Fashion mag making fun of bike commuting

[RolliePollie]

So I received a complimentary copy of the fashion magazine Marie Claire in the mail along with a special offer for a cheap one year subscription. I thought "cool, something free to look at!" and I actually kind of enjoyed flipping through the pages. That is, until I reached the very last page. I'm sure they were just trying to be funny. But here's what I saw:

A picture of the front end of a road bike and the caption "Ride Your Bike To Work Day, May 16....Arrive At Work Day, May 19"

How insulting! Here is a magazine filled with super skinny models parading around in revealing clothing and articles about how to be prettier, how to make your hair shinier, how to improve your sex life, etc. But they are making fun of cycling? They are making fun of exercise and being fit and improving your health? They are making fun of being green and taking advantage of an effective alternative form of transportation? Why not do an article on the fact that May is bicycle commuting month? Why not empower women to get out there and ride a bike? I'd like to see one of their anorexic models attempt to ride my commute!

Am I over-reacting? Probably. But I'm sending an email to the magazine's editor. And I'm going to let them know that I'm not super skinny nor am I super pretty, but my commute is 16 miles each way with over 2,000 feet of climbing on the way home and I am proud of myself every time I ride it (not that I commute often or anything...but I'm not going to mention that part). Oh, and I'm passing up the cheap subscription offer.

[Zen]

Am I over-reacting? Probably.

He11totheNo you're not overreacting!!!
What you've just written here is a good start, you might add that being in good shape and raising your endorphin levels does wonders for your sex life :D

[singletrackmind]

Not overreacting at all, on top of it you have a very sensible statement. Maybe they're worried a sweaty, active, toned woman will frighten away Mr. Right?

So what's that email addy, anyways? Let's turn your 2 cents into 4....or more.

[7rider]

Being a sweaty, active, bicyclist is exactly what hooked me up with Mr. Right.

And cycling has often been found to be the FASTER way to get to work (in many urban areas), so yeah....it's very insulting. Perhaps the Marie Claire readers (writers?) are afraid of breaking a nail or something.

Is there an article/paragraph associated with that picture? Can you scan and post it for us (I admit...shocking as it may seem...I am NOT a Marie Clair reader!)?

[KnottedYet]

I'd love to see that, too, or a link to their online version if they have one.

And if there is an email addy we can send our opinions to, I'm sure we could make at least a "small" impression.... ;)

[MALcontent]

As a counter to this sad example of ridicule, I saw an ad in the Boston Globe today encouraging people to bicycle or walk to preserve the environment. It was an ad for Macy's department store and it showed a handsome man dressed in a suit on a bicycle! We're making some progress!

[Jolt]

As a counter to this sad example of ridicule, I saw an ad in the Boston Globe today encouraging people to bicycle or walk to preserve the environment. It was an ad for Macy's department store and it showed a handsome man dressed in a suit on a bicycle! We're making some progress!

Nice!

[Trek420]

"If you have comments about our features and editorial content, please write to the editors at:

Marie Claire Magazine
Editorial Offices
300 West 57th St.
34th Fl.
New York, NY 10019.
Or email us at marieclaire@hearst.com"


Maybe they need a 2nd article, "Sit on your butt in an SUV month, start out healthy and fit, arrive with the following symptoms of a sedentary lifestyle ...."


As a counter to this sad example of ridicule, I saw an ad in the Boston Globe today encouraging people to bicycle or walk to preserve the environment. It was an ad for Macy's department store and it showed a handsome man dressed in a suit on a bicycle! We're making some progress!

Sweet! Maybe we should send this to Marie Claire and show 'em how it's done. There's a huge market of smart, fit, active, aware women (and guys) who want to ride our bikes in comfort, fit and style as the saying goes on the TE shopping page.

Guess they don't need our discretionary income :p

[KSH]

A picture of the front end of a road bike and the caption "Ride Your Bike To Work Day, May 16....Arrive At Work Day, May 19"




Dare I say... that maybe they wrote that because they interviewed the anorexic models in their magazine and this the consensus that they gathered? ;)

[Irulan]

Is the article available online? Before we go writing letters, having an idea about the exact content is a good idea....
State Farm recently pulled a TV ad that was putting down bike commuting, based on public input.

[F8th637]

What month's issue was that? Typically, I like Marie Claire for its articles on the issues of women around the world.

[RolliePollie]

I don't have a scanner, but I'll try to take a photo of the page and post it...but I have to leave for work (driving the car today, it's 29 degrees out)...so I'll try and post it this evening.

[kfergos]

You aren't the only one to be outraged by this article. This guy wrote them a nasty letter: http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/04/17/a-confession-and-an-angry-letter/

Not that I'm advocating nasty letters, but hopefully if they hear enough indignant protests, the magazine editors will think twice before publishing this kind of junk in the future.

[shootingstar]

This is probably a great opportunity for Marie Claire...to hear directly from a signed petition of TE forum members ...who would list their daily commuting committments....the weight that they lost....and some photos of their svelte bodies in flashy/cool cycling wear.

I would suggest if Sara hasn't sent in her letter to editor that she print off/copy this entire thread if we do start a petition. She could attach to her letter.

It would be a powerful message from fashionable, fit women who take action..like ourselves, wouldn't it? :D:D:D:D

[Melalvai]

State Farm recently pulled a TV ad that was putting down bike commuting, based on public input.
Wow, that's great. I'd seen and heard about the ad, but I did not know they pulled it.

