Marketing women's Cycling Products

[Bluetree]

I hate to come across as a gadfly, but I'm looking for a more constructive way to "complain" about women's cycling products and offer suggestions/request for what I would like to see. I've written/talked to many, many manufacturers, LBS owners, distributers, etc. and few have offered a reply beyond, "Sorry kid, that's just the way it is."

I have often felt that I speak through my pocketbook, but when the items I am searching for are not available or very rare, I cannot even do that. Here's just a few sample items that I have looked for in the past year:

• 165 or 167.5 carbon cranks (SRAM finally started making them)

• Women's bib knickers (only $280 Assos so far)

• Bib shorts or tights in anything other than basic black

• Sidi Ergos in smaller sizes (they start at 40)

• Women's full zip jerseys... with better designs

• FSA carbon bars with internal cabling, smaller than 40

• Winter clothing in BRIGHTER, flashier colors with more reflective pieces

• Safety-minded gear that not baggy and dowdy-looking.

• Men's accessories in XS (not just Small or Medium) so women can wear them, too.

My LBSs kinda see me as a dream customer – I'm not afraid to spend money as long as it is quality stuff. But I often feel like the bike industry in general **cough*campagnolo*** doesn't want my money. Is there a better method to get my wants known, or is it a sad truth that the industry doesn't give a rat's behind about such a small marketing niche?



/rant

[SouthernBelle]

Don't have any suggestions as to your questions, but you can find most of those clothing items at velowear.com

Reasonably priced too.

[OakLeaf]

I don't know about 167.5, but the first 165 mm cranks I ever had (in 1987) were Campy... Record, I believe.

I had no trouble getting a 165 Shimano 105 crankset to swap out for the 170 that came on my complete bike. Lots of places seem to have them available in Dura-Ace and Ultegra too.

I think the dearth of hi-viz clothing is not limited to women's sizes. Most people just don't like to wear the stuff.

Can't speak to the rest of the stuff, but there's no harm in contacting the manufacturers/retailers and making sure they know what you're looking for. I know that motorcycling boots are very hard to get in the smaller sizes (even for my large-ish feet), and what's sold as "women's" boots tends to be lacking in safety features, so I feel your pain as far as shoes. What really gets me going is that they make them, and they sell them in Europe, they just don't import them to the USA.

[tulip]

[snip] you can find most of those clothing items at velowear.com

www.teamestrogen.com, too

[Cataboo]

I have some similar problems as you - but given how out of shape I am, I'm happy to stick to the basic black bibs and or tights. I tend to be on a budget, so I'm always trying to find the best deal in a size that fits me.

I've had the same problem with finding 165 cranks as well... Nashbar had a great deal on the 9 speed ultegras a while ago (they may very well still).

And regarding shoes - I've size 6 feet, and typically I always find great deals on shoes in my size... in everything but cycling shoes.

You can get a lot of things via ebay.

[SadieKate]

I can remember when trying to find anything of any quality that was small enough was a miracle. Now, you want carbon cranks, internal routing, and carbon soles?

Bwahahahahahaha!

Sorry, not laughing at you, but when I remember the olden days (when I slogged through 6 feet of snow just to get to school) . . . . .

[SadieKate]

BTW, some of the FSA carbon bars are flared at the drops so you may want a size larger any way. I usually ride a 40 c-t-c bar but bought 42 from FSA because they measured 40 c-t-c at the hoods where I ride 90% of the time.

[7rider]

• Women's bib knickers (only $280 Assos so far)

Yeah...I guess that would be nice.

• Bib shorts or tights in anything other than basic black

TE has a few. Do a search on "bib". PI (if ya'll are still buyin' them! ), Louis Garneau, and Exte Ondo leap out. Hincapie tights are trimmed in a contrast color (fuschia, in this case...nice bib tights - I have a pair - but a bit on the short side, so if you are on the shorter side, they should do nicely.

• Sidi Ergos in smaller sizes (they start at 40)

• Women's full zip jerseys... with better designs

Competitive Cyclist has them on sale (men's anyhow) down to 39.
But, how about women's Sidis in LARGER sizes??
Those of us with water skis for feet (size 11, anyone?) are unable to experience the fit that folks rave about with these things...unless we go to mens'. And I've done enough men's bike shoes over the years, that if I'm going to drop such a serious hunk of change on a pair of shoes...well, can't I at least get them in women's??????

And the full-zip jerseys are coming. Giordana, Descente, Exte Ondo, even Terry. I think full-zips are directly related to the amount of bib shorts out there. More bibs = more full zips.

I guess it's all coming. It just takes voices and companies like TE to get the purchasing power to show they have a market for the items.

[Eden]

Competitive Cyclist has them on sale (men's anyhow) down to 39.
But, how about women's Sidis in LARGER sizes??

