Booth Babes @ Interbike

[Amira]

I understand that the show is in Vegas, but isn't it possible for vendors to attract retailers their product without resorting to silicone boobs? If that's all they've got going for what they're selling, then it's a wonder they stay in business. That crap is offensive to at least half of the public.

AMEN!!!!!!! I find it insulting.



Although, I have to confess, I don't have any tan lines (ha, or tan) either, despite riding all summer. Sun block, knickers, sun sleeves on my arms and more sun block. Got to keep my dermatologist happy.

[zoom-zoom]

Although, I have to confess, I don't have any tan lines (ha, or tan) either, despite riding all summer. Sun block, knickers, sun sleeves on my arms and more sun block. Got to keep my dermatologist happy.

I don't have much in the way of tan lines, either--I'm pretty pasty. DH is a melanoma survivor, so we go pretty all-out with the sunblock and protective clothing. He was the coach in Tahoe with white arm sleeves. We still don't seem to be the norm, of course. We still have friends that pride themselves on their tan lines. I personally don't want cancer or wrinkles, so staying pale is a win-win. I like getting carded at almost 40!

Even without tan lines, those women are all far too "skinny fat" looking to be doing much of anything athletic, with the exception of the little platinum blonde who strikes me as maybe someone who lifts a bit and runs from her nature of her muscle definition.

[Amira]

I don't have much in the way of tan lines, either--I'm pretty pasty. DH is a melanoma survivor, so we go pretty all-out with the sunblock and protective clothing. He was the coach in Tahoe with white arm sleeves. We still don't seem to be the norm, of course. We still have friends that pride themselves on their tan lines. I personally don't want cancer or wrinkles, so staying pale is a win-win. I like getting carded at almost 40!

Me too. Melanoma 5 years ago. Now I'm super cautious about it. I wish I'd see more people wearing the arm sleeves, although I think that clothing manufacturers are becoming more conscious of this and I definitely talk them up at rest stops (when people ALWAYS ask me if I'm hot in them). I cringe at all the women I see on long rides around here in full sun and wearing teeny little cami's and tanks. It's just so many hours of brutal sun and it can't be good for them, no matter how much sunscreen they might wear.

I wear the arm sleeves even in the hottest weather and I've learned that not only do they help me not get burned, but they actually make me feel less 'beat up' by the sun and keep me cooler. I had to experiment - the Pearl Izumi ones are way to thick and hot for Texas, but I LOVE the Craft ones - super light, but SPF 50 and wetting them as you ride definitely works to keep you feeling cooler in hot weather. I also love the YMX by Yellowman ones (and their wild jerseys). I was wearing one of the YMX ones (from TE) in Tahoe. I always look to see the SPF rating on clothes and even shorts now are getting better about SPF ratings on them. I wish Craft would make a similar sleeve for your legs - I know TE carries a different one made for legs (forgetting the brand now), but they look sorta like support hose. I ordered a pair, though, and will try them with my shorts. I'm not above looking like a total dork if I'm saving my skin.

[zoom-zoom]

Me too. Melanoma 5 years ago. Now I'm super cautious about it. I wish I'd see more people wearing the arm sleeves, although I think that clothing manufacturers are becoming more conscious of this and I definitely talk them up at rest stops (when people ALWAYS ask me if I'm hot in them). I cringe at all the women I see on long rides around here in full sun and wearing teeny little cami's and tanks. It's just so many hours of brutal sun and it can't be good for them, no matter how much sunscreen they might wear.

I wear the arm sleeves even in the hottest weather and I've learned that not only do they help me not get burned, but they actually make me feel less 'beat up' by the sun and keep me cooler. I had to experiment - the Pearl Izumi ones are way to thick and hot for Texas, but I LOVE the Craft ones - super light, but SPF 50 and wetting them as you ride definitely works to keep you feeling cooler in hot weather. I also love the YMX by Yellowman ones (and their wild jerseys). I was wearing one of the YMX ones (from TE) in Tahoe. I always look to see the SPF rating on clothes and even shorts now are getting better about SPF ratings on them. I wish Craft would make a similar sleeve for your legs - I know TE carries a different one made for legs (forgetting the brand now), but they look sorta like support hose. I ordered a pair, though, and will try them with my shorts. I'm not above looking like a total dork if I'm saving my skin.

If you ever do the DV ride I really recommend sleeves...I wore them last year and people thought I was nuts, but it's so arid out there that you can spray water on your sleeves and the evaporative cooling is amazing!

I will have to check out the Craft ones. We have Moeben sleeves, but I think that company may be no more.

I'm with you on seeing women in strappy tanks while riding. Sun stuff aside, what happens if they crash?! A friend of ours has commented to me while riding that she likes the strappy tops to tan more of her upper body. I looked at her this Spring like she was nuts and said "yeah, I kind of lost all caring about getting tan when Derek had the melanoma spot and a lymph node removed." That people even make these sorts of comments around us is really perplexing. It would be like raving about drinking to a recovering alcoholic or someone who had suffered liver damage from alcohol. People are weird.

[Amira]

If you ever do the DV ride I really recommend sleeves...I wore them last year and people thought I was nuts, but it's so arid out there that you can spray water on your sleeves and the evaporative cooling is amazing!

I will have to check out the Craft ones. We have Moeben sleeves, but I think that company may be no more.

I'm with you on seeing women in strappy tanks while riding. Sun stuff aside, what happens if they crash?! A friend of ours has commented to me while riding that she likes the strappy tops to tan more of her upper body. I looked at her this Spring like she was nuts and said "yeah, I kind of lost all caring about getting tan when Derek had the melanoma spot and a lymph node removed." That people even make these sorts of comments around us is really perplexing. It would be like raving about drinking to a recovering alcoholic or someone who had suffered liver damage from alcohol. People are weird.

I expect at some point I will do DV. I laughed that I was more trained for that, having ridden the entire summer in Texas, than for Tahoe. The starting temps were like a winter ride for me. It's funny, our seasons are really totally flipped. Riding all summer is the B!tch here! Honestly, you'll probably never see me riding without either a sun sleeve or a long sleeve jersey, so no worries about taking them just to DV. You can tell from FB that I'm wearing the sleeves in most of the cycling shots taken since last May, which is when I found them.

Yes, definitely check out the Craft ones - TE carries them as well. I have the white, black and fuscia ones. Super light. The white does get dingy after a lot of wear, but so what. I also have two pairs of the YMX ones - the red/black ones shown with one of the new fall jerseys (TE chose to pair them with a jersey this time, but you can get them separately at YMX) and the black/white 'cloud' ones. I'm kicking myself now for not getting the red/green ones that go with the Henna Sport jersey, like my sister did. Um, I may have gotten a little bit carried away with buying cycling clothes this year.

[SheFly]

So, my understanding is that these "babes" are locals who do the same thing for any convention in Vegas that will hire them - it's not just Interbike. And I'm not entirely sure it's actually the bike companies that are hiring them... It may be the company that puts on Interbike that does that.

Don't get me wrong - I don't like it either. And I've been to Interbike twice and seen this with my own eyes.

SheFly