Just got this with the latest magz, nice cycling / scenery photos BUT can anybody please explain what the May picture, to me a semi obscenity, is meant to be and why does it defile an otherwise perfectly acceptable calendar ?
took me a while to realise they’re playing with cycle locks – but I guess what Knog are after is publicity in discussions like these….. They certainly go for the quirky shot
I am very disappointed that STW has gone for this picture.Of all the wonderful biking pictures there are available to show, why on earth have we got to go through May looking at this stupid picture. 🙄 If I wanted soft porn there are other calendars around. What is the point! I now cannot put this calendar up at work, and have reservations about putting it up at home with the kids about! Also where is the info about the locations? C’mon STW you can do a lot better than this!
Firms who sponsor a page are given the option of providing the picture for that month. Most of them choose an inspirational scene with great riding. Knog don’t. I guess it’s had their indended effect to have you talking about it here… Their picture last year annoyed people too and they ended up offering a free ‘Download and print out’ replacement picture. I’m sure they’ll do that for next year too if you’re offended.
In their defence (of sorts) it’s a lot better than some of Knog’s Eurobike booth contents…
Every year Knog seem to have a dodgy/irrelevant/out of context shot in the calendar. Puts me off buying anything from them on principle
it puts me off buying the magazine. haven’t bought it for months but was going to treat myself this time. but no, i really can’t condone dodgy shite soft-porn, it’s horrible, and of course, hypocritical.
It’s not soft porn though. It’s just a rubbish picture of two people holding locks. For such a design led brand, it’s a baffling choice. I just had a look at their blog* and there are hundreds of photos that would have been a better choice.
Chipps, surely Singletrack have a say in what goes in the Singletrack calendar or has the mag lost it’s independence in favour of £££??
Like last years effort it means that many of us who have to work in an office cannot use the calendar as is, I’ve gone and bought ProCycling mag this month, now that’s an inspirational bike calendar!
Just cut off the bonus December 2010 photo, and hang it in front of the shonky Knog image. That’s what I intend to do as yes, it is pants, (in every sense of the word)
bagpuss – Member
Chipps, surely Singletrack have a say in what goes in the Singletrack calendar or has the mag lost it’s independence in favour of £££??
Completely agree.
Surely the fact that the ‘Knog’ page on this years (2010) calendar caused issues should have been enough for STW to have the final say???
There must be a lot of other companies prepared to provide a cool and inspirational picture for the calendar.
I’m with the majority of posters here, Knog is far too weird. Additionaly not sure I’d be comfortable hanging this up during May in the office.
I love Singletrack and have never tierd of the magazine, always feel that it’s separate from the other bike mags…but I feel this calendar overall (again for another year) does not symbolise what Singletrack stands for. Sorry Chipps, just feel you guys have the potential of really pushing your atitude and outlook a lot better via these channels
The first Singletrack calendar didn’t have advertising, or if it did, it was very discreet. I remember being disappointed the next year when it was just a series of bike company adverts. From then on they have sadly just gone into the paper recycling bin.
Chipps, thanks for the response. I’ve stuck with Singletrack for a few years now because I feel its more like being part of a select club than just being a subscriber. I can fully understand the commercial aspect of running the mag, it can’t be an easy time for any mag at present. But please have a little more understanding for your main readership! Give us lovely inspiring pictures that will encourage us to get off our middle aged fat backsides (can I say backsides?)and get out there, not a crude attempt at soft porn that quite frankly looks like something a kid did! Berlusconi would like it, I don’t.
I’d just like to receive my subs copy & the enclosed calender. re-read last months copy where there is a mention of this months mag being for sale “early december”. Well, it’s now mid december!!!
Hmmmm, STW print controversial calendar pic, resulting in thread about said calendar . . . cue lots of curious folks buying the mag . . . win win situation then 😉
Incidentally, I didn’t find the 2009 Knog pic at all offensive – never made it up on my wall though – I think my son nicked it. That said I have a mental picture of what the 2011 image may look like and can’t imagine anyone running off with that one 😉
Had the same problem in the house two years ago! The STW calender was the kitchen one for a couple of years and then then that first Knog ad appeared and the calender disappeared. (No ‘sex’ please we are British) I am starting to feel like a sad old man 🙁 Still buy the Cycle Passion one for my best mate – goes up in his shed and reckons its a top pressie.
Can’t say I’m offended – it’s just a stupid, crap pic IMO. On the same level as some idiot walking around with a t-shirt with the f-word on it trying to be clever/controversial or more bike-appropriate, those lame ‘one f-word-ing speed’ stickers.
Not seen the calendar and hence the pic yet but why is Knog a sponsor of the Singletrack calendar? Their entire product line has little or nothing to do with mountain biking and much, much more to do with commuting and town riding.
Chipps, surely Singletrack have a say in what goes in the Singletrack calendar or has the mag lost it’s independence in favour of £££??
Its a FREE calendar – it costs money to design, print, distribute, pack and post. The advertising will either just cover costs or make them a bit of money.
If they were charging £5.99 for a premium stand-alone calendar I could understand the moaning!
It’s just a pretty poor, amusing for half a second, photo that you dont really want to have to look at for a whole month.
Some of the other photos are nice though. Will prob just cut these out and put them up at work. The calendar as a whole just looks too much like an advert to hang up.
Still, would prefer to receive the calendar than none at all. Although would obvisouly prefer a calendar that I want to use.
it’s not soft porn, it’s not offensive….it’s just err, shite! sorry to harp on but the excellent photos i see in ST both in the mag and by the mag’s contributors are very inspiring, this photo makes me want to to think what the **** is this doing in the singletrack calendar and doesnt make me want to buy products by whoever is advertising (see what i’ve done there, avoided mentioning the manufacturer’s name..not wanting to mention the reason why we are all discussing this for marketing reason on the forum?) 😯
oh dear, it looks like I will have to actually spend money and pay for a mountain bike calendar for my office next year because I don’t like the free one that I got for nothing… 🙄