Write Hard, Ride Free

Friday's post with all the T&A was a somewhat subconscious release of the bike industry marketing that had infiltrated my brain. I'm always amazed when sex is used to sell product, but I'm even more amazed when it works. Recently I read a post on Rick Vosper's RVMS Bike 2.0 blog about why certain types of marketing work in the bike industry. While he didn't necessarily mention using breasts to market bikes I think that it applies somewhat to the topic, that being marketing directed at key influencers.

I'm not going to go into it at length since he really did a great job over there.

Why do I bother read about such silliness anyways? I don't know Rick's entire background, but he seems to have some "industry" experience. I tend to find the "industry" quite fascinating, and I try to absorb what I can when I can. If I happen to find myself in the company of an experienced race promoter, a paid industry shill, an engineer, a welder, a professional cyclist (one who makes a living riding bikes), a shop owner, a bike media elitist journalist, a marketing guy, a local rep, or a small bike company owner, I ask a lot of questions and keep my ears wide open. If Mike Ferrentino of Santa Cruz is yapping about the benefits of carbon fiber, I listen. If Eric Smith of Cane Creek is blabbing about headsets in a manner that would bore the average person, I'm still listening. If Peter of Misfit Psycles is waxing philosophic about domestic VS overseas manufacturing... yeah, I'm listening to that as well. For some odd reason, as pointless as the information may be in my daily life, I wanna know it. I find it fascinating.

I imagine someday (hopefully not too soon) when I am no longer delivering packages on a bicycle I'll want to be in the "industry" at some level, realizing that working at a bike shop as a low level grom is considered, by some, to be in the "industry." It's just that I have an interest in all things bicycle, and can not imagine being in a place where I can't talk about them all day long.

Then, in my new occupation as bike shop grom, the major manufacturers can market bikes to me directing their drivel at my machismo and youthful penis in order to influence the way I sell bikes on the floor.

"Of course you want a Signature Gary Fisher Trek. Haven't you seen Willow Koerber in lingerie?"

The latest issue of Dirt Rag is out there..

If you haven't gotten it already, yes there is a new article from me (and my department) as well as some other stuff from other people. This issue marks the "I've made it past my first year as a bike media elitist journalist," and being so I would think it's quite the collector's item.

Have I learned anything from this experience yet? Yes. Writing for a magazine is harder than writing a blog. It requires more thought, more effort, and more patience with autograph hounds. It also pushes me to write gooder, and that I am working on harder.