Why were girl's bikes blue and boy's bikes red?

[JimMendel]

Back in the 60's my sister's bikes were always blue, and mine were red. I know that other colors were available, but generally it was red boy's/blue girl's
Who started this? Why?

 

[B607]

Back in the 60's I had a black bike and I don't have a sister. Must be a local phenomenon. Gary

 

[bigred407]

I don't have a sister but do remember my first decent BMX was red.

 

[mikeeebikey]

I hadn't noticed a color that is boy particular, but girls I had noticed are usually blue.
My sister rode bmxs....

 

[bigred407]

Something I haven't really thought about. Have to say though the bikes I have for my Daughters (2yr old and 7yr old) are both pink.

 

[jamesdart]

My brother has twin girls the one everything has to be blue. The other one purple. I couldn't picture either one of them riding a pink bike.

 

[CCR]

Red looks fast, blue looks better though

 

[HxCforever]

Everything back in the 50's & 60's male related had to be hotrod or gt red. Otherwise you just weren't ...... enough.

 

[user 135]

Not this set. http://boise.craigslist.org/bik/4427470094.html

 

[gato'sbikes]

dont know if this is related to the subject...but i read or heard that back in the 20's blue was a womans colour and pink was a mens colour???? then again i may be wrong all together

 

[BikeNerd]

Just a guess and this is just my opinion but as our society was emerging from the drab colors of the Victorian era and into the Madison Avenue "You Need This" type of advertising that started to bombard the public after WWI somehow or another certain colors got "assigned" to masculinity and femininity. If that makes sense.