TE ladies in Bicycling Mag

[HillSlugger]

I got a response:


Dear Mimi:
Thanks for your interest in Bicycling. It's true that the women's insert was only in selected issues, but you can read all the articles that were in it at bicycling.com/womenriders.

Sincerely,

Emily Furia ( Emily.Furia at rodale.com ) (remove the at and put in @ )
Associate editor
Bicycling magazine
www.bicycling.com

But no explanation of how they decided who gets the insert and who doesn't. Do you think they left it out if the subscription was in a guy's name?

[mimitabby]

But no explanation of how they decided who gets the insert and who doesn't. Do you think they left it out if the subscription was in a guy's name?

I wrote back discussing that very point.

[kelownagirl]

Thanks Mimi, let us know if you hear anything back.

[Velobambina]

I haven't gotten my July issue yet, but I'm one of the "women riders" featured on the website (goal: Bike to Work). First and most upsetting is the complete fabrication that "she needs to be able to tote papers and clothes around. .... And she doesn't want to create a spectacle of her backside." I cannot bring papers home because most of my work is classified, so I don't know where they got that comment. And I never said ANYTHING about my backside. I'm 44 years old, really could care less, and at the risk of sounding immodest, am pretty proud of my strong, biker's glutes. I am all about performance and comfort when I ride, not how I look, for crying out loud. I'm not renewing my subscription to Bicycling. It's more targeted to adolescent males than serious riders

[Veronica]

I don't like how the write ups made you all sound needy and wimpy, because you're not. It didn't take into account that you already have a bunch of gear, including bikes and helmets.

It was just a chance for them to advertise more.

And it was LAME!

I rarely buy a Bicycling issue and this article didn't improve my opinion of them any.

V.

[Duck on Wheels]

Good grief! I just looked up the Internet versions of these writeups. They're a bit better (no model) but still manipulative. They USED you women! Here you are, strong riders all, willing to stand up for women riders, willing to be an inspiration by telling about achievements and goals ... and they 1) misrepresent your achievements, 2) misuse your goals, and 3) show that they lured you into this by misrepresenting their intentions. I'm glad there've been write-ins to complain about this. I'm glad there've been women cancelling their subscriptions. If you want to make an even stronger impact, I suggest writing to the advertisers. Tell them you're potential customers, been looking at their products seriously, but that after this debacle you've really been turned off.

[mimitabby]

I haven't gotten my July issue yet, but I'm one of the "women riders" featured on the website (goal: Bike to Work). First and most upsetting is the complete fabrication that "she needs to be able to tote papers and clothes around. .... And she doesn't want to create a spectacle of her backside." I cannot bring papers home because most of my work is classified, so I don't know where they got that comment. And I never said ANYTHING about my backside. I'm 44 years old, really could care less, and at the risk of sounding immodest, am pretty proud of my strong, biker's glutes. I am all about performance and comfort when I ride, not how I look, for crying out loud. I'm not renewing my subscription to Bicycling. It's more targeted to adolescent males than serious riders

Good grief, that could get you into big trouble at work!

[KnottedYet]

::helmet in hands, pleading look on face::

I am not finding the online version of the article. Can someone post a link, please?

[mimitabby]

http://www.bicycling.com/topic/0,661...23-0-0,00.html


bicycling.com/womenriders

[Velobambina]

Good grief, that could get you into big trouble at work!

Luckily, I've never been one to take work home. LOL. My conscience is clear and I'm known for my honesty at work (not always career enhancing, as I will speak my mind! haha). The "rearend" thing bugs me more. Makes me sound like a twit, not an athlete. "I can't commute because my bum looks too big in bike shorts." Jaysus....

I'm so appalled by the lack of integrity in the article. I have a BS in Journalism and as part of my required J-school classes in college, had several courses in ethics, law, etc. I guess the advertisers strongly influence the content of the articles. It's not a magazine---it's a catalog.

Makes you wonder if they would have done the same thing---make the subjects sound like wimps---if this had been an article on men?

[pooks]

Okay, so Velo has a background in journalism.

This is an article for Salon, folks.

Agreed?

How kickass riders were turned into whiney simpering wimps in one fell swoop of advertising -- which didn't even get put into all the issues!

It would best be done by a person who actually was interviewed and had expectations, a first-hand account.

Velo, how about it? Want to interview CWR and KG and see if you can sell the story to Salon?