Does anyone else find it ironic that the Tour of California’s title sponsor is Amgen?

Amgen, makers of this drug (Aranesp), otherwise known as EPO, is sponsoring North America’s premier road race.

Does anyone else see anything even remotely ironic about that?

I was helping a friend build up his new bike in my basement this weekend. It was quite a nice bike, and he’s excited to use something that’s lighter, faster, stronger and cooler than what he had before. AS he explained to me his motivation for getting the bike, I remembered how new products are so often the inspiration to ride more. It’s not that we need new things to keep us going, but the excitement of getting to use something new certainly carries more weight for most people than “time to go for a ride again…”
He was also telling me about the efforts he’s taking to get in shape–some of them smart moves, and others not so smart–and how over the summer he made a conscious effort to go Organic. It’s a move I try to make whenever I have the chance and whenever I can afford it, because quite frankly, it’s worth knowing where things come from and what impact they’ll have on you when you consume them.

That’s a life lesson we could all pay attention to: pay attention to where your stuff comes from, and what impact it will have on you once you’ve consumed it.

Think about it, and that translates to nearly every facet of your life.

Buying a used car? It sure pays to know how the previous owner treated it. Oil change every 3,000 miles, continual maintenance, garage kept, highway miles sounds a lot better than city use, public parking, zero maintenance and never washed.

Buying lunch? It’s awfully nice to know that the guy preparing it washed his hands and knows enough to spot decaying meat before he throws that slice of turkey on a bun.

Filling up your gas tank? Six years ago, very few Americans were aware that buying gasoline was essentially the equivalent to supporting terrorism, nor did people realize that by traveling 80mph on the highway, you were contributing to those little pools of water underneath Antartica–but guess what, you are.

Buying a bike? It’s great to know that your purchase went to support the livelihood of someone who pays attention to detail and has his/her finger on the pulse of all things bike. And that’s not just the feel-good factor, either. If you have a good relationship with that person, he/she is more likely to know about and notify you of any possible recalls, tell you when something of interest is coming to town, and maybe set aside a deal that could have gone to someone else.
You see people, it’s all a life lesson here. Know where your stuff comes from. Know the consequences of your actions. Be a smart human.

It’s about that time of year… the time to announce the next year’s Literature Contest. It all started during my first full year as editor. Fresh out of college, I was excited about giving the Dirt Rag audience a chance to compose their thoughts and tell their stories. We lined up a few small prizes from Shimano and Phil Wood and announced three categories: poetry, short fiction and long fiction. About 45 people submitted articles, and the rest was history.

Now in its fifth year, we’ve grown from prizes like wheelsets and shoes to full-on bikes from Gary Fisher. I expect over 150 entries, and I expect them to be better than ever.

So it was a surprise to receive a phone call from a reader excited to enter. The phone call went something like this:

“So, uh… when you givin away them Gary Fisher bikes?”
“Well sir, I’m not sure what bikes you’re referring to.”
“You know, in that Literacy Contest you have.”

I could finish the conversation, but I have to stop there.
Literacy? The Literacy Contest?

Oh dear.

This is probably the same guy who made the trail closure signs for Hartwood Acres that read, “Trail Closed Do To Revegetation.”

It just goes to show you, bike bait attracts all fish, not just the literate ones.

Marketing.Whether or not you agree with me, it’s true that marketing is a necessary aspect of the world. While the word “marketing” puts a taste in some mouths just like “lawyer” or “plastic suergeon,” the profession isn’t inherently bad–I would even argue that the act of spreading a positive message is inherently good–I suppose the bad reputation just comes from the people who pursue their message spreading in repulsive ways. And often, at least for me, traditional often accompanies repulsive.
And being subjected to traditional means of marketing can be painful. Nobody likes being on the receiving end of a sales pitch that sounds like it came out of used car salesman’s mouth–but certain PR firms deem it necessary to treat their products like any old commodity like hair restoration gel or penis enlargement pills.Take this phone call I got the other day as a great example of how not to pitch a product,

“I’m not just the national sales manager, I’m also a customer.”

I talked to the guy who uttered these words for something like 15 minutes. But I can’t tell you his name, what product he was pitching, or much anything else he said.

Why? Because his pitch wasn’t authentic. It was insulting, and it was slimy. Was he talking to me about a product related to bicycles? I don’t know. And the reason I didn’t pay attention to his pitch was because he could have been selling insurance, windows, computers or headsets.
If he’d have treated me from the rider’s approach, I would have listened to him. But instead his pitch closed my ears to his message. And he wasted 15 minutes of my time, and his.