Instead of sponsoring pros, why aren't bike corps doing more for us?
 

They have the legal department. They prove it every time they sue each other for trademark infringements.

We can see they have money to burn. All the teams they sponsor.

But aren't we, the regular commuters, hobbyists the ones who are buying their bikes? So why aren't they doing more for us? Why aren't they advocating for us? Why do they do nothing when a driver runs over a cyclist, and gets a $40 citation? Why do they do nothing when cities debate over new safety measures for cyclists? Why isn't Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Scott, BMC, Focus, Pinarello, Ridley etc helping with marketing campaigns to bring more awareness for cycling?

Is supporting Contador's doping habits more important than supporting their customer's safety on the ride, and enacting changes that will encourage more people to get on a bike? My observation, the reason not to bike to isn't because it looks dorky or too hard. It's because the thought of cars buzzing, and crashing into them while cycling that's keeping them off it.

Why is it that small organizations like Bikes not Bombs do more for cycling in my area than all the major brands combined?

And shouldn't these brands care? The fastest growing way to cycle in Boston isn't buying their bikes. It's using Hubspot. Hubspot is doing more for cycling than all the brands combined in Boston.

So WTF? Huh? C'mon...

Because the pro's get them positive publicity?

Cycling is a 7 billion a year industry now. Pisses me off that these brands don't give back to the cycling community. WTF! How can they be such scums after taking 7 billion from their customers, and do nothing to encourage cycling to become a safer sport?

But who bought Shimano's wheels, 105 groupset, pedals, and handlebar? Who bought 3T's stem? Who bought NorthWave's shoes? Wasn't the sponsored pros. It's me... And you... And the rest of us who do it because we love it, not because we get paid.

Know what would get positive publicity? Specialized making public statements everytime a truck driver thinks it's OK to kill a cyclist because the cyclist was inconviencing him from picking up garbage 200 ft further down the road fast enough.

What would get them positive publicity? Speaking at the debates and providing support for cyclists when they ask that police enforce the 3ft space rule.

What would give Cannondale publicity? Speaking out to ask that laws be enacted that state, cars cannot idle in bike lanes, and police enforce that, give out citations and tickets for making riding a bicycle more dangers when the bike lane was intended to make cycling safer.

What would get them positive publicity? Speaking out to drivers, and informing them the road is to be shared. That cyclists don't have to get off the road.

On Trek's website, I see nothing for cycling advocacy. All I see is BS marketing terms that don't provide any advantage over their competitors for their sponsored teams. They spend all this money to do this when their pros riding their competitors bikes are performing just as well, if not better. It's crap, nonsense.

Why don't they do something with their marketing dept and legal dept, lobbying etc, that isn't bs, nonsense rubbish?

I'd like a cite for this before we go on. My impression is that legislators are not exactly quaking because of the power of the Bicycle Manufacturer's lobby.

It's an idea - start an advocacy group, get visible and make some waves, then hit Shimano up with a plan of action for their legal department to vet. Maybe they'd sponsor you.

Zymphad, since you are raising the question, can you answer your own questions?

Giving back to the community does not increase sales, and cuts into their bottom line (expense unjustifiable to share holders).

Lobbying industry caters to money, not communities. For instance, as long as the auto industry lobbying is 100 bigger than the biking industry, there will be no political will to implement any meaningful changes that would at least leave bikes and cars on a level playing field.

The pros and big tours are a living sales window that actually uses the end consumer as fuel. Plant a seed on the brain of an ordinary man, that it is actually possible (obviously with the help of equipment and gear from my corporation) to perform at par with a bunch of doping cyclists, and you'll have an endless revenue stream.

I am not saying that people are stupid or lack the capacity to make their own choices; it is that mental conditioning is severely underestimated, and what we consider "intelligent" is just a brain that has been conditioned to "prefer" certain choices.
That is one of the drivers behind marketing/advertising/propaganda.

Mmmmkay ... I'll advocate something: move this thread to A&S where it belongs. It will generate numerous responses, some of which won't even require wearing a tin hat.

That said, "Big Cycling" does appear to be involved in a few things; took me all of 50 seconds or so to come up with:

Amanda Schaper joins Liv/giant global marketing team
Advocacy - Trek Bicycle
Kona Bicycle Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (heading "Advocacy")
https://www.imba.com/news/specialized-world-summit
Tom Ritchey, Project Rwanda | The World Peace Emerging BLOG

I'm sure there is much more on the local, national, and international levels if one cares to look.

The bicycle industry, from its inception in the 1800s, has been first about selling the "rich man's toy". It's simply because that's where the fat profit margins are. The advocacy you speak of is going to come out of the same marketing budget that sponsoring racers does. The ROI on safe-roads advocacy is not going to be quick or predictable, while the effect of sponsoring the winning rider on the TDF is. It would take a very forward-thinking company to be willing to invest in the long game with an uncertain result and the political pitfalls of trying to change the cultural and legal climate.

Isn't charging you $10,000 for a piece of plastic that the latest PRO racer rides enough? Jeez, what do you want from these guys.

