Good Answer to the Dumb Pinnarello Ad

[bicycletricycle]

Why does your less fit friend have to be referred to as slow? Everyone knows slow is a derogatory term in other conotations. Maybe less speed capable friend? Until less speed capable trends on twitter as an insult , than maybe differently velocity capable?



Imagine a world in which all communication is written in such a way that no person can be offended by it.

Originally Posted by saf-t

People getting annoyed because other people think we ought to be moving beyond ageist/sexist/racist stereotypes is sooooo old too.

Equally old is people not even thinking that there's a problem that ought to be addressed, because their particular ox isn't being gored at the moment.

There were any number of other ways to write that ad- "make it possible for your slower friend to go on rides with you" would have been totally fine. But no. They decided that since all women are slower than their boyfriends, this would be the perfect way to sell an ebike.

I know any number of (non-pro) women who could ride me off of their wheels while not even breathing hard- and I'd need an ebike to keep up with them. I'm guessing a few other people here do as well.

*That's* the point.

[gdw]

Originally Posted by ptourkin

I became aware of the ad via a professional cyclist who rides more and better than all of us put together. The rest of your commentary says a lot about where you stand.

And I knew where you stand as well. Professional cyclists aren't the target market for an electric bike. Ask a casual rider what they think. Two women I know were interested in signing up for Ride the Rockies last year but backed out because they didn't have time to train properly and knew that they would slow down the group that we were putting together. We half jokingly discussed getting electric bikes for them so we could include them in the event and they both said they wished that there were some available. They were seriously interested and looked into the available options but we're told that the current models were less than ideal for the event.

[Kontact]

The intention of the ad isn't necessarily to get women to buy bikes to keep up with their men. The ad may be to designed to get men to buy bikes for women, and the potential offense to women was not something that would matter to the men who would buy them.

Same idea as gun ads for youths and women that are for men to choose a gift that eliminates the objections to taking up their sport. That kind of guy isn't going to see sexism in the ad.

[misterha]

Are we discussing the usefulness of ebikes and their benefits or how the ad was poorly executed?

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by rain dogs

and how that affects ME is that I'm tired of apologizing to, or shaking my head, or rolling my eyes with with the vast majority of girls who participate in sports with me for how the industry, and the shop, and the brands, and the communities treat them.

Am I living a sheltered life? Or am I an ignorant, male boar? I mean, bore? Sorry, I think I mean boor. Yeah, that's it.

Because I ride with women, and talk to women about all kinds of stuff. And this literally never comes up. In what social situations are you feeling the need to endlessly apologize for being male?

Is there a chance you've developed a hyper-sensitivity that is out of sync with reality?

Originally Posted by rain dogs

Or why is a female athletic performance judged by: "yeah, but is she hot?" when Dan Martin isn't or Nairo Quintana isn't, or Chris Froome isn't.

Is the fact that the WNBA is never, ever going to attain even a tiny percentage of the popularity of the NBA evidence that society is sexist? Is the fact that men are visually stimulated while women are less so evidence that everything you see is all a big sexist conspiracy to keep women down?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for reigning in the boorishness, and I wince at cheesy celebrations of secondary sexual attributes as well, but there's sort of a reason that men (and yes, women) fixate on this stuff. Stamping your feet in a hissy fit at how unfair it is that women athletes tend to get noticed more for their looks than their performance is just going to alienate the knuckle-draggers you're trying to convince to "stop it" (or make them laugh).

I honestly think that the PC harpies would be more convincing if they weren't so hysterical. Pearl-clutching at attitudes driven by testosterone is just going to get peoples' backs up.

Whatever happened to the old-fashioned idea of being a gentleman?

[BobO]

Originally Posted by saf-t

They decided that since all women are slower than their boyfriends, this would be the perfect way to sell an ebike.

I didn't see where they made this statement. The ads were clumsy for sure, but there is also a lot of conflating going on.

[Skenry]

We are actually on page four on this non-topic? Didn't any of you people go to kindergarten? Sticks and stones people. This is the wussification of American to a T.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Originally Posted by mistermo

apparently, I'm missing something.

Same here. Somehow, I exist not being on twitter. Oh, the humanity.

[Cat3roadracer]

A shame Ted Kaszinsky (sp?), cant comment on this.

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

Nope it doesnt... totally different platform.

Here at least people doesnt say "went pooppiing, made a big duuukkie..., later will go to eat @nicelytacos" type of stuff

Now seriously, we had to take a decision at our home at some point and the things got weird when our facebook accounts were deactivated and they were asking our IDs to ensure that the names were real... if i cant protect myself in there, do i have to trust them to do it? so our alter egos that had like 4 friends only (people we wanted to have contact with) were deactivated... so been w/o FB for a very very very long time... We dont even bother into tweeter after what happened with FB...

The other day we went to a restaurant, an old couple showed up (maybe in their 70s+) and sat 2 tables down from us. Old lady sat and started writing cr@@p in her device... old husband did the same... hour later they were ready to leave, they were still in their devices doing cr@p. If they talked to each other for 3 minutes total in those like 70 minutes they spent in the restaurant is too much. Not a rant but is a thing of reflection, technology is cool but we are losing touch now... look around you.

Kids (all the way to highschool) dont even know how to get back home because at the minute they get into a vehicle they turn on their devices, is getting ridiculous now...

[sipmeister]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

"You mean you're not part of the cycling Twittersphere? What's wrong with you?"


Nothing is wrong with me, I'm not in to social media at all, love to talk to real people tho :P

Amen to that. Unplugged from Facecook over 3 years ago and haven't looked back.

[Bruce K]

Well, the ad campaign is gone

The conversation will linger.

It was poorly worded and poorly planned.

BK

[bewheels]

Like many, I was confused about this until I saw the CyclingNews article which puts all this in context.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pina...-after-uproar/

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

You mean you're not part of the cycling Twittersphere? What's wrong with you?



Pinarello came out with a set of social media ads promoting their new e-bike, targeting riders that can't enjoy riding because they can't keep up with others. They've been called every name in the social media playbook, and sparked memes like this one.

Hope this helps. Now get back to your boring life.

I don't get it either and not a twitter-bot either..nor facebook..oh well.

[pasadena]

Twitter is exactly like a bike forum, except you are limited to 140 characters and most use their phones to access it.

Facebook is exactly like a bike forum, except people get outraged about politics instead of doping.

[n1ey]

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.

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

Wouldn't this be bontrager tires on a mavic kyrsium wheelset?

bill