i have now seen it all

[Beane]

just when you thought the whole "women's specific" thing might be taking a turn for the logical...

from CyclingNews:

Elite expand range for women's market

Elite has announced a women-specific design for its new Kit Azzurra drink bottle and cage combination. The new kit is made up of a Hydra drink bottle and a Custom Race bottle holder with an all-new design and colour scheme.

The Hydra drink bottle has a capacity of 550 ml, with an easy grip and push/pull top, while the Custom Race cage auto-regulates to the bottle's diameter.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...LITEKITAZZURRA

hahaha

.......maybe we can get a real woman to review it and tell us whether it is superior to her previous, gender neutral waterbottle?

[snapdragen]

It has flowers on it, so it must be wsd!

[mimitabby]

ah, isn't that special?

[kat_h]

My husband's comment was "ribbed for her pleasure."

[Andrea]

^ Yeah, Does it have batteries and a "back massage" feature?

[Zen]

Where do you put the batteries?

[Skierchickie]

I think the blue flowers are very pretty - I have no problem with that. I have no problem with pink. My problem is with gear that is marketed as women's specific that is just a pink version of the men's. Or that is designed for women, but you can ONLY get it in pink. If there isn't anything functionally different that is designed to work better for a woman, then don't sell me a load of blankety-blank telling me it is WSD. If I want pink, I'll buy pink (I did go through a pink phase in the late 80s, early 90s). What if I want a saddle that fits me, but is orange? Or green? I don't happen to be a pink person anymore. I have to say, I was outraged last spring when I was browsing through DH's tri magazine with all the hot new gear in it - cover to cover. With 2 pages of wsd stuff - let's see, Speedplay pedals that were identical to the other Speedplay pedals (don't remember which model), but in pink! Etc. I suppose it's just a sign that we're still vastly outnumbered, and these companies don't think there is any money in it. Why design a new product when they can just slap pink paint on what they have? I think this is exactly why I'm not a pink person anymore.

I'm sorry - am I ranting? It's one of my pet peeves.

Actually, I did like the blue flowered waterbottle, until it was pointed out just what it's shaped like.

[HillSlugger]

I went to a fashion show at a new bike shop that caters to women (Bella Bikes in Ellicott City, MD). The owner said that many bicycle/bike accessories manufacturers think that the way to make WSD is to "pink it and shrink it". Only some of the manufactures get it that making products that are useful for women involves more planning and design right from the start.

[OakLeaf]

many bicycle/bike accessories manufacturers think that the way to make WSD is to "pink it and shrink it".

SO true, though that's the first time I've heard that phrase. The same is true for any sports gear! Gloves are a pet peeve of mine.

[chickwhorips]

I like my new pink wsd bike.

Oh and I really like the flame kitchen aide. To bad it won't go with my wine themed kitchen. Guess I'll either have to drink more wine to make it look good or redesign my kitchen.
Looks like I'll be drinking more often. Maybe I'll change to whiskey though.

[Zen]

Actually, I did like the blue flowered waterbottle, until it was pointed out just what it's shaped like.

I kind of like it because of that. Gotta admit, it's different.

[Aggie_Ama]

Claudia- You reminded me of a conversation I had with my mom. She just bought and started riding a Harley. She was absolutely appalled when one of the women from her riding class sent her an email elated about her new motorcyle. She bought a Buell that was blue with yellow flowers "and just so cute!" My mom made gagging noises and called it a sissy bike. I went to the strangers defense saying she loves it and that is important. And as is my nature continued to argue with my mom for a good 10 minutes about how riding a motorcycle should be about freedom and self expression and what ever else I could find to say she was wrong.

Now I will go off to enjoy my girly bike with pale blue accents, pink bottles and girly flowery jerseys, but no penis shaped WSD bottles.

[lph]

I wish that the label wsd could stick to gear that is functionally different, i.e. specifically designed to accomodate the physical differences between (most) men and (most) women. There's no reason the rest shouldn't be gender neutral.

It's nobody's business if I want something in flaming red with black skulls on it, or if my son happens to like pale blue or lilac, and we don't need to be told that "this is for women", with the annoying subtext that everything else is, by default, "for men".

[Starfish]

"this is for women", with the annoying subtext that everything else is, by default, "for men".

This is Soooo much of it, for me. I am sick of a whole catalog of cycling stuff, with 2 pages of WSD. I notice they don't call the whole rest of the catalog MSD.

As a woman with long torso, short legs, and extremely small hands, I am waiting for the day when bikes of all frame proportions can be ordered with some options without having to spend an arm and a leg, or without going custom. Like, ordering a long-torso frame with the option of R700 and a Terry Falcon X, for instance.

And, I don't notice a lot of water bottles out there sporting Speed Racer or Racer X graphics, and marketed as MSD.

Grrrr.