A quickie before we go.


Let us break proverbial bread before we abandon our posts for a few days to go off into our respective corners of the world to recognize what we’re thankful for- (As well as to remember that at this time last year, in an attempt at protecting their water, Native Americans were getting shot with water cannons, tortured, and starved. This year they’re cleaning up a 200,000 gallon oil spill on a South Dakota reservation.)

I have a few topics to touch on, so let us waste no time and get right to them.

Firstly, The government and the FCC are once again going after Net Neutrality.

If you can’t understand why this is important to maintain, please revisit this post from 2014, or this post from this past spring, featuring the ever-endearing John Oliver;

Apparently this is going to be a never ending battle for people like us who just want it left alone, and don’t want for multinational communication companies to unfairly monetize what for all intent and purposes is the greatest communication device the world has ever known.

There are two things you can do right now.

Call 424-363-4877 Demand Progress will connect your lawmakers.

All you have to say is “I support ‘Title Two’ net neutrality rules and I urge you to oppose the FCC’s plan to repeal them. Specifically, I’d like you to contact the FCC Chairman and demand he abandon his current plan.

Or head to Battle For The Net, and it will automatically connect you with your state rep.

Worse case, reach out to FCC chairman, and giant coffee cup aficionado Ajit Pai and let him know your thoughts.

ajit(dot)pai@fcc(dot)gov or give him a call at 1-888-CALL FCC (225-5322).

Or, email the FCC directly- https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express. Don’t forget to include 17-108 as the proceeding number in the first field;

Understandably, the switchboards have been lit up, and crushed by the current inundation of contact, but keep trying until your voice is heard.

You know… Until we have to do it all over again next year.

Ok, now that we have that addressed, why don’t we head on over to what is arguably the best thing the internet has provided me, probably ever;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKPz583WRpQ
I sent this to both my mom as well as Spencer from Ritte Van Vlaanderen, and they both texted back almost simultaneously, “it’s a pretty good metaphor for life.

Clearly great minds think alike.

And while we’re on the topic of Ritte, you good folks have no doubt heard the latest flap involving Pinarallo Bicycles;

This is how they’re marketing their new line of e-bikes.

I want to ride with my big strong boyfriend, but I can’t keep up so I need a bike with a pedal assist.

Give me a(n) *expletive break.

It was in other channels that I briefly confused Cervelo bikes for Pinarello, but when your brain is an ever swirling war zone of chaos, that sort of thing is bound to happen from time to time.

Anyway, why this all relates to Ritte is that Pinarello is a big company with deep pockets and they can’t find their ass with both hands.

Ritte is a small company with barely any pockets, and yet, they hit the mark every goddamned time;

Why isn’t Ritte the big company with deep pockets making dumb sexist mistakes with their hamfisted marketing attempts, and stupid e-bikes?

There is just no justice in the world.

Finally, I will include this clip I found yesterday that spoke to me on a level so internal and intrinsic to my youth, I nearly fell out of my chair;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YVQ5s6ePeI
I was that little kid, and still to this day see lines along side of the car of either a skier, or a person on a dirt bike.

I feel like my mind got read.

Anyway, it’s with that, I say goodbye for now, and wish you well over the holiday weekend.

I’d also like to humbly offer everyone who comes here, buys product, and/or advertises my sincere thanks. Without you, and your support, I’d be working at Little Caesar’s… Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I’m thankful for a lot, but for the here and now, I’m thankful for you.

I mean, my gratitude is no tryst with your girlfriend’s hot mom, but for now at least, it will have to do.

Spread this like it's sick

Leave a Reply

13 Responses to “A quickie before we go.”

  1. Largo November 22, 2017 at 6:23 am #

    The world was a better place with Bontrager forks and no Strava segments…

  2. dpow November 22, 2017 at 7:33 am #

    Inside fact, the Canadian carrying coffees in that “Imagination” video that almost gets hit by the family truckster is former Bike Mag Editor at Large/Kona Marketing Overlord Mitchell Scott!

  3. Johnny Smokes November 22, 2017 at 8:34 am #

    As Chris Moeller said, “Any publicity is good publicity as long as they spell your name right.” This is the most publicity Pin has had for ages. Possibly a new marketing technique where something stupid is said to direct the innerwebbies to the company’s profiles in various social media platforms. If so, mission accomplished.

