We did all this before. Wimmin only carry on doing this (modelling, promoting product through modelling) because men bad.

Knuckledraggers
Handwringgers
Logical Fallacy
Strawman
In
Before
The
Lock

Maybe it’s just to distract us from something…

We’ve combined the new more efficient 32″ wheel size, 21 new pre-obselete standards and bikini oil wrestling to create a truly amazing bike. Here’s a video.

The fact that Specialized may have a woman in a senior position does not absolve them from making a marketing faux pas. It’s not a get out of jail card.

TBH, if this forum is representative of the sport on the whole, then it’s dominated by middle class, middle aged men. I guess I keep coming back to the comments that appeared in my Facebook feed as a response to Adele’s article about the Maxxis calendar a couple of months back. I found it genuinely shocking, comments like “only ugly women complain about it” and “I’ll never buy a copy of STW while Adele continues to contribute”.

Seeing a business like Specialized trot out a couple of bunny girls to sell a bicycle made me facepalm. I want to see a more inclusive pass time, that everyone can enjoy, not forgetting that more bums on saddles equals greater lobbying power which ultimately equals better infrastructure for all of us.

Monika Zamojska

bloody polish

The marketing genius has been missed by many.

I’m from Newcastle, and those lasses would be horrendously overdressed (in winter) down the Quayside.
Don’t get why STW seem to be on this crusade, when the comments here and on Facebook show that very few people give a toss either way.

Don’t get ehy STW seem to be on this crusade

Read what we are saying, try to understand, then you might get it.

Is it still sexism / -ist if they have their clothes on?

Pretty girls don’t sell products…

*opens a can of Redbull*

You know she actually rides bikes, also probably faster than 99% of people here. Her sponsorship is not to do with looks. If you hadn’t noticed they do also sponsor several other people who also happen to ride bikes.

Judging by the look of that hat, she’s not the best at knitting though.

Don’t get why STW seem to be on this crusade

Because it is easier to lazily re-post something that was on Twitter to get loads of clicks, than it is to make an effort to promote positive images of cycling. It’s hilarious that if you now go the STW front page you get a nice image of 2 lovely Playboy ladies without even having to open the story 😆

You know she actually rides bikes, also probably faster than 99% 100% of people here

FTFY. I think you were too kind. The handful of pro downhillers who are actually faster then Rachel Atherton are too busy training and riding to waste time on STW 😀

Yeah, STW does nothing to promote equality and sex-equality ❓

Sometimes I wonder whether I am from a different planet to some people, and better off for it.

Because it is easier to lazily re-post something that was on Twitter to get loads of clicks, than it is to make an effort to promote positive images of cycling.

A lot of effort was put into the last thread IIRC. And you don’t know what else people do when not on STW do you?

Yeah, STW does nothing to promote equality and sex-equality

How many women have been on the cover? If STW want to sand up and make a positive contribution do it, but bitching about to get clicks is pathetic.

Does one develop mega hotness from riding one of these e-bikes? Can I pretend I’m a hot babe whilst shredding the gnarrr?

Or perhaps these companies are sneering at their (potential) customers ie you’re too old grandad but ride an e-bike (cos you’re so old that you remember Playboy bunnies) and hot 20 year olds will throw themselves at you. Win win.

How many women have been on the cover?

Quite a few from the looks of things.

Is that the only metric? Are we done now?

Can I pretend I’m a hot babe whilst shredding the gnarrr?

No need to pretend surely?

If STW want to sand up and make a positive contribution do it, but bitching about to get clicks is pathetic.

Why assume it was only click bait? Why couldn’t Adele have felt genuinely about a subject? Why aren’t any of the rest of us feeling genuinely about it?

I am hot much of the time thanks to a broken body thermostat!

I am hot much of the time thanks to a broken body thermostat!

Wear less clothes and hang around in a draughty exhibition hall? That might help* 😉

*For the hard of understanding – This is a joke.

😀

ooooo a social media storm – who gives a **** what twitter says

philxx1975 – Member

The marketing genius has been missed by many.

If you mean the old “no such thing as bad publicity”, it’s always been something idiots say tbf.

This is just hilarious.

Hopefully they’ll come up with some lower-budget options too. I suggest calling them the Razzle and the Knave.

Can I have a job in marketing please Specialized?

You know she actually rides bikes, also probably faster than 99% of people here. Her sponsorship is not to do with looks. If you hadn’t noticed they do also sponsor several other people who also happen to ride bikes.

Of course, and not wanting to belittle her riding whatsoever. Fairly sure that marketing execs rubbed their hands together though when they saw a rider like her (looks and ability). The same could be said for many others, male and female.

Hopefully they’ll come up with some lower-budget options too. I suggest calling them the Razzle and the Knave.

I’ll look forward to the “Riders Wives” Special. 😉

PMJ, I think you meant this magazine,

😆

Dammit. Missed that edition!

I’ll look forward to the “Riders Wives” Special.

MBUK used to have it.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN_eu8Jk50o[/video]

http://road.cc/content/news/184517-specialized-confirms-controversial-playboy-e-bike-wont-be-sold

US bike brand Specialized has confirmed to road.cc that the controversial limited edition Playboy electric bike it unveiled at a bike show in Berlin earlier this month will not be on public sale because “it does not align with our brand values.”

The Morgan Hill, California-based company had been accused of sexism after pictures were circulated on social media the weekend before last of two women dressed as Playboy Bunnies promoting the bike at the trade show.

Some 40 examples of the black and gold e-bike were offered for sale on the German market. But in an emailed statement, the company told road.cc today: “‘The Limited Edition Turbo in collaboration with Playboy will not be sold.

“We are a brand for all riders and acknowledge this brand partnership does not align with our values.”

Specialized had already apologised for the PR stunt, with chief marketing officer Slate Olson saying the brand “stands strong with female riders and we do not support the objectification of women in any way, in any region.”

The company added that “this market activation was carried out locally by the regional marketing manager, and was not discussed with or approved by our global marketing team.”

My question is… would Mike have posted this if the brand in question was Santa Cruz? 😉

Haven’t read the thread btw – life’s too short

Another humiliating climbdown from Spesh, hooray!