i have now seen it all

[uforgot]

Just looking at that makes me hear bad porn music in the background. Sheesh.

Huh? Because it's biking and floral? Does this also upset you? And then top it off with this, and you KNOW it's not a serious biker. And how dare purelycustom.com have floral spacers , headset caps and handlebar endcaps. (I have the dark blue hibiscus headset cap, so I guess my Burley is "tacky" and I should be pole dancing instead of biking.

I believe we have had a couple of threads about this very subject. The last one I remember is about how a TEer had a brand new bike, and it was pink. She rode it on a trail and was completely hurt by the comments of other bikers on the trail. Of course TE rallied and let her know that there was nothing wrong with her pink bike, and now this thread sounds like those very people. Diversity is what it is all about. What I consider tacky may be beautiful to someone else. I see nothing wrong if someone wants "girly" things to bike with. This is different than a floor pump, as a bottle is actually something that is VISIBLE and on the bike. If the pink pump were a frame pump, how many here would purchase it for their bikes? I know there are some that would. I've seen threads where people are looking for pink bike accessories. The blue flowers are the same. Nothing wrong with it if you like it. The point is to BIKE, and no one should have to worry about the biking fashion police.

I think that before we open our mouths and declare something tacky, ugly and not "serious" we need to consider others. And how on earth are light blue flowers pornographic??? The point is to BIKE, and no one should have to worry about the biking fashion police. No, I don't own a floral water bottle.

[maillotpois]

Who uses a 500 ml bottle unless you have vehicle support?

that was exactly my thought. unless you have a follow car or you're also wearing a camelback - how far will that bottle (or 2 of them) get you? sure I could probably do a quick 30 miler on that bottle (on a cool day), but I LIKE having extra water just in case.

[Tuckervill]

Claudia, I think they were referring to its phallic shape, not the blue flowers. Others were more discreet than me--I was going to post that it looks like a p@nis, too.

Unless you were kidding, too.

Karen

[rij73]

I should have chosen my words more carefully, but I guess it just seemed unnecessary to me to have a company marketing water bottles specifically to women. I thought the *idea* of marketing a bottle as WSD only because of its floral print was tacky. Maybe a man might like that bottle! I think some of the more decorative bikes and accessories are great looking...

[OakLeaf]

Just looking at that makes me hear bad porn music in the background. Sheesh.

Is there good porn music?

[SadieKate]

Think Bo Derek in 10, running along the beach to Ravel's Bolero.

[OakLeaf]

Who uses a 500 ml bottle unless you have vehicle support?

Editing: OK, I do but only on one mtb that doesn't have space for a larger bottle and then I also wear a hydration pack. That's a pretty small niche market.

Well maybe you've hit on it, though. I was rolling my eyes too, I admit, but my hybrid frame really doesn't accommodate a standard 21 oz. bottle. (Not sure of the frame size, but I ride a 50 cm Cannondale road bike and a measured 47 cm older custom steel frame, so the hybrid isn't super small.) I like to bring water along if I'm riding the hybrid 5-6 miles one way - especially on a hot day - or if I'm going to be at my destination for a couple of hours. I get dehydrated really easily, for one thing, plus I don't like to buy bottled water if I can bring my own.

Small niche market, maybe, but I'll bet it's almost entirely women. The flowers are a bit much, but the size, maybe not.

[OakLeaf]

Think Bo Derek in 10, running along the beach to Ravel's Bolero.

[SadieKate]

Even the small standard 21 ounce bottles are larger than that one though.

[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.

[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".

[uforgot]

Claudia, I think they were referring to its phallic shape, not the blue flowers. Others were more discreet than me--I was going to post that it looks like a p@nis, too.


Karen

Um, oh yeah, totally missed that in my rage. Okay, you guys with the pornographic references are off the hook. Remember the banana keeper thread? But on the other hand, what water bottle doesn't look phallic or like a nipple for that matter?

BUT, that "phallic" thread drift didn't start until post #4. A lot of posts object to A. light blue color and b. flowers and the fact that it's being marketed to women. If you have girly bikes and/or accessories, no way can you be considered a serious biker, because somehow what you have is toylike and not good enough. Sort of reminds me of "If you don't wear the right clothes, have the right backpack or the latest Hannah Montana cd, you can't play with us at recess." Personally, I have a set of floral tools. Oh, not because I thought they were pretty, but my grown sons hate them, therefore I still have them several years later. I rewired the kitchen and and put new plumbing in the bathrooms with them. But, hey, I guess no one should take my repair skills seriously because my pliers fit my smaller hands and have flowers on them.

I tend to over-react when I feel that anyone is being disparaged in any way. As a teacher, I see it all the time. I see absolutely no reason to completely discredit a water bottle simply because YOU don't think it's something anyone should want. I'm not talking about the size argument here, that was a valid point. Just don't buy it. It's not like you don't have a gazillion choices there. I bet you that there are a lot of people who like it simply because of it's color and graphics, and telling them their taste is crap is simply wrong.

Instead of posting for the whole world to see when you think someone/something is wacko, you should do what I do. Email Sandra!