  4. Sniff November 22, 2017 at 9:33 am #

    On the grade school bus in Iowa, I cleared every ditch transition possible.

  5. Colin M November 22, 2017 at 10:22 am #

    I want someone to really explain to me how that Pinarello ad was actually “sexist”. That term comes out so quickly when there is definitely a better word for it. Same goes for “racist” Do we really have that limited of a vocabulary? How else are you going to sell heavy and expensive e-bikes than to sell to specific groups of people? You develop ads that speak directly to them. So you got offended that the ad doesn’t reflect who you are as a cyclist? Too bad! You aren’t who the cycling brands are trying to sell their e-bike to. Turn the page to another ad that does speak to you. It wasn’t sexist at all. Where there any guys out there that didn’t like that the ad saying they are weak and don’t have time to train to keep up with the boss group rides? Probably. Did some of them consider buying an e-bike because their ego was fueled by that need to not be considered weak? Definitely. Did some women look at their ad and think that it would be nice if they could keep up with a stronger rider (male or female)? Sure. This is who the e-bikes are selling to. It isn’t sexist to find ways to sell bikes to less fit people. It is just another gizmo to try to even the playing field on a large cross section of humans. Think of power steering in cars. Do you think salespeople used the fact that not everyone was strong enough to turn the wheel in heavy cars without power steering and that adding power steering would ENABLE them to more easily use their car? Sure. Where those ads sexist? Looking back with our new found politically correct eyes probably. In the context of the times, fuck no. It is just a part of sales to try to sell to everyone they can. Do I get mad when Apple is clearly trying to sell to wealthier fuckwits who can’t stand to be without their phone for 5 seconds at a time? Sure, but that is their job to sell as much of their product as they can. The litmus test for “sexist” and “racist” seems to change every day. People need to calm the fuck down, remember that the human culture changes so rapidly, and realize you are just a consumer of more gizmos to make your “stressful” life easier.

    anyway the FCC guy is obviously a corporate infiltrator and we are fucked…..

    just another day of watching the world burn slowly

    • Stevil November 22, 2017 at 12:01 pm #

      I’ve included a quality diatribe on the batter from Amanda Batty in a comment above. Take a moment to read it. As a knuckle dragger myself, her perspective is one I tend to rely on.

      • Colin M November 22, 2017 at 1:15 pm #

        AB is a smart cookie who writes well. She is also an extremist who struggles to not full bore when tackling an issue that she is passionate about. Think Greenpeace warrior or 5th level vegan type extremism. Careful when adopting her perspective, she will twist words to appeal to your senses.

        She, true to form, considers the Pinarello ad to speaking to ALL women. This is fundamentally incorrect. They are advertising an e-bike specifically to those people who are looking for easier way to keep up with stronger riders. They specifically made a male and female ad at the same time. Sure the language was different between them (which is more the problem) but they know that the male and female perspective isn’t the same in cycling. So they made an attempt to find words that spoke to their potential clients and it didn’t resonate with certain people (faster women) who were not likely the targets of the ad. So they will trash the attempt and try again using images most likely. People are too sensitive to words anyway. She will probably read this and call me an apologist. Whatever, I have no stakes in the game. I’m just surrounded by a lot of fast females who got pissed by it and I need an outlet to formalize my opinion. I should probably start a blog again….

  6. Johnny Smokes November 22, 2017 at 12:01 pm #

    Crom dammit all. Hate being on to something as opposed to being on something…..

  7. tsp November 22, 2017 at 2:44 pm #

    Speaking of the goodies offered through the various links here around this place, All Hail the Black (Friday) Market!

  8. Zonker Harris November 22, 2017 at 5:56 pm #

    What a genius post. You have a true gift Stevil and I’m thankful to be entertained, educated and motivated by it every few days. Have a merry thanksgiving and enjoy your time with friends and family. As Justice Potter Stewart said about porn, “I know it when I see it.” That Pinerillo ad is sexist. The proper approach; “I’m a Pro with my glory days in the past but I want one more Classic.”