[Bad JuJu]

I don't have a scanner, but I'll try to take a photo of the page and post it...but I have to leave for work (driving the car today, it's 29 degrees out)...so I'll try and post it this evening.
Yes, I'd love to respond, but I'd like to see it first so my response can be more detailed. Thanks.

[Geonz]

My cynical self says that mebbe the State Farm guys were going to pull that one *anyway.* I'm thinking a cyclist did it and half the folks in the office didn't "get it" anyway (i'm thinking of how he obeyed all the traffic laws, etc.)

I think the tactic with Marie Claire is to spin things so they just might use a one-liner as a springboard to a *real* article about chic folks riding - some nice EUropean shots... p'raps we should ride in on one of those days decked out... snork, if somebody'd find my camera and do me a makeover, *that* would be funny! I could cruise in on the Gazelle...

[7rider]

You aren't the only one to be outraged by this article. This guy wrote them a nasty letter: http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/04/17/a-confession-and-an-angry-letter/

Not that I'm advocating nasty letters, but hopefully if they hear enough indignant protests, the magazine editors will think twice before publishing this kind of junk in the future.

It may be worth noting here that one of the comments this blog posting received (from Joan), pointed out that the MC article was in their "Opinionated Guide to May". I'm not familiar with this magazine at all, but it seems like this is a regular feature in the magazine, who's purpose is to be snide, opinionated, and "snarky" (Joan's word). (That's one of the reasons why I'd like to see the full context of the piece before I fire off any emails).

[Geonz]

It's the "opinionated guide" ... and it's a one-liner.

As lots of teh comments on the bike commuter page noted... the angry response could rather easily give one the idea that commuting cyclists are arrogant and hostile. This is a chance to introduce those folks to the cycling community. What kind of impression do we want to make?

I know there's been debate over the value of cycling as the hip HOllywood trend when the celebrity of the week cruises by on a $12,000 bicycle. Still, if that's the window to see cycling through... what about the European cycling culture?

Imagine if the response from that one-liner inspired them to *feature* the kind of people they admire who do ride bicycles. (I don't know the rag, so I don't know who they'd be but I bet they exist, even if not in this country.)

[GLC1968]

I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to feature a picture of Jennifer Aniston on her new Channel bike. :p

http://www.vogue.co.uk/vogue_daily/story/story.asp?stid=48097

Aparently, Courtney Cox bought it for her to the tune of $12,000. :eek: I'm not sure if this is good for cycling or bad for cycling!

[Geonz]

... Okay, I just read some descriptions... yea, lots of health and beauty stuff.

I dunno, but don't we want to encourage those ladies to think about riding a bicycle, too?
Imagine: the editors are sitting around (or just one) lookin' at those eternal "May is..." lists. ONe says "Friday is bike to work day!"
The other one ... maybe works 20 miles away... doens't matter... point is, if you *aren't* a cyclists, it's perfectly *natural* and not at all nasty to say "Guess Monday is arrive at work day!" AFter all... cycling tends to be slower than driving.


Snork... I could see saying that about my commute if I were feeling slow.

I think the response should be to suggest that they *feature* fashionable cycling... try to get 'em to realize we're not all that hostile!

[Geonz]

And on my "blog dashboard," on today's Blogs of Note is "Copenhagen Cycling Chic."

I don't *think* that's based on my data (keywords from my blogs) but rather that everybody gets that ... http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/ - duly noting the difference between the address and the tytle... indeed... good or bad?

[singletrackmind]

Being a sweaty, active, bicyclist is exactly what hooked me up with Mr. Right.

Hee hee, me too!


Guess they don't need our discretionary income :p
Discretionary income? OH! You mean bike fund!:p

[Velobambina]

Who really cares what is in Marie Claire? :p

I saw that picture of Jennifer Anniston's "Chanel" bicycle. Too bad Courtney (I spelled that wrong on purpose! haha) didn't use the money to buy her a custom IF, Seven, or [insert your dream bike].

[KSH]

Uuuhhhh... someone didn't get their money's worth.

It's like they took a $80 bike from Wal-Mart and slapped Channel on it and jacked up the price.

FUNNY!


I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to feature a picture of Jennifer Aniston on her new Channel bike. :p

http://www.vogue.co.uk/vogue_daily/story/story.asp?stid=48097

Aparently, Courtney Cox bought it for her to the tune of $12,000. :eek: I'm not sure if this is good for cycling or bad for cycling!

[Jen-Jen]

My husband says that the Chanel bike looks like the Flying Pigeon from China.

All I know is my husband likes me sweaty and on bike!!!!!!

[Di bear]

Write the letter. :-)

Don't sweat it after you send it, though. Just remember, the prettiest, sexiest gals read Bicycling. :-D

[bluebug32]

I applied for an editorial internship there several years ago and had the pleasure of meeting and greeting the little Barbies in their office. Today I find most of my fashion splurges in Bicycling and Mountain Bike. Nothing beats carbon soled shoes and ultra-lightweight wicking materials. Oh yeah :cool:

[RolliePollie]

Sorry no picture of the Marie Claire page...my camera is dead. There's really not much to it anyway...like others have posted, it's just a one liner. But it still annoys me. Not a huge big deal in the grand scheme of life, but annoying nonetheless!

[KnottedYet]

Write the letter. :-)

Don't sweat it after you send it, though. Just remember, the prettiest, sexiest gals read Bicycling. :-D

And Team Estrogen forums!

(y'all are hot, I tell ya, *HOT*!!!) :D

[Wahine]

Bicylcing *IS* foreplay.:D:D