Good Answer to the Dumb Pinnarello Ad

[m4rk540]

I'm glad there was an outrage machine on the Mayflower or else I'd be really hungry on Thursday.

[brockd15]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

outrage machine in high gear again.

get over it people.

I feel like I am taking crazy pills!!!!!

+1 million. Could not agree more.

People getting offended and outraged by everything possible has gotten soooo old.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Gummee

All y'all need to ride more. Leads to less time to be offended about 'stuff.'

'Stuff' that's meaningless to your daily lives anyway. How does whatever sparked that pic in the OP affect the way YOU treat those around you?

M

It doesn't, but it does affect how we get more people into the tent. Want more people riding bikes, then treat more people -- all across the spectrum -- with respect instead of condescension. Pinarello's message is basically the same one every one is using to sell ebikes. They just decided to deliver it in a sexist and ageist wrapping.

[pasadena]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

Why do we have to be in denial about actual experiences people are having? Recognizing a market is not the same as being responsible for that markets existence. If that were so handouts for the poor would also be some kind of "ist". Recognizing that a group of older people are riding slower is not the same as forcing them to ride slow. I showed my dad the ad and it made him interested, he wants to go on rides with me but can't keep up.

That would be the ad for Pinarello to use. I think the mistake is advertising the "weak female" and the "too busy businessman" - essentially calling women weak, and someone without commitment wanting to keep up.

In fact, your argument is the perfect one for road ebikes.

I rode with a group that had an older rider with an ebike. He used to ride with the boys, then had a medical condition stop him for a bit. The ebike allows him to join again, take part in everything that makes the weekly rides so fun, get fit and just be one of the boys again. When we got to sections that someone attacked or hammered, we didn't have to worry about dropping him.
I thought it was great. Bonus, he could take a turn in the headwinds as well.

Because road cycling is goal-based for a lot of people that work hard at achieving gains, there can be a lot of resentment towards ebike users that hang in the pack.
For the generally fit person, I have to agree with that. I don't see the point.

In other situations, I don't see a problem at all with ebikes.

In general, I think ebikes are fantastic and very useful.

[AngryScientist]

edit, see below

[ptourkin]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

A counter balance is needed for the everything is offensive crew, besides being offended is not an arguement and needs no better refutation than my own claim to not be offended.

"Everything" is not offensive. What is offensive to you may not be offensive to me. I suspect that some who have commented on this thread are offended by the lack of participation in some NFL pre-game ritual. I am not.

Nonetheless, I don't think any of us specifically said we were "offended." Flash and other wise souls have pointed out that it is not smart marketing. My girlfriend is just as strong an athlete as I am and has a strong disposable income. Many women around me are similarly situated. I am surrounded by many women young and old who wear various state, national and world championship jerseys - to ignore this and instead use an old cliche is too ignore them and alienate yourself from potential consumers.

[AngryScientist]

i think people are being too hard on pinarello.

it was a marketing ad designed to get people's attention and give them an idea of who might be the target audience.

the counter point is that a quick browsing of pinarello's website shows plenty of women whos performance speaks for itself. this points to the company as not being sexist, women and men seem to get equal press on their website...

[bicycletricycle]

They r not trying to sell ebikes to your girlfriend

Originally Posted by ptourkin

"Everything" is not offensive. What is offensive to you may not be offensive to me. I suspect that some who have commented on this thread are offended by the lack of participation in some NFL pre-game ritual. I am not.

Nonetheless, I don't think any of us specifically said we were "offended." Flash and other wise souls have pointed out that it is not smart marketing. My girlfriend is just as strong an athlete as I am and has a strong disposable income. Many women around me are similarly situated. I am surrounded by many women young and old who wear various state, national and world championship jerseys - to ignore this and instead use an old cliche is too ignore them and alienate yourself from potential consumers.

[Aaron O]

The real answer to this problem:

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

They r not trying to sell ebikes to your girlfriend

Pinarello should start featuring fat guys in their 50s and 60s on Dogmas equipped with the same wheels and power meter as Chris Froome. Targeted marketing!

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

If everyone has an e-bike, no one will have an advantage.

Maybe someone could invent high friction tires, and anti-aero spokes so that you could ride at the same speed as your non-cyclist girl, and still get a good workout.

My only worry/concern about ebikes is that you have the potential for novice riders to be going pretty fast for their skill level and if a crash did occur (which may be more likely because of the speed) the potential for more serious injury is there.

Also, they might accidentally win Paris-Roubaix, and we wouldn't want that.

http://terraindynamics.com.au/airhub

Problem already solved.

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

If everyone has an e-bike, no one will have an advantage.

Maybe someone could invent high friction tires, and anti-aero spokes so that you could ride at the same speed as your non-cyclist girl, and still get a good workout.

My only worry/concern about ebikes is that you have the potential for novice riders to be going pretty fast for their skill level and if a crash did occur (which may be more likely because of the speed) the potential for more serious injury is there.

Also, they might accidentally win Paris-Roubaix, and we wouldn't want that.

http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/harrison.html

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

It doesn't, but it does affect how we get more people into the tent. Want more people riding bikes, then treat more people -- all across the spectrum -- with respect instead of condescension. Pinarello's message is basically the same one every one is using to sell ebikes. They just decided to deliver it in a sexist and ageist wrapping.

Like everything else, perception is reality so all y'all have fun being offended. I'm gonna ride my bike more.

That ad isn't going to change how I treat people. If it does 'you' (using the term generically) you may want to re-think things

M

[velofinds]

Pinarello is still Italian, aren't they? This doesn't exactly surprise.

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by Aaron O

The real answer to this problem:

Nothing sexist about a two person bicycle that is supposed to always put the taller, heavier rider up front, right?


We are living in a time where the awareness of inequality and the stupid defenses of it make talking about real differences between people extremely challenging. And largely not worth it.

I got into "trouble" on a sci-fi writing website for suggesting that the low submission rate for sci-fi books by female authors might not be due to sexism but simply that more woman prefer to write other types of fiction, like fantasy and young adult (which have more female authors than men). Right now it is not politic to refer to men and women being different even in their preferences, so calling attention to a supposed "weakness" is really pushing the tempo.