SRAM to cosponsor women's pro team - Page 2

Hawker · #16 11-19-2014, 01:28 PM

Good news for women's racing! The release says Evelyn Stevens is leaving the team? Hope she isn't retiring?

RedRider · #17 11-19-2014, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawker

Good news for women's racing! The release says Evelyn Stevens is leaving the team? Hope she isn't retiring?

Don't worry...Specialized and Lululemon as sponsors are moving to Boels-Dolman along with Evelyn Stevens.

FlashUNC · #18 11-19-2014, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRider

Don't worry...Specialized and Lululemon as sponsors are moving to Boels-Dolman along with Evelyn Stevens.

That's the part of this whole ordeal that bothered me more than anything.

I get that Evelyn is probably the biggest draw on the US women's scene right now, but to dump sponsorship of an entire team to follow one rider is a bit wack.

FlashUNC · #19 11-19-2014, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDS

I bet there are at least 100 threads on this forum related to SRAM quality that would be appropriate to make statements about their products.

Have you been waiting to get this off your chest for those past 100 threads and this is the one that broke the straw? If so, no problem, we all have our breaking point. Otherwise, is this the right thread to be making these statements? Serious question.

No one sponsors anything out of the goodness of their heart.

I'm glad they find women's cycling as an appealing sponsorship opportunity and I'm glad they stepped into a crappy situation to help out what's been a really solid and fun team to follow over the last year.

SRAM must have some belief they'll get that money back, either through burnishing the brand more as the "racer" group company or being seen as supporting women's cycling during a period of growth. Lord knows they've done more to support domestic racing than, say, Campagnolo who's nonexistent in the domestic race scene. Heck, they'd have neutral support at my local neighborhood crit in Charlotte the last few years. Cars, pit, the whole nine yards. That's incredible.

But at the end of the day, its about selling more stuff. I'd like to reward that kind of support of racers and teams with buying their stuff. But I think its disposable garbage.

tl;dr version: Excellent work on the sponsorship SRAM. You guys continue to kill that marketing stuff. Now make a product that doesn't fall apart in five seconds.

Likes2ridefar · #20 11-19-2014, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

No one sponsors anything out of the goodness of their heart.

I'm glad they find women's cycling as an appealing sponsorship opportunity and I'm glad they stepped into a crappy situation to help out what's been a really solid and fun team to follow over the last year.

SRAM must have some belief they'll get that money back, either through burnishing the brand more as the "racer" group company or being seen as supporting women's cycling during a period of growth. Lord knows they've done more to support domestic racing than, say, Campagnolo who's nonexistent in the domestic race scene. Heck, they'd have neutral support at my local neighborhood crit in Charlotte the last few years. Cars, pit, the whole nine yards. That's incredible.

But at the end of the day, its about selling more stuff. I'd like to reward that kind of support of racers and teams with buying their stuff. But I think its disposable garbage.

tl;dr version: Excellent work on the sponsorship SRAM. You guys continue to kill that marketing stuff. Now make a product that doesn't fall apart in five seconds.

having sorta help run a few local am teams that had some sponsorship as well as being on a pro team for a couple years and taking part in the running of it, i can say it's a thankless job and is not profitable.

even when the riders are getting top of the line gear for free they complain. they want more. and usually when asked to promote the product they offer absolutely no help. even simple things like sending in photos of them racing in the gear.

Ti Designs · #21 11-19-2014, 02:51 PM

Supporting women's cycling? I don't think so. Supporting women's cycling would involve doing something for the larger population of women who ride bikes. They're buying talent and using their names to sell product.

RedRider · #22 11-19-2014, 03:20 PM

I started this thread because I feel that anytime someone steps up with money to sponsor a cycling team that's a great thing. Sponsors have been fleeing pro cycling in recent years and even the top mens teams have had a tough time retaining and finding replacement sponsors.
I also feel that sponsoring a womens team supports womens cycling. Their teams have a fraction of the media coverage and almost no television time. Sponsors can help increase this. The greater the exposure of the sport the more women will be cycling.
As far as my comment about SRAM being the red haired step-child... this forum has such a hatred towards everything SRAM that I wonder how it started. It's not indicative of the cycling community at large. Did someone work there and get fired?
Personally, I'm neutral about the 3 component manufacturers. Each have their advantages and it's usually up to individual preference rather than a quality issue.
My professional experience at the shop doesn't have SRAM outweighing the others in warranty work. Most of the problems we see on any drivetrains are caused by lack of maintenance or poor installation by DIYers.
SRAM does have the best warranty replacement program and a no questions ask crash replacement program. We sponsored a local cross team that crashed a few levers and rear derailleurs and we got same day shipping and free replacement. A few of them raced the new CX-1 group a full season and raved about it.
I don't want to start another debate about SRAM but I wonder why so many on this forum are so adamant about the horrors of SRAM and can dismiss an entire product line.

Admiral Ackbar · #23 11-21-2014, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

Supporting women's cycling? I don't think so. Supporting women's cycling would involve doing something for the larger population of women who ride bikes. They're buying talent and using their names to sell product.

atmo

oldpotatoe · #24 11-21-2014, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRider

Great to see companies stepping up to support cycling.
Maybe we should stop treating SRAM products like a red-haired step child?

http://www.bicycling.com/blogs/thehu...l-cycling-team

Maybe they(big Ed) could stop being such a prick to those bike shops and owners who ask good questions about the quality and reliability of so many of their 'products'? And not just get rude when these issues are brought up?

Just cuz they throw money at something(women's cycling) does not absolve them of the above.

Besides IMHO, I think their stuff is junque.

Thirdly, they are roughly 1/2 the size of shimano. They would sponsor more teams if some of those teams didn't decline sponsorship because of so many problems with their stuff(BMC and Garmin to name 2).