being someone who has been a little frustrated with the color. For example, when I was mountain biking, just about every riding jersey in the women's section was pink.. with flowers or butterflies or cupcakes . You know from my paintings that I love flowers, butterflies, and I am currently working on two paintings that feature pink! So, what is the problem, you ask? I didn't like that I didn't have a choice of jerseys- or bicycles for that matter. So many manufacturers were trying to appeal to the women's market by "shrink it and pink it" mentality, meaning they took men's bicycles and made them smaller and pink, and sometimes added flowers. They didn't really consider the geometry (women's torsos are shorter and their legs longer than men's), they just pushed them out and said "take it or leave it".
I LOVE cupcakes, I just don't want to wear them
The manufacturers have since changed the way they do business. There are more colors available, and the geometry is much better. When I was looking for a road bike, I ended up getting a men's cycle anyway because the women's cycles don't really accommodate a 5' 11" female. There were adjustments (I had to really get fitted or the geometry might result in knee, back, and shoulder problems), and my bicycles fit me perfectly now.
I do have a pink jersey now, it's rather plain. I also have bright orange, bright green, and light blue. Colors- I like them all.
As an end note: There are multiple bicycling races each year, and quite a few tours. You are probably familiar with the Tour de France, made popular with the American public by Lance Armstrong. There is also the Ladies Tour of Qatar !! Did you know about the Giro d'Italia? It's the same kind of multiple day race as the Tour, but it happens in Italy. And the winning rider's jersey is known as the "maglia rosa", which means pink jersey. ;)
Denis Menchov leading the 2009 Giro d'Italia
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