I hate to break it to you though, the mega-bike companies are in the cycling business because its a profitable commodity. The bottom dollar is their king. They pay pros to ride their bikes so people will buy them. There is no return on investment for the things you are wanting them to do "for us".

You already know the answer - they sponsor the pros because people buy what the pros ride. They are also listening to the consumer though - the demand for disc brakes on road bikes is coming from the consumer, and will likely someday be forced on the pros. There was an article in Velo magazine a few months ago where they interviewed pro riders about disc brakes, and most of them hated the idea but accepted that it might soon become a reality. Same goes for tubeless tires - that is driven by the consumer as well. These companies do things for you, but it just so happens that it involves making money - you shouldn't be surprised when a profit-driven organization does something to make money. They are no different than any other company which has a board and shareholders. Local advocacy groups and city governments are better at promoting cycling and safety, not to mention your friendly neighborhood LBS, since they are more in tune with each local area.

I want Toyota to advocate for more street parking.

I don't know what goes on where you live, but nearly every organized ride, race, or other bike event I go to has sponsorship, merchandise, and or SAG support provided by LBSs and supplemented by manufacturer incentives. Trek's invested in the People for Bikes program, and manufacturer sponsored teams reach deep into teh amateur ranks.

What event have you organized that got turned down for support or sponsorship?

Which image do you think will sell more bicycles?

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=417319http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=417320

The daring Pro cyclist in an epic breakaway in the mountains or some guy trying to get to work on time without being hit by a bus in the rain?
Sex sells, speed sells, fantasy sells but drudgery and inconvenience not so much.

-Bandera

Planet Bike is a company that donates 25% of their profits to bike advocacy groups: http://www.planetbike.com/page/grassroots/

I wouldn't expect the big corporations to do the same but it would be nice if they did more.

It seems like most companies do contribute to at least one cause. IMBA, LAW (or whatever it's called now), BTA, etc.

Stop thinking and go ride. The best advocacy is getting out there, riding responsible and inspiring someone else to. Most advocacy groups I hear talk do more harm than good. The only program worth supporting is bike education to children so they ride responsible.

Right...and I think that bike manufacturers would rather sell one $10,000 bike than ten $1,000 bikes, meaning the market they want most are the people who get excited over the first image.

You are ASSUMING that the big bike companies aren't involved in advocacy and/or community improvement.

That's the spirit!

Every once in a while I see Captain Fast at the Starbucks w/ his Pinnalized-Specerello Team Shy replica but meet recreational riders on "performance" style bikes equipped with 105 or lesser kit out for a ride all the time. The 1st image sells "Health, Getting in Shape, Weight Loss, Healthy Life Style" to the consumer of the moderate $ bike shop quality machine as well as the "Serious Roadie". Nothing wrong w/ that in an obese America and the mfgs are giving the broad spectrum of the market what they want in image and performance selling both volume and prestige.

Having been in the business any good shop will happily kit-out a nice commuting bike but Image #2 is not what brings customers into the shop or helps turns them into long time cycling enthusiasts and supporters of the sport in the community.

-Bandera

Advance Sports International President joined this advocacy board Philadelphia establishes bike advocacy board | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

Trek, obviously does nothing. See? New Trek advocacy program promotes local change | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News Trek match program raises $50k for World Bicycle Relief, continues through July 31 | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

This is in Australia, so it probably doesn't count Industry invests in Australian advocacy | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

Industry execs, PeopleForBikes lobby D.C. lawmakers | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News but they were probably just trying to sell congressmen $10,000 bikes ;)

wut Specialized Awards Advocacy Grants | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

GU Energy and Strava raise money for CAF | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News Full disclosure. I contributed to this one.

No major industry players here :innocent: Business Advocate of the Year Award - Alliance for Biking & Walking

Primal donations total more than $1M in 2013 | Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

etc...

Good of you to vote with your money. Start your own company and give all your profits however you see fit. Exactly how many bikes have you purchased from the big corps?

My one local shop is a Specialized dealer. I know the shop owner and his employees get good support from Specialized, and that is passed on to guys like me the consumer. I had the opportunity to test ride an S-Works Tarmac Di-2 this fall thanks to Specialized. Trek is a major sponsor of Pro CX in the US. Smaller brands sponsor the CX series I race in. This support includes neutral service and wheel support. Maybe things are different in Boston?

You misunderstood. In the past 5 minutes, none of the majors had done anything the OP was specifically aware of, and after all, they're evil corporations, so even if they did, it was probably self serving. Don't confuse the issue with facts that easily required endless minutes of Googling.

To be clear, I'm not saying that using elite racers as marketing is bad or wrong. Anything that gets people out on bikes is generally a good thing in my mind. To your point, a great many of those on 105 would happily spend $10K or more on a bike if they had the means. If I was wealthy, I'd probably do it too. So to the OP's point/question, the Treks/Cdale/Specialized/etc gear their marketing toward people buying the most expensive road bike they can, and to fuel the aspirational upgrades, because that's where the fat margins and quickest profits are.