I didn't mean to imply that all serious cyclists were male, and I should also draw the distinction between 'serious cyclists' and 'lycra brigade' - the latter (in the sense that I'm using it) refers to the groups of usually-overweight usually-over-50 usually-male cyclists who dress up in racing gear to ride their $10k bikes a few hundred meters down to the local coffee shop to scoff donuts. :P

If you're actually competing against other cyclists then I do understand the desire for fancy expensive bikes. If you're cycling for fun or fitness, though, it always struck me as being like paying extra for the high tech light-weight dumbells...

Contrariwise, those e-bikes which are rigged up to make you pedal a little bit so you feel like you're doing exercise strike me as pose-y. Just get an electric motorbike and be done with it. :P