Sponsorship smonsership

In this photo of Ryan Trebon's cyclocross bike, you'll notice that there is a Clement tires sponsor sticker on the top tube and a Dugast tire on the rear rim.

What does it mean to for a bike equipment company to 'sponsor' a rider. Does it merely mean to pay them in order to have them sport a logo on their clothing or bicycle. Like a skinny rolling billboard? Or does it imply some sort of endorsment?

Websites like cyclingnews.com with a huge readership of avid cyclists regularly show things like logos taped over with electrical tape to conceal the name of manufacturer that conflicts with an in-place sponsorship. Sometimes, mechanics will even re-badge something (like a tire for example, they're all black tubes). This implies that riding the sponsors equipment is important, but the media articles probably have a negative effect on customer perception. Or at least, a positive effect on the customer's perception of the chosen equipment. I mean, what's more powerful advertising for Dugast than showing that a pro rider, who could get all the free Clement tires he wants, spends money on Dugasts?

BTW, Trebon's Kona isn't even made by Kona, it's made by Caribou.

Scattante on the Morgul Bismark

For Front Range cyclists, the budget bike brand, Scattante, is using what looks like a scene from the classic Morgul Bismark course as their advertising banner:

I'll give it to them, that's a pretty authentic backdrop for a bike parts ad.

Beer Season

As the cyclocross season heats up (or cools down, depending on how you look at it), I find myself interested in fine Belgian beer once again. In this country, that means buying super expensive imported beer, or looking into one of the many quality American based Belgian style breweries. Fortunately, one of them has hit it big and is available almost everywhere. Yes. New Belgium.

They're one of the few companies for which I really enjoy the marketing. This ad above is from a magazine. Except for the part where they describe the Twin Cities and Chicago as part of 'The Western Land', I love it. I also noticed that they are following the lead of Oskar Blues and putting their craft brew in a can:

I also noticed this woman, who I've decided to call the Good Beer Witch. Who is she? Where did she come from? Did she arrive by bicycle?

And now, for your moment of zen:

Oakley rolling monster truck 'lab'

Oakley has been driving around in what amounts to a monster truck, pulling a trailer outfitted with an 'R&D lab' to show people how well their products stand up to the competition. They showed up at the Tour of California and dropped and shot things at their lenses to prove their strength. I think that's great. Kind of like the travelling hair elixir salesman in Sweeney Todd played by Borat. It also cuts through the marketing hype they've used in the past (X-metal, Unobtanium, 'Nuclear Protection') and gives people a tangible reason why one product is better than another instead of a catch phrase or slogan.

Here's an article from Velonews showing the truck and the 'lab':

http://velonews.com/article/88531

Given people's current interest in matters environmental, they probably could have chosen a different vehicle than a very over built and street-style customized Freightliner. Here's a picture of the truck that I took in Aspen Colorado:

They were there for the X-games and the driver got the vehicle stuck trying to do a 3-point turn on a residential street. Maybe he needed corrective lenses for driving.

Race it on Sunday, sell it on Monday

Guys in the motorcycle business have an old phrase: "race it on Sunday, sell it on Monday." That is apparently very much the MO for shops selling road bikes. Case in point, the above advertisement. This shop had some great stuff in the window including a Gary Fisher Simple City bike with full fenders, internally geared hub, a cargo rack and was as close as the US may every get to urban European cycling bliss. And I'm sure that the guys running the shop know that most people that walk in the door are looking for something that will be useful for a combination of recreational riding, touring and maybe commuting like this. But hey, they probably make the most margin on the high end road bikes and every once in a while, one will turn into this and bring them great amusement. You've really got to click that last link.

Just what exactly is for sale here?

A buddy of mine was browsing the Specialized web page, looking for a good city bike. In their menu of product lines, right under 'Fitness/Commute', he found what you see above. The Specialized Fat Boy. $2800 of pure kick stand, banana seat fury. Apparently, the target market is female body builders who hang out in front of tattoo parlours and unzip their leather jackets to contemplate their rhine-stoned belt buckels. I think that perhaps Specialized in Morgan Hill, CA has picked up a Marketing person from the now defunct Indian Motorcycles in nearby Gilroy, CA. Or, maybe they're just trying to fit in with the current political climate:




Photos from http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCExperience.jsp?eid=129 and http://americaneedssarahpalin.blogspot.com/

Road bike tire icons - the universal language

After a recent descent down highway 84 (why the hell was that video made? "Loook, dey don even hav to pedal!), I got the road bike home and discovered a nice gash in the sidewall. Now, I've heard these can be patched with a dollar bill, power bar wrapper, or a specially made Park Tire Boot, but I decided that prevention was worth a pound of cure so I began tire shopping and was thoroughly confused. Does "Aramid Tek" mean that there's a kevlar bead, a kevlar belt, or the tire was designed by a guy named Aram? What's with all the wacky tread designs on road tires? Do they need tread? Luckily, I discovered Michelin. Fair price, and the features are printed right on the packaging in easy to understand, universal icons. Long mileage? Check. Puncture resistance? Check. I grabbed the package and checked out.

If only pregnancy tests could be so easy to understand.

What do you call nuts with lotion on them? DZ Nuts!

Regardless of whether the proprietor of this chamois creme is a famous cyclist or not, you have to appreciate his product.

Pic purloined from http://www.dz-nuts.com/