I'm a 37 in a Sidi (I think Bluetree is as well.... or smaller) - which must mean they run pretty small. I can rarely wear a size 6.5 regular shoe. I'd really be out of luck if they ran true, looking for 35 or 35.5s..... so no carbon Sidis for me. I'll have to go with Specialized if I want to upgrade my shoes.

I do have a pair of the winter Sidis, which only go down to 39 - extra insoles and thick wool socks make them manageable.

[Brandy]

Totally agree with you on the full zips. I can't stand jerseys that don't have them and I don't mind paying more for the full zipper. When I climb, I overheat easily and unzipping all the way is the only way to go.

[Cataboo]

My marin road bike came with FSA carbon cranks in 165.

[Bluetree]

I don't know what you have on your bike, but on FSA's aftermarket products, only their SLK and Team Issue cranks are carbon, and the smallest size is 170.
Their Gossamer, Omega and Energy cranksets go down to 165, but they are forged AL.

Campagnolo's Record and Super Record cranks only go down to 170 as well. As far as I know the Dura-Ace FC-7800-C also goes down to 170, but even I am not crazy enough to pay $1400 for a crankset.

SRAM Red came out with their 165 (last year I think, please correct me if I'm wrong) and I was able to order their new 2009 which also came in a 167.5 with the BB30. Can't wait. Woot!

[Cataboo]

I forgot - my marin was a 9 speed triple. came with FSA carbon pro team triple in 165. When I upgraded it to 10 speed, I just changed the outer chain ring to a 10 speed chain ring so I could keep using the carbon cranks.

[shootingstar]

I)

• Women's full zip jerseys... with better designs

• FSA carbon bars with internal cabling, smaller than 40

• Winter clothing in BRIGHTER, flashier colors with more reflective pieces

• Safety-minded gear that not baggy and dowdy-looking.

• Men's accessories in XS (not just Small or Medium) so women can wear them, too.[/INDENT]

My LBSs kinda see me as a dream customer – I'm not afraid to spend money as long as it is quality stuff.

Safety-minded gear that is not baggy and dowdy-looking.. at least over the years, they are getting better with full bodied vests with reflective colours (I'm not talking about the mesh, which still looks dowdy..).

[Susan Otcenas]

I hate to come across as a gadfly, but I'm looking for a more constructive way to "complain" about women's cycling products and offer suggestions/request for what I would like to see. I've written/talked to many, many manufacturers, LBS owners, distributers, etc. and few have offered a reply beyond, "Sorry kid, that's just the way it is."

Bluetree -

I, for one, always appreciate hearing what people want to see more of. And believe me, we DO pass that info on. Sometimes I talk until I'm blue in the face, but it does produce results. For example. for S'09 Pearl Izumi is making almost every single thing they make in XS AND XXL, as a direct result of both customer requests we shared AND data we provided to them on sales of those sizes from other vendors. It's a huge leap forward for them, and I fully expect we'll see the sale of Pearl increase as a direct result.

• Women's bib knickers (only $280 Assos so far)

Regrettably, I don't have a suggestion for you here. But don't lose hope. I mention this one from time to time to a few of our better vendors, and even though we've not been successful yet, I'm keeping positive. It used to be you couldn't get women's bibtights either, and now we have several options available on TE. So, don't give up.

• Bib shorts or tights in anything other than basic black

You'll see some more of this in S'09. Off the top of my head, I can think of options from Pearl, Etxe Ondo & Giordana that will include more color.

• Sidi Ergos in smaller sizes (they start at 40)

No women's Ergos. But, on the bright side, For S'09 (which we've already received) Sidi has added a carbon sole to the Women's Genius 5 Pro Carbon http://teamestrogen.com/prodSD_1250776.html This shoe is replacing the nylon-soled women's Genius 5 (which we have on sale now, in limited sizes remaining)

• Women's full zip jerseys... with better designs

Our new website has opened up all sorts of new capabilities for us. One of those is extremely detailed filtering capability. Right now, I have staff going through every single product we have and categorizing attributes. Once they're done, those attributes will be added to the filtering navigation on the left of the page. One of the attributes you'll be able to filter on is zipper length. So, if you only want to see full zip jerseys in size XS, you will be able to filter that way.

• FSA carbon bars with internal cabling, smaller than 40

Can't help you there...

• Winter clothing in BRIGHTER, flashier colors with more reflective pieces

Working on this too.

• Safety-minded gear that not baggy and dowdy-looking.

Give me some more examples about what you're talking about here.

• Men's accessories in XS (not just Small or Medium) so women can wear them, too.[/INDENT]

Yup, always asking for this one too. Try Louis Garneau, though, if you haven't already. Their smalls are really small.

I don't know if this helps or not, but please know that your complaints (I prefer to think of is as constructive criticism) are not falling on deaf ears at TE.

Susan